Out 'O The Mouth of Babes
A hot, hot date update is on it's way for tomorrow, but for today I am simply going to serve you a slice of homespun horror straight from the toddler's mouth.
As with most parents I know, the usual procedure for curing little boo boos and bumps is a kiss on the spot and a quick recital of "all better". Elsbeth has even taken to healing our wounds this way and it is probably the most precious thing I have ever experienced to have her rush over when I suck in breath at the pain of some minor thing like a hang nail. She'll cock her head and ask with a look of pure concern, "You OK Mommy?" After I explain the situation, she'll say, "I kiss it" lean over give a sloppy, open mouthed "MMMMAH" followed with a loud and very certain, "All better Mommy, OK?" And, magically it is better, albeit very possibly covered in two year old slobber which usually contains some tiny fragments of either a chicken nugget or macaroni and cheese.
Yesterday we walked to the grocery store to pick up a quick dinner and while we were walking through the aisles Elsbeth says in her loudest EVERYONE LISTEN TO ME BECAUSE I AM THE QUEEN voice, "My Pee-Pee hurts, Kiss it" A shocked Jeremy who happened to be holding her practically chocked as he said, "Ummmm, no Ellie I don't think so." Meanwhile, I made a mental note to try that line at a later and more appropriate time.
When Ellie realized that that hadn't worked, she moved on to, "My butt hurts Daddy, need to kiss it make it better." This time I had to laugh as I nervously glanced around looking for people who I might tackle that were possibly calling child protective services. Fortunately it seemed that no one had noticed. This event raises the issue that perhaps it is time for Mommy and Daddy to stop the frisky (fully clothed) shenanigans in front of the kid. Or maybe I should stop letting her watch the Elmo's Potty Time video in which the words Pee-pee, poo-poo, and butt are mentioned at least once a sentence. It's like Cinemax for preschoolers.
I was always the parent that much to the chagrin of most of my friends advocated freedom to be "nekkid" in front of your kids. Why my Mom and I still walk around in our birthday suits when we're getting ready. I thought this was normal until recently when my Mother in Law and Sister in Law gagged at the mention of that. Since then I have been conducting an informal survey of my friends which goes something like this, Do you ever see your parents naked (the parent of your gender) and how old were you when this stopped if it doesn't happen now?
I just happened to grow up in a very free environment in that regard and I seem to think I turned out OK, you know except for those few years after high school which I like to refer to as "The Lost Years". I always advocated this same type of freedom as a family, but now I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't something to the prudish nature of Victorianism.
What say you, Internet? Am I overreacting? Is is just a "kids'll say the darndest things" moment or do you think that our tendency to be nude around the kid is having a Freudian effect on her tiny psyche?