Smart Alec

Daddy Cat and Laila had a father-daughter date last Friday before they picked me up from the office.

As a treat, they both got new toys--Laila bought a stuffed brown Basset Hound while Daddy Cat got a new GI Joe action figure. Laila was excitedly telling me about it as we drove out from the office driveway.

And then she decided she wanted to sit with me in the front seat.

For months now we've been training her to sit at the back. One, because she's grown too heavy to sit on my lap for too long a time and, two, because The Bump is growing too big for me to fit in the front seat by myself.

So anyways, Laila was insisting to sit on my lap, and Daddy Cat was dissuading her.

Daddy Cat: You have a new toy and kids with new toys sit at the back.

Laila: You have a new toy and you sit in front.

Daddy Cat: I'm driving, that's why I sit in front.

Laila (pretending to hold a steering wheel): I'm driving too.

I couldn't help but praise her for knowing how to reason out. It's proof she's processing her thoughts. :)

But, as she grows up, I really should teach her how to be less irreverent though. If I'd said something similar to my parents I'd get a smacking for sure.

But I've always been irreverent of authority myself, to the dismay of the Lolo (bless his soul) and the Lola, who still do not know where they went wrong in raising me.

Nephew Utoy is as much a smart alec. I used to warn Ate that she ought to learn how to control him, because smart retorts are cute coming form a 2 year old, but not from a 10 year old.

I have half a decade more to train Laila :)