My Daughter is a Genius

Strategy is a complex idea. To take the time to assess a situation and then devise a plan that will effectively attain your end goal is something many full grown adults have difficulty mastering. Well move over General Patton, my daughter is a natural. You can deduce from previous blogs that Genevieve is more of the trouble maker of the girls. She doesn't listen well (not sure if it's intentional yet), she tends to wander and she has a "destructo" side to her; we often call her the bull in the china shop. Arianna (as far as 16 month olds go) is much more calm and predictable. For instance, she loves putting the bath toys in to the water as I'm filling up the tub. The word "bano" gets her all worked up and she runs in to the bathroom and starts reaching for the toy bucket. Sometimes she gets so worked up that she throws non bath toys in as well; stuffed animals, electronics, books. Well last night after dinner I'm getting the girls ready for bath; I've got them stripped down to diapers and the water is running. Arianna starts in on the toys just as Genevieve high tails it out of the bathroom. This is when 1 on 2 gets tough. It's nice when the other parent is home to help you chase naked babies around the house. I tell Arianna that she has to wait, we can't start our ritual until Genevieve gets back. A look of frustration and concern comes across her face. I suggest she go get her sister and she suddenly spins on her heels and runs out of the bathroom. I follow behind and poke my head around the corner to see her walk in to the living room, stare at Genevieve and then look around. She spots something and waddles in to the kitchen, returning with two stuffed tigers (their favorite stuffed animals). She shows them to Genevieve, who gets intrigued, and then takes them in to the bathroom with Genevieve following right behind her. It was like watching a master fisherman bate and hook a prized fish; a 5 star General spot a weakness in the enemy and exploit it to take the battle; an athlete knowing just how to get the reaction he wants from their opponent. It was beautiful. Arianna was very proud of herself, too. And then she tried to throw the tigers in to the bath tub. BTW, this is what the tigers looked like drying in the hall way after they got a much needed bano of their own (we had to sneak them out of the cribs as the girls slept, of course).