Matt and Sasha found a new, fun game today. Here's how they play: They sit together at the bottom of the stairs. Matt throws a yellow Nerf-style University of Michigan ball up to the top of the stairs. Gravity being a persistent phenomenon, the ball bounces back down, and Matt catches at.
Every once in a while, the ball instead hits Sasha on the head, and she laughs uproariously.
Despite the quality baby-daddy bonding going on here, I can't help but feel a vague, unsettled feeling -- like perhaps I should be putting a stop to this game. But since I am at a loss to put my finger on what, exactly, is the matter, I suppose I should not interfere.
My kitchen is: Eh. Not exactly messy, not exactly clean, either. Blasted newspapers.
Posted by andrea at April 26, 2003 10:25 PMI used to play that game all the time! But by myself, usually. Actually, I still play it. Sometimes Jake joins in. Sometimes we use a slinky instead of a ball. The ball works better.
Posted by: michelle on April 26, 2003 11:10 PMWe have a slinky. You gave it to us! But I think Sasha is not ready for it, yet. It might hurt when it hits her on the head.
Posted by: Andrea Phillips on April 26, 2003 11:12 PMAnother game I used to play on the stairs as a kid involved climbing up 3-4 stairs and jumping to the bottom. And then climbing a bit higher, until jumping over the remaining steps was either too scary or too painful. Luckily, Sasha can't stand well enough to jump yet. And maybe by the time she is, you can point her toward better games :)
Posted by: michelle on April 26, 2003 11:17 PMOne can hope. There's a wall right at the bottom of our stairs, so she could pretty easily knock her teeth out that way. I'll have to introduce her to something safer and mre wholesome, like motocross.
Posted by: Andrea Phillips on April 26, 2003 11:19 PMDon't forget the classic: jumping on the bed. It sounds so harmless, but you bear the scar to attest that there is a reason other than mattress damage for stopping that fun activity.
Posted by: cathyy on April 27, 2003 07:59 AMIt was two monkeys jumping on the bed and one fell off onto the floor of Westview that just happened to have a little nail that was raised above the floor board.
The game Matt is doing is fine! Did you feel left out? You and Matt could take turns throwing the ball up the steps or you could do the same game when he is not around so that Sasha knows sports are not just a guys territory.
Posted by: David Fisher on April 28, 2003 09:03 AMI'm talking about the fun games kids play that Mom may not necessarily approve of. Whatever are you talking about?
Posted by: cathyy on April 29, 2003 04:50 PMI don't feel left out, dad, don't worry. It just seems like I'm neglectful of my maternal responsibilities when I let Sasha have fun in ways that involve her getting hit in the head. My program of neofeminist brainwashing is also well under way.
Posted by: Andrea Phillips on April 29, 2003 10:16 PMHey, she's not just getting hit in the head. The ball gets her all over the place! And she loves it! She'd prefer it to hit her then for me to catch it.
Posted by: Matt on April 30, 2003 01:29 PM