Variations on a theme

For whatever reason, I cringe a little when I hear my three-year-old use the word "butt."  I know this makes me a bit of a prude.  I know there are plenty of civilized, worldly, perfectly lovely people in the world who use the word.  In an effort to avoid passing on my weirdness about the word, I try not to have a reaction when Bug says it.

But in the last ten days or so, the kid says it just about all the time.

He says it to be silly - "Oh, hi, Mr. Butt-butt!"

He says it to show his anger [when he gets a timeout] - "You are a stinky butt!"

He is exploring all possible variations on the theme.


On Saturday morning, I asked him to put on some underwear as a first step in getting ready to leave the apartment and go into the public sphere.

Several minutes later, and without any underwear in sight, he came up to me and said, "First, can I put on some lights?"

I said, "No, love.  First, undies.  Please go get some from your drawer and put them on."

Bug: "Mr. Butt said I could do lights first.  I called him.  [Bug put his hand up to his ear.] 'Mr. Butt, can I do lights first?'  'Sure.'  'Okay.  Thanks, Mr. Butt!'"

Me: "Wow.  That was nice of Mr. Butt, but he has no authority here.  So ... "

Bug: "Yes he does!"

Me: "Oh really?  Who is this Mr. Butt?"

Bug turned around, pointed to his back end, and said, "He's right here!  Mr. Butt-butt!  Wanna see?!?  Here's Mr. Butt!"

And with that amazing joke, Bug reclaimed the word "butt" for me.