Attendance is mandatory

Lately Sydney has come to grips with the odd collection of people (or collection of odd people?) that make up her family/daily life. She is starting to see the pattern of who comes and goes regularly, and who she can't get rid of. With this newfound perception comes a lot of what Dan and I describe as "roll call." She will shout out, at any given moment, not unlike a high school gym teacher, someone's name and expect an immediate response. If you don't reply quickly enough she will start screaming at you to stop bouncing that basketball.

I picked her up from school yesterday to go to the pediatrician's office for her 18th ear infection of the year. Once we were in the car and on her way, she started in:

"MAMA!"
"Yes Sydney?"
"Maaaaaama."
"Yes?"
"JAAAAAACKY!"
"Jack is at school."
"DAAAAAADDY!"
"Daddy is at work."

...and repeat for nine miles.

Later that night, after we had finally got both kids in bed and were sitting down on the couch to enjoy the peace and quiet, we heard Sydney in her room, shouting. We looked at each other, both of our jaws beginning to dislocate.

Then we noticed that she was just barking "DINAH!" over and over again.

"Is the baby yelling for the dog?" Dan asked me.

"Um...I think that Dinah might be IN HER ROOM."

(Dinah often accompanies me into the baby's room for our nightly ritual of singing and/or screaming. I guess I had snuck out and shut the door behind me before she could herself escape.)

Dan went up and cracked the door to Sydney's bedroom. Poor Dinah came bolting out, no doubt completely demoralized by being yelled at for 20 minutes by a 21 lb. drill sergeant.