We have started playing card and board games with Kiera. It is becoming fairly obvious that she is just a little competitive. Ok. Honestly, the competitive part we noticed before we started playing games with her.
I think the first time it sunk in that my sweet angel was a tiny bit competitive was when she would brush her teeth with her Daddy. Somewhere along the way, brushing teeth became a race. This child can be half asleep and I can mention that she should go brush her teeth with Daddy and she is off in a flash to “race.”
She stands on her stool to the side of the sink while Daddy stands in front of the sink. Toothbrushes are then held at the ready. Kiera yells, “Ready…Steady…GO!” As if the race to see who brushes their teeth the best and fastest is not enough, they then come to stand in front of me to see whose teeth are the “brightest.”
Sometimes, she lets her Daddy win. When that happens, she takes and places a pretend medal around his neck.Recently, we played a game of UNO. Aaron and I tried to take it a little easy on her since it was her first time to play a card game. I don’t remember which one of us laid the draw four card down on her. I do remember the sigh, pout and the toss of her cards as she dramatically announced, “I never win!”
I have to admit it brought back a few memories of playing UNO in fourth grade with my besties, Tina and Crystal. If you ask them, they would tell you that scene with Kiera seemed a little familiar to them, except with me playing the part of Kiera. I think they might exaggerate our past games a bit. Better yet, just to be on the safe side, don’t ask them. Let’s keep me as the innocent party.
One of the games we play on road trips is “would you rather.” Our version is something like this. “Would you rather eat macaroni and cheese or eggs with bacon?” Sounds pretty easy, right?
Well, Kiera has changed the game a bit. This is how a recent game went. By the way, I hope this doesn’t affect anyone’s dinner plans.
“Would you rather eat a hamburger or chicken?” Kiera asked innocently from the back seat.
Aaron replied, “Hamburger.”
“Would you rather eat a hamburger or a car?” she asked.
Now, normally this would be a pretty straightforward answer, for most people anyways. Let’s continue.
“A hamburger.” Aaron answered.
“Ew!!!!” Kiera squealed. “A hamburger with boogers?”
“A hamburger with boogers!” Aaron said. “I didn’t know it had boogers!”
Kiera laughed and said, “I trapped you!”
Ah, the joys of playing games with an imaginative child.
My favorite recent game that I played with her was foosball. We were at work and she had already played a game against one of my other co-workers. He informed me that she beat him.
I walked into the sign shop where the foosball table is located. Kiera, who loves to come to our work, came running towards me. “Mommy! Play this game with me!” She pointed emphatically at the foosball table.
“Ok.” I smiled and got on one side of the table while she got settled on her side of the table. She pointed to one end and said, “This is my end.”
Impressed that she seemed to know what was going on, I nodded and we begin to slowly work the ball between our little foosball guys. Before I knew it she had made two points. She smiled at me as she moved the scoreboard numbers. I paused and looked at the table. As I studied the table, I realized that her end was actually supposed to be my end.
“Honey, that is supposed to be my end.” I stated.
“No. It’s my end.” She argued.
I decided to let it go. We continued playing and I managed to get the ball into my goal. I grinned and let out a small yell. “Yeah! I made a point!”
Kiera looked at me and said, “No. That’s my end.”
“No, sweetie. That is my end. Remember you just told me that it was my end.” I kindly pointed out.
“No. It’s my end. We switched ends.” She stated and without missing a beat, dropped the ball in to begin again.
Apparently, I missed when we switched ends. I must have dozed off for a brief moment when it was announced. That’s the only obvious explanation… If you haven’t figured it out, by now, she won that game. Oh well. We will work on rules of the game at a later date. For now, I can handle losing a game of foosball to my four-year-old.
My princess is asleep so I am off to bed. Have a great week and avoid the draw four card if at all possible.
