So Busted
It is quiet. Too quiet.
I’m in the kitchen, cleaning up after breakfast while Swee’Pea and TheMonk play in the next room. I can hear them interacting with each other and with their toys. I recognize the familiar music from a Fisher Price phone and I know that TheMonk is playing with it. What I don’t hear is Swee’Pea and that is why it’s too quiet.
Feeling it’s time to investigate, I poke my head out of the kitchen into the adjoining play room and both Swee’Pea and TheMonk, sensing that I’m near, freeze in place. At the same time they both turn to look at me. I quickly survey the scene. TheMonk is sitting on the ground with his legs extended straight out in front of him. He is doubled over like a diver in a pike position. I see that he is clutching the Fisher Price phone tightly to his chest, protecting the phone from the clutches of a certain little girl. The look on his face, as he turns to face me is one of extreme distress. “HELP ME!” he seems to be saying.
Meanwhile, Swee’Pea is also frozen – and she too is looking at me. However, she’s in a slightly different postion. She is standing behind TheMonk with both of her hands firmly on TheMonk’s shoulders. She is clearly seeking the Fisher Price phone and, just as clearly, is about to throw TheMonk to the ground to get it. The expression on her face is pure “deer-caught-in-the-headlights.” Her eyes are wide open and she stares at me for a second as she sees me survey the situation. She knows the jig is up. She knows that she’s been busted.
So, she does what any 19-month-old little girl who’s been caught in the midst of terrorizing her brother would do. She smiles at me, turns to her brother who is still tightly clutching his toy – not knowing what is about to transpire – and plants a kiss on his head. She turns to me and smiles once more and then returns to TheMonk and plants another kiss on his head. Not sure what to do (do I reprimand her for something she really hasn’t done yet?), I praise her for kissing her brother. Swee’Pea’s smile turns to a laugh.
She stands up straight and walks away from TheMonk. As she distances herself from the current situation I can just tell she’s thinking… “Whew, that was a close one!”
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Fastforward 40 years, therapist office:
“So, tell me ‘MONK when did you first become aware of your distrust of women?”
Comment by Grandmother — January 11, 2007 @ 11:54 pm
I just found your site! I have twins also, they are 4 years old now. I have a daughter who is 11 and I can say from experience that raising the twins has been a totally different challenge than raising the one that came by herself! Your babies are beautiful, thanks for sharing them.
Comment by Stacy — January 12, 2007 @ 6:15 am
I can explain this in a few words:
“The female of the species is more deadly than the male.”
Makes me glad my twins are both girl/girl… though that will change when they hit the teen years I’m sure.
Comment by Kemp — January 12, 2007 @ 6:42 am
Your pink one is very sly. She has mad skills.
Comment by Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — January 12, 2007 @ 8:43 am
Happy National De-Lurking week!!
Comment by Bill — January 12, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
Different Stacy – also the mom of twins….
We started time-outs at 18 months old…for that exact reason. After that, the girl became very effective at conning the boy out of this toy (she’d go and point at something else and “oooo” and “aaaaa” at it, he’d come scurrying).
I’m convinced our boy will NEVER get married.
Comment by Stacy — January 12, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
This is why Tad developed his super-sonic scream – to alert Mommy that his toy had been swiped. However, he has become a fan of the pre-emptive strike (hitting his sister whenever she’s within arm’s reach), so we’ve had to introduce him to the concept of “time-out” at 17 months old.
Comment by Deanna — January 12, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
That little lady is a real handful! She’s seems to be good under pressure, which is kind of scary being that she’s not even two yet. Maybe one day she’ll use that skill and become a politician, or an actress. (Same difference.)
Comment by Keith — January 13, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
I’ve heard this quote attributed to Jack Nicholson…
“Women: they’re smarter than us, they’re stronger than us, and they don’t play fair.”
I’d change “women” to “females” in order to include toddlers.
Comment by wine makes mummy clever — January 14, 2007 @ 2:34 am
ah, the “frozen” moment, I love them
Comment by whit — January 14, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
Niiiiiiiiiice.
“Sugar and spice and all things nice, that’s what little girls are made of.” Right?
And also? Grandmother is funny:-)
Comment by samantha jo campen — January 14, 2007 @ 10:28 pm
Once again it shows that women are much smarter than men…
AD
Comment by AdventureDad — January 15, 2007 @ 3:31 am