thematically fickle

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She’s not so much into personal hygiene

January 22nd, 2008 · 9 Comments

When I drive Ruby to “school” in the morning, I barely make it three blocks from the house before I can’t resist the urge to tilt my rearview mirror to reflect only her face. Seeing out the rear window is quite overrated, especially when I can look at the  silvery eyes of my child as I safely drive 80mph the speed limit down the highway. Anyway, I have two side mirrors that compensate just fine.

As I took my exit this morning, I glanced up at the mirror, seeking the shimmer that I had gone an entire 4-seconds without. Ruby’s eyes didn’t meet mine. She had pulled her thumb out of her mouth, cocked her head back and was loudly sucking air through her perfectly flared, booger-crusted nostrils. As she exhaled, she lowered her head to look at me and said, “My smelling you, mama.”

“What, honey?” I asked her.

She did it again: Head back, eyes to the roof, dramatic breath in through her nose, mouthy exhale and, “My smelling you, mama!”

“You’re smelling me?”

“Uh-hunh.”

“Do I smell good or bad?”

“Good. You bath.”

“Yes, babe. Mama took a bath. Maybe you should consider doing the same, honey.”

Tags: Family · Parenting

9 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Melanie at BeanPaste // Jan 22, 2008 at 11:33 am

    They have noses like bloodhounds, seriously.

    Just wait until she can form longer sentences. You and husband WILL HAVE NO SECRETS. Ahem.

  • 2 Melanie at BeanPaste // Jan 22, 2008 at 11:35 am

    Oh, forgot to mention: this theme looks really strong. Nice and clean, and a good backdrop for your lovely photos.

  • 3 Kiss my shiny metal… » Blog Archive » She’s not so much into personal hygiene // Jan 22, 2008 at 11:52 am

    [...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]

  • 4 Aaryn // Jan 22, 2008 at 12:48 pm

    Thanks, Melanie. Still messing around with it. A friend of mine emailed to say the shiny chicken lips were making her want to hurl so I hurried to take it down. This is working for me at the moment.

    As for no secrets, I was just talking to Sam about that this morning when I relayed this story to him. I even mentioned how I dread the day she outs me in the bank, or a grocery store or something…

  • 5 Mrs. G. // Jan 22, 2008 at 8:09 pm

    Having recently handed my teen boy a Speedstick and a large bar of soap with the request, “please, please use these,” I would take this compliment and file it under sweetness. “Good. You bath,” is high praise.

  • 6 Cheri // Jan 22, 2008 at 10:44 pm

    I used to do the same thing with my rear view mirror when Laura was a wee one, well, wee-er than now.

  • 7 Beth // Jan 23, 2008 at 5:00 am

    I did the mirror thing in the car, too! :-)

  • 8 veronique // Jan 23, 2008 at 7:30 am

    is it bad a sign that i still have to remind my youngest brother in law (age 22) that showering before we leave the house is the proper thing? maybe i should try ruby’s approach

  • 9 melanie // Jan 24, 2008 at 2:46 am

    love that. too cute!

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