Mog the Undecided

We went to a birthday party today. Another of those "we were told our child would never reach this age" milestone parties. Big cause for celebration, and the child at the centre just as pleased as everyone else around her. Lovely.

There was an entertainer (Mog was not impressed, Little Fish was enthralled, and the Wahooligan lay down under the table and shouted). There was food (Mog tasted the cheese and choked, Little Fish ploughed through most of the menu, and the Wahooligan lay down under the table and shouted). There was music (Mog sang, but reluctantly, LF whizzed to the beat, and the Wahooligan lay down and you've got the picture now). And there was face painting.

Little Fish was very keen to try it, Mog was more neutral. Little Fish chose flowers, and Mog sat and tried to kick the Wahooligan. Little Fish sat still and silently until her face was finished, and then informed the face painter as she was about to pack up her paints that "my sister needs you". Mog was less keen. Little Fish and the painter picked a design together.Mog was unimpressed.

Little Fish was pleased though
"I got same as Mog me, same dress, same jumper, same face painting she my sister we got same."

And the Wahooligan lay under the table...

Mog can't make up her mind. She loves to be noticed. She likes people to comment on her shoes and has no problem with kicking them until they do. She likes her clothes and takes an interest in her hair styles. She will take any amount of adoration, provided it's sincere and not patronising. And she likes to stand out from those around her.

Little Fish loves her bigger sister. She wants to copy her in everything. She wears uniform to nursery, although it's not compulsory, because Mog wears it to school. She has to be restrained from wearing the nursery uniform to preschool, where it would definitely look odd. If Mog chooses something, Little Fish wants the same thing. This goes for clothes and hair and baths and even hoist slings and feeding pumps.

Mog is generally underwhelmed by this. She likes being herself and she definitely gets fed up of being "same like me us together". But, she also gets far more attention when she and Little Fish are dressed identically. More people come to say hello, more people notice her outfit, and if people see Little Fish whizzing around she'll grab them by the hand and drag them over to Mog to show them "my sister same as me". This, Mog likes. So now she can't decide, is dressing the same as Little Fish an annoyance to be endured, or an advantage worth getting excited about?

I think she's going for the "I will rise above all of this, I am far too cool to take any notice at all (but I will complain if it all stops) look".

And the Wahooligan? Released from the table, the Wahooligan is lying in the cot, munching on a cloth and shouting.

Tia