Poke vs. Poop: An Inaugural Blog Appearance by Mommy

Mommy makes her first appearance on this blog with today's post:

"Here's the conversation I overheard at the breakfast table this morning...

A: Mommy, I just poked my eye out.

E: [inaudible response since I was in the other room]

A: No E! [with frustration] I didn't POOP my eye out, I POKED my eye out.

Mommy: [laughing in the other room, assuming that A. really hadn't poked or pooped her eye out]"

OK, thanks Mommy for sharing! Now back to Daddy:

Speaking of poop, the kids have been talking for several weeks about Pooper, a creature that they interact with on one of their play websites and on TV. Several times I tried to confirm with them (for some reason deferring to the authority of 3 and 4 year olds) that they were talking about a real character and not just some imaginary play friend they made up. Yes, the character's name was Pooper they told me. I thought, "what is this world coming to that the media-powers-that-be give a kid's character the name Pooper??!"

So finally last Saturday, E. was begging to go to PBSKids.org to play with Pooper. A little guinea pig popped up and was saying his name was Pooper in a pre-pubescent voice-- I was like ohmygosh, I can't believe PBS did this to me. I mean I could understand if Disney stooped to such, but not PBS-home-of-Mr.Rogers-and-The-Electric-Co.! This creature was obviously designed by someone without kids.

But then Mommy heard it and informed us all that it was Hooper, not Pooper. E. was thoroughly upset and continued to insist that his name was Pooper.

Still, I think the PBS people should have considered another name because he'll always be Pooper to me.

Heard in the house

E., who was intent upon finishing a picture she was coloring, was told that it was time to go to bed.

She replied in her complaining almost whining tone,

"Daddy, I don't want to go to bed every day!"

I felt I was pretty safe in sharing an absolute with her, in this case, letting her know that everybody did every day. (She can wait until at least college to discover otherwise.)