A/N: Thanks to Hillevi and guests for their reviews of the last chapter. I know it was a bit darker than the other chapters. This chapter returns to a more humorous look at the life of the Crawley girls but it is the first time I've written anything in the first person so I'm anxious to hear your opinions.

We have an order in here. Both of us have our own toys and our own shelves to put them on so we won't get them mixed up and on our own we've decided who has what area of the playroom. Of course, there are those rare times when we'll actually play together and I think it's going well and then … well let's just say it usually ends with nanny putting us in separate corners.

We have an order in here … or at least we did until Sybil started crawling. She's all over the place. I can't believe how quickly she can get from one end of the room to the other. One second she's sitting on the floor chewing on a rag doll or whatever and then the next second she's practically in my lap grabbing my toy.

She doesn't understand how to play with anything. I was building a castle with my wooden blocks but she thought it was more interesting to keep knocking it down. I'd stack the blocks again and again only to have her fling her arm out and then when the blocks scattered all over the floor she sit back on her bum laughing and clapping her hands like she had accomplished something. I don't care how engaging her smile is it is annoying when I'm trying to do something. I wonder if Mama and Papa ever describe my smile as engaging? But then again, according to some, I don't smile much.

Then there was that time she tried sitting in my doll's pram. The pram is big but not big enough for Sybil to sit in. A new pram is now on my birthday list.

I wonder when she'll start talking instead of that babbling she does. She does say Mama and Papa but Mary and Edith are quite beyond her. And it's really rather amazing how much she babbles. Sometimes I give her a rag doll just hoping she'll start chewing on it and I won't have to hear her babbling away.

As lovable (another word Mama and Papa and even the nanny use) as she is, Sybil definitely has a temper. Just yesterday when nanny took away the toy she was playing with (it has sharp edges nanny said), Sybil pounded her little fists on the floor and started crying. She didn't look so lovable then. But I have to admit I ended up feeling sorry for her … she just doesn't understand things yet … so I ended up cuddling with her and trying to read her a story. Not that I can really read but I can make up the words as we looked at the picture book. That did keep her occupied but I grew bored when she wanted me to read her another book and then another one. Finally I just left her sitting on the floor chewing on the book's cover.

What I find surprising is that with all the toys we have in here, Sybil likes to wander out in the hallway. I can't count how many times her nanny has had to run out of the room trying to catch her. Now we have to have the door shut at all times but of course there's always those times one of us forgets and then … she's out of the room in a flash.

ooo

It has become a much more interesting world now that I can move around. The playroom (I keep hearing Mary and Edith and nanny call it that) has so many interesting things. I just like to touch and feel everything which doesn't please Mary and Edith much. I keep hearing one of them screech that's mine Sybil and then proceed to grab it out of my hands. Although Mary will sometimes give me something of Edith's when Edith isn't looking or Edith will do the same with something of Mary's. I don't know why certain things are Mary's and others are Edith's.

I do have a few things that are mine. At least that's what Mary or Edith or nanny says when they hand me them. But most of those things just aren't as interesting as the other toys in the room. I want things that make noise or move like that big wooden horse. I'm not really sure what it does since I've never seen Mary or Edith use it, but I did make it move back and forth once when I pulled on the tail.

I know there's so much more here than just this room; after all nanny carries me to where Mama spends her time and on rare occasions she'll take me to Papa's play area usually on our way outside. But Mary or Edith or nanny stop me whenever I try to explore on my own. Things will be so different when I'm able to walk. Which should be soon since just this morning I was able to pull myself upright while holding onto that thing nanny puts her feet on when she's sitting in that big chair. Of course I fell when I let go … but it's a start.

Every day nanny now takes us out for a walk. It gives us a break from our lessons or, as Miss Kreller our governess says, a chance to clear your heads with a bit of fresh air. I think it's really a chance for Miss Kreller to get a break from us. It hasn't escaped my attention that she doesn't come with us, no that is left to Nanny Jameson.

I have to admit I do love to walk in the gardens. Today the air is lush with the scent of lilacs which are in full bloom. I've decided lilacs are my favorite spring flower, not just because of the wonderful aroma but I love all the different shades of purple flowers. Maybe Mama will let me have a dress made in my most favorite shade of purple.

Of course Nanny Jameson isn't paying much attention to us, she's too busy chatting with Sybil's nanny. I'm not really sure why we still have a nanny since we're busy most of the day with our lessons under Miss Kreller. But I guess it is Nanny Jameson that gets us dressed in the morning and makes sure we have our breakfast and lunch and that our dresses are clean and pressed, especially when we change for tea, so I guess she is busy while we're working hard on our lessons with Miss Kreller.

But she isn't as busy as Nanny Walker. I overheard Nanny Jameson talking with the night nanny how Mrs. Walker has her hands full with Lady Sybil who must be the most active two and a half year old that God ever put on earth. Come to think of it, Nanny Jameson then said there were many days when even so she'd gladly trade places in a heartbeat with Mrs. Walker but they walked down the hall so I wasn't able to hear why.

