The other day, we were asking Allie if the brother-in-law of our daycare provider (who is temporarily living at the daycare house) is there all day, because we were wondering if he has a new job or is still looking for one. I said, "Does he go to work during the daytime?" Allie said, "I think he gave it up."

About a week before that, during dinner, Allie asked her dad for more milk, because he was already by the fridge getting something. When he told her (jokingly) to get it herself, she said, with a big grin, "If you don't get it for me, I'm going to crack you over the head and then eat your brain."

Meanwhile, Julia is into dropping things while eating in her highchair and saying, "Uh Oh!" while looking for them on the floor.

She doesn't have too many other words yet--just mama, dada, hi, bye, and something that sounds a little like thank you at the times thank you would be appropriate to say.

Given how her sister's vocabulary has developed, that might not be a bad thing. Though Allie did say something the other day that I thought was cool. Julia, Allie and me had shopped at Target and were heading for our car in the parking lot when Allie said, "Mom, there's a thicket!" I asked her to repeat it and she said "thicket, over there," and there was a thicket of woods across the way.

I wonder how many four year olds use "thicket." Maybe all hope isn't lost.