There is nothing that sets the mind to turning like finding your toothbrush wet when you know it should be dry. That is the position that I found myself in one day long ago when Sarah was little. How little? I don't know, pretty little. She told me today that she doesn't remember this incident though she has heard it spoken of a number of times.
I found my toothbrush.....WET! Yuck! It couldn't have fallen into the sink. Someone had to have handled it. But who? But why? After some reflection I thought to ask Sarah if she knew which toothbrush was hers. Yes, she did know and she showed me. I asked her if she knew why daddy's toothbrush was wet and yes, she also knew the answer to that query. "I brushed Digger's teeth with it", she stated calmly. I dug deeper, "You brushed Digger's teeth with Daddy's toothbrush?" showing her the one that I was speaking of. "Yes", she answered. I felt a little queasy and a tad violated and I said to her, "Honey, that's daddy's toothbrush, that's the one I use to brush my teeth, daddy doesn't like to put a toothbrush in his mouth after it has been in the dog's mouth, OK?" Sarah answered "OK" and as far as I know she never used my toothbrush in that way again. I don't know if she found other jobs for my toothbrush. I don't remember finding it wet again, though. It was soooo funny after I got over the initial shock of it. I didn't over-react. I didn't get angry. I just expressed calmly that I didn't like sharing my toothbrush with anyone, not even our sweet doggie. Shocking, but soooo funny. I wonder why she chose mine and not mama's or her own? I guess good sense prevailed? I hope I never forget that day.
Another bathroom story. Sarah was in the bathroom running water and entertaining herself. Children have legitimate things to do with water and bathrooms, no problem..... About that time I hear water hitting the floor, Sarah comes running out of the bathroom exclaiming, "Daddy! Daddy! The sink is UNDERFLOATIN'!!!!" I was there in a flash and sure enough the sink was overflowing or underfloatin' or something. I don't know which one makes the most sense. If you look at the words logically, when a sink is full and water is flowing over the edges.....the sink is actually somewhat UNDER water and so could be described as underfloatin'. Contrarily the word OVERFLOW might evoke a picture of a sink OVER something. But this sink was not over, it was under. Flow and Float, well they're almost the same word when you are young. It is all so confusing. And in an emergency........ well, anything will do!
I have lots of stories about my babies' speech and language development. I jotted down the words and sounds and sentences they spoke when they were very young. I kept a sheet of paper on the fridge for each one of them just for that reason. It was so much fun to do it and even more fun to share these stories with them....and you. Stella had a special word for fried chicken liver and Daniel was rather late learning the meaning of tailgate. I can tell you about that later. I've just got to dig out those crumpled, stained pieces of paper with the words scribbled beside the dates of occurrence. I've started a new one for Luke just a week or so ago. I hope I don't miss anything.
There are plenty of failures in my life and yes, a few regrets, but one thing I know is that I have savored my children. I watched them closely. I met them at their level and I saw the world fresh through the eyes of each one. This has been the ultimate experience of my life. My best and proudest accomplishment is that I was a part of their upbringing and that maybe I played some small positive role in the development of their personhood. I have very good parents. They set a high standard in parenting. I am thankful for that. I hope I have been a good one too.
I found my toothbrush.....WET! Yuck! It couldn't have fallen into the sink. Someone had to have handled it. But who? But why? After some reflection I thought to ask Sarah if she knew which toothbrush was hers. Yes, she did know and she showed me. I asked her if she knew why daddy's toothbrush was wet and yes, she also knew the answer to that query. "I brushed Digger's teeth with it", she stated calmly. I dug deeper, "You brushed Digger's teeth with Daddy's toothbrush?" showing her the one that I was speaking of. "Yes", she answered. I felt a little queasy and a tad violated and I said to her, "Honey, that's daddy's toothbrush, that's the one I use to brush my teeth, daddy doesn't like to put a toothbrush in his mouth after it has been in the dog's mouth, OK?" Sarah answered "OK" and as far as I know she never used my toothbrush in that way again. I don't know if she found other jobs for my toothbrush. I don't remember finding it wet again, though. It was soooo funny after I got over the initial shock of it. I didn't over-react. I didn't get angry. I just expressed calmly that I didn't like sharing my toothbrush with anyone, not even our sweet doggie. Shocking, but soooo funny. I wonder why she chose mine and not mama's or her own? I guess good sense prevailed? I hope I never forget that day.
Another bathroom story. Sarah was in the bathroom running water and entertaining herself. Children have legitimate things to do with water and bathrooms, no problem..... About that time I hear water hitting the floor, Sarah comes running out of the bathroom exclaiming, "Daddy! Daddy! The sink is UNDERFLOATIN'!!!!" I was there in a flash and sure enough the sink was overflowing or underfloatin' or something. I don't know which one makes the most sense. If you look at the words logically, when a sink is full and water is flowing over the edges.....the sink is actually somewhat UNDER water and so could be described as underfloatin'. Contrarily the word OVERFLOW might evoke a picture of a sink OVER something. But this sink was not over, it was under. Flow and Float, well they're almost the same word when you are young. It is all so confusing. And in an emergency........ well, anything will do!
I have lots of stories about my babies' speech and language development. I jotted down the words and sounds and sentences they spoke when they were very young. I kept a sheet of paper on the fridge for each one of them just for that reason. It was so much fun to do it and even more fun to share these stories with them....and you. Stella had a special word for fried chicken liver and Daniel was rather late learning the meaning of tailgate. I can tell you about that later. I've just got to dig out those crumpled, stained pieces of paper with the words scribbled beside the dates of occurrence. I've started a new one for Luke just a week or so ago. I hope I don't miss anything.
There are plenty of failures in my life and yes, a few regrets, but one thing I know is that I have savored my children. I watched them closely. I met them at their level and I saw the world fresh through the eyes of each one. This has been the ultimate experience of my life. My best and proudest accomplishment is that I was a part of their upbringing and that maybe I played some small positive role in the development of their personhood. I have very good parents. They set a high standard in parenting. I am thankful for that. I hope I have been a good one too.
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