negative mama, the pattern is full

For the first year and a half of my daughter's life, she never, not one time, ever said the word, "no."

In the past two weeks, she's making up for lost time. "No" has become a part of her everyday vocabulary. I hear it multiple times a day, sometimes twice in one sentence. When she's really ticked off, she repeats it while running in place, stomping her little feet to the beat of her own negative chant.

"Are you all done with that yogurt?"

"No!" (As she shovels as much yogurt in her mouth as she can.)

She must love how it sounds rolling off her incensed little tongue. Apparently, age 2 has come three months early.

Here are some things you should avoid asking my daughter anytime soon:

1. Are you happy to see me?
2. Will you give me a hug?
3. Do these pants make me look skinny?
4. Do you like my singing voice?
5. Should you get dressed before leaving the house?
6. Is there anything wrong with a mama's boy?
7. Do you love me more than you love Mickey?
8. Do you love me more than you love cheese?
9. Is Simon too mean on AI?
10. Do you promise never to lie to me?

On second thought, maybe you should avoid questioning her altogether. Unless you want to see the angry toddler version of Lord of the Dance.