Number Two

It seems that my number three has become quite obsessed with number two.  Well really it's just the word that has captured his fancy.  Who knew "poop" could be used in so many clever ways?

I think his fascination started when he would say it and his big sisters would laugh.  While he does know the correct meaning of the word, and can use it appropriately, he has much more fun using it to be silly.  Here are some of the highlights over the past couple of weeks.

While driving in the car one day, all the kids got too loud with their arguing and talking over each other.  So I did one of my very loud and authoritative "That's it!  No one talks for 3 minutes!  We need some quiet time!".  The girls willingly obliged lest they face more of my wrath.  But then after about 5 seconds of lovely peace and quiet, my son bellowed out "POOP!" at the top of his lungs.  And yes, we all laughed.  Because poop is funny, right?

Well, sometimes.

When a little girl, whom we didn't know but was waiting in line near us, became fascinated with his buckle on his stroller, he sat by silently watching her work to try to buckle him in.  "What a sweet little guy you are," the girls' mother said. "What's your name?" she harmlessly asked.  "Poop," my son replies.  Whoops.  That one was a bit embarrassing.

Many times when we are driving in the car, he'll make the rounds with the family while he is babbling.  "Poop....mommy poop......daddy poop......bella poop.....fia poop...."

And occasionally we'll even get "Elmo poop" tagged on to the end, because really, Elmo is one of the family now.

Whenever his big sister starts telling Knock-Knock jokes, he'll chime in when she's done.  "Knock knock," he'll say.  Then we say "who's there?" after he patiently waits for our response.  Now you see where this is going, don't you?  He replies "poop," and starts cracking up.

It's gotten to the point where I can use the word "poop" as a thermometer of his mood.  If he's cranky when he wakes up, he'll drink his milk and eat a little breakfast.  And then when he's feeling more social, I will look at him and give him some of that mommy-love-in-a-look, and he'll belt out a nice soft "poooop" and I'll know we are past the crankiness and on to a better mood.

Ah, the simplicity of life as a toddler.  If only things such as this could keep us happy forever.  The world would be a better place.