Bratty Baby

Do your chores! Do your studying! Do this, do that! It feels like all I live for these days is to grow and become older. Yet, I still haven't perfected potty training since five. But I cannot help but feel a lot of expectations as I grow older.

"You've been such a good girl, Linda!" my parents would tell me. But if they'd meant it, they would give me my most desired item—a frilly stuffed bunny! Although I have plenty of plushies, none compared to what I've seen in stores. I've been a good girl too! Why haven't they given me what I wanted?!

I have made sure to give enough signs that I wanted this rabbit. Yet, somehow my parents act as if they are blind. Do I need to construct a sign that says, "Your daughter Linda wants this!!!" Although my writing and drawing skills might not make it clear enough. Regardless, I'm sure I've made enough signs for it.

Although I've been such a good girl with a deep stuffed animal desire, it will be my best friend's birthday this weekend. Candace, who I call Candy, and I have been such close friends! I love spending time with her, so I look forward to this weekend. But I would be far happier if I had a stuffed rabbit in my arm to show off.

"Linda, we're going to the store soon," my mother called for me, "Let's get you ready, okay?"

"Kay," I replied. What she meant by preparing me was that she'd give me a pull-up diaper to wear. Although I was more or less potty trained, I still wore some protection going out of the house. It was my parent's precaution since I had some close calls or accidents when going out and about.

"There we go, got you all ready!" mother gave me a bright smile.

"Hehe," I giggled with delight. Her smile made me feel like a very special girl—mommy's special "wittle" girl, to be precise! Now that I had a pull-up underneath my shorts, I was ready to go shopping with mommy.

While at the store, I kept wondering what could get my parent's attention toward my plush desire. I've tried everything I could, such as pointing, subtly suggesting, and wishing for a soft rabbit plush. What do they want me to do, cry for it at this point?

Before I could start working up my tears for the prize, I overheard a mother going down the same aisle talking to her infant child. "You've been a good baby," the mother cooed to her smiling baby. "A good baby like you deserves a reward!"

Hearing her words caused me to stare over. I repeated the mother's words in my head a few times. A good baby like you deserves a reward! Reward...good baby!

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" mother started to tug at me.

"Nothing," I answered. Of course, I lied, as I was clearly distracted by a baby winning over me in rewards. Perhaps, I had been going about the whole demanding process the wrong way. I didn't need to be a good growing girl, but a good baby!

"Sweetie," mother talked to me again, and I was too distracted to catch what she was talking to me about. "What'd you think to get?" I only caught the tail end of her question—and the most essential part.

"Bunny! Bunny!" I cheered back. It's been what I have wanted all along, after all.

"That's really sweet of you, sweetie!" mother brushed my hair. "I think you'll have a great time with your friend."

Of course, I mentioned what I wanted, but my mother did not move toward getting the stuffed rabbit of my dreams. I began to pout but recalled my recent change in plans. That is the opposite of what I've done so far—growing up.