Little copy cat

As I write this, Anja is following Lena around the room, copying what she does.  She follows her every move, and tries to be exactly the same, little copy cat.  Sometimes it's just the little things; Lena has a bag, Anja needs a bag.  Lena dresses up, Anja dresses up, but other times she tries to copy her completely.

Just the other day Lena was walking around with a doll under one arm, a bag on the other, and her Princess dress on. Anja followed close behind with a Princess dress on, her doll and her bag.  It's quite funny to watch, but being a little copy cat isn't all about fun.  It's also a really important way to learn.  

Every morning and night Anja has to stand and brush her teeth, just like her big brothers and sisters do.  Both Mahe and Lena were toilet trained by the time that they were two, not through anything that I did, but just because they wanted to be like their older siblings.  Learning from older children can be very handy.

Of course there is a downside, (isn't there always?) to being a little copy cat.  And that's because while being little is about learning what to do from watching what goes on around you, it's also about learning who you are.  Developing your own character, ideas and likes.  Fortunately for us, our little copy cat has bags of character, so I doubt that will be a problem.