She did it again!  Today is my husband's birthday, so we have been shopping for his present for several days (a new suit).  Today we had to go to the tailor to get his pants hemmed so the suit would be ready-to-wear when he received it.  Baby Duck didn't want to go on any errands until I explained to her that this was part of Daddy's surprise.  Then she was all for it, enjoying walking around Target and getting cookies at Starbucks while we waited for the tailor-- located in the same mall-- to finish.
    Later we got a phone call from E to check in and let us know his flight status since he's on his way home from a business trip.  Baby Duck got on the phone with him and, while standing in our kitchen, told her father we were currently at Target trying to find him a birthday present so she was curious to know what he wanted!  Apparently she has decided that birthday surprises are the perfect excuse for practicing blatant lies even when there is no need for a cover up at that particular moment.  It's even funnier-- and scarier-- than it was two weeks ago!  She was so proud of herself when she got off the phone.  She even told me (like I wasn't standing right there the entire time), "I didn't tell him we got him a new suit, Mom.  I told him we were at Target!"
    I guess there is no denying we have cleared the "grasping the concept of a surprise" milestone by a long shot!

CL