Her precious

I heard the tell-tale thud on our front porch and knew that Christmas had come early for Sydney. A brand new phone book! I set the package on the table and began unveiling it from its plastic wrapper.

Sydney: A new phone book? Where’d you get that?

Mom, pulling out the mini yellow pages: And look, it comes with a baby phone book. Do you like the baby phone book?

Sydney: No.

Mom: Why not?

Sydney, flipping through the pages of the big one: I don’t know. I don’t want it. ‘Cause I like this one the best.

Mom: O-K.

Sydney, with awe: Ooooh…This is a cool phone book. Turning more pages. Yessss! I love it!

Later, I’m fixing dinner for Tyler who pushes the phone book aside as he plops down in his usual spot at the table.

Sydney: Mom, Tyler moved the phone book!

Mom: It’s OK.

Sydney starts leafing through the pages again while Tyler eats his dinner.

Sydney: Mom! Tyler's looking at the phone book! Then, laying across it protectively, MY phone book!

Tyler: It’s like Lord of the Phone Book. Then in his best Gollum, My precious! And then they have to like throw the phone book into the paper shredder at the end.

I’m going to be so bummed when she’s over this phase.