Tagged toddler

That Starry Mick: Ten Things The Toddler Said About Christmas

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The Toddler had a few things to say on the subject of Christmas (and the subject of Mick). Here are her festive highlights.

1. The approach of Happy Christmas Day
Sitting in the bath a couple of days before Christmas, The Toddler knows exactly what is going on: ‘Only a couple more sleeps. Couple more sleeps until happy Christmas.’

2. That Starry Mick
The Toddler hears It Was on a Starry Night from Grandma. She requests a rendition of her new song from a confused Silly Mummy: ‘That Starry Mick! Sing That Starry Mick!’

3. Father Christmas’ gingers
The Toddler really latches onto the biscuits for Father Christmas aspect of Christmas. This may seem a very minor element of the whole experience to most, but biscuits are very important to The Toddler. Such that any mention of The Toddler seeing Father Christmas is met with: ‘And I give him gingers!’ (When The Toddler actually did see Father Christmas, she gave him a frown. He might have preferred the biscuits.)

4. Eyes on your own biscuits, please, Father Christmas
The Toddler is also quite concerned to ensure that Father Christmas is aware that he is only to eat his own biscuit allocation. A few days before Christmas, abruptly breaking off in the middle of playing, The Toddler announces: ‘Father Christmas can’t eat Daddy’s biscuit. Daddy’s not going to be happy.’

5. Excited, possibly
Silly Mummy reminds The Toddler of plans for Christmas Eve evening: ‘We’re going to go for a walk and look for Father Christmas’ sleigh, aren’t we?’
The Toddler believes the plan meets with her approval, but doesn’t wish to get carried away until she is sure: ‘Okay. I think I might be excited.’

6. The Snowman
Watching The Snowman, The Toddler narrates: ‘Now he’s sad and he melts. He can’t get up.’ However, it appears that her understanding of quite how sad it is that The Snowman can’t get up may have been tempered by frequent watchings, which may have convinced her he just gets up again another day: ‘The Snowman’s melted now. We’ll see him another time.’

7. Goodwill to all men
In the spirit of goodwill to all men, The Toddler masters the art of sharing. Taking a present addressed to both her and The Baby, she announces: ‘This is for me.’
Silly Mummy reminds her: ‘And The Baby.’
The Toddler considers and counters with: ‘And for me.’ The Toddler apparently will share, but is counting herself twice, so she gets double plays.

8. New Year
On New Year’s Eve, Silly Mummy is explaining New Year to The Toddler: ‘And tomorrow it will be the New Year…’
The Toddler interjects, she’s got this: ‘Then I’ll see The Snowman!’ Silly Mummy and The Toddler had just read The Snowman moments before. The Toddler likes to relate all new information to something she already knows about. Particularly if it is something she knows about from two minutes previously, regardless of relevance.

9. Silent Night
The Toddler is in the back of the car singing Silent Night:
‘All is calm
All is calm
All is calm
All is calm…’
Brilliantly, she breaks off to announce that she is singing Silent Night. Yes, ‘silent night’, The Toddler: those are more words of the song. Words you could sing that aren’t ‘all is calm’. No? Sticking with ‘all is calm’? I see.

10. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
The Toddler very nearly mastered the standard ‘merry Christmas and a happy New Year’ greeting. ‘Reading’ a gift tag, she declares, ‘It says happy new Christmas and a Christmas reindeer.’ Indeed.

R is for Hoppit: Talking Nonsense Since 2015 (a Review of Our Year)

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I thought for the New Year (and in no way connected to not having actually written anything, a situation in itself in no way connected to having needed to watch A Christmas Carol and The Hogfather) I would do a quick review of R is for Hoppit’s 2015.

I say a review. That may be overstating things. Lists would probably be more accurate. Three lists, to be precise:

  • my top five most viewed posts of the year (well, since April – not existing January to April significantly reduced viewing figures for the blog in those months);

  • a pick of five of my personal favourite posts (that hadn’t already been included in most viewed); and

  • a selection of twenty five of The Toddler’s best quotes of the year taken from the Ten Funniest Things feature.

 
Most Viewed

1. Why Breast v Formula Should Not Be a Debate

2. Eight Times Having a Toddler Was Like Lord of the Flies

3. I’ll Tell You What, Mummy: The Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week

4. Toddler Towers: Are All Toddlers Basil Fawlty?

5. Five and a Half Ways The Baby Is a Big Disappointment to The Toddler

 
Some Personal Favourites

1. How to (Not) Make Christmas Cards With a Toddler and a Baby

2. Trick or Treat (or Dog)

3. Only the Weak Are Cruel

4. Doctor Toddler Is Back and This Time She’s…a Hairdresser, Actually

5. Not Little Red Riding Toddler

 
The Best of the Ten Funniest Things Feature

1. Spinny armpits
The Toddler is waving a hoover attachment at Silly Mummy and yelling, ‘A spinny armpits!’ Yes, she means ‘expelliarmus’. Silly Mummy likes The Toddler’s version better. Perhaps JK Rowling would like to rewrite the Harry Potter books with spells by The Toddler? And hoover attachments as wands. The Students can all visit Mr Dyson instead of Mr Ollivander: ‘The lint tool chooses the wizard, Mr Potter.’

2. In my opinion, it’s not a cake
Silly Mummy is eating a muffin. The Toddler asks to try a piece. She looks at the muffin and says, ‘I think it’s a cake.’ Silly Mummy agrees that muffins are like cakes. The Toddler eats a bit and revises her original comment: ‘Well, in my opinion, it’s not a cake.’ This may well be the greatest thing she has ever said (in my opinion).

3. I don’t know thoughts
The Toddler is having trouble remembering the song she wants Silly Mummy to sing: ‘Can you sing…can you sing…can you sing…I don’t know thoughts!’ It is so annoying when you don’t know any thoughts, isn’t it? You know, when all the thoughts have just momentarily slipped your mind.

4. Tinkerbell The Toddler
Silly Mummy and The Toddler are watching a ferry sailing in. Silly Mummy is explaining that the boat has come from France. The Toddler has been a fan of announcing her name of late, so Silly Mummy tells her: ‘In France, instead of “I’m The Toddler” you say “je m’appelle The Toddler”. Can you say “je m’appelle The Toddler”?’
The Toddler nods: ‘Yes, tinkerbell The Toddler.’ So close.

5. Michael the dinosaur
The Toddler has a placemat with dinosaurs on it. Usually she puts her bowl on the placemat, eats her meals, and no more is said. However, The Toddler feels it is about time she had a bit more interaction with her placemat. She picks it up and addresses one of the dinosaurs: ‘Want a drink, Michael?’ (Michael?! Michael the Dinosaur?!) The Toddler proceeds to answer on behalf of Michael (Michael!) the Dinosaur: ‘Yes, thank you.’ Michael would like some water. He would also like everyone to stop calling him Michael. It’s ruining his street cred.*

(*Remember the velociraptor terrorising the people in the kitchen in Jurassic Park? Imagine if he’d been called Michael. Michael the Velociraptor would have been laughed out of that kitchen. Phil, the infamous Dinosaur Supervisor, might have got to keep his job.)

 
6. Stop thief
The Toddler has snatched a handful of The Baby’s lunch from the highchair. Silly Mummy says, ‘Don’t eat The Baby’s food, please. Give it back to her.’ The Toddler returns the food. Silly Mummy turns to The Baby: ‘The Baby, if The Toddler takes your food, say, “Stop thief!”‘ The Baby smiles. Two minutes later, The Toddler sidles over to the highchair, grabs another handful of The Baby’s food, and helpfully says, ‘Stop thief!’

