December 1, 2007 | Offspring: ecstasy and agony
Chickadee is mastering the fine art of defusing a potentially unpleasant situation with humor. I’m not sure where she got that, but WOW I LIKE IT. (This is your humor. This is your humor perpetuated through DNA. Any questions?)
I mean, yes, I don’t like it so much when I’m mid-rant about how there’s books all over the floor and a wet towel on the chair and would it be SO HARD to get her dirty clothes into the HAMPER… and she flings her arms around me and shouts, “WOW, I think I see something SHINY! And it is YOU! And I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, SHINY MOM!” It is very hard to lecture when you’re trying not to laugh.
This afternoon the children were playing Uno together very nicely while I finished up some work. I was just thinking to myself how great it is, when I heard Monkey begin to whine.
Apparently he was having to draw rather a lot of cards to get something he could play, and Chickadee was not being entirely graceful about his losing streak (“Wow, you have, like, a MILLION BILLION CARDS, Monkey!”), and he was starting to get upset.
My son can be something of a sore loser. And Chickadee is a world-champion gloater.
I tensed from my location in the next room, waiting to see what would happen.
“It’s okay, Monkey,” I heard Chickadee say.
“No it’s NOT,” he shot back, frustrated. “I’ve got practically the WHOLE DECK!”
There was a pause. I held my breath.
And then? My daughter burst into song:
“HE’S GOT THE WHOOOLE DE-ECK, IN HIS HANDS! HE’S GOT THE WHOLE DARN DE-ECK, IN HIS HANDS!”
It’s difficult to exhale and snort at the same time, but I think I managed it. (Not that they could hear me over her belting and Monkey’s laughter, anyway.)
December 1st, 2007 at 10:53 pm
It’s those moments that I am so thankful to be in the other room listening in. You should be proud of your little Chickadee!
December 1st, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Can you hear me LAUGHING MY ASS OFF from Oklahoma?! That’s hilarious!
December 1st, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Oh what I would give for one of my kids to try and diffuse a situation with humor! That’s fantastic! You are shiny Mir!
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 am
Pure awesome.
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:34 am
I wish I had your patience to “wait and see” how it will go. I usually try to defuse the situation prematurely with my screaming and yelling kind of way that I do.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:55 am
Haha awesome. I look forward to the stories this newfound sense of humour will bring ;-)
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:54 am
OMG…TOO FUNNY!
December 2nd, 2007 at 5:57 am
I think I may be humming “He’s got the whole deck in his hands” all day now.
What a cool kid.
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:28 am
Hahahahaha!
SHE’S GONNA MAKE IT AFTER ALL….
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Hysterical, a magical moment to remember when she’s getting the same dealt to her by her own halflings.
December 2nd, 2007 at 5:23 pm
HAHAHA! That sounds like something I would do!
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Lil Daughter does that. Sometimes she’s diffusing me. Yesterday as I was just launching into a nasty rant about her laundry, messy room, dishes so-very-near the dishwasher but not in it, she put her hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eye very calmly and said, “Momma, this is my schedule. I’m working doubles Mo, Tu, and We. I’m off Th and Fr. On those two days I will be your slave. I promise.” And she kissed me and went to work. “I love you, Momma”, wafted over her shoulder as she left.
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Is it wrong that I’m feeling for Monkey right now? My father and brother ALWAYS ganged up on me in Monopoly and took all my properties and then laughed as I threw down my remaining mortgaged purple deed and ran out of the room crying. This is as recently as like 1992 by the way.
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:38 pm
I think Monkey and Owen learned to play games from the same source…I’ll suggest Jack start thinking up funny lyrics!
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:15 am
What a girl! Maturity becomes her.