The Ozmerican Life

Ava and I sat down to play a game of war. She loves games and cards. I think some of it comes from the fact that she gets to go into the "adult game cupboard" and get the pack of "adult playing cards" that's she's seen me play with so many times. I think she feels like she's doing something way above her age...when in fact we all know that war is a kids game. When she figures that out I bet it won't be too special anymore.

She insisted on being the dealer. Holding the whole pack was stretching her little fingers as far as they could go. She split them in two packs and handed one to me and kept the other. She had been playing with them beforehand so some were turned face down and others were face up so there were a few cards in her stack that she could see.

We were playing along, some tricks she got, some I got. Then the beloved "war" came. We both had 4's. It was time for us both to turn another card. (I skip the three cards down...it's just too much at 3) I turned mine first....a 9. Not a great card but pretty good. She saw this card and looked at her stack of cards. The top card was turned face down, she picked it up to look at it....A 7...Along with that card she accidentally picked up the next card which dropped on the table face up because it was turned the wrong way...a Queen. She looked at my card which was already turned over and she looked at the card in her hand and then to the card that fell on the table. One would think, oh bummer she loses with the 7 which was the top card....Oh no, not my precious Ava. She grabs the Queen with her other hand and puts the 7 neatly back on her stack and places the Queen on top of the war pile. She looks at me so sweetly.

A: (with a innocent soft voice) "Do I get all those cards?"

Me: (With one of those mom looks) "Yes, Ava. Looks like your Queen wins."

At that very moment she throws her head back and lets out this deep-throated cackle which turns into a huge giggle of pure satisfaction. All of this while she gathers in her loot.

Me: (trying to not laugh) "Ava I don't think the Queen was the card on top?"

A: "I know!!!! I sneaked it on top!!!!" (the giggling starting all over again)

Me: "Ava you need to play the top card first even if that means you lose."

A: (with a somewhat un-genuine tone) "Okay mom."

We continue on playing with no more incidents. It was then time to turn our whole stacks over and start again. Ava likes to keep her winning tricks in piles of 2 and line them up across the table. So starting over involves her picking up all the stacks of two and getting them all into one pile. She was carefully picking up her stacks taking a look at each one of them. She spotted a King which somehow made it's way to the top. The 3 that was in the same trick managed to work it's way to the bottom of the stack. Then a Queen comes up...hhmmmm that found a spot at the top of the stack also. That nine that was with the Queen obviously fit best on the bottom of the stack. We are finally all set to start again.

I turn my first card and so does Ava. She smacks her King on top of my card and the huge cackle comes back with full throttle.

A: (laughing and cackling hysterically with a cheeky grin) "I sneaked it on top!!!!"

Me: "Did you?"

This wasn't really "cheating" per say. So I again, just continued to play, also finding it quite humerous.

The next card is flipped. A Queen. You could imagine what happened next. Yep you guessed it. The huge smiling giggle.

A: "I sneaked it on top again!!!!!"

Those were the only two cards she "sneaked on top" so on we played. I was thinking that was the last thing she was going to pull, until I laid down an 8. Remember the first sneaking episode? Same thing happened again. She had a 9 in her hand and a 6 fell to the table. Now if she would have played the 9 in her hand which happened to be the first card on the stack then she would have won...but what does she do??? She picks up the 6, slaps in on my 8 and starts to take the pile.

Me: "Oh no Ava. Let's look again? What's the higher card?"

Ava: (with a somewhat worried look, smile fading) "Mine."

Me: "Well let's count 1...2...3....6...7...8. You had a six. Eight comes last so it's higher. I win." (raking in my cards with a smirk)

Ava: "That's not fair!" (with a huff, slumping down in her chair)

Now I could have made her play the right card on top but I thought it was good lesson teaching time. We continued to play and she took the top card every time even if she could see the card underneath without me saying another word.

I bet she won't get her 6's and 9's mixed up next time!!!