7. Circus flashbacks
The Toddler is eating her dinner. She suddenly stops. She stares into the distance. She announces, ‘Went circus…With Grandma…And Daddy…Went clap, clap.’ She claps her hands. The Toddler returns to her dinner. The Toddler did go to the circus. With Grandma and Daddy. It was about a month ago. The Toddler is having circus flashbacks. You weren’t there, man! You don’t know!

8. The binoculars are not a camera
The Toddler is holding the binoculars from her little explorer set.
‘The Toddler’s camera!’
‘Binoculars, darling.’
‘Cheese!’
‘Those are binoculars, darling.’ The Toddler holds up the binoculars to the cat. They fail to take a picture of the cat.
‘Oh, The Toddler’s camera is broken!’
‘That’s because it’s binoculars, darling.’

9. I’ll go and sort it out
The Toddler has a new obsession with removing pyjamas from The Baby. The Baby is wandering the living room in her nappy. Silly Mummy says, ‘The Baby might be a bit cold now you’ve undressed her, The Toddler.’
The Toddler sets off after The Baby, ‘I’ll go and sort it out.’ Despite The Toddler’s air of calm competence, Silly Mummy can’t help but notice that she ‘sorts it out’ by commandeering The Baby’s ball. The Baby is still rather naked. And she now has no ball.

10. We are not a stinker
The Toddler has a new identity. As Queen Victoria. She has done a poo and Silly Mummy says, ‘I think you’re a stinker.’
The Toddler replies with the royal we: ‘We are not a stinker, are we?’ Silly Mummy believes we are a stinker, but we are certainly not amused. (See what we did there?)

11. I’m not a Hufflepuff
The Toddler appears to quite like Harry Potter, though Silly Mummy had assumed she did not take that much in. Silly Mummy assumed wrong. The Toddler is roaring and huffing, leading Silly Mummy to ask, ‘Are you the big bad wolf? Do you huff and puff?’
The Toddler gives Silly Mummy a disparaging look, ‘No, I’m not a Hufflepuff.’ There you go: taken it all in, right down to knowing which house is, frankly, a bit rubbish. Any allegation of being a Hufflepuff (or even something that sounds a little bit like it) will be firmly denied by The Toddler and her people (The Baby).

12. Are you talking about me
The Baby is babbling to herself. The Toddler goes over and sticks her face right in The Baby’s: ‘What you saying, The Baby? Are you talking about me, The Baby?’ Well, as they say, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean The Baby’s not talking about you.

13. I remember cheese
Silly Mummy asks The Toddler if she would like some cheese with her lunch. The Toddler replies, ‘Oh, cheese. I remember cheese.’ Ah, yes, my old chum cheese. I remember him well. Fought together in the war, you know. Wonder what old cheese is up to now. Jolly good.

14. It’s my yoghurt
The Toddler has just finished eating toast for lunch. She says, ‘Yoghurt, please.’ Silly Mummy fetches a yoghurt. The Toddler looks at it: ‘It’s strawberry.’ It’s banana. The Toddler thinks all yoghurts are strawberry.
Silly Mummy says, ‘It’s banana.’
‘Oh nana.’ The Toddler starts eating.
‘It’s not very nice.’ She eats another mouthful.
‘It’s not very nice.’ Another mouthful.
‘It’s not very nice.’ Another mouthful.
‘It’s not very nice.’ The Toddler is giving mixed messages.
Silly Mummy asks, ‘Can I try it, if you don’t like it?’
‘No. It’s my yoghurt.’

15. Shoo
Silly Mummy, Grandad, The Toddler and The Baby are out with the double buggy. A couple of women want to pass. The Silly Party moves over slightly to make room. All very courteous…but, wait! The Toddler wants to say something. Does she want to say ‘hello’, perhaps? ‘Nice to meet you’? ‘No, no: after you’? ‘Please do go past us, we’re a little slow’? No. The Toddler turns to the passing ladies: ‘Shoo! Shoo! Get away! Get away!’ The Toddler, ladies and gentlemen: so charming, such manners.

16. Just let me do the walking
The Baby is practising her new skill of walking, tottering across the living room unassisted, before falling down. Silly Mummy claps and praises The Baby. The Toddler appears. Clearly something is going on here. The clapping is a sure sign of something going on, and The Toddler is going to find out what it is.
‘What’s The Baby doing, Mummy?’
‘She was walking, darling.’
The Toddler considers this information, and turns to The Baby: ‘Just let me do the walking.’ That’s right, The Baby, step aside and leave it to the experts, this is not amateur hour.

17. Safety first
The Toddler and The Baby are playing. The Toddler has decided to ensure that all the appropriate regulations are being followed. She makes The Baby aware of the priorities: ‘Safety first, The Baby.’ The Baby looks at her soft, squishy ball in confusion, and flings it in a safety conscious manner at The Toddler’s head.

18. Look, Daddy, a clock
The Silly Family are going swimming. Silly Daddy is getting tickets. The Toddler has spotted something she wants Silly Daddy to see: ‘Look, Daddy, a clock!’ Except she’s not yelling ‘clock’. She never says ‘clock’. She always misses the ‘l’. Usually, the context makes her meaning clear. Usually, she can only mean ‘clock’. But this is the swimming pool, no assumptions should be made. A quick check of surroundings is warranted. Everyone is dressed. There is a clock on the wall. All is well.

19. Cut it off now
The Toddler is stroking Mummy’s hair: ‘This nice. Like it…Cut it off now?’ Well, that escalated quickly.

20. Toddler Frankenstein
The Toddler has recently been given a toy doctor’s kit. She picks it up and extracts the scissors and the tweezers. She approaches Daddy, sitting on the sofa: ‘Daddy, go to sleep.’
Daddy is understandably suspicious: ‘Why does Daddy have to go to sleep?’
The Toddler puts on a reassuring voice and slightly psychotic expression: ‘Daddy, sleep. Go to sleep, please.’ There is now a stand-off. The Toddler, still brandishing medical implements, continues to insist that Daddy just go to sleep, no questions asked. Daddy is sensibly remaining awake. There will be no experiments on Daddy today. But one day, Daddy will fall asleep and, when that day comes, Toddler Frankenstein will be waiting. With her tweezers.

21. It’s just my bottom
The Toddler asks, ‘What’s that noisy?’
Silly Mummy isn’t sure what noise she means: ‘What noise? Do you mean the tumble drier?’
The Toddler has resolved the issue for herself: ‘Oh no, Mummy, it’s just my bottom!’

22. Conversations with PA systems
Silly Mummy, The Toddler and The Baby are in the supermarket, passing the travelator. Someone gets onto the travelator, and it starts giving its automated instructions: ‘Stand still and hold onto the hand rail.’ The Toddler is not one to miss out on a conversation, whether it involves her or not: ‘Right, I’m standing still. Standing still now.’ She’s actually sitting in the pushchair. Apparently she is expecting further input from the travelator. She reaffirms: ‘I’m standing still.’ The travelator is a bit rude and fails to acknowledge The Toddler’s compliance with its instructions. However, the PA system steps up to the mark to fill the conversational void: ‘Welcome to the store.’
‘Thank you,’ says The Toddler.

23. I’m being quiet
Everyone is being quiet. This includes The Toddler, who wishes it to be known that she is participating in the being quiet. Into the, well, quiet, The Toddler hollers: ‘I’M BEING QUIET!’

