Toddler Highs and Lows

I'm reminded tonight of the crazy joys of having a 2 1/2 year old boy in my house, as well as the, shall we say, yuckier aspects.

I'll start with cute and funny... I didn't do much to beautify today. I was lucky to have enough time for a shower, so I just blew my hair dry in any direction it wanted to go. The point was just to go downstairs without a wet head.

I had a haircut last week. Let's just say the result of going au naturel was not pretty. My hair stands in wild curls all over my head. At least it justifies the new, straight do.

Well, when Sam saw me, he just looked at me and said very questioningly, "I like your hair, Mommy." Then he just kept staring.

It reminded me of two HILARIOUS exchanges from the past two weeks.

While in Kansas City, my mom was getting ready in the hall bathroom at my aunt's when Sam came for a visit. It went like this:
SAM: Whatcha doin' Nonni?
NONNI: I'm having trouble. Nonni's having a bad hair day.
SAM: *runs as fast he he can down the hall to me...in the kitchen, working on my laptop.*
SAM: Mommy!! Come quick!! You got to help Nonni!
ME: What's the matter with Nonni?
SAM: She havin' a bad hair day!

I have not laughed that hard is a long time.

This exchange taught him the meaning of the words "bad hair day." The next week, before my haircut, I pulled my hair back to wash my face using one of those hairbands that look like a giant ponytail holder. It kind of made my bangs stick up on top of my head.

Sam was in the bathtub behind me, just watching intently. As he stared curiously, without breaking his gaze, I asked what he was looking at.

His reply? "Mommy? Are you having a bad hair day?"

Again... peals of laughter.

Now for the ultimate in gross toddler stories. I'm sure other moms have all been through this, but it was my first experience with true nastiness from my child.

A little while ago, I found him watching Bert and Ernie sans pants. I asked him to pull them up unless he needed to potty. He replied in the negative, so we went on with our evening.

I ran upstairs a while later to drop something in my office. I hear him trudge up the steps, announcing that he needs his poopy pants changed.

I take him into his room. I turn around to get a diaper. I turn back to him to find him with his pants down, holding his poopy bum. Let's just say I didn't know poop could get in so many places so fast.

I put him in the tub, thanking God that my child LOVES to play with bar soap. After applying the requisite amount of friction to actually get him clean, I let him stew in Lever 2000 (antibacterial, of course) for a good long time.

Nice night for Daddy to be out, huh?

I started the evening thinking it HAD to be better than last Wednesday, when I ended Valentine's Day in the Emergency Room passing a kidney stone. Again with the revelations: who knew such a tiny thing could cause such tremendous pain?