Brown Lessons

Having a kid is all about learning. We start out blank, and have to learn all that stuff about how to change diapers, how to handle tantrums, how to set boundaries, how to play with Polly Pockets for hours on end, yanking tiny little rubber outfits on and off, without screaming.

I've learned lately that for a 5.5-year-old child, boy OR girl, there's nothing as funny as poop.

I did not foresee this, when I imagined having a little girl. ANYthing that mentions poop, or farts, will cue instant giggles. She adds "poop" to any word, any sentence, any conversation, and cracks herself up. Constantly.

Yesterday she whispered in my ear, stopping often to giggle, that "if your poop had rockets in it, it would FLY!" and "if your poop was chocolate, would it come out with wrappers?" She laughed so hard she fell on the carpet.

This is not my usual favorite form of humor, so it's taking a little getting used to. (Her daddy's not having such an adjustment, but that's another story.) But I can join in, when necessary.

Last night at dinner she was telling the usual flood of poop jokes. I shook my head, serious, and said (with a straight face) "Please. That's not a-poop-riate."

I don't think we could eat for 10 minutes, we were all laughing so hard.