24. I resent to you The Baby
The Toddler currently enjoys being presented to society. She requires Silly Mummy to announce: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you…’ She will accept being presented in a number of ways: ‘the Lady The Toddler’, ‘the Right Honourable Pickle’, ‘Dame The Toddler’, ‘the Evil Queen’. In response to each, The Toddler giggles and gives an elaborate bow. She does not like to be introduced as ‘the naughty crocodile’. The Toddler also enjoys making announcements to present others (The Baby, mostly) to society. She often misses the ‘p’ off ‘present’, amusingly resulting in a lot of rather formal begrudging coming from The Toddler: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I resent to you The Baby!’

25. It is her bottom
The Toddler is in a dark corridor with ultraviolet lights at the aquarium. She is excited by everyone’s white items of clothing glowing. Grandma attempts to show her how the buttons on the front of Auntie’s coat are glowing: ‘Look at Auntie’s buttons, The Toddler.’
The Toddler inexplicably disappears around the back of Auntie, where she closely inspects Auntie’s backside: ‘Oh yes, there’s her bottom. It is her bottom.’ You may have misheard, The Toddler.

 
 
So, that was 2015 from R is for Hoppit. Talking nonsense, mostly, but at least we had fun. Happy New Year to all.

The Toddler’s New Year Resolutions

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In honour of New Year’s Eve, Silly Mummy has explained resolutions to a very inattentive The Toddler. None the wiser about resolutions, The Toddler is nevertheless willing to discuss what she would like to do next year.

 
Apparently, these are The Toddler’s plans for next year.

 
‘I’d like to play with the sandcastles.’

Anything else, The Toddler?

‘Yes, I like to play sandcastles.’

Right, anything that is not sandcastles?

‘I’d like to do so much..and more sandcastles.’

Okay, anything entirely unconnected to sandcastles?

‘No more stinkers.’

Ambitious, but a year without stinkers is certainly a worthy resolution.

 
 
Now then, The Toddler, what would The Baby like to do next year?

‘She’d like to do castles!’

Would she? There’s a surprise. And What else?

The Toddler considers carefully: ‘What would I like to do…’

No, The Toddler, what would The Baby like to do?

‘No, me. What would I like to do.’

 
 
There you have it: next year, The Baby will mostly be doing whatever The Toddler wants to do. And that will mostly involve sandcastles. (Of course, next year, The Baby will be turning two, so The Toddler may be getting some surprises about how amenable The Baby is going to be.)

In My Opinion: The Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week

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A bit late this week (due to Silly Mummy – The Toddler didn’t shockingly decide she was having a quiet week), it is time for the Ten Funniest Things feature. We have accidental bottom inspections, a bit of Christmas, and The Toddler is offering her opinion.

Without further ado, The Toddler:

1. On the contents of her nose
Silly Mummy goes to get The Toddler out of the car. The Toddler has something in her hand. She holds it out: ‘Can you take this?’ Silly Mummy trustingly puts out her own hand, and The Toddler places something sticky in it: ‘I think it’s from my nose.’

2. On Father Christmas’ biscuits, eating them
Silly Mummy is explaining to The Toddler that, on Christmas Eve, she should put out milk and biscuits for Father Christmas. Part of this gets The Toddler’s attention: ‘Ooh biccies! I’d like to eat them.’
Silly Mummy perseveres: ‘You can’t eat them – they’re for Father Christmas.’
The Toddler also perseveres: ‘I think I’ll just have a little bit, then.’
Silly Mummy stands firm: ‘They’re not for you. They’re for Father Christmas.’
The Toddler compromises: ‘Okay, I think I’ll just have Mummy’s choccies.’
Hmm…you’d like to eat Father Christmas’ biscuits, you say?

3. On Dave
We have seen the return of randomly calling people ‘Dave‘ this week, during a visit by a BT engineer. Said engineer goes upstairs to check some cable. The Toddler is concerned about this sudden departure: ‘Where’s Dave gone?’ As far as Silly Mummy is aware, he isn’t called Dave. At least, he wasn’t when he entered the house.

4. On Christmas, not being ready
The Toddler comes downstairs in the morning to discover Silly Mummy has put up the Christmas decorations: ‘What have you make? It’s christmas! What have you make? You made Christmas! I’m not ready!’ She does not clarify in what way she feels unready. Perhaps she hoped to meet the decorations dressed as a reindeer.

5. On being impressed
The Toddler has come over all Masterchef this week. Silly Mummy hands her a snack: ‘I like this one. I’m very impressed.’

6. On her church building work
The Toddler is travelling in the car. She points out of the window and announces: ‘Look at that big mountain!’
Silly Mummy looks: ‘That’s a church. It’s not a mountain. It’s a big building. It’s very tall, isn’t it?’
Always one to take credit where it isn’t due, The Toddler agrees: ‘Yes, I think I made it taller.’

7. On people being wrong about her
Silly Mummy is mildly chastising The Toddler for a bit of naughty behaviour. The Toddler is not standing for it: ‘You’re wrong about me!’

8. On being shy
The Toddler is meeting Father Christmas soon. The Toddler likes to meet people. The Baby does not. The Toddler considers that this might be an issue: ‘I think The Baby might be a bit shy.’
Silly Mummy agrees: ‘I think she might. Can you say hello to Father Christmas for her? Can you tell him her name?’
The Toddler has sudden concerns about this course of action: ‘I think I might be a bit shy.’
Silly Mummy snorts: ‘I don’t think you’re a bit shy!’
The Toddler disagrees: ‘I think I are a bit shy.’

9. On buttons, not to be confused with bottoms
The Toddler is in a dark corridor with ultraviolet lights at the aquarium. She is excited by everyone’s white items of clothing glowing. Grandma attempts to show her how the buttons on the front of Auntie’s coat are glowing: ‘Look at Auntie’s buttons, The Toddler.’
The Toddler inexplicably disappears around the back of Auntie, where she closely inspects Auntie’s backside: ‘Oh yes, there’s her bottom. It is her bottom.’ You may have misheard, The Toddler.

10. On muffins, in her opinion
Silly Mummy is eating a muffin. The Toddler asks to try a piece. She looks at the muffin and says, ‘I think it’s a cake.’ Silly Mummy agrees that muffins are like cakes. The Toddler eats a bit and revises her original comment: ‘Well, in my opinion, it’s not a cake.’ This may well be the greatest thing she has ever said (in my opinion).

 

Some other posts in the ‘Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week’ feature
Week 13: I’m Not a Hufflepuff
Week 15: We Are Not a Stinker
Week 23: I Resent to You
Week 26: Be Quiet

Fairytale of New Parents

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(To the tune of Fairytale of New York, my favourite Christmas song)

 
 
It was Christmas Eve (help)
For the parents
The children said to us,
Can we have more chocolate now?
If we do not allow
Then they’ll have a cry
Til we give in to them
And kiss discipline goodbye

We need a lucky night
The kids to go to sleep
We’ve got a feeling
It might not last for long
We’ll quickly wrap the gifts
And fill the stockings up
Hope they stay in bed
How could this go wrong?

