We bought our mini-van (I know I know… I’m in complete denial… and I also can’t deny HOW practical it is) on Craigslist. It was equipped with a DVD player which I had, up to that point, been adamantly opposed to. Now, however, I realize it comes in might handy when Shad and I are trying to have our own conversation.

Originally my rule was “if the ride is an hour long or more” but now it’s turned into “when I want to talk to Daddy without eavesdroppers and interruptions. I love talking to Shad so we actually use the DVD player a bit more than we should.

All that aside, we have also started playing games in the car. Punchbug and MiniPunch are among the favorites. I taught Reilly Punchbug and Padiddle quite a while ago and now Kate is up to speed on car models too so she can play. Shea, on the other hand, just yells out “punchbug <insert color of any passing car here> and when Reilly or Kate say “Shea that’s not a punchbug” Shea blurts out “I called it first”. Clearly these are all things that are indicative of how the game functions around her.

The other game we play is the “yes/no” game. I’m sure there is a better or more official title for the game but basically one person thinks of a person or character and everyone else asks yes/no questions until they get it right. The person who guesses correctly then gets to think of the next person. Shea, naturally, always wants a turn. At two the game is a bit beyond her in ways and just close enough to her grasp in others. Her way of playing goes like this:

“my turn my turn my turn… I haven’t had a turn”

okay Shea, it’s your turn

“okay, I”m ready”

okay go

“is it a girl?”

<insert huge enthusiasm here> “YES SHEA…. GOOD JOB!”

Wild giggle with satisfaction from Shea. She is perfectly content with her guessing.