Nature or Nurture??

Careful, Cautious, Clean....Classic "first-child syndrome" coming out in Mae. We went to a print shop yesterday to laminate a few things (ran out of contact paper and so did Walmart!) and the floor was old and dusty. I was so embarrassed (but a little proud inwardly) when Mae replied, "Messy, Messy, Messy." to the printers' kind words, "May I help you?" as she looked down at the floor in need of a good sweep.

I had to explain that it's OK to get in the baby pool after we get a little grass in the water, and that it's perfectly acceptable to eat pudding with your fingers when it's an art project on the back deck. She checked on that rule a few times before digging into the pudding paint.

She's plenty messy at supper time, or at any meal time for that matter. But otherwise she usually keeps a pretty tight ship, especially when compared to some two-year-olds who are simply acting their age. Sometimes I wonder, "What have I created??" when she demands perfection, or cleans up after the other preschoolers in Sunday School... Then again, with the combination of Jon's perfectionist nature mixed with my determined spirit what else can we expect but a little girl who knows exactly what she wants and how she wants it. On the other hand, I've heard this strong-willfulness peaks around three years old! I guess the Nature v/s Nurture battle will never be resolved.