Momnesia

MomTASTIC!

I had an AWESOME time hanging out with Amber, Kerri (What up Free Times!) and our kids today. Swimming, snacking, chatting and laughing... it was a perfect afternoon. The kids were fantastic, with only one minor disagreement among the two younger ones, and only one accidental injury to the youngest of all. And also? I beat some Wii butt. Who knew I could box like a pro? If, you know, pros were happily overweight middle-aged ladies swinging wildly in someone's living room.

But something I learned about myself: I am a bad example to my child.

While playing Candyland (hello, with the kids! It wasn't competitive Candyland or anything!) I jokingly knocked Amber's piece aside with my own while passing her on the multicolored brick road. When Emmie's turn came around again, her little red gingerbread person rampaged through Candyland like Sherman through Atlanta.

After their laughter died down, Amber, Ann and Madeleine all glared at me, three identical expressions on three very similar faces.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" I said, and tried to explain to Emerson why she shouldn't do that: "Mommy was being a bad girl and I won't do it again. Let's play nicely."

So when my turn came back around, I hopped the little blue piece happily down lollipop lane, pretending it asked "Excuse me!" every time it came to and passed another piece. The ladies grinned their approval and Emmie clapped: "Mommy be a good girl!"

Problem solved - or so I thought. As it turns out, Emmie is motivated more by laughter than heaps of Pollyanna praise. She scrambled the board again, laughing madly when her turn came.

The game went back in the box. And I went down in the legal pads of their mind under the column: Do Not Invite Back.

Emmie prepping for the Candyland final beatdown: