I’m Laughing at Them, Not with Them.

Sometimes I pretend like I don’t want to eat simply so I can watch my parents act like fools.  It’s quite amazing how I and my fellow baby colleagues, have such power and control over the adult mind.  I’m going to surmise the amount of “dancing” and singing my parents do has significantly increased since my arrival.  I use the term “dancing” loosely as it really just involves jumping up and down, flailing arms and fancy but un-choreographed footwork, all done in a hunched over position so as to be closer to me, sitting on the floor.  Occasionally those flailing arms pick me up and I get to be part of the real action, which is a guaranteed fun time and I’ll put aside making fun of my parents during those moments.  When my day is lacking in amusement or I’m just jonesing for some additional entertainment, when meal-time comes around I’ll pretend like I don’t want to eat.  I shut my mouth, scrunch up my face and turn my head to socialize with the owls on my high-chair making it nearly impossible for my mom to feed me.  Do that for a few seconds and it’s not long before she breaks out in song and dance.  B-A-N-A-N-A-S is one of my favorites.  “Bananas, bananas, Mommy is bananas.  B-A-N-A-N-A-S, bananas!  Woo!”  This usually gets me laughing at which point she tries to sneak the spoon full of food in my mouth.  If I haven’t had my fill of ridiculous entertainment or I’m ready to hear another cheer, the lips close, the face scrunches and the head turns until I get more.  Now, my dad is the one I go to for animal impressions.  The gorilla is his forte.  While it terrifies my 65 pound dog, Bear, I find it absolutely hilarious.  To get a 6’4”, 200+ pound grown man to act like a gorilla just to get me to eat is pretty ingenious on my part.  I’ll let you imagine what that may look like – just keep in mind it makes the dog run out of the kitchen.  Song and dance, animal noises and the like are sure to make me laugh, but little do they know I’m laughing at them, not with them.  Until next time readers...