You say to-MAH-to…

Anna arrived in pajamas and carrying a sandwich, her breakfast.

Seems Anna was not with the out-the-door program this morning. She has her moments here, too, the times she stomps her foot and attempts to claim the place at the top of the daycare food chain. With Anna, though, all I usually have to do is laugh — not hard, she’s so cute when she’s attempting to usurp my spot — and she joins right in, chortling her husky chuckle. And then we move on. With each of us in our rightful spots.

And at home? Dad has the laughter technique pretty well nailed; it’s clear Anna got her well-developed sense of humour from him. Mom is not humour-impaired, but she worries more, she often carries an air of anxiety. Anna and dad? They just go with the flow.

Well, except when Anna decides to be the rock in that flow… I’m thinking pajama mornings are rock mornings.

Having kissed and dismissed daddy, Anna plonks her pajama’d butt on the bench, unwraps her sandwich, and commences to make cheerful conversation with Timmy.

“I have a peanut-butter sandwich.”

Timmy is poking holes in playdough with a straw. He nods and echoes. He is a great echo-er, is Timmy. Frequent, and often mindlessly reflexive echoes. “You have a penis-butter sandwich.” He peers down the straw, then shakes it, trying to dislodge the dot of dough in the end. It’s stuck, darnit.

“I have a peanut-butter sandwich.”

“A penis-butter sandwich.” Maybe if he whacks the straw against the edge of the table?

“No, I have a pea…” You can see the moment when she suddenly hears the words. The gleam in her eye brightens. Mischief crackles about her.

“I have a penis-butter sandwich!!”

This is the funniest thing that’s happened to Anna in days! Weeks! Years! Possibly her ENTIRE LIFE! She’s shaking, shrieking, squealing with laughter. Timmy lifts his eyes from the still-plugged straw, his attention finally caught by the waves of hilarity washing through the dining room.

“Hey, Timmy! I have a penis-butter sandwich!”

“Penis-butter????”

“YEAH!”

Breakfast will never be the same again…