Last week, Aaron and I were invited into Kiera’s bedroom for a camp out. It was not your run-of-the-mill camp out. Actually, I am not sure where the camp out part came into play now that I think back.
Anyway, Kiera called us in her room for the camp out. She instructed us to lie on her bed while she cooked. Not wanting to argue with the person in charge of the camp out, Aaron and I stretched out on her bed with our feet hanging off the side.
Kiera began mixing her playdough ingredients in her ‘kitchen’ area. On a normal day, that area is known as her entertainment center for her television and movies but this night, it had been transformed into her kitchen. She had her ice cream playdough maker set up with a few random dishes next to it.
“First, “She said, turning away from her kitchen to focus on us. “I need to stamp your hands so you can enter the camp out.”
She picked up a small, inked rubber stamp with a beach ball emblem and reached for Aaron’s hand. After taking the cap off and stamping his hand, she moved on to me. “Let me see your hand or you can’t go in.” Kiera explained to me.I exchanged a humorous look with Aaron and held out my hand for my required stamp. Once she was finished and we were in the clear, she handed the stamp to Aaron. That was a mistake.
“Now, I am going to make cookies for y’all.” She stated as she went back to her kitchen and flattened out some yellow playdough.
“Yummy. I can’t wait!” Aaron said.
She proceeded to bring us samples of ice cream and cookies as she made them. It was one of those perfect family moments… almost a Normal Rockwell moment.
As Aaron and I lay on her bed we talked about the day’s events as Kiera mixed different ingredients in her kitchen. From time to time she would chime in with her own events of the day. It was just perfect.
As I lay there on my back, relaxing and talking, Kiera approached. “Mommy, I need you to hold this cookie right here.” She instructed me and put my hands together above my head. She placed a yellow playdough cookie in them with the final instructions to not drop them before turning back to her kitchen.
I giggled and turned to look at Aaron. He gazed at me adoringly with love in his eyes… Oh. Wait. No. That’s not how it went. It was more like, I turned to look at Aaron and he stamped my forehead with the beach ball rubber stamp! Right in the center of my forehead!
But he didn’t stop there. With an evil grin on his face, he proceeded to tickle my ribs. Laughing and begging him to stop, I twisted trying to avoid his tickling.
“Don’t drop the cookie!” Kiera yelled over my laughter. “Stop, Daddy! You are going to make her drop the cookie.”
Aaron stopped tickling me and I gave him a victorious slash “you got in trouble” look.
With a deep sigh, Kiera walked over and took the cookie out of my hands. Once her back was turned, Aaron stamped me on the forehead again with the rubber stamp. I quickly grabbed it out of his hands and stamped the end of his nose.
We were laughing like little kids as he tried to take the stamp from me. And then…
“Stop right now!” Kiera bellowed from beside us.
We both stopped laughing but could not hide the smiles on our face. Kiera stared down at us with a stern look on her face.
“Give me the stamp.” She stated, thrusting out her hand.
I gingerly handed the stamp over, suddenly feeling like I was the kid.
Kiera picked up the cap and placed it on the end of the stamp before glaring at us. “You are wasting it and you are not being responsible.” She ended her mini tirade and stomped back to her kitchen.
I glanced over to Aaron whose face was bright red from holding in laughter. “You got us in trouble.” I stage whispered to him.
“You are both in trouble.” Kiera piped up from her kitchen.
Thankfully, we managed to straighten ourselves up and not get into any more trouble for the rest of the evening. I don’t know whether to be proud that she knows not to be wasteful or terrified that she assumed the position of “in charge” so easily.
Rowonna McNeely is a graphic artist for Willie’s T’s Screenprint & Embroidery. She is a mother of a five year old girl and step mother of two adult girls. Her crazy life includes a dog, Sloane and psychotic cat, Gracie. Both females. She is married to her prince, who is outnumbered by the opposite gender.
