This is just a phase, right? RIGHT?!!

When Mae asked me for a popsicle before supper, I simply told her, "No."  She screamed, "I HATE MY LIFE!!"  Then, she stomped her feet loudly all the way to her bedroom and slammed the door shut.  She slammed it so hard that it flew back open, so she got a bonus door-slam, which she did not waste.  Kyler and I stared on, dumbfounded at what had just happened.

The almighty and brave Kyler cautiously walked over to Mae's door and called out her name.  She replied, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"  

He tapped gently on her door and calmly said, "Hey, Mae, wanna play cards?"

The door opened and out of reflex, Kyler braced himself.  Mae had a smile on her face and said, "Yeah, can we play War?"  She skipped out of her room, pulled the deck of cards out of the drawer and sat down on the floor to shuffle and deal.

Kyler and I stared on, dumbfounded for the second time in one minute. 

She is seven years old.  NOT seventeen.  SEVEN.  I love my little girl with all of my heart and would do (and have done) anything in the entire world for her...but it is common knowledge that we were blessed with the sweetest, calmest, most gentle baby in the history of existence...and then we had Mae.  And when I tell people this, she gives a proud smile.  And sometimes she even winks.