It all started this afternoon when Joshua and I played a 30 minute game of "Where's the Duck?" We hid a little rubber duckie under one of ten stacking blocks and then took turns looking for the duck. Most of the time when Joshua was hiding the duckie, I cheated by peeking through my fingers. I just couldn't resist watching him try to figure out why one box would fit over the duckie and another smaller box wouldn't. Inevitably once he hid the duckie, I could easily find it under... the same box it was previously hidden in. This seems to be an unwritten rule of playing hide and go seek with a baby. They tend to use the same hiding spot over and over.
I learned this while playing hide and go seek with Liam a couple of years ago for the first time. We took turns hiding and most times when it was his turn, he just hid in the same spot he had found me in. But that probably wasn't what made him so easy to find. Liam continues to be an easy find because he can't stop giggling. You know how when you are playing hide and go seek, you're supposed to be sooo quiet? Even when the seeker is close-by, you can often get away with your hiding spot just by staying still and holding your breath. Not Liam. He has yet to learn this stealthy strategy. Instead he lets out with loud chuckles as though he's being tickled by an imaginary octopus. It also doesn't help that as soon as I say "Ready or not, here I come!" Liam will shout out, "Mommy, come find me!" or "I'm in the bathroom!" This tends to take away from the mystery.
Tonight after the success of our hide-the-duckie game with Joshua, Liam and I decided to have a real hide and go seek game. We took turns with Liam & I hiding. We tried to give Joshua a turn hiding but when Liam & I closed our eyes Joshua rolled over giggling instead of hiding. Liam had a good spot in the closet but Joshua had peeked so he found him right away. I almost tricked Liam by hiding between the shower curtains but my feet gave me away. My hiding spot in Joshua's crib kept me hidden the longest. With the crib bumpers and Joshy's blanket keeping me hidden, I stayed silent when a giggling Joshua and his brother Liam came into the room. "Mommy, where are you?" Liam asked (actually expecting an answer). After a couple of minutes, I could actually hear a little panic in his voice (not in Joshua's he just started playing with his duckie again) so I pressed Joshua's Glo-Worm's belly. Even with the lullabies, Liam still couldn't find me in the crib... until he got very close and saw the blanket breathing. I knew he found me because he started the uncontrollable giggles again. Isn't it a hilarious sight to see a mommy in a crib? Even Joshua came in for a look.
And speaking of blankets- what is it about blankets that speak insta-hiding-spot for kids under the age of 5? Often times in hide-and-go-seek games, I've found Liam lying right in the middle of the floor, but under a blanket. A blanket can be used to stealthily hide in a corner or even in a laundry basket. But the second that blanket starts to giggle, I'm pretty sure I've found my hider.
Liam's hiding skills may need work but really, Joshua is the worst hider ever. Liam and I both know that hiding with Joshua means you will get found in less than 10 seconds. It doesn't help that he's usually squirming to leave the hiding spot, giggling or poking his head out. And that's how we ended our last round of tonight's homework. Behind the rocker with Joshua squirming, poking his head out and giggling as we were found in one foul swoop by Liam.
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