DO!

Not "do" as in the Nike slogan, but "do" like in "do, re, mi.."
That is Peyton's newest word.
Our house is well adorned with "Simpson's" paraphernalia, as Merrill's love (and the girls acquired love) had aided us in collecting our treasures, we assumed Peyton's new word was associated with the fact, that that is what we say when we see anything with Homer's face on it.
- The clock in our basement, where Homer's eyes move, following the can of Duff on the second hand.
- Merrill's slippers, made of Homer's giant head, mouth wide open as a place for you to insert your foot (I know a lot of people who do that in real life!)
- The plastic figurine that stays in the tub.
- Or one of many "Simpson" themed games that line the shelves in our game closet.
She sees it a lot, and we thought it was cute to hear her saying, what we thought was, "Doh!"
Not so much.
We discovered what she was really saying one night after dinner. Merrill and I were still sitting at the table talking, Peyton was in her high chair, and Ashley was behind it, bugging Peyton.
Peyton was repeating her new word over and over again.
Then we made the connection. She was telling Ashley, "DON'T!!"
Kind of sad that one of our sweet daughter's first words had to be "Don't".
I have to admit, she probably got it from me.
She has heard, "Peyton, we DON'T pull hair.."
"Don't get hurt!"
"Peyton, we DON'T pull mommy's hair!"
"Don't turn off the TV." (A favorite during our family movie night..)
Or a panic filled "Dooon't!" when she reaches down during one of our smellier diaper changes.
I have tried to be the positive mom who says things in a sweet, kind, and patient tone. Instead of saying "don't" I have said, "Let's do this instead of that.." as a way of re-directing her interest or "Let's please not do this".
But on those days, when it is frantic, and Peyton is trying to decorate the floor of my bathroom with all the items in the hair necessity drawer (i.e. brushes, combs, hair elastics which are small and clear, various bobby pins.. you get what I am saying, right?) like they are confetti, "don't" seems to come quicker to my mouth and rolls off the tongue much easier than my other options.
So she's picked it up by habit.
It was quite comical this morning, to have her standing on the stool in the bathroom while I was drying my hair, her chubby, tanned little hands, slapping the forbidden drawer front and yelling "Do!" or slapping her hand at the collection of toothbrushes, with another yelled, "Do!" She would turn to me and laugh after every one.
I love the little trouble-maker...