They got Lego galore
Princess dresses in gold
But they just like the boxes
In which they were sold

When they first went to bed
On a cold Christmas Eve
We promised them
Presents were waiting for them

They were excited
They were giddy
They got a little bit lippy
When we finished their stories
They called out for more
One started bouncing
The other was singing
They must go to sleep
They can’t dance through the night

Father Christmas in his sleigh
Is travelling on his way
And the bells are ringing
Out for Christmas Day

We’ve got sprouts
We’ve got stuffing
And potatoes for roasting
Lying there on that tray
Dinner’s in disarray

We’ve got pudding
And crackers
Where are the nutcrackers?
Merry Christmas from Mummy
Dinner may not be yummy

Father Christmas in his sleigh
Is travelling on his way
And the bells are ringing
Out for Christmas Day

We could have organised
We shouldn’t be surprised
There’ll be no dreams for us
Won’t get to bed tonight
We underestimated
all we had to do
Do kids need breakfast too??
We built our plans around chocolate

Father Christmas in his sleigh
Is travelling on his way
And the bells are ringing
Out for Christmas Day

Cake: Just Like That

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The Toddler likes to do magic. Very, very mundane magic. She brandishes her imaginary wand at Silly Mummy: ‘Close your eyes!’ Silly Mummy closes her eyes. Nothing happens. There is silence. Silly Mummy wonders if The Toddler is still there. Silly Mummy peeks. The Toddler is still there. She is building anticipation for her amazing feat of magic. She waves her wand again: ‘Open your eyes!’ Bit of an anti-climax. Less a feat of magic, more a feat of bossiness. Still, Silly Mummy has apparently earned a reward for her participation: ‘You can have cake now. I’ll get you cake.’

Silly Mummy is looking forward to her cake. However, it seems The Toddler may have been a little hasty in her offer: ‘I haven’t made cake yet.’ At least she has a solution: ‘I’ll make it.’

The Toddler puts down her wand, and starts piling random items from her toy tea set and toy cookery set on to the sideboard. She knocks them over by accident: ‘I’ve knocked your cake over now.’ Oh dear. The Toddler appears to feel the cake has not been harmed, however. She picks everything up and continues her imaginary cake preparation.

The Baby wanders over and knocks the same items off the sideboard as The Toddler did moments before. The Toddler spies a perfect opportunity to pass the blame for the cake delays: ‘You can’t have your cake now because of The Baby.’

The Toddler relents and decides she will serve the cake anyway. She starts rooting through her things, and reappears victorious: ‘I’ve found one knife now. I’ve just got to chop. Be careful. Here you go, Mummy.’ The Toddler holds out a plastic plate full of imaginary cake to Silly Mummy. Silly Mummy thanks her, and reaches out to take the cake.

The Toddler snatches the plate away: ‘You can’t have it yet.’ She walks off with the plate, and knocks over more of her toy cooking equipment. She decides this is the final straw: ‘Never mind, I’m not making it now. The Baby is cleaning it away.’ Silly Mummy looks at The Baby. She is certainly doing something with the imaginary cake and toy cooking equipment. Throwing it would be Silly Mummy’s description, but if The Toddler says she’s cleaning up…

The Toddler provides a final firm confirmation that Silly Mummy will not be receiving cake: ‘No, you can’t have it.’ Well, Silly Mummy is not sure this was worth opening her eyes for. Not that Silly Mummy chose to open her eyes. It was magic, of course.

Be Quiet: The Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week

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It’s the Ten Funniest Things feature. The Toddler would like to remind everyone to BE QUIET as other people can hear you. Here she is:

1. On being quiet
Everyone is being quiet. This includes The Toddler, who wishes it to be known that she is participating in the being quiet. Into the, well, quiet, The Toddler hollers: ‘I’M BEING QUIET!’

2. On the carpet, sorry about that
The Toddler has found a small mark on the carpet: ‘What’s that?’
Silly Mummy has a look and identifies it is one of the areas where a fleck of space putty has remained welded to the carpet following the discovery that it is ill advised to allow toddlers to play with space putty, even if they did go to the trouble of fishing it out of cupboards they are not allowed in. Silly Mummy answers The Toddler: ‘I think that’s from when we had the space putty.’
The Toddler considers this information: ‘Oh, yes…Sorry about that.’

3. On suspicious bedtime sickness
The Toddler is in bed waiting for Silly Daddy to read her a book. The Baby is getting ready for her bed with Silly Mummy. The Toddler’s voice pipes up from her bedroom: ‘Excuse me! I’m very sick. Excuse me! I’m very sick. Can you come and see me?’
Silly Mummy is a little bit suspicious of The Toddler, who sounds in good spirits and was perfectly well when Silly Mummy left two minutes before. Silly Mummy calls: ‘Daddy’s coming.’
The Toddler’s voice answers: ‘Can you tell him I’m very ill?’ Ten seconds later The Toddler adds an update on her condition: ‘I’m not feeling better. Can I get some medicine?’

4. On porridge, foggy
The Toddler has decided to take responsibility for providing The Baby’s imaginary meals: ‘I’m going to give The Baby her porridge, but I think it’s a bit foggy. I put it back in the porridge pan.’ (Three attempts at clarification by Silly Mummy confirm that The Toddler really is trying to say the porridge is foggy, but not what foggy porridge might be. Perhaps it is a problem only imaginary porridge has.)

5. On Silly Mummy, very tired
Silly Mummy is saying goodnight to The Toddler, who asks: ‘Do you want to come and sleep with me?’
Silly Mummy tells The Toddler that she has jobs to do and cannot stay with The Toddler. The Toddler tries a new tack: ‘You do want to sleep with me because you’re very tired.’

6. On Silly Daddy, what he says about that
The Toddler would like to hear Silly Daddy’s opinion on her latest wittering: ‘What do you say about that, Daddy?’

7. On oat bars and good work
Silly Mummy is fetching The Toddler a snack. The Toddler is excited to find out what snack she might be receiving, and is apparently not disappointed to discover she is getting an oat (‘oap’) bar. As Silly Mummy approaches, she declares: ‘I think it might be an oap. Oh good work!’

8. On other people, able to hear us
During a visit by an engineer to the house to do some work, The Toddler makes a horrifying discovery. She breaks off mid talking nonsense to exclaim: ‘Oh no, other people can hear us!’ Of course, the fact that The Toddler had not previously realised that other people can hear her when she talks explains quite a lot…

9. On diagnosis, unsolicited
Doctor Toddler, in keeping with her long standing renegade streak, no longer even waits for her patients to report symptoms or ask for treatment. She marches up to Silly Mummy: ‘I don’t think you feel well anymore. Where’s my medicine?’

10. On not telling Silly Mummy again
The Toddler is taking a strict approach to dealing with Silly Mummy’s behaviour: ‘Mother, don’t ask me to tell you again! Ever again. Ever. Ever.’ (Silly Mummy thinks she means ‘don’t make me tell you again’.)

 

Some other posts in the ‘Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week’ feature
Week 12: Undone, Everyone
Week 18: A Spinny Armpits
Week 23: I Resent to You
Week 25: Bravo

The Twelve Days of Toddler

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On the first day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me a cabbage in a teapot.

On the second day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the third day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my toddler stole from me four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me six blankets no longer folded and residing in the drawer, five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my toddler hid for me seven DVDs down the back of the sofa, six blankets no longer folded and residing in the drawer, five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me eight books she required in her bed during nap time, seven DVDs down the back of the sofa, six blankets no longer folded and residing in the drawer, five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me nine tantrums a wailing, eight books she required in her bed during nap time, seven DVDs down the back of the sofa, six blankets no longer folded and residing in the drawer, five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me ten demands for lunch before 10am, nine tantrums a wailing, eight books she required in her bed during nap time, seven DVDs down the back of the sofa, six blankets no longer folded and residing in the drawer, five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me eleven photos of the carpet taken on my phone, ten demands for lunch before 10am, nine tantrums a wailing, eight books she required in her bed during nap time, seven DVDs down the back of the sofa, six blankets no longer folded and residing in the drawer, five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my toddler threw at me twelve imaginary cakes, eleven photos of the carpet taken on my phone, ten demands for lunch before 10am, nine tantrums a wailing, eight books she required in her bed during nap time, seven DVDs down the back of the sofa, six blankets no longer folded and residing in the drawer, five fingers stuck in the letterbox again, four handfuls of cereal out of my bowl, three items of clothing removed from about The Baby’s person, two part chewed raisins, and a cabbage in a teapot.

