"No, You're a Polar Bear!"

Funny game we played yesterday, Adessa... we were just goofing around and somehow I got to imitating an animal for you (one unanticipated aspect of fatherhood is the fact that I now find myself imitating a menagerie of animals for you on a near-daily basis)... I think it was a dog I was imitating. Suddenly, you stopped me and said:

"No, Daddy, not a dog... you're a snake!"

Took me a moment to figure it out what you meant, but I finally got what you wanted. So I crawled around on my belly, hissing, imitating a snake.

That really pleased you... so you cried out, "No, Daddy, not a snake... you're an elephant!"

Elephant isn't in my top ten of animal impressions, but you seemed satisfied nonetheless.

"No Daddy, not an elephant... you're a polar bear!"

I did my best polar bear imitation. Yeah, it was awesome.

You were really digging this now. "No Daddy, not a polar bear... you're... another bear!"

Wasn't sure where to go with that... do I go Kodiak, Black, or Grizzly? I chose the latter.

We went through a few more animals... eagle, wolf, dinosaur, and with each one you squealed with delight. You're really starting to assert yourself and you're definitely not afraid to speak your mind to me (or others) when you want something these days. I like that... I want you to learn how to assert yourself, stand up for yourself, and ask for what you want -- tempered with self-control and grace, of course. I think you're well on the way to a good balance in this.

Daddy