Life Lesson Number...

We were getting ready to leave the house. Graham was buckled into his seat, happily sucking on his binkie, for the most part asleep. Natalie was buzzing around downstairs playing with various things. I was in the kitchen, filling the formula container for the diaper bag when I hear Graham scream bloody murder. I ran into the foyer and Natalie is kneeling beside his seat. He's no longer squalling, but is now starting to grump because binkie is not in his mouth. Confused, I notice that Natalie is not comforting Graham as I first thought, but she is snickering. Keep in mind: Natalie is two, Graham is two months. She is very gentle and sweet, but is sometimes a little ornery. And the conversation goes like this...

Me: Hmmm, he's fine now, what are you doing?

Natalie: (grinning) I poke him - I poke Graham!

Me: You what? You poked him? (I could not see why he would possibly have screamed so loud)

Natalie: Yes, I poke him - I poke him with THIS (she says, eyes twinkling and a BIG smile, as she pulls an open SAFETY PIN out from under his blanket)

Me: WHAT!?!? Why did you DO that?!? (then getting a grip & retracting claws) Natalie, we DO NOT POKE people with pins, not ever. You hurt Graham.

Natalie: (confused) I hurt Graham?

Me: Yes, pins hurt, have you ever been poked by one? (now finding the humor in this and finding it hard to keep a straight face)

Natalie: No, pins hurt?

Me: (uh-huh sure, surely she's not fibbing though) Natalie, you want me to show you how it feels to be poked with a safety pin?

Natalie: (enthusiastically) YES! Poke me mommy! (as she sticks her sweet little hand towards me)

*POKE*

Natalie: OUCH! (she shreiks with actual shock) THAT HURT! YOU POKE ME!

Me: Yes, it hurts, and it hurt Graham when you poked him. You need to tell Graham you're sorry.

Natalie: (with worry and genuine sorrow in her voice) Oh Graham-y, I'm sorry.

Graham: zzzzzzzzzz (as he contentedly sucks on binkie, completely forgetting about the poke)

So lesson learned, we do not poke people with pins. No, not ever. EVER.