Bravo: The Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week

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It’s Ten Funniest Things time again, and Silly Mummy gives you the only witch in the village (The Toddler):

1. On praise, bravo
The Toddler has ‘lost’ a DVD (in other words, The Toddler and The Baby have been playing with a DVD and now it’s been dropped behind the sofa). Silly Mummy fishes it out. The Toddler is quite impressed: ‘You found it! Bravo! I’m very pleased with you, Mum!’

2. On dinner, not good
Silly Mummy is making dinner. The Toddler asks what it is, and Silly Mummy tells her. The Toddler responds: ‘Yuck!’
Silly Mummy informs her: ‘That’s a bit rude!’
The Toddler twists the knife in the back of Silly Mummy’s cooking: ‘No, it’s just not good.’

3. On Auntie, AKA ‘the other one’
The Toddler is meeting her new baby cousin (‘Cousin’). Silly Mummy is holding Cousin. Cousin’s mummy (‘Auntie’) is upstairs. The Toddler stands next to Silly Mummy and Cousin: ‘Where’s baby Cousin?’
This seems an odd question, but Silly Mummy answers: ‘Just here.’
The Toddler repeats: ‘Where’s baby Cousin?’
Silly Mummy is very confused now: ‘Here!’
The Toddler shakes her head: ‘No, where’s the other one? Think she’s upstairs?’ The other one? That would be The Toddler’s loving Auntie, then. It’s nice that The Toddler likes her new cousin, but she does seem to have instantly forgotten who Auntie is to make room for him.

4. On babies, not talking down to them
As for Cousin himself, well, The Toddler does not consider his being one week old any bar to their chances of making polite chitchat: ‘How is it going, Cousin? How are you doing, Cousin?’

5. On sword fighting
Silly Mummy is trying to do Peter Pan with The Toddler. Silly Mummy waves an imaginary sword and declares: ‘I’ll fight you with one hand behind my back! Walk the plank!’ The Toddler has a zero tolerance policy towards imaginary sword fighters. She grabs Silly Mummy’s imaginary sword with her bare hands and imaginary flings it: ‘I throw it away!’ Peter Pan never had this sort of trouble: Captain Hook knew the rules.

6. On investigating
The Toddler is off to play with some toys. She is trying to make this sound a more serious and complex endeavour than it is: ‘I have to go and investigate again.’

7. On being a witch, minimum dress requirements
The Toddler has piled all the sofa cushions on and around Silly Daddy. She announces: ‘I built a house.’
Silly Mummy wonders if this makes Silly Daddy the Wicked Witch of the East. Silly Mummy asks: ‘Is Daddy the wicked witch? Did a house fall on him?’
The Toddler immediately decides that Silly Daddy is trying to steal her witchy limelight: ‘I’m a witch!’ Unfortunately, it turns out that The Toddler was not expecting a challenge to her witch title at this time, and she is not properly dressed to defend her position: ‘I’m not a witch yet…I get my hat!’

8. On returning to her seat
The Toddler has been stroking Grandad’s dog and is now returning to her seat. However, this is such a dull way of putting it. The Toddler feels that her return to her chair warrants a much more enigmatic description: ‘I must go back to the beginning.’

9. On Granny, probably not in the curtains
The Toddler is searching for Granny. In the living room. While Granny is in the kitchen. ‘Where’s Granny? She must be somewhere.’ Very philosophical. The Toddler looks behind the curtains. Very reasonable – just because Granny has never lurked behind curtains up to this point, does not mean that she isn’t there now. She isn’t, however: ‘She’s not there. I think she might be cooking. Don’t think she’s in the curtains.* Can I go and find she?’

(*The Toddler is not one to definitively conclude that someone is not in the curtains based on nothing more than the fact that they are not in the curtains. She’s very open minded that way.)

 
10. On her favourite scary movie
The Toddler is rooting through the DVDs again, largely because she knows she is not meant to touch them. Mostly, she turns up with Nanny McPhee. This time she is waving Let the Right One In: ‘Can I watch this?’
Silly Mummy takes it away: ‘No, sweetheart, that one’s scary. You wouldn’t want to watch that. It’s for grown ups.’
The Toddler wants more information: ‘What is it?’
‘It’s about vampires. It’s scary.’
The Toddler nods wisely, and starts framing Silly Daddy for crimes he did not commit: ‘Oh yes, it is wampires. I did watch that last time with Daddy. Daddy did put it on. It was scary. I didn’t like it.’ Well, quite. Wampires are not to be taken lightly: they’re even worse than vampires.

Some other posts in the ‘Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week’ feature
Week 12: Undone, Everyone
Week 19: Clock
Week 20: You’re a Good Winner
Week 24: My Goodness

Where’s The Baby’s Duck?

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The Baby now has several words*, and excellent parroting (in the traditional sense of the word, not her previous attempt at ‘parroting‘, which was rather literal). She still favours ‘duck’, though. She is not giving up on ‘duck‘.

The Baby has gathered from The Toddler that it is extremely important to insistently say ‘mummy’ repeatedly before making any other statement, in order to ensure that Silly Mummy is very clear that she is being spoken to. The Baby will therefore present (hit) Silly Mummy with a book thusly: ‘Mummy, Mummy, book!’ The Baby also likes to comment on the time of day. At about 4:30pm, she will point at the window and declare: ‘Mummy, Mummy, dark!’ Of course, impressive though The Baby’s vocabulary may be, she often finds that following ‘Mummy, Mummy’ she does not know the word she intended to say. This is obviously embarrassing for The Baby, and may be behind her habit of plonking herself on the naughty step for no apparent reason.

Speaking of the naughty step, during one naughty step episode for The Toddler, The Baby took up a position standing right in front of her and just silently pointed at her. Probably she wanted to know what was going on, possibly she thought she had located The Toddler in hide and seek, amusingly it looked as though she had appointed herself to the role of Chief Naughty Step Shamer.

The Baby is a prolific nodder and head shaker. She will answer any question this way, as well as indicating her position on matters being discussed (not being discussed with her, of course, just discussions she feels like she should get involved in). Her answers to questions are usually quite accurate, actually. Though she does, on occasion, get a little bit over confident. ‘Love you, The Baby. Can you say “love you”?’ The Baby nods emphatically: ‘Bah boo!’ Nearly.

The Baby can identify body parts, but does not generally say them. She decided to make an exception for her belly button because it’s so funny: ‘Belly beeyupta! Belly beeyupta!’ Fits of giggles ensue. The Baby amuses herself.

The Baby also sings. She sits in her high chair repeating ‘boo bu boo bu, boo bu boo bu’ in a high pitched voice. Following initial concerns that she is broken, Silly Mummy realises she is singing Bibidi Babadi Bu (following The Toddler’s viewing of Cinderella that morning).

The Baby has quickly picked up key phrases: ‘Bic snack!’ (She can also say The Toddler’s name, which is important when she needs to identify the culprit in the inevitable theft of her requested biscuit snack.) The Baby is additionally able to request her ‘slunch’. Why she decided this was a significant word to learn early on remains a mystery, as slunch is rarely eaten. In fact, it is usually fed to the imaginary ducks, as The Baby launches it over the edge of the high chair, screaming, ‘Duck!’

