The need in me to explore is strong, after all I am an inquisitive toddler and Mummy dearest have you never heard the phrase, just let them go and if they belonged to you they will come back....or something in that similar vibe. I say this because I'm been caged again, caged in the sense banished to my playpen because Mummy thinks I've been destructive whilst I felt I had to empty the whole cotton bud container because I just had to count them all,  I think there was three million in the last count Mummy darling. She looks angry so I better keep quiet otherwise she might bring out the extra green food for lunch. Like two Texan cowboys we stare at each other through a field of strewn toys, oouu..who will draw first.

I put on my extra cute face, you know the big Bambi eyes, the slight ever so quiver of the bottom lip, Broadway eat your heart I AM so good. Yes I see Mummy relent a little. She goes “Mummy's a bit busy, stay in your playpen little one”, and off she leaves the room. Give her few minutes, and I place my foot on the upteen colourful noisy whatca-ma-call it toy and push myself over the playpen wall. I cannot be contained Mother I need to feel the wind in my hair and the open road on my feet.

So I stealthily pitter patter myself into the corridor, ..ahhh there's Mum's makeup table. Ouuu this place looks so inviting, all those containers of powder, little tubes of lipsticks which look just like my crayons but in fancy casings...the pencils..why does Mummy get to draw on her face with a pencil, and everyone says that's pretty, but when I do it...everyone and their cat shout to the high heaven and then there's a whole lot of hurtful face scrubbing and aiyos!

Okay so maybe Mummy pencils are possibly more special, let me use them, I think Mum just does the eyes, but I'm going to take it one step further and do the whole face.. oops it snapped in half... no worries she has a gold one..right lets add on some powder..OH I'm spoilt for choice, but why does she have different shades of “just brown”, she really needs to experiment with other colours, go purple once in awhile Mother. Right I think I'll empty all the powder into a pile, maybe we can mix up a colour.

OH NO..I hear footsteps, I think Mum's on to me..nowhere to hide shall cover, my foundation streaked hands with my face maybe she won't find me. Mother does find me and emits a godzilla sized scream..will give in mutely...hello green food for lunch. Life sucks when you're a two and a bit.

By Mayuri Jayasinghe