Olly Olly Oxen Free

I'm sitting at the computer checking my facebook when I look up to see June (my daughter) climbing off her barstool.  "What are you doing?"

No answer.  She continues to walk through the kitchen to hide in a little nook in front of the pantry.  "Are you hiding?  If you're hiding and Dad finds you he'll get you with tickles."

No answer.  Okay, so this is a pretty regular game for us.  June really likes hiding, well, let me be more honest, she likes people looking for her and calling her name and has found that hiding gives her that.  Up to this point, we've been lucky.  She's not particularly good at finding good spots.  The scary part is she is SUPER good at holding very, very still and being very, very quiet.  One day she'll find the good spots and we'll be in trouble.

After waiting a while I finally go over to the nook.  There she sits, her turquoise, polka dotted, footsie pajamas topped by her mess of blond hair and hands holding two pink apron ties up to her eyes.  "Where is that June-bug?  Is she behind the blue apron?"  I pretend to look and she suppresses laughter.  "Nope, not behind the blue one... is she behind the pink one?"  I pull on the ties but June has them in a death grip.  "My, the strings sure are heavy... and hey, there are two little hands holding on to them.  What's behind those hands?  It's a June-bug."  I then tickle her on the ribs and below the  chin while she giggles in my arms.

"Okay, Dad.  You hide.  You have to hold the strings and put them to your eyes."  I hold them and peek out at her while she walks around.  "Is Dad over here?  Nope.  Is Dad behind the blue one?  Nope, not behind the blue one.  Is Dad by this machine (not making this up, she said that while looking at the Kitchen Aid behind me).  Nope, not by the machine.  If I turn these nobs (on the toaster).  Nope."  She proceeded to climb over me to get to the cookies, but only made it about half way.  "Is he in here?  Nope, not in here (meaning, inside the box of cookies).  Is he behind the pink one?  There's Dad!  Tickle tickle."  As tiny fingers moved beneath my chin.  It's not too bad being Dad.