Pay attention to the loquacious one!

Sometimes, I think that is what Alexis' brain is shouting as she talks.  When she was first developing her vocabulary and learning to put words in sentences and talk about different things, we learned the term "word salad" and used it frequently when discussing the random discussions/stories that we could get out of her.  It has gone from "word salad" to the perpetual word buffet.  In fact while Grant and I were discussing this, she says "Hey, stop talking, I'm talking" even though she wasn't really talking to either one of us, she was just talking.

We have learned that her delay tactic for going to bed is talking...when we are just about to close the door at night she says "hey wait, I have to tell you something...um..."(as she is thinking of something to tell us).  It's usually a re-iteration of something that we have already settled such as what she gets to eat for breakfast the next morning or what day the next day is.

When we are holding and taking care of Andrew, she has started talking for him like she would her baby dolls, but more so "translates" by saying, "Andrew said he wants his puffs" (or bottle or baby food or any type of food really) if he yells while in the highchair.

Another way she asks for attention is saying "I'm not your friend because..."
Some of the latest (or strangest) reasons that she has told one of us that she is not our friend are:
"...you gave me water instead of juice."
"...I don't want to go to bed."
"...I don't want a time out or a spanking."
"...you didn't give me candy."
"...I want to go in daddy/mommy's car."
"...I wanted to kiss you not you kiss me."

Another thing that she has started to figure out is blame and fault.  A new favorite phrase of hers is "it's all my/your/daddy's etc fault."  Like yesterday, Grant and I pulled into the driveway one immediately after the other and had been even during part of the drive home.  I pulled in first and walked over to the door when she got out of the car and she says "It's all daddy's fault mommy."  "What's all Daddy's fault, Alexis?"  "I wanted us to get home first."  She had told Daddy to get in front of Mommy and Daddy let Mommy in front.

So I'm curious how her competitive spirit and desire to be the center of attention will continue to show as she gets older and working on ways to teach her to share attention just like she shares her toys.