Big Waves In A Little Pool
One of Kiera’s favorite games to play in the swimming pool is “Action” otherwise known as charades. It’s always entertaining with her.
Usually the game starts out fairly simple. One of us will think of a phrase or thing, then we act it out. Now, we have learned that if Kiera is the one coming up with the ‘action’ it is better if she relays that information to another one of us… just so we can help.
For instance, one day, Grandmommy, Kiera and I were in the pool. Kiera wanted to act out Pinky Pie, a My Little Pony character. Thankfully, I convinced her otherwise.
Grandmommy, Aaron, and I tend to stick to things like; Snow White, lumberjack, and witch flying a broom… Kiera on the other hand, after a couple of rounds, tends to go for the most outrageous thing she can think of.
This weekend, Kiera, Grandmommy and I were playing and floating in the swimming pool. After letting Grandmommy and I float in the pool for a few minutes, we agreed to play a game of “Action” with her.
It started out simple. Then Kiera warmed up.
“Oooh! I have one!” She bellowed from the middle of the pool.
“Tell me what it is.” I said, paddling over to her side.
She leaned in and whispered in my ear. ‘I can’t think of her name.”
It was at that moment that I knew we were in for a doozy.
“She is the lady that was a surfer and got bitten by the shark, but she still keeps on surfing now.” Kiera whispered.
“Umm… I know who you are talking about. But, I can’t think of her name and I am pretty sure Grandmommy is not going to be able to think of her name.” I quietly replied. “How about something else?”
She furrowed her brow in concentration. “Oh! I know! I’ll be Alila Eirhart!”
“You mean Amelia Earhart?” I asked.
“Yes!” She responded excitedly. “What did she do again?”
I briefly and quietly explained who Amelia Earhart was and ended with the fact that she disappeared and no one knew what happened to her.
“Got it!” She exclaimed before straddling a pool float. She held her arms out in front of her for a brief moment, like she was driving, then crossed her arms over her chest, stuck her tongue out, closed her eyes, and flopped backwards in the water.
I resisted covering my face with my hands and glanced to Grandmommy who had a completely puzzled look on her face.
“Kiera, baby. Come here.” I said after she resurfaced and pushed her hair out of her face. “You realize you looked like you were driving a car, not an airplane and then you flopped backwards like a dead person?”
After a brief conversation, we worked out the best way to act out Amelia Earhart. There might have been a few hand signals behind Kiera’s back to help Grandmommy. I’m not saying there was and I’m not saying there wasn’t.
Thankfully, Grandmommy was able to guess correctly after a few tries.
Next, it was my turn. Kiera turned to me to tell me what my action should be. She leaned in close and said quietly, “Hurricane Halicia.”
I stepped back and looked her straight in the eye. “What?”
She giggled and leaned back in to whisper again, “Hurricane Halicia.”
“Ok… first, do you mean Hurricane Alicia? And second, there is no way on earth Grandmommy is ever going to figure that one out.” I replied.
“Ok. Ok.” Kiera replied. She closed her eyes for a brief moment.
Suddenly, her eyes flew open, sparkling brightly. Once again, I knew I was in trouble.
“Tsunami!” She whispered excitedly.
“I… a tsunami?” “I asked bewildered.
“Yes!” She responded as she swam off to stand by Grandmommy.
I thought for a brief moment and then decided to give it a go. I whirled and swirled in the water, tossing water around to make waves. Before I could continue on, Kiera stopped me.
“Hold on.” She stated as she swam over to me. I knelt down so she could whisper in my ear.
“What is a tsunami?” She quietly asked.
It took me several moments before I managed to quit laughing uncontrollably. We then took a time out so I could show Kiera a video of a tsunami on my phone for clarification.
Never a dull moment…
Rowonna McNeely works as the Communications Manager for the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce. She and her husband, Aaron are regular volunteers in the community, and have their hands full with their daughter, Kiera, along with three dogs and one cat.
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