"Where is TALL-MAN? Where is TALL-MAN?"

In case you have been wondering, tall-man is all too alive and well, ANNIE knows where HE is... funny story and you definitely deserve some background. So, being the good mother that I am...I have taught my children ALL of the necessary songs of childhood. You know, the songs you sing while trying to pacify your kiddos in waiting rooms and on long car rides...well, the girls and I have our favorites and Annie in particular, was obsessed for about a month with "Where is Thumpkin?" Let's be honest, it is difficult to successfully single out some of the fingers on the human hand...Annie is very persistent when she deems something worthy and we sang this song over and over until she mastered the tall-man and the ring-man part. One Sunday, while, trying to listen attentively to the speaker at church and actually get something from our meeting, I was checking on my relatively reverent children periodically, well I thought often enough, until I looked over at Annie who was proudly displaying her ability to single out her middle finger, to the new, young couple behind us! Yes, folks it was their first Sunday, no children...they were totally laughing as I put Annie on my lap and whispered as loudly as I could reverently muster, "you can't do that, that finger up all by itself means something very bad." To which she replied, "Mom, it's just tall-man!" Of course, I was mortified...how do you explain/apologize to someone behind you the reason your four year old was flipping them off. After a few minutes of nothing happening, I put her back on the pew beside me, but she could not resist doing it again and again to see if it made them laugh and it did, EVERY TIME, until I just got up and carried her off. Annie noticed that couple this last Sunday and whispered in my ear..."look Mom, can I just show them tall-man again, they really like it!" LUCKY for me, our neighbor was over yesterday and taught Annie the "Go Bananas" song and I think it's safe to say, it's her new favorite...that should make for some definite fun in line at the post office any day, don't ya think?!