hot stuff with the four-year-old crowd

Gavin is goofing around with the girls as they eat mac-n-cheese at Target:

Gavin: "Clementine, you may have this napkin if you guess the secret word."

Clementine whines and grunts and grabs at the napkin.

Gavin, handing it over: "No, the word is 'gorilla,' but I'll give you the napkin anyway."

Hazel makes a whining sound also.

Gavin: "Don't worry, Hazel, I have another napkin for you if you guess the secret word."

Hazel continues to copy her big sister by whining and grunting and grabbing.

Gavin, handing it over: "No, the word is 'houseboat,' but I'll give you the napkin anyway."

Juniper: "May I have a napkin?"

Gavin: "Yes, if you guess the secret word."

Juniper: "Is it 'gorilla'?"

Gavin: "No, but that's an excellent guess."

Juniper: "Is it 'houseboat'?"

Gavin: "No, but that's another fine guess. The word is 'tuberculosis,' but I'll give you the napkin anyway."

Juniper, staring at him for a minute: "That was a hard one."