Ultimate Competitor

The world at large is seriously missing out by our lack of a family reality show.  Sophi alone could easily supply enough must-see-TV moments to fill a weekly program.  She is absolutely hilarious, often meaning to be and often not.  Since you don't have the benefit of watching Soph on a TLC show next week, I'll attempt to share one of her moments from last night.  It loses something in the telling, but such is life...

Most of our family members were playing games at the kitchen table.  Sophi scooted her way up to Christi, Taylor, Parker and me.  We were playing a word game that was a bit over Sophi's head.  As we finished up, Sophi asked, "Do you want to play Spot It?"  Spot It Junior is a great game that allows younger kids to be competitive with adults.  We played a few rounds and Sophi did very well.  Suddenly, caught up in the excitement of playing - and competing in - a fast-paced game, she switched gears.  She challenged me:  "Do you want to play Rock, Paper, Scissors?"  "Sure," I said.

So we began a game.  She chanted, "rock, paper scissors, ROCK!", pounding her little foot on the table with each word and ending with her 'fist' shaped like a rock.  I had chosen scissors, so she smashed my two fingers.  Again, "rock, paper, scissors, ROCK!" Again her little foot fist was a rock, but I had chosen rock this time as well--a draw.  Again she chanted with gusto, "rock, paper, scissors, ROCK!"  Again with the rock.  I had chosen paper and covered up her little fist with my open hand.  A fourth round, "rock, paper, scissors, ROCK!"  Sensing what she might choose, I went back to scissors and her little face lit up as she smashed my fingers.

At this point, Christi, Taylor, Parker and I were all desperately fighting the urge to devolve into fits of laughter.  Sophi's intensity combined with her fierce commitment to ROCK! was utterly hilarious.  I am guessing that her propensity for this choice is at least partly due to the difficulty of making scissors or paper with her foot.  We continued to play a few more rounds.  She continued to choose rock and I continued to choose scissors.  She continued to smash my fingers with gusto each time!  She then shared this with us:  "I play this with my friend at school and I ALWAYS win!"  Again the other four of us were left trying to avoid belly laughs at the thought of the rather poor strategy demonstrated by this friend of hers.

It was such a cute moment I had to take a picture:

Sophi looked at the image and exclaimed, "What?!?  That doesn't look like a rock!!!"

Love that girl:)

-Jeremy