Other important skills and words The Baby has learnt (from The Toddler) include making television demands. Impressively, she has picked up both the appropriate tone and the fact that you should always ask for exactly the same thing (Sarah and Duck in her case). She points at the television and says: ‘Muuum, duck!’ She has recently become very excited about Peppa Pig. This does not appear to be based on any particular love of the programme, but on the fact that she has just realised she can say ‘pig’. She will now watch entire episodes jabbing towards the screen and yelling (and signing), ‘Pig!’ Should she see Grandpa Dog, she will yell, ‘Dog!’ To be honest, when any of the other animals appear, she looks a bit confused and waits until she can yell ‘pig’ or ‘dog’ again. (A ‘dog’ is not to be confused with a ‘dog??’, which is a rocking horse.)

The Baby can say ‘where’. She can also sign it. However, she seems to feel that, no matter what she is looking for, the phrase is: ‘Where’s duck?’ The Toddler is hiding (hiding = standing in the middle of the room pretending she is inconspicuous). The Baby is looking for her, though this would not be obvious from her commentary: ‘Where’s duck?’ Silly Mummy asks The Baby where the apple is, The Baby nods and obediently totters off in search of the apple: ‘Where’s duck?’ Silly Daddy has left the room and The Baby is looking for him: ‘Daddy! Daddy!’
Silly Mummy says, ‘Where’s Daddy?’
The Baby yells, ‘Daddy! Where’s duck?’ In all fairness to The Baby, it is possible she is simply from the Midlands (or Sheffield), where referring to everything as ‘duck’ is acceptable.

(*Some examples of The Baby’s favourite words, as you (didn’t) ask. She says ‘Mummy’, ‘Daddy’ and ‘The Toddler’. Not actually ‘The Toddler’, of course: that would be weird. She says The Toddler’s name. She says ‘bath’ and ‘splash’ (usually together). ‘Ball’, and sometimes ‘throw’ and ‘catch’ (usually just before some kind of small missile hits Silly Mummy in the head). ‘Cat’, ‘dog’, ‘pig’, ‘duck’, ‘quack’, and ‘moo’. ‘Grapes’, ‘cheese’, ‘bic’, ‘snack’, and ‘lunch’ (well, ‘slunch’). ‘Ba boo’ (‘peekaboo’). ‘Dark’. ‘Book’. ‘Belly’.)

My Goodness: The Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week

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In this week’s edition of the Ten Funniest Things feature, we will be unimpressed by firework show offs, unconvinced by the shopping basket’s attempts to be a baseball kit, and wondering what on earth The Baby thinks is happening.

Over to The Toddler:

1. On shopping baskets, not good baseball kits
The Toddler is holding her toy shopping basket when suddenly she announces, ‘I don’t think it’s a baseball kit. Think it might be shopping basket.’ Silly Mummy thinks she may have a point, but was unaware the shopping basket had been suspected of being a baseball kit. A couple of minutes later The Toddler declares, ‘I’m not very well.’
Silly Mummy asks, ‘What’s the matter?’
The Toddler holds up her shopping basket: ‘This baseball kit’s not very good.’

2. On drawing, strange requests
The Toddler is doing some colouring. She requires Silly Mummy’s help: ‘Can you draw my trumps?’ A quick investigation reveals that there is a trumpet on The Toddler’s picture that she would like Silly Mummy to colour in. This is a relief, as Silly Mummy was not feeling equal to the task of trying to draw The Toddler’s trumps.

3. On bruises, wash off
Silly Mummy is inspecting a bruise that has been found on The Toddler’s foot. The Toddler is unconcerned: ‘Don’t worry about it. We’ll give it a wash.’

4. On long days
The Toddler leads a busy life, and sometimes she feels it: ‘It’s been a long day, hasn’t it? Long day after walk.’

5. On stickers
The Toddler is doing her sticker book, an activity that seems to be a source of a surprising level of wonder today: ‘My goodness! Look at those!’

6. On being a witch
The Toddler has put her (cylindrical) Lego storage container on her head. It falls right down over her face. Her little voice emanates from within, providing very matter of fact clarification of the situation: ‘So…I’m a witch.’

7. On Rapunzel
The Toddler is watching Tangled. Rapunzel is in a pickle, and The Toddler is wondering how she will ever get out of it. She very thoughtfully says, ‘What is she to do?’

8. On being a Bond villain
The Toddler is asking Silly Mummy for something, but Silly Mummy can’t hear her from the other room. Silly Mummy comes into the living room: ‘What were you asking for?’
Apparently, The Toddler has forgotten. She replies, ‘I don’t know. Let me see.’ Whilst stroking her face in her best Bond villain impersonation.

9. On fireworks, showing off
The Sillies are attending a firework display. The Toddler remains unsure how she feels about fireworks. In an effort to convince her, Silly Daddy points at one of the squiggly ones: ‘Isn’t that pretty?’
The Toddler feels that the fireworks are frankly showing off: ‘A bit much.’

10. On running without purpose*
The Toddler is repeatedly running from one end of the room to the other, for no apparent reason. The Baby is waddling about in her wake, trying to keep up. Silly Mummy asks, ‘Why are you running, The Toddler?’
The Toddler pants, ‘I don’t know!’ Well, of course not. Why would she?
Raising some questions about what exactly she thinks is going on, The Baby yells, ‘Where’s duck?’

(*Incidentally, this is The Toddler’s Native American name.)

 

Some other posts in the ‘Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week’ feature
Week 5: Don’t Do It
Week 18: A Spinny Armpits
Week 20: You’re a Good Winner
Week 23: I Resent to You

I Resent to You: The Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week

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It’s Ten Funniest Things time once again. This week, we will be doing formal presentations, in keeping with The Toddler’s self appointed position in high society.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Lady The Toddler:

1. On thoughts, not knowing them
The Toddler is having trouble remembering the song she wants Silly Mummy to sing: ‘Can you sing…can you sing…can you sing…I don’t know thoughts!’ It is so annoying when you don’t know any thoughts, isn’t it? You know, when all the thoughts have just momentarily slipped your mind.

2. On resenting The Baby
The Toddler currently enjoys being presented to society. She requires Silly Mummy to announce: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you…’ She will accept being presented in a number of ways: ‘the Lady The Toddler’, ‘the Right Honourable Pickle’, ‘Dame The Toddler’, ‘the Evil Queen’. In response to each, The Toddler giggles and gives an elaborate bow. She does not like to be introduced as ‘the naughty crocodile’. The Toddler also enjoys making announcements to present others (The Baby, mostly) to society. She often misses the ‘p’ off ‘present’, amusingly resulting in a lot of rather formal begrudging coming from The Toddler: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I resent to you The Baby!’

3. On her apple, missing it
The Toddler did not finish all of her apple at breakfast. She asked for it to be put in the fridge. A few hours later, she asks, ‘Where’s my apple gone?’
Silly Mummy replies, ‘It’s in the fridge.’
The Toddler responds with sophistication beyond her two years: ‘Oh, sorry. I was missing it. But it’s in the fridge. Sorry.’

4. On her doctor’s kit, not to go in nappy
Adding to the ongoing questions about the quality of The Toddler’s medical training, she waves her stethoscope at Silly Mummy and announces, ‘I mustn’t put my doctor’s in my nappy. It’s going to get dirty.’ True. But possibly not the only reason not to put a doctor’s kit in your nappy.

5. On the cat, touching things
In what some are calling a fairly innocuous act, the cat walks near to some of The Toddler’s things. The Toddler is not one for a measured and proportionate response. She is not a ten times Oscar nominee in the category of ‘Best Toddler in a Complete Overreaction’ for nothing. She screams, ‘Oh no! The cat touched my things! Yuck!’

6. On being an explorer
The Toddler has her explorer kit. She puts her binoculars around her neck, picks up her magnifying glass, and announces to the room that she is an explorer. Kind of: ‘I’m ex!’

