laughter and cat vomit

I need to laugh more. I know this, I have always been told this.

Once, in Ecuador 15 1/2 years ago I had a dear professor who told me that I have such a pretty smile, and that I need to smile more often.

I know, I know.

But it is something else when my 3 year old Young Prince begs me to laugh. Instructs me to laugh. He pretend-tickles me (because, of course, The Queen is NOT ticklish) and then tells me, "Now, Mommy, you have to laugh." When I am reading or hear something funny and just start laughing all of a sudden, he comes running to me and wants to cuddle with me, his face alit in a smile that makes his young dark eyes sparkle.

Okay, I'm getting the message.

*-----*

I am trying to figure out if my children are just strange or if it is all a function of endorphine-release, but when they are--hmmm, let's just keep it clean here and say sitting on the potty and finish the job, they become extremely amorous toward me. Perhaps it was always how I would sit there with them while potty-training and hold their hands, assuring them that it would all be just fine and making the potty a safe and secure place for them. Who knows. But after a really big whatever--#1 or #2 (we use actual terminology in our house, no pussy-footing around the issue)--they BOTH, if I am checking in on them, will embrace me or put their head into my hands and say, "I love you, Mommy." So funny.

But I dare not laugh at that. Don't want to start any reverse-potty action since I've done so well thus far!

*-----*

The Court Jester (aka the Cat) threw up all over the house today. Fortunately it was all on either tile or wood flooring, NOT on the carpet.

(deep breath, ick factor is kicking in...ugh)

So I get the first big puddle of grayish upchucked mush and expressed my intense disgust at that. The little things we do to teach our children not to be so self-centered. Then go on with Life, do a few other things then go into the living room to pick up a couple things off the floor, and --- eeeeeeew! another puddle.

What could I do? I just started laughing.

Is this what it has all come to? A constant cleaner-upper of Cat hurl? Lovely.

Of course, the sound of my laughter brought the Young Prince and La Princesita running to my side, where they stood, equally disgusted by the sight next to which I was kneeling.

Yeah, I need to laugh more.

As they stood watching me in awe of both my amazing kitty-hurl mop-up prowess and my ability to laugh while completing such a task, I asked why they were watching this gross stuff. La Princesita said, "I like gross stuff."

Wonderful. No wonder she's popular with the Kindergarten boys.

So I offered her a job as Assistant Hurl Mopper.

La Princesita, smart as she is, declined. "No, I'll just take care of the gross stuff when I am a mommy."

And that just about says it all.

JA JA JA JA JA JA JA!