Our Little Stinker Comedienne

We are quickly learning that Shaling thoroughly enjoys practical jokes. Her favorite targets are Mom & Dad. Once she believes she's successfully pulled a "Gotcha" on one of us, she heartily laughs in a very contagious manner.

Example #1:

This side of her personality peeked through just a smidge in China. Our hotel key cards (plastic cards the size of a credit card that granted as access in & out of our room) also granted us access to our lighting. There was a slot on the wall near our door in which one of our key cards had to be inserted for the lights to work. Once the card was removed, the lights remained on briefly, but automatically shut off after roughly 15 seconds. One day as we were all getting ready to leave, Brock was the last to use the bathroom. As the other 3 of us gathered near the door, Shaling ever so quietly reached up and took out the key card. I didn't realize what she had done and didn't understand why she looked up at me and whispered, "Dad"...that is I didn't understand until the lights went out, Brock hollered, and Shaling laughed hysterically.

Example #2:

Tuesday night of this week, I was chatting on the phone with my cousin Joanna. Shaling asked for the phone, thinking it was Brock. I told her it wasn't Dad, but that she could talk if she wanted. She chatted for a few minutes with "Aunt Joanna". Eventually, Joanna must have asked to talk to me again, because Shaling said "ok", and started to hand me the phone. Then, she jerked the phone back, put it up to her ear, and disguised her voice, "Hello?" Somehow, even with the disguise, I don't think Aunt Joanna thought the voice with the Chinese accent was me.

Example #3:

Yesterday afternoon, I was in our computer room, checking email, with Shaling looking over my shoulder, when my phone rang. I could tell from caller id that it was my mom. I asked Shaling if she wanted to say Hi to Grandma. She answered the phone and after the initial pleasantries, said "Mom, bathroom".

I looked at her incredulously and said, "I'm not in the bathroom."

She proceeded to make the sound of streaming water after which she said, "Mom, done." She then let out a series of giggles.

Example #4:

Last week, while I was at a meeting, Brock was home with Preston & Shaling. The kids were sitting on the couch watching television, so he sat down in between them. After a couple of minutes, Shaling began demonstratively counting with her fingers and said:

"Daaaaad..."

"One"

"Two"

"Three"

She then leaned away from him, with her tiny little bottom aimed right at him, and cut loose.

He was still horrified when I returned home about an hour later...telling Shaling to "tell Mom what you did to Dad".

I think she enjoyed my reaction to the story more than he did.