7. On buttering toast, very carefully
Silly Mummy is buttering The Toddler’s toast. A delicate and vitally important procedure, judging by The Toddler’s insistent shouts: ‘Be careful with it! Don’t be naughty with it! You have to be very, very careful with it!’

8. On Silly Mummy, not saying ‘dun dun dun’
The Toddler is yelling: ‘Dun dun dun!’
Silly Mummy is not entirely sure why we’re building suspense, but gamely joins in: ‘Dun dun dun!’
Silly Mummy is not allowed to say ‘dun dun dun’, as The Toddler makes clear: ‘No! You don’t say dun dun dun! I say dun dun dun! Roar!’

9. On The Baby, not poo
Silly Mummy, The Toddler and The Baby are waiting for Silly Daddy. The Baby is pulling faces at Silly Mummy. Silly Mummy says, ‘Hi, Poo.’
The Toddler will not stand for her sister being addressed in such a disrespectful manner. She indignantly proclaims: ‘The Baby is not poo! She’s a good girl!’
Through giggles, Silly Mummy agrees: ‘Quite right, The Toddler.’
The Toddler is gracious in her victory: ‘Thank you, Mummy.’

10. On speaking French
Silly Mummy and The Toddler are watching a ferry sailing in. Silly Mummy is explaining that the boat has come from France. The Toddler has been a fan of announcing her name of late, so Silly Mummy tells her: ‘In France, instead of “I’m The Toddler” you say “je m’appelle The Toddler”. Can you say “je m’appelle The Toddler”?’
The Toddler nods: ‘Yes, tinkerbell The Toddler.’ So close.

Some other posts in the ‘Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week’ feature
Week 7: Calm Down
Week 13: I’m Not a Hufflepuff
Week 15: We Are Not a Stinker
Week 22: You Know The Rules

Toddler of all Trades

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The Toddler has many jobs. She is a Jack of all trades. It would be mean to say a master of none, but she wears her stethoscope around her waist – you can draw your own conclusions.

Some of The Toddler’s numerous professions have been documented before. She has been a Planning Officer. (All constructions erected without The Toddler’s express prior approval are issued with an immediate cease and desist (‘you mustn’t do that, you naughty crocodile’) order, before being summarily demolished. With a plastic knife.) Then there was The Toddler’s secretive, unspecified work with computers/Toot Toot safari tracks. Doctor Toddler has, of course, made a number of appearances (once as a hairdresser). When the ‘childrens’ need her, Toddler Poppins makes an appearance as a nanny (with broomstick/umbrella and doctor’s kit/carpet bag). And we cannot forget The Toddler’s brief stint as a despot.

However, The Toddler has further feathers to her bow. Here are just a few.

Mr Maker/Tony Hart/Blue Peter
The Toddler is playing with play doh. Silly Mummy has been showing her how to make snails. The Toddler has one snail Silly Mummy made and one snail she made. It is time for a rather odd tutorial. Very authoritatively, The Toddler announces: ‘Now, what we’re going to do is squish them. Like this.’ Of course we are. The Toddler now has two play doh snails joined together in the middle. Basically, she has conjoined play doh snail twins. To Silly Mummy’s disappointment, she does not proceed to take out conjoined play doh snail twins she made earlier and attach them to a fairy liquid bottle with double sided tape. She does, however, offer her encouragement to her Silly audience (who have not actually participated in the activity, due to not having any play doh snails because The Toddler has them all). Nonetheless, The Toddler wants Silly Mummy to believe in her ability to not make conjoined play doh snail twins. She enthusiastically informs Silly Mummy: ‘You did very well.’

Suffragette
The Toddler is an enthusiastic member of the Suffragette movement, thanks to Mary Poppins. Sister Suffragette is her current favourite song. The Toddler marches purposefully; laments that men, as a group, are rather stupid; and takes heart that Mrs Pankhurst has been clapped in irons again. The Toddler likes to sing her Suffragette song as her bedtime lullaby. She likes to affirm that she is not a meek and mild subservient, and will be fighting for her rights militantly from the comfort of her bed. Silly Mummy does not like to tell The Toddler that women gained suffrage some time ago. Still, perhaps The Toddler is fighting for votes for toddlers, who are, after all, a woefully neglected political resource.

Engineer
The Toddler has a musical book of Row Your Boat. The music button is starting to play up and often does not work. It is broken again. The Toddler grabs her broomstick: ‘I’m using broomstick to fix book!’ Just as Silly Mummy starts to explain that this will not work, The Toddler whacks the button with the handle of her broomstick and the book obediently starts playing its song. Silly Mummy stands corrected. Isambard Toddler Brunel knows exactly what she is doing.

Warlord
The Toddler is watching Nanny McPhee and The Big Bang. When the boys go to the War Office, The Toddler asks, ‘Where are they?’ Upon Silly Mummy explaining about the War Office, The Toddler nods wisely: ‘I want to do a war. I can do a war.’

Doctor (again)
After briefly changing career to be a hairdresser, Doctor Toddler has decided to give medicine another go. She seems to have had extra training, and has honed her diagnostic skills. She approaches Silly Mummy with her stethoscope: ‘Take a deep breath.’ The Toddler listens to Silly Mummy’s chest. Sometimes Toddler Doctors have to deliver upsetting news. The Toddler does not like to sugar coat it: ‘Hmm, think it’s a bit boring.’ Fortunately, there is a cure. The Toddler brings her syringe: ‘Make it better.’ Having removed the boring infection with a syringe, The Toddler decides she had better check it has not spread: ‘Can I check your ear?’ Inevitably, Doctor Toddler is now waving a reflex hammer. She takes hold of Silly Mummy’s leg, and asks, ‘Where’s your leg? I can’t see it!’ Silly Mummy decides she is going to have to ask to see The Toddler’s medical qualifications. Having located the elusive leg, The Toddler notices Silly Mummy has a bruise: ‘Oh no, bit bang.’ The Toddler whacks the bruise with the hammer: ‘Is that ok? Now, where’s temperature?’ Silly Mummy is really going to have to insist on seeing those qualifications. It should be noted that Doctor Toddler, in compliance with best practice, wears her stethoscope around her waist at all times.

Chef
Chef Toddler is playing with the remnants of her dinner. Like all good chefs, she knows that with a bit of attitude you can (over)charge diners for anything. She turns to Silly Daddy, points at her leftovers, and confidently declares, ‘That’s £5 for you.’ Of course, Silly Daddy is paying for Chef Toddler’s expertise and finesse in preparing her leftover mush: ‘I’ll just mix it round. Is that all right for you?’ The Toddler feels she has nailed being a gourmet chef. She has got the requisite temper tantrums down to a fine art, too.

You Know The Rules: The Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week

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Time once more for the Ten Funniest Things feature, this week guest starring Michael the Dinosaur.

Michael would like the present The Toddler:

1. On dinosaurs, ridiculously named
The Toddler has a placemat with dinosaurs on it. Usually she puts her bowl on the placemat, eats her meals, and no more is said. However, The Toddler feels it is about time she had a bit more interaction with her placemat. She picks it up and addresses one of the dinosaurs: ‘Want a drink, Michael?’ (Michael?! Michael the Dinosaur?!) The Toddler proceeds to answer on behalf of Michael (Michael!) the Dinosaur: ‘Yes, thank you.’ Michael would like some water. He would also like everyone to stop calling him Michael. It’s ruining his street cred.*

(*Remember the velociraptor terrorising the people in the kitchen in Jurassic Park? Imagine if he’d been called Michael. Michael the Velociraptor would have been laughed out of that kitchen. Phil, the infamous Dinosaur Supervisor, might have got to keep his job.)

