Trust the Gene Genie

Monday, May 07, 2007

It feels like I have to write something

Kids are fun. Don't get me wrong, they can be a pain in the butt, too. But they can also be fun, which makes the whining, the fighting, the arguing and the general chaos that forever seems to surround them easier to bear. You know, a spoon full of sugar and all that.

Leigh, our four-year-old, for whatever reason -- age, preschool, new sibling -- has begun to verbalize her feelings. Which is a remarkable thing when you think about it. I mean, when was the last you verbalized your feelings? Or maybe I'm impressed because I'm a guy. I don't verbalize my feelings much at all. But Leigh has started doing it all the time.

But what's fun with Leigh is that it's never "I feel sad" or "I feel angry" or "I feel good," it's "It feels like I have to laugh" or "It feels like I want to cry" or "It feels like I need to run." There's something about expressing it in the passive voice that is hilarious to me. As though she's sneakily shifting responsibility for her actions.

A couple weeks ago she and Claire, my six-year-old, were fighting, as is their wont. There's really no in-between with the girls -- either they're at each other's throats or playing like the bestest friends and bosom buddies who have never not seen eye-to-eye their entire lives. I can't recall what brought on this particular argument, but it ended with Leigh just fuming. With the meanest, surliest little face she could muster, she turns to me and says, "It feels like I have to punch her in the stomach."

Becky and I just died laughing. And really, who hasn't felt that singular emotion at some point during their day?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It feels like I have to go eat an entire pizza and polish it off with chocolate ice cream. Hmmm, I like this approach.

Did she really say "in the stomach?" I don't remember that part. My goodness...I can't wait until they are teenagers!

TheRobRogers said...

I'm almost positive she did 'cause I remember being surprised by the specificity of the comment.

Stephanie B said...

That's funny. Did your laughing diffuse the situation or did it just make her angrier? I keep laughing, that is really funny!

Anonymous said...

Leigh has got it all figured out. I wonder if she entertains herself as well as she does other people? She probably has no idea how clever she is.

Thom Gabrukiewicz said...

I like her approach. Very very much. I'm feeling it.

Scott's Blog said...

LOL, that was a good one. I've had the same feelings as well. Kids are great in that way.

Anonymous said...

Awesome. Simply awesome. That totally cracks me up.

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