Look what I can do!

Ben: "Hey mom, I can do THIS now!" Me: "What, do what?" Ben: "This." Me: And I look toward the back of the car where he is very proudly demonstrating underarm farts. "Wow honey, that's lovely." Later: We are feeding ducks at a pond. This same child, Ben (4) looks over the edge and says, "I named them. That one there is Bill." I say, "Why Bill?" And he says, "Mom, it is Bill, you know because he has the biggest beak. Duck Bill." The same child doing the arm farts can also impress me with his vocabulary. So, I guess they cancel each other out. I took Ben and Charlie to Sams, Trader Joes, Omaha Steaks and also Schnucks today. Schnucks was the last stop and by the time we got there, I let them walk instead of riding in the cart. They had been really good at all the stops. I let them each get a 10 inch bouncy ball (42cents each - they are like $4 at target) and so they were bouncing them while I checked out. The gal checking me out actually said to ben, "Careful there, you might hit my ceiling.You better hang onto your ball." She was not being cute and joking with him. She seriously wanted him to stop. Have you seen the ceilings at Schnucks? They are very high???! I nearly cracked up out loud. It was pretty funny. But because she wanted him to stop, I had to make him stop. I always feel bad when I end up reprimanding my child for something they are doing that I am afraid may be upsetting someone else, when it really doesn't bother me, or seem worth reprimanding. I like to watch little boys having fun when it isn't hurting anyone. The boys had a lot of fun laughing and bonking each other in the carts today. Singing sort of loudly, goosing each other, putting all the groceries up on the counter for the checker very quickly. Maybe it bothered other grocery store patrons, but hopefully some of them were able to enjoy the kids' contagious fun-loving attitudes. I hope when I am out of the toddler stage that I show more than tolerance for toddlers, but admiration for them. They are cool.