 
2. On drawings of faces, showing appropriate concern for them
The Toddler has been practising drawing. And empathising. She likes to draw (with help, of course) faces with different expressions. And then empathise with them, apparently. Silly Mummy says, ‘Shall we draw a sad face?’ Silly Mummy helps The Toddler to draw a sad face. The Toddler studies it with a concerned expression: ‘Oh no, that poor boy!’

3. On birthdays, not sharing
The Toddler has been informed that it is Granny’s birthday. This makes her a little irate. She has just realised that it is, in fact, her birthday too (it is not). She is rather indignant at the cheek of Granny, who apparently expects to share The Toddler’s not birthday: ‘No, it’s my birthday! Granny go away!* That’s a bad thing to do!’ There you have it: the brass neck of some people, swanning around, having birthdays like it’s a perfectly acceptable way to behave!

(*It should be noted that Granny is not even present. The Toddler has simply been told in passing that, somewhere out there, Granny is having her birthday. The Toddler is not one to overreact.)

 
4. On salmon, he’s in the car
The Toddler is eating salmon. Silly Mummy says, ‘Salmon’s nice, isn’t it?’
The Toddler quite agrees: ‘Yes, salmon’s in the car, isn’t he?’ Um…The Toddler may have confused the fish salmon with the name Simon. As you do.

5. On herself, needing discipline
The Toddler may be naughty, but at least she is self aware. She announces: ‘Yes, I do need Nanny McPhee.’

6. On raisins, imaginary chocolate
The Toddler has finally taken imaginary play to its logical conclusion – believing her food is covered in chocolate when it is not. Silly Mummy has given The Toddler a tub with some normal raisins in it. For some reason (it’s called optimism), The Toddler is convinced the raisins are chocolate raisins. She peers into the tub: ‘It’s got choccy raisins in it. I like choccy raisins.’ Silly Mummy expects an upset when The Toddler realises there are no chocolate raisins. Instead, The Toddler points at the raisins. She has apparently managed to locate the non-existent chocolate raisins: ‘There’s choccy raisins!’ She happily eats them.

7. On songs, not learning new ones
Grandma is making the mistake of trying to teach The Toddler a new song. The Toddler does not believe in new songs. Songs are only songs if The Toddler knows them. It’s a mystery how The Toddler learnt any songs at all. She is not learning this one. She is shouting over Grandma’s stubborn singing: ‘I can’t sing that one! I don’t know that one! No, Grandma, that’s not fair!’

8. On nannying
The Toddler is holding her broomstick up over her head and carrying her doctor’s kit. She marches through the living room, declaring, ‘I’m going to see the childrens.’ Yes, she’s impersonating Mary Poppins, with a broomstick as an umbrella and a doctor’s kit in place of the carpet bag. Now, who would like to leave their ‘childrens’ in the competent and responsible hands of Toddler Poppins?

9. On knowing the rules
The Toddler is trying to hit the cat with a broomstick, and has been told off. She understands the situation and the need for swift disciplinary measures. Yes indeed: Silly Mummy is being very badly behaved and must be stopped. The Toddler acts promptly, informing Silly Mummy: ‘You know the rules!* Go on naughty step! That’s naughty from you!’

(*Apparently, there is a rule that Silly Mummy is not to tell The Toddler to stop trying to hit the cat with a broomstick. Silly Daddy must have approved that rule.)

 
10. On pandas, wearing them
The Toddler has a couple of items of clothing with pandas on them, which she loves (and is keen to ensure no one tries to steal). However, it appears that she may have become confused as to what pandas actually are. It seems she may believe they themselves are some kind of clothing. Silly Mummy is looking at pictures of the new baby pandas born in China. The Toddler wanders over and peers at the pictures: ‘Oh pandas! Can I put them on?’ No wonder pandas are endangered. Their food has little nutrition, they don’t mate, toddlers are wearing them…

Some other posts in the ‘Ten Funniest Things The Toddler Said Last Week’ feature
Week 9: That’s Not Fair
Week 18: A Spinny Armpits
Week 19: Clock
Week 21: Woof

Trick or Treat (or Dog)

38

The Toddler went trick or treating* this Halloween with her friend, Bat Girl (not her real name). She had a great time. Until people started setting off fireworks, anyway. The Toddler is apparently fine with witches, zombies and skeletons, but she holds no truck with the sky going bang.

The Toddler was on top form interacting with the public. She managed the odd ‘trick or treat’, nailed ‘Happy Halloween’, and was mostly on top of ‘thank you’. She also managed to get a few other sparkling conversation pieces in there.

1. That’s a dog
The Toddler was off to a roaring start at the first house. A dog could be heard (it should be noted that The Toddler did not at any time see a dog). The door opened. The Toddler did not say ‘trick or treat’. She did not even go with the customary and acceptable greeting that is ‘hello’. She announced, ‘That’s a dog!’ Having stated her case, she waited expectantly for someone to give her a treat.

2. You’re a beauty
A few houses later, and a very complimentary The Toddler informed the bemused lady handing out sweets: ‘You’re a beauty!’

3. Can I go in this one?
The Toddler appreciates an impressive effort. One house had set up a full gothic dining table with skeleton guests in their front window, and moving ghosts in their entrance way. The Toddler pressed her nose to the window: ‘Can I go in this one?’ Whilst she waited excitedly for the door to open, The Toddler repeated her request to go in, explaining: ‘This is a perfect one!’ Subsequently, the confused residents attempted to give her sweets, while she made valiant attempts to move into their house.

4. I’ve got cake
One house gave the children cupcakes. This was a popular move. At the next house, the nice lady offered The Toddler and her friend sweets. She may have been expecting a ‘trick or treat’, a ‘Happy Halloween’, maybe a ‘thank you’. No. She got The Toddler and Bat Girl waving cupcakes at her, while The Toddler shouted, ‘I’ve got cake!’

5. I don’t like it
The Toddler’s Halloween fun took a turn when people in the neighbourhood started setting off fireworks. The Toddler liked fireworks two days previously, when she demanded to stand at the front door watching the ones being set off across the road. The Toddler no longer likes fireworks. She made this fact known. She informed Silly Mummy: ‘I don’t like it. Can I go home? I didn’t like fireworks.’ Then she apprised Bat Girl of the situation: ‘I don’t like it. Yuck. I don’t like it, Bat Girl.’ Thereafter, The Toddler started announcing it to whoever answered the doors she knocked on. Confused residents opened their doors to find a toddler witch informing them that she didn’t like it, with no further elaboration as to what exactly she didn’t like. Upon Silly Mummy explaining that The Toddler was talking about the fireworks, one kind boy of about 10 or 11 agreed that they were annoying and asked her if she would like him to make them stop.

6. Awkward
Finally, special mention should go to The Toddler and Bat Girl’s services to awkward situations. At the start of their trick or treat careers, The Toddler and Bat Girl liked to knock on a door, give their greetings (‘that’s a dog’), take their treat, say thank you…and then remain in the doorway, just staring. Until things became awkward, and they were dragged away, still staring.

 

(*Obviously. Because trick or treating was not going to be done due to concerns that (a) it harasses people, and (b) the treats are probably mostly not suitable for a toddler anyway. But The Toddler wanted to do what other children were doing, and her friend was going, so she went and…it was fun. Now that people seem to follow the practice of decorating their houses and putting up trick or treat signs if they want to participate, it seems much easier to avoid concerns about annoying or intimidating people. It feels more like a community activity just for people who want to take part these days. As for the treats? Well, The Toddler enjoyed the experience and her costume. The Silly Parents know people who will enjoy the unsuitable sweets (unconfirmed reports suggest these ‘people’ may be the Silly Parents).)