Games Kids Play

Leah likes to have names for pretty much anything in her life. She wants to know what things are called or named, and if they don't have names, she gives them names. You may recall that she named all four of our monarch caterpillars (Joe Mauer, Joe Nathan, Monarch Boy, and Stripey Guy) last fall. She also names the games she plays with us.

One of the first games she imbued with a moniker involved rolling a big, plush ball or two across the floor, back and forth with one of her parents on the other end. The name: "Balls Roll Across the Floor." Tricky, huh? This game was later modified by using little cars in the place of the balls, and it became known as, "Cars Go Really Fast."

More recently, she invented a game that does need a little explanation. The game, played only with her Dad, is called, "Stiff Man." Basically, Dad pretends that he has been haphazardly stapled to the ground through his feet, hands and head. I know, gruesome, right? Leah, the "kind citizen" saves the day by yanking each limb from the ground and thus releasing Dad from his horrible bondage. When Matthew thanks her for her kindness, she screams, "I'm Leah Evelynn Tift!" And that's how that game is played.

For the sake of our dear readers, here is a recorded episode of "Stiff Man." Somehow an extra walked onto the set, but she becomes only a minor distraction from the heart-wrenching drama that unfolds. Advance apologies for the butt crack too. Enjoy.