Me: Okay Ainsley, but we can only play for a bit before I have to go make dinner.
Ainsley (whiney): But Mooooommmmmmy! I want to play dollies.
Me: Well, you can play while I make dinner.
Ainsley (again, whiney): Nooooooooooo, I want you to play with me.
Me: Ainsley, we'll play for 10 minutes, but I have to make dinner. You are able to play on your own sometimes.
Ainsley (sad): I can't play by myself.
Me: How about we just play?
So we play with the barbie dolls and dozens of little princess figurines that are the babies. All the babies get dropped off at daycare and the teachers begin the day. I get a little glimpse into what life is like for Ainsley at daycare. She orders me around to match her daycare day.
Ainsley (again, bossy): Okay, now it's time for the babies to go down for a morning nappy. But the big girl, who is 4, she gets to play and watch Dora.
Me: Is that what happens at your school? All the babies go to sleep and then you play and watch Dora?
Ainsley: Yes.
Me: What do your teachers do then?
Ainsley: They are rocking the babies and feeding the babies bottles and then they clean up from breakfast.
Me: Do they play with you?
Ainsley: No, I play by myself.
Me: Okay, well now it's time for me to make dinner, so you can play by yourself.
Ainsley (crying): NOOOOOOOO!
Me: Ainsley, if you play by yourself at school, why can't you play by yourself here?
Ainsley (cross between duh mom and sweet as pie): Because you're here Mommy.
Me (putty in hands): Oh...okay...well...I guess I can wait to make dinner.
I think we had grilled cheese that night instead of the dinner I had planned.
