| The observation took place in the child’s house | | | | Stacy followed her into the living room where |
| on Sunday afternoon. Her name is Anastasia and she | | | | everyone was seated on the couches. Among all the |
| is 2 years and 3 months old. I was invited to the | | | | people she went up to her dad and climbed on the |
| house with my friends, the girl was one of my | | | | couch and set right next to him. Her mom tried to sit |
| friends’ niece I saw her for the first time. She | | | | next to her so that she would be in the middle |
| seemed very happy and was smiling at all the new | | | | between the two parents. When the mother put her |
| people in the house. I was observing her from a | | | | hand over her to hug her husband (Stacy’s dad), |
| distance while her aunt was talking to her. Anastasia | | | | Stacy pushed her arm away and said "It’s my |
| was telling her about everything around them and | | | | daddy". Her mom said "No daddy is mine", and |
| pointed her little finger at all objects: "there is rain | | | | grabbed him by the arm and tried hugging him, Stacy |
| outside, and there is a ball by the window and there | | | | cried “no daddy is mine” and pushed the |
| is a flower in the vase" she was saying without | | | | mom farther again. She later explained that it’s a |
| making a break in the sentences, "Really?", her aunt | | | | sort of game that they play sometimes, when both |
| answered, "what else is there?". Anastasia kept | | | | of them fight over whose daddy is. Although the |
| showing her hew toys in the room and got really | | | | mother was not serious about it, when she was |
| excited when she was asked to tell about her toys | | | | hugging her husband, Stacy looked confused and her |
| and their names and what they were for. "This is a | | | | cheeks turned red immediately as if she was going to |
| cat and it has fur and paws" she said about a toy | | | | cry. The mother allowed Stacy "to win" the game |
| that looked like cat, "his name is Stacy", her aunt | | | | which made her look absolutely happy, she kept |
| looked like she was very interested in everything | | | | hugging her dad and smiling. When they finished "the |
| that she was shown and Anastasia kept busy with | | | | game" Anastasia started backing up from the couch, |
| taking out all of her toys from the box on the floor. | | | | she put one leg on the floor first and then the |
| After about 15 minutes of playing with her aunt | | | | second one, that’s how she got down from the |
| Anastasia started telling everyone in the room | | | | coach facing all people sitting on it, and went to the |
| including her parents to go home. "Stacy, said her | | | | kitchen. From there she said "water, water, water" in |
| mom, but we are already home and you are home | | | | a way that one could barely guess what she wanted, |
| too! Where do you want us to go?" "Home, home", | | | | but her mother got up and went to get her more |
| she kept saying. Her mother told us that she | | | | water from the refrigerator. She got her water and |
| probably means going upstairs because that’s | | | | on the way to the living room from the kitchen that |
| where her babysitter is, although she was resting at | | | | are almost connected to one another, so it was seen |
| the time and would not be working for another | | | | very well, she stopped by another box of toys and |
| couple of hours. Anastasia was getting louder and | | | | took out a couple of them. She put her water bottle |
| demanded everyone to go home even after her | | | | on the kitchen table and started squeezing her toys |
| mother told her to stop. We had to go upstairs and | | | | like the first time and whispering something to them, |
| put her favorite cartoon on it was “The Lion | | | | once in a while she looked up and showed us what |
| King”. She seemed to be totally immersed in the | | | | she was holding in her hands and smiled. Notes Stacy |
| cartoon, although she was leaning on her dad and did | | | | standing by the sliding door, looking outside and |
| not allow him to move a bit. When he did she | | | | pointing her finger in the direction of the |
| showed her disapproval by starting to cry. While | | | | neighbor’s house. She keeps describing |
| watching the cartoon her mother managed to give | | | | everything around her, what she sees and she smiles |
| her a bit of mineral water and she was not rejecting | | | | when tells her aunt what all those things are called. |
| it although when she tried to do it downstairs Stacy | | | | Stacy is on the couch looking at everyone and |
| said she did not want any. She willingly drank water | | | | banging her feet on the couch and laughing loudly. No |
| from her bottle and watched the cartoon until the | | | | one is looking at her directly, after she starts laughing |
| end. After the DVD was finished her father turned it | | | | her mother wants to know why she is laughing. |
| off and put regular TV on, Anastasia started crying | | | | Everyone is upstairs because Anastasia kept asking |
| loudly demanding "where is the lion?", her mom was | | | | everyone to go "home" which meant upstairs |
| explaining that "we are going to watch a different | | | | according to her mother’s explanation. Stacy |
| kind of lion now, the one daddy wants to watch". | | | | asked to watch her favorite cartoon, she was sitting |
| First Stacy was shaking her head (her cheeks turned | | | | on the couch completely busy with the picture on |
| bright pink from crying) and was repeating the same | | | | the screen, she was very quite. Stacy’s mom |
| thing all over again, but than her mother started | | | | gave her some water and she drank it all while |
| signing her favorite song from the movie and dancing | | | | watching, she didn’t pay any attention to the |
| to get Stacy involved. The girl reacted to that very | | | | adults in the room although they were talking. She |
| quickly and started repeating the moves after her | | | | was watching the cartoon. After the cartoon was |
| mother and smiling, than she asked for some more | | | | finished she got upset and started crying, he father |
| water. She was watching her mom taking water out | | | | switched regular TV on. Her mom got her involved |
| of the refrigerator and pouring it into a special bottle. | | | | with a little dance in the kitchen and a song from the |
| Her mother asked her to help screw the top of the | | | | cartoon. She climbed on the couch near her father |
| bottle on which took Stacy some time and effort. | | | | when she came back from the kitchen and started |
| Stacy looked impatient but she would not let it go | | | | arguing with the mother whom her daddy belonged |
| until she almost did it herself, although with some help | | | | to. Stacy looked upset a few times when her mom |
| from her mom. When they were finished with water, | | | | hugged daddy and got excited when she herself |
| Stacy started drinking with more interest than when | | | | hugged him. Anastasia went to the kitchen and said |
| she was watching cartoon, it looked like, from her | | | | loudly a few times that she wanted water. Her |
| bottle holding it tightly with both of her hands. While | | | | mother gave her some. She was taking her toys out |
| she was drinking she was standing near her mom | | | | of the box, looking at them first and then showing |
| who was washing something in the sink. "Common | | | | them to us. When she saw someone looking at her, |
| Anastasia", her mom said when she was finished and | | | | she smiled. |