Happy Stars and Arm-Bitches
As I finished rinsing off in the shower (feel free to imagine me with a six-pack instead of the slight gut I’ve developed from drinking them), my son requested one last drawing on the shower’s fogged-up glass walls. “‘Nother one, Daddy. Happy star.”
This is our new fun thing we do when Daddy showers–I take drawing requests while he stands on the other side of the glass, giddily retracing them with his fingers and going apeshit crazy if Daddy doesn’t draw a new one at least every thirty seconds. This, of course, extends my already-too-leisurely-for-my-wife’s-taste showering time. (See, I like to ease into my morning by staring blankly into space for ten minutes until I remember, Oh right, I’m in the shower and should probably get started on the whole cleaning thing.) And I’m sure she very much enjoys being the bad guy and reminding the two little boys in her life to stop goofing around with shower-wall artwork because we’re already running late. (Love you, babe!)
However, on this particular morning there was plenty of time for happy stars because my wife had left to run errands with my daughter, giving me a rare opportunity for some father-son quality time. Sure, I get to spend plenty of time with my kids since I’m home with them for half of the week, but 99% of that is with both competing for my attention. Seldom is anything ever all about one of my kids, and a lot of the time I’m reacting to whoever’s more cranky, hungry, or likely to climb a high chair and cannonball into the kitchen tile. That’s why my wife and I make an effort to split up and spend some one-on-one time with each of them.
It’s always such a blast. Every time, I notice new things about whichever kid I’m with–new words they’ve learned, nuances about their personalities–things that are harder to pick up on when I’m splitting my attention between them. And it’s during these times that I realize how quickly they’re growing into two independent, very different little people.
Fulfilling my son’s request (a “happy star” is a cross-bred star and happy face), I turned off the shower and dried off while my son pointed at the star. “Like it,” he smiled.
Happy Star: Artist’s Re-Rendering
“Is that a good one, buddy?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “Good one.”
The towel now around my waist, I made my way to the sink with my son close behind and leaned over toward the mirror to put in my contacts. I instantly felt a tiny finger poking my armpit.
“Oh no!” my son lamented. “What happened?”
It quickly occurred to me that my son was noticing my armpit hair for the first time.
He looked up at me, very concerned, and said, “Hair. Up there.”
I had to laugh. “Don’t worry, Buddy. Daddy’s okay. That’s just Daddy’s armpit hair. It’s like how Daddy gets hair on his face.”
He squinted, mulling this over, and then tried out his new word:
“Arm-bitch hair.”
I did my best not to fall over laughing, and composing myself, replied, “No, no, Buddy. It’s armpit hair.”
“Arm-bitch hair,” he nodded matter-of-factly, as if to say, “I know, Daddy. That’s what I said.”
“No, buddy, listen to Daddy. Arm-PIT-tuh.”
But it was no use. He’d already locked in his interpretation and proceeded to do what he does now every time he learns a new word or phrase–repeating it over and over again with emphasis on a different syllable each time while marching around the house: “ARM-bitch hair. Arm-bitch HAIR. Arm-BITCH hair…”
“Fantastic, Buddy. I can’t wait to show Mommy what we learned when she gets home.”
.
You may also enjoy:
If not, I think my son just called you a “pit.”
Twinfamy 
Oh my God, I’m rolling. That’s adorable and hilarious at the same time! :P
(I’m also glad to know I’m not the only person who zones out and forgets that they’re currently showering and should be doing something more than just standing there…)
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“…and going apeshit crazy if Daddy doesn’t draw a new one at least every thirty seconds.” – Ain’t that the truth?!
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That’s awesome. Love my twinnies together. Love my kiddies apart. Good for you. Sounds like a great moment!
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Thanks. It was hysterical. I haven’t heard him say it again, so I think we’re in the clear. It’s kind of one of those things where on the one hand I don’t want him to cuss, but on the other, it’s just plain funny to hear.
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My son has not gotten the “tr” sound down yet. He has “f”. He loves garbage trucks, and whenever he sees one he yells “GARBAGE FUCK!”
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I bet that’s hilarious EVERY TIME. It conjures up quite a graphic image, though, if you think about it too much. :)
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Lol! I laughed every time he tried to say armpit! Haha, I totally get what you’re saying about the fogged up glass wall drawings. My son and I do baths together and he goes so nuts if I don’t keep them successively coming I’m worried he’ll near drown himself throwing a tantrum!
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Exactly. Even though my son’s outside of the shower and safe from the water, I’m sometimes afraid he’s going to flip out and hurt himself on the tile floor or the corner of the shower door before I can get to him. That’s why you gotta keep the Happy Stars coming. ;)
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Reminds me of when my almost three year old some said “I wan eat penis.” Huh? I don’t think we are quite ready for this conversation. Again, “I wan penis” pointing to the pantry at the peanuts. PEANUTS!!! Much better. We can handle that.
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It’s a very fine line between saying the right word and saying a VERY wrong word, isn’t it?
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Hahahahahahaha! I keep waiting for the day my 22-month-old will talk. I’ve cursed like a sailor before the kids were born, and my ILs would definitely blame me if my daughter would say that. Cute and hilarious!
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Yeah, my wife and I have really needed to watch what we’re saying lately. Our language is pretty colorful, and the Twins have become quite parrotlike.
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I am chuckling over the conclusion to this particular post. (Surprisingly, my son has not told me to be quiet, since I am to blend into the background for his daddy-only time . . . not that I’m complaining.)
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Thanks! And by the way, I LOVE that father-son time is happening in your house while you’re reading this. Here’s hoping Lil’D didn’t learn any special new words with his daddy. :)
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