I'm a bad influence on my kids....

…because, yet again, they started acting up and I started laughing hysterically. Dave had grilled some pork for dinner, which was not a hit with Cam and Gabs. Dave was taking it a little personally (although he’ll deny that) and told them to “just try it.” He insisted, forking up a piece from Gabby’s plate and putting it in her mouth. Cameron continued to balk as I watched Gabby chew, then swallow, the meat. (Unusual– if she doesn’t like something she will normally hold it in her mouth until it is a half-liquefied piece of goo, then request to spit it into our hands.) I thought, well, she actually likes it! She picked up another piece– with her fingers but whatever– and I took the chance to chime in for Dave. I announced brightly, “See! Gabrielle ate her piece and likes it so much she’s having mo–”

And, with her typical comic timing, Gabby expertly flicked the meat onto Dave’s plate. She accompanied her perfect shot with a dry little announcement: “Flick.” Then she demurely put her hands in her lap and gazed at us calmly.

God, I’m still laughing as I type it out. It was just so freaking funny. I started laughing and couldn’t stop. Dave tried to scold her but couldn’t, as my giggles were too contagious, and besides, Cameron literally fell off his chair laughing. So we got it out of our systems, I avoided looking in Dave’s direction as I righted Cam, and then Dave gave it one more shot: “Gabby, there is no reason, ever, to flick your food around the table. That dinner is very yummy.” Pause. Then she delivered her kicker, with the same straight, sweet-girlie face she maintained throughout the incident: “Okay, Daddy– you can have mine!”

There’s nothing as funny to me as when a 2-year-old completely stymies my husband.