Fatigue sets in...

In Nicks enthusiastic love affair with his sister, sometimes he can get overbearing. After a long morning of stomping about the playground, Nick was being a bit 'overbearing'...

Daddy: "Nick, leave her alone, she is starting to get tired..."

Corinne: "...and cranky."

Mood swing training in full gear...

Sense of Identity, Chapter 1

(Scene: Waiting in checkout line at grocery store")

Cheeks: "GO GO, Mommy, GO GO"
Mommy: "Cheeks, you sure are bossy."
Cheeks: "No I not! I CORINNE!"

Sense of Identity, Chapter 2

Mommy: "You're so cute."
Cheeks: "No I not! I Bossy!"

Sense of Identity, Chapter 3

Nick: "Mommy's a bigbutt."
Cheeks: "No is not! Is DIANE!"

(thanks Cheeks...)

Politeness School

Lesson 1:
Dayye: Say "May I have ice cream please?"
Cheeks: "Very good." complete with hand clapping as Dayye would do if she was polite...
Lesson 2:
Dayye: Say "May I have ice cream please?"
Cheeks: "YES!"
...this could be a while...

"Hello bugs! I Cheeks. I play outside."

As she was hailing this grand introduction of herself to all bugs within ear shot, her nose was pressed up against a big tree in Bapa's backyard, peering into the bark crevices for any bugs marching on by...

"Come on, boys!"

Trying to get the attention of Nick and Sam, the neighbor Nick's age.

"I like it eating pie, cake, ice cream, pie..."

As she and Ma'yee drove out of the grocery store parking lot...

"Si-le-lence!"

Corinne is getting feisty. She pounds her little fist and demands silence.

"Twinkle, Twinkle little Daddy"

Corinne is definitely developing a sense of humor, along with her love of nursery rhymes and songs.

"Quiet! I'm eating pizza!"

I guess pizza is really important to The Cheeks.

"Yes"

The first time Corinne actually uttered this affirmative answer, was in response to Nick's question: "Do you like me?"

It couldn't have come at a better time.

"I NEED PIE!...I NEED PIE!...I NEED PIE!"

Corinne and Daddy love their pie. Corinne sensed we were approaching the pie aisle in the grocery store when this outburst happened.

"Why not?"

The Cheeks' answer/question to many of Mommy's statements. Most recently:
Mommy: "it is not crayon time."
Cheeks: "Why not?"

Surprisingly we reached the "why not" stage before the "why" stage. Why not?

"Dingle bells, Dingle bells, Dingle bells....."

Corinne has the Christmas song stuck in her brain.

"Mommy, toast is sleeping"

(followed by fake snoring sounds). Corinne tells us she is finished with breakfast.

"Bapa GOOD!"

After Mommy told her she was just on the phone with Bapa. Mommy had to call Bapa back on that one...

"Carrots - No!"

"Ow - hurt!"

"I like Daddy."

No encouragement, bribe or anything can get her to say: "I like Mommy."
The Mother-Daughter competition begins.