Metal Meredith

It Does’t Fall Far From the Tree

For anyone who is familiar with my family, you understand that there is a long line of running butt jokes. I am unsure where they started or how they have kept momentum all these years, but when it comes to humor, my family goes right to the toilet. So, it is no shock that Vivienne has come by this trait honestly. Like her mother before her, she is exhibiting all the signs of early problems, including clenching butt cheeks and refusal to poop saying “it is owie”.

This has happened twice since we returned from vacation. I decided that her reward for finally pooping last go round was the book “Everyone Poops” by Taro Gomi. (Strangely enough, I knew about this book because it sits prominently in my father’s guest bathroom, alongside “Walter the Farting Dog” and “The Gas We Pass”.)

Off to Barnes and Noble we went to find a few books on all things poop. Vivienne was delighted, telling everyone in the store who would listen that we were there to buy the poop book. We took it home much to her delight and read it at least 3 times before nap. Then Phil came home.

After putting Vivienne to bed that night, I asked if he read the poop book. He replied, “Yes, and it made me a little nauseous. I mean, it was so graphic and it was all about poop. Too much poop.”

Phil isn’t a big fan of the bodily function. He doesn’t have the same background as I do. But Vivienne, a week and a half later, still wants the book read every day. We talk about poop very often, give praise and hoot and holler when it all goes smoothly. There is still a lot of “Ewwwww’s” when it is brought up, but she is getting the point, albeit slowly.

I just keep thinking how proud Dad will be when he reads this.