One Couple's Stumblings Through Parenthood and Marriage

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

I Not Genna!

Our girls are less and less likely to respond to their own names. If I ask for Genna to come to her high chair, she responds by saying, "I not Genna. I Sleeping Beauty." Sure enough, I'll look at her, and she is wearing pink - the color of Sleeping Beauty's dress. Kate usually opts for being Snow White, but she plays that particular make-believe game a lot less.

In fact, we were in the car the other day, and I sat between them in the back seat. Genna stated that she was Sleeping Beauty, and I asked her who I was - hoping that she would say that I was a prince (oh please, oh please!). Kate responded by saying, "You're just daddy. Just Kate, Genna, and daddy." She didn't want to play the game. The game Kate does like to play is 'how can I get under my twin sister's skin?' Here is what happened last night.

Annie and I had put the girls to bed just fine. About 10 minutes later, though, Genna began doing her groan/scream that we absolutely love. It went on for a good minute before we decided to stop her, because we didn't want her to wake up the baby. I cracked the door and slipped in. I asked Genna what was wrong. She answered by saying, "I not Genna. I Sleeping Beauty."
"OK," I said. "Sleeping Beauty, what's wrong?"
"Kate scared me!" she said. I could tell from her voice that she was actually scared and on the verge of tears. I tucked her back in and turned to Kate. Ms. Kate was lying in her crib playing the innocent game. She does it so well. I asked her what she did, and she confirmed that she was scaring her sister. I told her to stop and made my exit.

About 15 minutes later, Genna was screaming again. I went in (my mood being a bit less sunny than earlier), and asked Sleeping Beauty what was wrong. Genna said, "Kate! I not Genna! I Sleeping Beauty!" She was shouting at her sister. It turns out that Kate was once again antagonizing he sister, by denying Genna's claim of being Sleeping Beauty, and insisting on calling her by her birth name. Kate played at innocence and sweetness as I offered her vague threats; but it worked. The girls stopped their fighting.

I love the girl's imagination, but these new games will have to come to an end soon. But from what I have heard, the games will only become increasingly 'fun' - even through their teenage years.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Justin!

Today I got to go shoe shopping with Andrea, Genna, Kate & Julia. When we tried the shoes on the girls, they of course wanted to run around in them. Kate announced that she was going off to find her prince! At Mervyn's! Fortunately, she just went to the end of the aisle and came back. The girls also had on their "glass slippers" - cute little pink sparkly shoes. I think maybe it's a good idea you & Andrea have about the 'no more princess movies'. Stick to "Bambi" and "Lady & the Tramp" for a while.
Love, Mom (grandma)

Raging Wombat said...

I'm glad you were able to contain the girls!

I wonder what new issues the girls will develop from watching animal movies, now. Will they want a dog? Or a deer?

Anonymous said...

maybe they'll want to be Milo and Otis, that scrappy cat and dog team. When I was little, I wanted to be called 'Feline' after seeing Bambi. I wouldn't answer to Chelsa anymore for like a month. My mom claims it was annoying.