Outsmarted

Once again this happened a while ago, but the story is too funny not to share.

If anyone is familiar with Disney's animated classic Robin Hood, they'll remember the opening song that starts off, "Robin Hood and Little John walking through the forest..." Well, this just happens to be one of Addison's favorite songs. Seeing how much she enjoyed the song, I decided to learn the words to the song so that I could sing it for her.

Months pass after I'd committed the song to memory and almost every car ride consisted of at least one rendition of the song being performed at Addison's request. Well one particular car ride, after having performed the song three times in a row, I tell Addison (after the third encore request), that I'm not singing it anymore.

Silence envelops the car during which time I figure she's pouting. A quick glance in the rear view mirror shows, instead, a look of concentration on her face. Less then a minute passes before I hear her ask, "Daddy, why are Robin Hood and Little John sad?"

Confused, I ask, "Addison, what do you mean? They're not said"

"Yes they are, Daddy, it says so in the song."

Rather than argue with her, I tell her, "Addison, they're not sad, listen to the song"

I get halfway through the song before I realize I've been outsmarted by my three year old. As I articulate a particularly upbeat section of the song, I look back in the rearview mirror expecting to see a look of concern on my poor daughter's face who, I'm concerned, may have misunderstood some grown-up undertones in the song. Instead, I see my daughter smiling and clapping as I'm singing her favorite song for the fourth time.

When I stop singing, I hear my innocent daughter ask, "Daddy, why did you stop singing". Too shocked at how easily I'd been tricked, I can't answer her question, as Heather is practically rolling out of her seat in a fit of laughter.

Addison didn't ask for her song again that car ride. I think she felt sorry for her poor Daddy.