So, the Puppy is 2.75 years old. He will actually be 3 at the end of March. He is my middle child and is a happy, stubborn child who is in that age between toddler and pre-schooler. He’s lovable and loving and the most likely to give away kisses out of my three kids.

The Puppy has been obsessed with princesses for the last year. It started with his 2nd birthday party. Until then, his favorite things had been dinosaurs and then horses. Then the Monkey had briefly gone through a period where he enjoyed checking out the Barbie Fairytopia movies from the video store. The Puppy suddenly started to love these movies as well and all the bright colors and pretty imagery. So, when we went to pick out his birthday cake at the local bakery.

I showed him page after page of Superman, Dora, Diego, Spiderman, Bob the Builder. We passed a page with the Four Disney Princess birthday cake. He was mezmorized. He was enamored. He was in love! He wanted that cake and there was no stopping him. When I told Mr Puffles about the Puppy’s selection, he sighed and said that I encouraged him too much. But when his birthday came, the Puppy’s face was ecstatic when we brought out the glorious cake.

The Puppy has sustained his love of Princesses all year. He’s slowly acquired a collection of Disney Princesses and he took his baby sister’s Halloween Fairy costume and transformed it into his “puffy” princess gown. He just loves all things princess and horses…well, pink princess horses. It’s interesting because he’s not interested in other girlie toys. It was a sole love affair with the idea of the Princess.

The other day, I asked him: Do you think you are a boy or a girl?

Puppy: I’m a PRINCESS.

Me: Can a boy be a princess?

Puppy: Yes. Boys are princesses too!

Hmmmm. Well, the Puppy has been using the potty on his own. He’s actually been pretty good on days when he feels like it. It’s sort of hit or miss. Some days, he’s a champ and uses it. Some days, he doesn’t feel like it and he’d rather sit in a diaper all day. When he is doing well, we often reward him periodically with a “Potty Prize”. This is usually an inexpensive toy that he can earn after a few days of using the potty. Today, we went to Target to get him a potty prize and as well as let the Monkey pick out a toy with his hard-earned allowance money.

We hit the toy aisles and the Puppy immediately spotted his pick. He held up a blue and purple, gauzy, sparkly princess dress. With WINGS. He held it up with an ecstatic smile. He hugged the dress. I could not deter him. He was not interested in other things. The only thing he wanted almost as much was sparkly pink slippers to match. We paid for the dress (luckily on clearance for only $9.99). He wore it all afternoon.

My little princess.