One doesn't really take Sybil for a walk. She's not like us, we'll walk on a path or sit on a bench and rest in the shade but Sybil toddles about stopping to watch a bug or pick a flower or she'll run after a rabbit or chase a butterfly. Usually at some point she'll fall and shed a few tears but then she'll get back up and go flying about again. No wonder she's always scraping her knees or her arms, tearing her socks or getting her dress dirty. I think that's why the nanny now always dresses her in darker colors.

Oh! I hear Sybil crying now! Wonder what she's done now. There goes Nanny Walker. She really needs to keep a closer eye on Sybil before Sybil really hurts herself.

ooo

I just don't understand my sisters. Here we are outside, it's a beautiful sunny spring day, and they're moaning and groaning about heaven knows what. I tried to get them to come look at these flowers with me but they're more interested in tripping or pushing each other when Nanny isn't looking.

That flower suddenly moved … oh wait … it's not the flower … it's a butterfly (so Nanny called it the last time we saw one). It's so pretty … even prettier than this flower. There it goes … off to that bush … maybe I can catch it … wait … is that a bunny under that bush … it's white … it's moving … oh golly … it is! I'd love to pet it … I bet its hair is real soft maybe even softer than mine. I just have to find out … there it goes … can I catch it?

I did it! I finally mastered a whole song on the piano! Miss Kreller was very pleased … she said I'm becoming quite a lady. I then reminded her I am a Lady and always have been. I think I'll go tell Mama or Papa and ask them to come listen to me play the piano.

Since the library is closest to the piano room I'll see if Papa will come listen to me. I've only opened the library door an inch or two, these doors are so thick they're hard to move, but I can hear the sound of voices. That's definitely Papa and although I can't actually make out the words, thanks to the noise coming from down the hallway, it sounds like some of the maids are rearranging furniture, it's obvious he's angry.

Maybe I should wait until …. Oh! that's Sybil voice I hear now. I can't understand what she's saying either. Pushing the door open just a bit further, I can stand hidden here behind the big red sofa. I know Miss Kreller says one should never eavesdrop but really how else am I supposed to find out what's going on around here?

Papa's looking quite stern so I wonder what Sybil did now and Sybil is standing there crying! Actually I'm quite surprised that Sybil is crying because usually when she's being scolded by Papa she either bows her head with her lower lip quivering as if she's on the verge of tears but never quite manages to cry or she stands there staring at him with her hands on her hips looking rather defiant.

So to see her actually crying is quite amazing. But then … I can't believe this … Papa kneels down and murmurs something to Sybil that I can't quite hear. Sybil shakes her head and then Papa hugs her. HUGS HER!

Papa stands up but he's still holding Sybil in his arms while her arms are wrapped around him. Her cries have become more of a whimper now and Papa is still talking too softly for me to hear. Sybil nods her head once again as Papa stops talking. They're standing so both are looking out the window. Sybil reaches up and touches Papa on the nose like she did when she was a baby. Now she's giggling and Papa is laughing.

I knew Papa wouldn't stay mad at her, he never does.

ooo

I know I'm supposed to be working on my arithmetic but I see out the window that it has finally stopped raining. Not that the sun has come out, no those clouds look like it will soon rain again. Maybe I better take a break now while there's a lull in the rain.

Poor Pharaoh has been stuck in the house just like me. I'm sure she wants to go out and play. I think dogs need to go out and run some every day so I'm really doing Papa a favor by taking Pharaoh out.

It's hard for me to run in these boots but if I wear my other shoes I'll get them so muddy … actually I'd probably ruin them as Mama would say … so I guess I have to wear the boots. At least this way I can play in the mud puddles too along with Pharaoh.

Everything was fine until we came back into the house. I knew we should have gone in through the servants door but it was starting to rain again … so we came in through the front door. I took off my boots in the entry way, only getting a little bit of mud on the floor I would like to point out, but while I was struggling to get out of my boots Pharaoh went running across the entry into the grand hall leaving a trail of muddy footprints … I mean paw prints.

Now Papa has heard all the commotion and found me and Pharaoh and … he's not very happy. I try telling him I went running after her hoping to get her back into the entry but she thought we were still playing. I'm not sure how she got that mud on those chairs and it was her wagging tail that sent that vase and those picture frames flying off the table. That that vase hit that large one full of flowers on the other stand causing it to smash onto the floor with water spewing every which way was just a matter of very bad luck. And Mama always said she never liked that lamp anyway. I'm sure Pharaoh didn't mean to cause so much damage.

But Papa isn't listening to me. And he's blaming me for everything when really I hate to pass the blame but seriously it was Pharaoh who thought we were still playing chase and I'm sure when I finally caught her I stopped her from causing even more damage so actually Papa should praise me.

I can't believe what he just said … he can't mean it … he just can't … I can't play with Pharaoh anymore.

That's just not fair … not fair at all. And now I can't stop crying.

He finally sees how hurt I am. I love Pharaoh as much as he does.

I know I need to be more responsible, I'm not a baby any more. I should be more like my sisters … even he pauses after saying that before explaining I need to be a bit more lady like. I will I promise him. I'll try really hard.