Mia Barks Back

For a long time now we have enjoyed the friendly family game of "Tiger" each night after dinner.

You know the game- - the one where an adult sits on the floor with the baby and the toddler goes around the corner and comes out pretending to be a tiger, growling and snapping his teeth as he crawls towards us, scaring the beejezus out of the baby until she turns and tries as hard as possible to run away and in the process falls on her face.

It’s borderline child abuse but Toby and Mia both enjoy it SO much (until the part when she smacks her face on the ground) that it has become somewhat of a staple in our house.

As Mia’s mobility has grown so has the length and her enjoyment of game. She now turns and crawls away at top speed giggling as she goes. Most times she can even make it to the dining room table before face planting into the ground, which shows marked improvement.

Tonight, unexpectedly, the game took a DRASTIC and sudden turn.

Just as “the Tiger” was about to lay his paws on the excited Mia, she suddenly HALTED in her tracks, turned and STOOD UP, towering over the crouching Tiger and in a tentative voice said, “DA!”

Toby didn’t miss a beat and responded with a ferocious GROWL.

Mia didn’t back down. Instead, she THUMPED her fists into her sides and said a little more loudly, “DA!”

Finally, after a few more exchanges Mia’s wimpy yet determined attempt at a growl reached full volume and Toby the Tiger (out of boredom, not chivalry) accepted defeat and went to find some monster trucks to play with.

Mia, somewhat disappointed to have put an abrupt end to her favourite game settled back down onto her bum and stared longingly after her departed playmate before turning to me and very sweetly asking, “Da?”

My darling daughter has not only learned to growl, but for the first time in her 10 months of life, has stood up to (and defeated) her older brother.

You go, girl!