4.8.20 - Poopy in the poopy jar

Tonight Jack put the girls in the bath tub. I joined everyone in the bathroom so I could give Calvin a sponge bath at the same time. For a moment I got a strong scent of poop and I was afraid one of the girls had gone in the tub, but they hadn't. Checked Calvin's diaper and he was clean too, so maybe it was just a fart. However the incident led me to mimic the "Who took the cookie from the cookie jar?" format and I said something about who let a fart go. The girls thought it was hilarious and quickly adapted it to their own song, which went something like:

Girls: Who took the poopy from the poopy jar? DADDY took the poopy from the poopy jar!
Jack: Who me??
Girls: Yes you!
Jack: Not me!
Girls: Then who?? [And here Jane would dramatically spread her arms, palms facing up, like it was this great mystery]
Jack: MOMMY took the poopy from the poopy jar!
And repeat, with every family member.

The girls squealed with delight and grinned and laughed, and they wanted to repeat the process several times, especially Jane. She even had a little dance to go with it. She thought it was all so funny. Calvin watched amused and mystified.

Fast forward to bed time. Lately I've been singing them each "Baby Mine" most nights before bed. I used to resist doing so every night but that was often when I was exhausted from lab. I also had this vague idea that if I did it every night it wouldn't be special to them anymore, but I've since scrapped that. If they still ask to do it they must enjoy it, and I certainly do.

I actually have started taking a lot of meaning out of it. Once a few weeks ago Clara silently held her arms around my neck the whole time I sang it, and it was quite moving. So now when I do it, I make sure whichever girl whose turn it isn't stays quiet to let me and the girl I'm singing too fully embrace the moment.

Jane always goes first, which they both seem to prefer. Tonight I softly stroked her hair as I sang slowly and she stared up at me. I thought about how quickly they're growing, how sad it is that Scout isn't here, and how glad I am that they still ask me to hold them and sing this, because eventually they won't want me to. It was a solemn bonding moment for me with Jane.

Then it was Clara's turn, but the moment I started singing to her, Jane started softly singing "Who took the poopy from the poopy jar?" It was all I could do not to laugh. I solemnly told her to stop and let me sing to Clara. I started the lullaby over, and I heard Jane mutter under her breath "Who took the poopy from the poopy jar?" I stopped and very sternly told her to quit or I'd smack her hand, but it was all I could do to not laugh and undermine myself. Even after that she muttered very very softly to herself until I was done with the song, then she burst out with normal volume.

Whole this was pretty funny.

Bath pic from about a week prior.