A good dose of silliness never hurt anybody. I feel sorry for those who are overly straight-laced or take themselves too seriously.
There are two eras in my life that will always be my most joyful times and those are when Pookie was at the carefree age of wonder and learning and right now when Lil’ Snookie is right in that same stage.
During this stage, everything is a delight, every thought and feeling can be expressed, every question can be asked and nothing is embarrassing. This comes right before THAT stage – you know the one – where everything is boring, thoughts and feelings must be hidden, they’re too awkward to ask questions and everything is embarrassing.
Games, giggles and goofiness – and it’s all guilt-free.
My favorite part is listening to the comments of children who are trying to figure out life, grown-ups and how things work. My mom enjoyed this and kept a record of many of the things that gave her the giggles over the years.
I’ll share some now and save a few for later. I have a feeling they’ll remind you of some of your own stories that you can share with me in the comments. Wouldn’t it be great to write a book with all our combined giggles?
When Snookie was little, she enjoyed her Sunday School class very much and by age three she pretty much had all the songs memorized. She often went about the house singing “Jesus Loves Me”, “This Little Light of Mine” and many others. One day, as I heard her singing, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart…”, I noticed that she had advanced to adding the consecutive verses. The next thing I heard was, “I’ve got the peace of Captain Thunderstorming down in my heart…” Why bother with the peace that passeth understanding when you’ve got good ‘ol Captain Thunderstorming? I suppose I’ll never know who she thought he was or why she thought her Sunday School teacher wanted to sing about him. Hmm…
Mom always got the giggles when she thought of how Pookie interpreted the subject of dentures. After a significant weight loss, Mom had to be fitted with a new pair and I drove her to and from her appointments. Pookie always rode along, absorbing all our discussions in the car. When she asked why we sat in the waiting room without Grandma, I explained to her that Grandma was getting new teeth and we would have to bring her back again when they came in. One day in the following week, Pookie came to me looking just a tad pitiful and asked, “How long till Grandma’s teeth grow back in so she can come eat supper with us?” Just when you think you’ve got things explained…
My Lil’ Snookie lives by the motto, “Speak early. Speak often.” Don’t let anyone tell you that boys will be less verbal than girls! He began with “DaDa”, “bye-bye” and “book” at eight months and hasn’t stopped. His doctor had said that by the time he turned a year old, she’d be in hopes of his having learned ten words, so I decided to write down the words he knew how to use before the one-year check-up rolled around. We were able to furnish that surprised doctor with a list of 110. If he hears a word, he’ll try to master it. His favorite phrase from the start has been “I do”. It is the affirmative answer to any question and the expression of desire. One day as I prepared lunch when he was just under 18 months, he began to pace the floor, chanting “Tattoo!” I had no idea what he meant because most of his words were pretty clear. I almost always knew what he was trying to say (and there’s no way he’s getting this Grandma’s blessing for one of those at any age.) His cries for “Tattoo!” grew louder and intensified until the poor little fellow was going in circles, arms waving, as he hollered, “Tattoo! Tattoo! I do! I do! I do! I do! I do! I do! Tattoo! Tattoo!” Desperate to alleviate his distress, I scanned the kitchen and began to watch his eyes, trying to track down what had him so worked up. Then, I saw it. I picked up the jar. “Would you like some cashews?” I asked. He nodded with excitement, “I do!” I broke them into pieces on a little plate and had a happy boy at last. The thing is – we’ll probably always call them tattoos now.
My aunt Martha told of the time when they had invited a young mom and her little boy in their new neighborhood over to visit. They got along famously and she asked them to stay and eat, promising them nothing special – just what she had on hand. The little boy was eager to help her in the kitchen as she opened up some canned goods to heat and used a pair of tongs to lower hot dogs into a pot of boiling water. They enjoyed their simple meal and within the next week or two they visited again. Martha offered them lunch again, stating that she hoped they didn’t mind having the same menu as last time. The little boy headed for the kitchen, excited at the prospect, and called out, “I’ll get the weenie tweezers!”
By the time Martha related that story to me, their family had been referring to the utensil as “weenie tweezers” for over forty years.
I know it’s stuck in your head now. Don’t blame me if you spend the rest of your life picking up your tattoos with the weenie tweezers – you came to this blog of your own free will. I’ll never be able to pull those grabby things out of the drawer without a mental nod to that story and now you probably won’t either!
It’s your turn now. Leave a comment with your favorite story or stories from the kiddos. I want to hear them all! Perhaps I’ll share yours in a future fun post.
Next up – March’s First Friday Freebie! See my Freebies! page and share with friends.
I hope you’ve had a laugh. Need another one? Head on over to my Laugh! page where there are plenty more and by all means, check out my Life with Smuffy page. He never disappoints.
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