Ever wondered as a parent how your child's personality will develop years down the road?

That's been the question on my mind, especially over the weekend while observing Maegan. Maegan has been blossoming into a true-blue 16-month old, a vivacious, cheeky, dramatic and sometimes (slightly more intelligent than her parents, I suspect) toddler. I try and refrain from using the word 'toddler' because she's truly in a situation where she's no longer a baby, not quite a little girl, but definitely with a mind of her own.

Her continuous babbling has increased tremendously over the past week, and she has shown an interest in the food we eat, the clothes we put on, the newspapers we read, the words we use (hippopotamus for example), and even picked up some candid responses to questions we ask her in Mandarin.

Her spontaneity has reached a new level too. Previously, we've had to prompt her on her responses, but now, she has a response to everything, even before we ask her for it. Part of this stems from the way my husband speaks to her; there is always a choice to make, and she has to be responsible for her choices.

Sometimes it does get on my nerves, because I'm not sure if Maegan does understand that each choice comes pegged to a consequence, and for her, it's much more a matter of shaking her head to indicate 'no' or nodding for 'yes', which are simple motor-skill reactions now.

But, she's not too young to learn, says my hubby, and I'm ever willing to give it a shot, if it doesn't confuse her.

But what I love most about her latest dramatic gestures is how she exclaims aloud "wowwwww" when she finishes her meals (a form of self-encouragement), or when she places all her wooden blocks into the box successfully, or when she sees a bird in the sky. She's also starting to appreciate my singing of nursery rhymes to her, and each time I end, she claps her hands with great enthusiasm, and gives me such a deep-seated flash of a grin that it makes me feel I could go on singing forever.

She says 'hi' and 'bye' to any passing person, and is so interested in strangers that we get many more people making conversations with us.

All her growing up does beg several questions for me as a mummy - will she keep her spontaneity, her openness, and her child-like view of the world around her? Can she continue to make us, and the people she comes into contact with smile, and keep on smiling?

I certainly wish so! But for now, I'll have to try keeping up with her swift movements and gestures.