Did Someone Say "Ice Cream"?

As my mother’s vocabulary wanes, she increasingly communicates with facial expressions. Figuring out what each narrowing of her eyes or curl of her lip means is time consuming and varies from day to day. 

But we try anyway, and a few specific expressions are easier to read than the rest.

My sisters, father, and I get the best results when asking “yes” or “no” questions. 

“Mom, do you want some more green beans?”

Silence.  She picks at the remnants of her dinner and doesn’t look at anyone. 

“Mom, can you drink some more of your water?”

She continues staring at the table, her face belying no emotion or recognition of opinion.  We worry that she can not longer understand us at all. 

“Do you want some ice cream?”

My mother sits at attention, her face glowing as her eyes almost pop out of their sockets.  

“Yahh!” she sings, her voice laced with excitement.