The Mimic

Our little Miss Milly is quite the character. She can be sweet and loving, asking for cuddles, giving kisses and telling me she loves me "as big as the world" or "as big as the roof". Other times she yells at me "if you say that to me again I won't be your friend anymore". In fact I'm probably threatened with the ending of our friendship half a dozen times a day, so is Michael, as is Henry. We all just roll our eyes because minutes later she's yelling at us for not playing with her or not being her friend. She yells a lot.

But the last few weeks have seen a new Milly emerging. Each time she accompanies me somewhere the conversation goes like this:

Me: Milly, we're going to pick up Henry from preschool, are you ready yet?
Milly: Are you taking your handbag?
Me: Yes.
Milly: Me to. Are you taking your sunglasses?
Me: Yes
Milly: Me to.

If I'm wearing a headband, she wears her headband. If I'm wearing a ring, she wears her ring to on the same finger as me. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Recently we were getting ready to head out to a shopping centre with Buster and she had Lamby with her, all dressed up.

Me: Sorry, poppet, you can't bring Lamby to the shops.
Milly: But you're bringing your baby.

What else could I say? She was right. I was bringing my baby to the shops and she wanted to bring hers. And with that, Lamby had reached a new status. No longer was he her comforting soft toy she went to sleep with or turned to when cuddles from Mum and Dad weren't enough. Lamby was now her baby and she had taken on the role of Lamby's mum.

Lamby having his bottle with Buster. Note Milly has also got a green towel to wipe away any milky mess Lamby may make.

We made quite a sight at the shops. Lamby in his stroller with two bags hanging off the handles. One is Milly's handbag packed with a mobile phone and sunglasses, the other is Lamby's change bag packed with a spare nappy, bib, plastic food, bowl and spoon for when Lamby get's hungry. And yes, when at the shops we did stop to feed Lamby.

Here is Lamby being sick into his sick bowl.

Feeding time for Lamby in Buster's high chair.

So now when Buster's toys go missing I know where to look. They are hidden away in Milly's room with them being claimed as Lamby's toys. And now when she yells at me its about cleaning up Buster's high chair after he's finished his lunch so Lamby can get in it and have his. Oh and she still yells at me threatening she won't be my friend anymore.