The Blame Game

Before I tell you this story, I need to remind you of Sammy's constant companion, Lammy. Lammy is a stuffed lamb my parents brought back from Ireland, and it was love at first sight when Sam saw him. He hasn't put Lammy down since. He rides in the car with us, has his own chair at the dinner table, and goes wherever Sam does.

Yesterday at daycare, Charlie invented a new game for himself. He gathered all of the toy food available in the toddler classroom and began to throw it behind a cupboard in the room by standing on a chair. Being the good big brother he is, he recruited Sammy to help him in this dastardly deed. My mom was changing a diaper on her side of the room (she is the infant teacher) and noticed that they were being naughty. She called Charlie over, and began talking to him sternly about throwing toys. Charlie regarded her seriously, and then told his first lie. "I didn't do it. Sammy did!" My mom told him the obvious, "Charlie, I saw you do it! You are the one who threw the food!" He lied again and said, "I DIDN't do it! Sammy did!"

Charlie turned to Sam and started yelling, "SHAME on you Sammy! SHAME!"

Sammy, who was holding Lammy under his arm, got a very sad look on his face. He looked around, and discovered for perhaps the first time, that as the youngest, there is no one else to blame in the food chain. He looked at my mom, and told his first lie. "Lammy did it! Not Sammy! Lammy did it!"