The precious little granddaughter is 34 months old and embarking on discovering the world; but all on her own terms. Her vocabulary includes the proper usage of such words as awful, actually, and behave. The potty is a choice she makes as to when to use it and disregarded it -as she can not be bothered during her busy day filled with two (not one, but two) imaginary friends. One is a little boy and one is a little girl. (Her daddy accidentally almost ate one of them last week; spit it out just in nick of time.) She loves the potty step stool because she can use the sink for washing her hands and brushing her teeth, by herself (or as she says, “I do Myself!”). Sometimes it is bubbles and foam from head to toe. (Sometimes ceiling to floor.) Her personality is complete with stubbornness, sweetness, attitude and a lovable sense of humor. Top it all with giggles, curls, and her own sense of fashion and dress. The little princess has her very own “Princess” gown, bikini, lace camisole, ripped fashion jeans and piggy slippers.

I love being told she did not throw all her toys on the floor and “make mess“, it was “the other one“. Inevitably, with this only child, it comes down to her two imaginary friends, that she often shares snacks with. (Hidden treasures you find in incredible places.) Although the dog, gets her fair share of blame too. (The pooch is a miniature size dog that is ancient. Standing to walk is a chore for this poor old girl, I do not foresee playing with “Barbie” on her agenda, any day.) Now and then, the pooch and child do share fruit snacks and dog food!

Ah, and what could be sweeter than a little rag muffin with bangs in her eyes, a hand on her hip, dressed in her piggy slippers, her fashion jeans and camisole, letting me know “Actually Lala (her name for me), I don’t want peanut butter and jelly for me lunch, I dooon like it! I want you egg salad for me! Tuna salad or Pissa! Pissa!” Of course once that little belly is full, everything is “I dooon like it!”

But what is truly amazing, is how they are such little sponges and think it is the funniest thing to keep repeating you. “I behave Lala, I don’t peat you no more. ‘Cause it ‘pisses’ you ass off? Right Lala? Right?” (Ooops! Did I say all that? Rewind, Play, yeah I said all that!)

However nothing is as special as a child who lets you know it is “…awful, I did cocky in my…no I did not do it on the potty, did I?” Now my question is, which is the “awful” part -the stink, the fact I am all that is left to clean you, you did not do it in the potty or innocently questioning if you did it in the potty?

All in all, (like all kids) even on those days in which the child has been taken over by some alien force, horns and a tail grow, or her attitude rhymes with ‘witchy’, the sweet smile reappears at the end of the day when she run out of steam, and sleep takes over. It is a smile that could melt your heart. That is what makes them enjoyable, easy to spoil, and something to brag about.