Acquisition

There are a lot of wild claims being made around our way at the moment.

Today, a man cycled past us in the park and Charlie said 'BIcycle!' all pleased with himself for knowing the word. I came over all dutiful Mummy of a sudden and said 'yes darling, the man is riding a bicycle isn't he?' at which point he ran after the poor bloke shouting 'STOP! STOP!!! MY bicycle, MINE!!! STOP!!' as if the poor chap was getting away with theft. Other fallacious claims of ownership have been made for buses, trees, the neighbours' car, aeroplanes and various other non-deliverable items. It's difficult as you can imagine, because toddlers aren't all that good at rejection and tend, for example, to lie down in puddles when they can't take a bus home with them.

Most of the above items are tangible and even somewhat desirable but we've had tantrums over less obvious items, my favourite being after he had a mighty and successful widdle in the loo; I pressed the flush and as everything spiralled into the bowels of the city he wept big tears of loss over 'MY wee-wee, MY wee-wee MINE!'

I'm glad he's dreaming big and impossible things and I hope he continues to do so. I'm just not putting my hand down the loo to retrieve any of them.