Adventures With MissMunchkin

Even though all Mommy hears all day is “Where Daddy?” Daddy is convinced MissMunchkin is pushing him out the door every morning.

This morning MissMunchkin was asleep until Daddy got up. He had barely made it out of the bedroom before there were little feet pounding after him at a dead run. She insisted on ‘helping’ him with everything from getting coke to turning on the dryer.

When she wasn’t allowed outside, she went to make sure Mommy was out of bed. Apparently this morning MissMunchin found Daddy’s dirty clothes. He received yesterday’s shirt before his shower.

As always, MissMunchkin delivered Daddy’s shoes before he could get one sock on.

Daddy was escorted to the door with a “buh-bye,” the door was watched to make sure he didn’t come back, and then MissMunchkin ran off.

MissMunchkin had officially got Daddy out the door for work and she could now play until breakfast was served.

MissMunchkin has a little red plastic frog, which Mommy has no idea where it came from. It may be one of the few kid’s meal toys she’s actually gotten. (Most places advertise to ask for toys for kids under three, but it seems most stores haven’t gotten the message.)

The Frog seems to have an equal status, if not a different role, as MissKitty. MissKitty doesn’t feel good when MissMunchkin is sick: they are tired together, they must eat together, and they must sit with Mommy together.

If MissKitty is an extension of MissMunchkin, then The Frog must be her best friend. (Either that or he’s an idol she is worshiping.)

At first, he was just a bath toy. MissMunchkin would help The Frog jump on the edge of the tub and into the water. Then he was supposed to jump on his own. MissMunchkin would urge him on for a minute or two. When he wouldn’t jump, she would pick him up in the palms of both hands, kiss him and say, “Kay, (jabber, jabber) Kay.” He would then get to try again.

Then, one day, The Frog escaped the bathroom.

His jumping lessons now happen randomly throughout the day. MissMunchkin even teaches by example, jumping up and down in front of him. (Jumping with both feet is quite fun and she’s getting some real height.) Unfortunately, The Frog seems to have delayed jumping abilities.

MissMunchkin is very patient though; she has yet to give up. The frog gets lots of kisses, patting, and encouragement. Occasionally he is subjected to a MissMunchkin lecture, after which he gets more kisses and “Kay”s.

The effort may be paying off; Mommy is quite sure she saw The Frog leap out of MissMunchkin’s hands to fly across the living room this morning. He jumped so far that he seems to have disappeared, which is going to be an issue later…

He is still required for bath time. In fact, baths are often refused or result in tamper tantrums if we can’t find The Frog.

MissMunchkin and The Frog have long conversations while she carries him around, cupped in both hands. He occasionally even gets to go to bed, although that usually results with Mommy have to hold him until MissMunchkin is asleep. Yesterday MissMunchkin discovered if you put The Frog in a sunbeam, he appears to glow! She spent quite some time experimenting with this: putting him in the sun and taking him out, putting him only halfway in the sun, standing between the sun and The Frog…

Last week, The Frog got to visit Grandma’s, where he got much the same treatment as at home. He and MissMunchkin also met Grandpa’s frog, a heavy iron door stop that originated from somewhere up Grandpa’s family tree.

MissMunchkin decided it was to heavy to move (without pushing it with the door). Instead, she introduced herself and The Frog, then went on her way. The rest of the day, whenever she ran past the iron frog she would pause to pat it’s head before continuing on.

So, maybe, there is something special about all frogs?

(While Mommy was writing this, MissMunchkin looked under the couch and then ran over to her. “Where, Frog” complete with words and signs. Apparently he managed to jump under the couch and now has to be rescued.)

Daddy and MissMunchkin have become tired of grocery shopping with Mommy. (Maybe because Mommy gets annoyed at both of them for pointing out all the yummy things not on Mommy’s list. Daddy claims he doesn’t want them, just seeing what is there.)

So, after a couple aisles of food, MissMunchkin and her Daddy disappear to see what kind of non-food items might be there.

According to Daddy, MissMunchkin has become very picky about clothes, declaring “Don’t like!” to most of the outfits in her size.

Supposedly she picky about big screen tv’s too. More picky than Daddy, or so the story goes.

They don’t seem to find any toys she likes either, but then Daddy knows to avoid the dangerous aisles, like the bikes. This week their escapade got Daddy into trouble. Someone had left a bike where it wasn’t supposed to be. It should be noted MissMunchkin likes bikes. In an effort to convince her she had to grow more before she could have it, Daddy put her on the bike.

… Smart.

Daddy was in trouble for a good while after leaving the bike behind.

In their wanderings Daddy has discovered MissMunchkin’s attitude problem. Well, maybe not a problem, but definitely an attitude.

She will ignore people that talk down to her. I mean flat out look through them. If that doesn’t work, they get the evil stare and the disgusted scowl.

While waiting in the checkout lane, one woman didn’t get the message. After ignoring and then scowling, MissMunchkin resorted to lecturing. After several minutes of being angrily jabbered at, complete with pointing fingers, the woman said to MissMunchkin’s Daddy, “I don’t think she likes me.”

Daddy convinced the woman to turn around and quit talking to MissMunchkin before she choked him. MissMunchkin was on Daddy’s shoulders and during her lecture and finger pointing she had clamped her legs firmly around Daddy’s neck.

MissMunchkin is a bit friendlier to most kids. She’ll look at them with curiosity at least, which is more than most adults warrant. However, she apparently has just as little patience with them.

MissMunchkin and Daddy came across a boy and his mother just as the poor kid was back talking his mom. MissMunchkin all out laid into him. Daddy says the kid looked pretty scared; his mother and MissMunchkin’s Daddy were a bit taken back as well.

I think my favorite has been when a little boy not much older then MissMunchkin pointed to her and said, “Baby!”

MissMunchkin didn’t miss a beat, pointed at the boy, looked at Daddy and proclaimed, “Baby.”

I’m thinking we don’t have to worry too much about MissMunchkin asserting herself.