Saturday, January 11, 2014

Sharp Eyes and Keen Ears Catch Everything

Dear Sophie,

You seem to notice everything.  For example, when we were driving down the road, you pointed to a long, airy cloud in the blue sky and said it looks like a "talk-a-dile."  There certainly was a resemblance - the cloud had a long, scaly body, short legs, and the head and jaws of a crocodile.  I chuckled out loud, marvelling at your observation, and then we chatted about the word "imagination" (which you happily repeated and pronounced with greater ease than "talk-a-dile"). As another example, earlier this week you asked, "Daddy, did the orange balloon in the closet fly away?"  Just that day your daddy had secretly taken the balloon from the closet, popped it, and thrown it away.  He couldn't believe you noticed it was gone.

Warning:  If poop talk offends you, proceed no further.

Your terrific powers of observation aren't limited to the things you see.  You also have keen ears, which I hope means you'll be a music lover.  More on that subtopic later in this post.  The next paragraph is about poop.  Warning:  If poop talk offends you, skip the next paragraph.

A few days ago, your day care teacher relayed to us that you had told your classmate, after you had both successfully relieved your bowels on separate potties, that your poop "beeped."  We had no context to share with the teacher to explain where you might have gotten that vernacular.  Perplexed, I tried at various points over the past couple of days to ask you what "beep" meant but was unsuccessful at "flushing out" the answer. Today, that mystery was solved.  While sitting on the potty, immediately after going number two, you said matter of factly, "My poop beeped."  Daddy then realized you were speaking of the sound a number two makes the instant it drops into the water - bloop!  "You mean, it blooped?" he asked for clarification?  You affirmed and adjusted to your daddy's word, "Yes! It blooped."  You actually took note of the sound your poop makes when it plops into the toilet bowl?  And for your next trick, you'll learn the word "onomatopoeia."

Back to your keen ear for music....  Your daddy really likes this one, and has proudly recounted it for multiple friends.  When you were...oh...about six months old, we discovered that you liked listening to the Coffee House Channel on SiriusXM radio.  That channel of music - the singer-song writer channel - made you happy whenever it was on (which, at the time, was whenever you were in Mommy's car or whenever we were in  Daddy's car and Mommy insisted on it).  And if Nora Jones, in particular, popped up, you would immediately sing along (as best you could, being an infant with no real choral skills yet, or language skills, for that matter).

Fast forward two plus years down the road, and we've been listening less to the Coffeehouse channel and more to the AltNation channel or our personal MP3 playlist.  We were watching a certain non-kid-appropriate comedy movie and hoping that the toy you were playing with had distracted you from paying any attention to the sights or sounds coming from the flatscreen.  You certainly seemed to be wholly engrossed in the toy, with no sign of interest in Daddy's movie (I claim no responsibility for the showing of this movie in your presence!).  Near the end of the movie, Nora Jones appears on the screen as part of the plot, and she is playing herself performing at a concert.  Just a few words into "Come Away With Me," and you immediately piped up, as if magically awakened from the spell of your toy, and declared enthusiastically, "That's a pretty song!"  Daddy and I were awestruck.  As I said earlier, I hope you'll be a music lover.  This was good sign.

Trivia Question 1:  For what movie did Norah Jones co-write the song "Everybody Needs a Best Friend," which was Academy Award-nominated for Best Original Song?
Trivia Question 2:  Who collaborated with Norah Jones in writing that song?  Hint: He is also a writer and voice actor for one of Daddy's favorite animated television shows.

Answer 1:  Ted - the 2012 R-rated movie we should not have been watching with you present!  By the way, Mommy really likes the actor Mark Wahlberg, and Daddy really likes Mila Kunis.  This may be why we couldn't resist watching it.

Answer 2:  Seth MacFarlane - the creator of, and writer/voice actor for, the Family Guy, another kid-inappropriate show.  Seth MacFarlane also voice-acted in and co-wrote / co-produced the movie Ted, which was MacFarlanes first feature-length film.

In closing, I hope you'll always have a keen sense of how much your daddy and I love you.  Even when your poop beeps and stinks up the bathroom.

Much love forever,
Mommy

P.S.  At this very moment, you are sick with a respiratory flu.  You've had fever, congestion, coughing, you name it!  Mommy can't bear to see you so uncomfortable.  Thank goodness for your generally good humored spirit and entertaining ways.

P.P.S.  One day, while listening to "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors, you declared, "This is my song."  And every time it comes on, you notice it right away.  You also like American Authors' "Believer", but you call this Mommy's song.  To be inclusive of Daddy, we made the executive decision that Daddy's song by American Authors was "Luck" (though Daddy refuses to agree).  I think you favor American Authors because of the banjo.

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