"I am gate!"

I forgot to include this in yesterday's posting. John invented a game a few weeks ago which we call, "I am gate!" It began with him standing at the bottom of the stairway, arms outstretched, exclaiming, "I am gate!" Then I "push a button" (either poking somewhere on his body or pushing a button in the air) and he lifts one arm while making the sound of air releasing, "sssssss." Then I proceed through the gate and then I am supposed to become a gate. Then John says, "I not can get through!" and he pushes the button. Repeat as needed.

Now John tries to get strangers to play "I am gate" and he doesn't realize that they don't know what he is talking about. At the busy airport he would leap out in front of people, smiling innocently and standing as a gate. Stone-faced travelers quickly veered around him. He has done it to cars while we walk through the crosswalk (and he's still holding Mama or Daddy's hand, but suddenly stands still, arms outstretched). Yesterday he leapt out and was a gate for passersby on the walkways of UC Davis.

I am going to be so sad for him when his little innocence is broken and he realizes that strangers don't know about "I am gate" or he feels the social embarrassment that he's doing something weird. In the meanwhile, it is very cute!