Separated by a common language, etc.

My friend Jayne has a gorgeous wee girl called Esme. I've known her since she was still in Jayne's belly, and this has created a sense of ownership for me. I adore this kid. She's also the approximate age of my goddaughter, Harper, who lives in Nashville. I like to think of them as soul sisters who will meet one day at my house and become great friends.

Esme is 2 now. She's got a good grasp on what the world should be like (full of walks in the park and fun) and how everyone should treat her (like a princess). She's also the first in my mission to see if kids really do pick up different things from different people.

Apparently, Esme called Jayne by her name (rather than 'Mummy') last week. This could or could not be my fault. I did tell Esme that her mother's name wasn't Mummy, it was Jayne. I've also tried to Americanize her speech with bay-zil and or-egg-ahh-no. That hasn't caught on yet, but I'm hopeful. Taking over the world, one Scottish child at a time.