Princesses and Boogers

My two year old never ceases from entertaining all of us. No inhibitions, no pride, no self-awareness, no cares to speak of. You always know where she is, and usually what she is doing. There is nothing quiet about her. If she’s happy, she lets everyone know, and it is so fun to join in her joys. If she’s upset about something someone has done, she will scream a shrill scream until she gets whatever she wants (mind you, I do step in and discipline when she’s out of hand). She is all out there, and holds nothing back. Ever.
So this afternoon she is into the dress-ups. She is just at the stage where she can dress herself (most clothing items), and insists upon doing so all of the time. I especially love that when we’re in a hurry running out the door and she comes down in clunky plastic dress-up shoes and Cinderella’s ball dress- after I have just dressed her in normal clothes. Anyway getting back to this afternoon. She was coming down the stairs in different dress-up outfits every few minutes and we were all “ooing” and “awing” at each outfit. “Mommy, I do this all by myself!” She was so proud each time we commented on her outfits. Just as she came down the stairs in Snow White’s dress, the doorbell rang. The doorbell ringing is a big event at our house. I don’t know what it is, but when the doorbell rings, all of the kids go running. It’s a big event to answer the door, too, and causes occasional bickering. On the way to the door, someone usually says with confidence, “It’s Sean!” He is the only person that rings our doorbell. So here we all come to greet Sean. Cam, in her princess outfit, Shea, Kinley, and me. Sean’s the neighbor kid who lives up the street who loves to play with my son. Sean, skateboard in hand, has come to see if Reilly can play. “Sorry Sean, Reilly is in the shower.” Cam loves Sean. Whenever any kid rides a bike past our house, Cam shouts, “HI SEAN!” If we are driving away from our house and Cam sees any kid out playing, she says, “That’s Sean.” So she walks out onto the porch to greet him, repeating in her most grown-up voice, “Hi Sean.” I don’t think he hears her, so she repeats it a couple of times until he says, “hi”. Shea likes Sean too. Shea is 6 and is boy crazy. I don’t know where she gets it. So Shea, with her silly boy-crazy grin and batting eyes, sits on the front porch bench and makes eyes at Sean while I talk to him.

Me: “So Sean, how is school going?”

Sean: “Good.”

Me: “Do you like your teacher?”

Sean: “Yeah, she’s nice.”

Cam: “Look Sean, I have a boooger” (she shows him the end of her finger).

Sean smiles a little, and Shea giggles (looking at Sean). I’m just watching at this point. Yep, there is a booger on the end of her finger. I don’t know where my kids pick these things up- I promise I have never picked my nose and showed them my boogers. Ever.

Cam: “Look Sean, I eating my booger!!”

Sure enough, before I could stop her, she is eating her booger, Sean, being a little bashful is giggling. Shea is giggling too, and still making eyes at Sean.
You wonder what in the world possesses a two year old to do such a thing. I really don’t think she has seen anyone else eat their boogers unless it was in the church nursery or at the park or something. Now that I think about it, there probably is a good chance that she has seen someone do it there, and just had the novel idea to try it herself. Who knows. I have never seen any of our other kids do it. And besides- don’t most kids who do that do it in secret??- at least I did when I was a kid (did I really just admit that?)

Me: “Cam, don’t eat your booger- it’s yucky!”

So immediately Cam realizes that she doesn’t want to be eating her booger and begins to spit it out on the porch. Nice. A two-year-old spitting is not like an adult spitting- they don’t have control, direction, etc. So it’s more like she was slobbering on her chin, her Snow White dress, and the porch. For some odd reason, Kinley then begins spitting on the porch. “If Cam can spit, so can I” goes the four year-old logic. Anytime one kid has perceived license to do something, they all take advantage of the opportunity… I’m not sure how to conclude this- it isn’t much of a story so much as an incident. What can I say- two-year-olds hold nothing back- ever. And it’s pretty entertaining to watch them in action. I want to remember these “incidences” for a long time. I guess that’s a conclusion.