Three-Year-Old Manners

I was reading The Itsy Bitsy Spider board book to Helen just before her nap. Well, okay, I was singing it. But she prefers that I sing - really.

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout

Down came the rain and washed the spider out

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

I was singing quietly, and Helen was leaning right up against me, more than half-asleep. I thought she might actually be a goner before we finished the book. But then, we reached a fateful verse and she startled me.

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the yellow pail

In came a mouse and flicked her with his tail

Out ran the mouse...

"The mouse needs to say 'Excuse me!' Helen sat straight up and shouted. She was wide awake now, and really warming to her topic. "He should say: 'I'm sorry and I'll try not to do it again.'" She gave me an offended look, and I had to agree with her that the mouse had behaved very badly before she would finally relax back against me and let me finish the book.

You know, even with four kids, they still find ways to surprise me.