things you're not very good at

Dear Em,
You are my daughter, & I am amazed by you everyday. There are so many things that you're so great at, but hide & seek is not one of them. We played the other night, just me & you & daddy. It took you over twenty minutes to find me. It took you so long, you started crying & told Daddy that I was gone forever.

The hardest part about the game for me is hiding & keeping quiet. It's almost impossible not to burst into laughter. You talk to yourself as you look & you have quite an inner monologue. However, the most entertaining part of the game happens when you are the one hiding. This is how it went the other night...

Emma: "Ok, start counting. I'm going to hide."
Daddy & I: (closing our eyes) "One...two...three..."
Emma: (crashing into where we stand counting) "Watch out! I have to hide in the closet!"
Daddy & I: "Four...five...six...seven..."
Emma: (yelling from inside the closet that I had hid in the last time, no more than two feet away from where we're counting even though you had the whole upstairs to hide in) "I'm ready!"
Daddy & I: "Eight..."
Emma: "Ready or not here I come!"
Daddy & I: "Nine...TENNNNNNN!"
Emma: "Ok, come find me. I'm in the closet!"
Daddy: "Do you think she's on the bed?"
Emma: "No! I'm not on the bed! I'm in the closet!"
Me: "I wonder if she's in her castle."
Emma: "No, I told you. I'm in the closet. Come find me in the closet."
Daddy & I: (walking over to the closet) "Oh! There she is!"
Emma: "How did you find me?!"

Then there are lots of giggles & hugs & you exclaim it's our turn to hide. You may not be a very competitive hide & seeker, you are by far my very favorite hide & seeker.

I love you so,
Mommy