Three Girls

Yes, over the past week, Anne Marie has discovered that most important of toddler words: Mine. I shouldn't have been too surprised. She's figured out Mommy's, Daddy's, Ellie's, these, those, etc. However, I think what surprised me was how suddenly and vehemently she's used it. I was straightening her playroom and, hence, picking up just about every toy in there. She was just following me around saying, "Mine", "Mine", "Miiiiine!". I feel that before, with new words/concepts, there has been a warmup period where she tried it out. Doesn't seem like that's the case this time. I think our lives according to the Toddler's Creed have begun in earnest.

If I want it, it's mine.
If I give it to you and change my mind later, it's mine.
If I can take it away from you, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
If it's mine, it will never belong to anybody else, no matter what.
If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks just like mine, it is mine.

In another Anne Marie related item - she's started getting a little bossy. Wherever could she have inherited that?!? I am all surprise. Some of her favorite bossy phrases: "Do it" and "Stop". We are gently informing her that Mommy and Daddy do not respond to her commands as we expect her to respond to ours.