This one requires some setup.

Iris has five vital bedtime toys. One is a wooden teething ring with a lemon. This is known as Lemo. One is a stuffed duck. This is known as Ducky.

The other three, however, are these wide-eyed space-babies known as Sweeties. The actual product name is Manhattan Baby Cozy Cradles. I think they’re discontinued, however, which could prove problematic if we ever need to replace one. There are two Blue Sweeties and one Purple Sweetie. Purple Sweetie is the most important stuffed animal of all. Here’s what Blue Sweetie looks like:

A few weeks ago, when the sun first came out, we bought some sidewalk chalk. Iris requested a drawing of various Sweeties, so I drew some. Then she got bored with the regular sweeties and requested Yellow Sweetie and Green Sweetie and the like. Then I got bored and drew a Sweetie with sharp teeth, angry eyebrows, and a tail, and called it Evil Sweetie. Naturally, this was Iris’s favorite. Then I drew two tiny Sweeties next to Evil Sweetie and called them Henchsweeties.

Later, Iris noted that the Henchsweeties looked hungry, so we drew them some snacks.

Then it rained for a week and the sidewalk chalk was put away. Yesterday, however, the sun came back, and we went out and drew some new sweeties.

(That green thing coming out of the right side of Evil Sweetie’s neck is its tail, drawn by Iris.)

This morning when I heard Iris wake up, I went into her room and she was lying blearily in her crib as usual. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she said, “WE DIDN’T GIVE THOSE HENCHSWEETIES ANY MUFFINS!”