Hide and Seek

Yesterday, while standing in the bathroom, Kiki asked "Can we play hide seek?"

Assuming she meant Hide AND Seek (this parenting thing is hard), I agreed, figuring I could totally own her.  I mean, she is small and able to hide in more places, but I still figured I could dominate, given my years of practice and experience.  And why else do you have children?

However, little did I know that she did not mean Hide and Seek, she meant what she said, Hide Seek, a game of her own creation, apparently.  It started off normally enough.  I turned around, counted to 5, and came searching for her.  She managed to go into the closet and close the door.  When I turned around, drawing on my skills, I managed to pick up on a few subtle hints.  Mainly the giggling emanating from the closet.  Also her face peaking around the door.  After finding her and doing a short celebratory dance, it was my turn to hide. 

This is when I began to realize some of the subtle differences with Hide Seek.  For a start, she claimed she was counting, but did so in her head, not out loud.  Being a seasoned Hide and Seeker, I always rely upon the audible count to know exactly how long I have to fine tune my hiding.  But I'm a flexible player, I could deal with this change.  But then she also refused to close her eyes or turn around, rather staring at me while I hid.  

This, I must say, did rather throw me off.  Not being sure exactly how to hide while in plain sight, I stopped to gather my thoughts.  This pause gave Kiki the chance to illustrate the final difference with Hide Seek, namely that she told me where to "hide." 

"Go in the closet Dada.  Close the door"

Not one to argue when I'm unsure of the rules of the game, I did so, to promptly be "found" by Kiki, who proceeded to perform her own celebratory victory dance.  Personally I think it could have used a little less finger pointing, and I could have definitely done without the mockery of my face and fashion sense, but she was the winner, so I just had to take it.  

I'm thinking we may need to rename Hide Seek to Watch Tell, but I am confident I'll find a way to win.  And oh the dance I will unleash then!