What's a pirate's favorite letter?

Arrrrrrrrr (R)!

So Ava got it in her head that she wanted to dress up like a pirate today. After being sorely disappointed that we do not own a telescope, she set her heart on a "pirate hat." I tried to convince her that your average, run-of-the-mill pirate is perfectly content with a handkerchief tied around the head. She didn't buy it. So I commenced a treasure hunt for a book of ours that has ideas for homemade costumes, including garb for a child-pirate. I looked for a little while without success. Ava became frustrated that I could not find the book, as she was bound and determined to have a pirate hat, and in her mind, that book was the only way to make her dream a reality.

She disappeared to her room, then came cheerily running out a moment later. I had stopped looking for the book by this time, and was admittedly unconcerned about it. But then Ava said to me confidently, "Mom, don't worry! You're going to find it! I just said a prayer to help you find it! You just have to keep looking!" You can probably guess that I found the book shortly thereafter, and I'll leave it up to you whether it was divine guidance, or a mother's intervention on behalf of her child's budding faith...

And shiver me timbers, we have pirate hats!!

And any good pirate knows how to accessorize...

Hayden is our little friend in the orange dress. She is game for just about any shenanigan Ava comes up with. They've been wearing eye patches for almost 2 hours now, despite a fierce, one-eyed run-in with a wall (Ava).

Our littlest pirate is not convinced about the virtues of decorative eye patches. I'm with her, personally.