Nikki Yeager

My boyfriend prides himself on being somewhat of a non-conformist. We both do. In fact, whenever we talk about children in the future, it doesn't matter that we might have freakish looking babies (we have VERY different features that could blend disasterously! Imagine a boy who couldn't gain weight for the life of him (we're both skinny minnies), with my ginormous ghetto booty and Daniel's shnoz). But those weird lookin' babies better be able to think for themselves!

Which is exactly what we taught my neice last weekend in OH.

It was a perfectly sunny day spent wandering around in the MetroParks with my brother, sister-in-law and two little kids. The little boy (Quinn) kept drifting off into mud puddles while my brother helplessly chased after him. All the while, Brenna yanked my arm ahead, needing to "lead the way!".

After a few hours of running after her little 5 year old self while wearing 4 inch heels, I decided it was time to go home. So we followed the family to the car and spent a few minutes milling around while Quinn was wrangled into his car seat. Brenna proudly displayed her first loose tooth as we all huddled around, impressed by her oncoming adulthood and debating the best way to remove a shaky incisor.

Which is when Daniel jokingly stuck out his clenched fist and said "Ok Brenna, you just punch my fist with your face and we'll knock that sucker right outta there!"

Kidding, of course.

Brenna looked at his fist, then looked at her mom. Back at the fist. Back at her mom.

Then, without warning, she slammed her face into Daniel's fist without another moment of hesitation.

A second followed where no one could do anything except stare. Shocked. Completely. Shocked.

My brother was the first to crack with a violent burst of laughter. Then came my sister-in-law who swooped to the rescue to comfort her little girl with the sore face.

All the while Daniel and I just stood there. In complete and utter disbelief.

"Well, we taught her to listen to adults!!" My sister-in-law continued to swoon while my brother had to turn around to keep from peeing his pants laughing.

...And now we're convinced that my little neice finally understands - always think for yourself before punching someone's fist with your face. Always a good lesson to learn young.