Thursday, September 25, 2008

Solving the world's problems one toddler at a time

Sometimes on my endless unpaved road in Motherhood my children throw me a speed bump which causes me to slow down and think. They force me to look at the world around me. Left, right, left again, and over the shoulder before crossing the speed bump. After cautiously crossing I become a different person.

The latest speed bump in my journey was that of my toddler's self discovery of her body that lead to worldwide tolerance.

My youngest child discovered her belly button last week. "Bummie?"

She toddled around the house pulling up everybody's shirts exposing their "bummies." We naturally joined in with her contagious giggles as we flashed our belly buttons. Her eyes grew larger by the minute as she realized that everyone had "bummies" like she did.

"Bummies?!?"

After a quick google search with a wild banshee on my lap, "Does every human have a belly button?" We learned that every single human being from Albania to Zimbabwe had a belly button.

Ha! We are all the same.

We. Are. All. The. Same. We all have belly buttons.


"bummies"
pępek
へそ
ventre pulsante
ombligo
पेट बटन
belly button.

Whatever you call it. We all have it. Enjoy your speed bumps.

67classy comments:

Mom said...

If only that was all they discovered my 4 year old is in love with his pee pee! Am I really first?

Blessings From Above said...

That is a great reminder! The world would be a much happier place if we were all as innocent (and accepting) as a toddler.

As always, Fifi looks adorable!

Unknown said...

Oh that picture is to die for! We call it by the Czech name in our house which is pronounced "poo-peck" (not sure of the ACTUAL spelling). Looks like it's close to the Polish word.

You should get her "The Belly Button Book" by Sandra Boynton. : )

Val said...

This is just too cute.

Babcia said...

Sweet Fifi,she is beautifull.

Cecily R said...

Now that is FABULOUS. I love lessons that come straight from kids when they don't even realize they are teaching. What fabulous insight.

And bummies makes me giggle no matter the language! Its just a great word!

Tena said...

awww FiFi, you are too cute for words!!!

Anonymous said...

Aw, too adorable! You haven't watched Kyle XY, have you? The whole mystery the first season was about him not having a belly button... Anyway, everyone else does, yes. ;)

Sarah G said...

Very cute. You could add "tummy button" to your list of alternate words - that's the name I used growing up in New Zealand.

Jyl @ MommyGossip said...

I can see the world peace marketing campaign starting now--with our belly buttons. She could be the poster child.

How cute!

carrie said...

I think she should be head of the UN!

Anonymous said...

speed bumps uh...
dunno... mine's more like a curb! bit bigger! lol
vivent l'égalité !

Anonymous said...

awwwwwwww, how freaking adorable is she? Especially when she pulls that in the bank. Make sure you have your camera K?

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

That's so cute! And the fact that you got a picture. Adorable!

Flea said...

Do Tellie Tubbies have bummies?

Flea said...

Do Tellie Tubbies have bummies?

Irene said...

Interestingly, my husband and my daughter both do not have bummies. But that was due to surgeries when they were little ones. They did have them when they were born.

My husband had a hernia repaired and the surgeon reconstructed his bummie to make it look like one. Although it actually was removed. Same with my daughter.

Sweet picture!!! Love the chubby belly!!!!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

:) She's a doll. And I often think about all o f the women who have carried all of the babies and labored to birth an dthen raise them, only to lose them to war and hate crimes....

Anonymous said...

I was relieved to read that bummies meant belly buttons in your house. For a minute, I was afraid she was pulling up your shirt.

Maggie, Dammit said...

Ha! I love it! And I love love love love the toddler bellies that host those ombligo's, stuffed to the gills and pudged out in pride. Ohhh, that's good stuff.

Kelly said...

It's amazing the things we learn once we have kids!

Anonymous said...

What a precious little sweetie. Her cute little belly buldging out is just too adorable. I would love to pick her up and squeeze her cuteness. Your kids are so stinking terrific. Just like their momma.

I have to tell you. I gagged seeing the picture. I cannot touch my belly button and cannot stand seeing others touch theirs. I'm weird.

3 Peanuts said...

That is simply adorable. it is those little things we need to write down...lest we forget:)

Crystal D said...

I loved my belly button when I was little. My mom told me I would disappear if it came undone (so I would quit playing with it all the time).

Anonymous said...

Did you know I had a friend whose grandmother didn't have one? I don't know if she lied or not, but she swore up and down, probably to this day that she didn't have a belly button. I don't know how it's possible though...

Anonymous said...

Our latest "speedbump" was when Miss Mia (age 2) asked why she didn't have a long potty thing (like her brothers).

Oy vey.

Courtney said...

What a sweet lesson from a sweet wild banshee!

GypsiAdventure said...

Cute!
~K

Rhea said...

That is just about the cutest photo ever!

We call them belly buttons here. lol

Rhea said...

bummies sounds like "bum" but is pretty cute.

I love that she's just now figuring it out and finding it on everyone. lol

Unknown said...

she is NOT lifting my shirt to expose my bummie!!! i repeat...she is NOT lifting my shirt to expose my bummie!! fifi has been warned! can't wait to see you next weekend!!!

Cynthia said...

Yep...got one!

Anti-Supermom said...

Reminds me of the book "Everyone Poops" - tell me you've read that? (You can change the word 'poop' for 'shu shu' or however you spell it).

Cute, cute.

Natalie said...

If only we could all remember these simple, yet profound lessons as we grow and become jaded, this world would be a better place.

You can tell your daughter that Natalie in Arizona (THE DESERT!) has a belly button and so DOES HER SON!

So cute. I love the lesson.

Laura said...

Oh how cute is she?!?!?!?!?

What a wonderful take on learning, growing and experiencing life as a mother...thank you for sharing - this post has deeply toughed me - I think it is simply perfect.

This world sure would be different if people remembered that we all have bummies!

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

My 5 year old STILL loves my belly button.

Thanks for the speed bump reminder.

KEEP BELIEVING

Anonymous said...

Awwww, very cute indeed! Tummy buttons here!

Jaina said...

She is just too cute!

Kat said...

We love belly buttons in my house. :)

Tyne said...

Love it! What a cute picture of the belly button love.

Anonymous said...

That is just too cute! Thanks for sharing...

Miss Lisa said...

Awwww :)

Adam and Eve are the only ones I can think of without belly buttons ;)

Clare said...

oh fifi you are too cute! braldey calls his the 'bee boo' from the belly button book, you should get it if you don't have it. i think fifi would really like it!

Miss said...

Holy shit woman. 45 people are THAT excited about belly buttons??

;-)

Kid's a doll.

the planet of janet said...

this just makes me giggle.

thanks.

Rachel said...

too cute. Love that pic and I love the discovery stages.

Monkey has an 'outie' from a hernia and he thinks 'popping' it is the funniest thing ever and Princess was fascinated with the difference.

Love this. thanks for the grins darlin' one.

Anonymous said...

Hannah's been fascinated by her 'bucky' since she was a baby. Great post, made me laugh! Fifi is a cutie pie!

Anonymous said...

Too cute!

Anonymous said...

That reminds me of the Rainbow Family... the hippies with the Gatherings in the national forests. You know who is allowed to join Rainbow Family? ANYONE WITH A BELLY BUTTON!

Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels said...

Stella found hers recently too. I am kind of relieved than when she follows me into the restroom she points to my belly button only ;-)

Karen said...

I have never heard it called that before - so stinkin' cute!

April said...

I totally thought the bummies were referring to something else!

Anonymous said...

Is pepek the Polish? Cause often I discover the Polish word is JUST a teesy bit different than the Czech - which is this case is popeck.

tiarastantrums said...

that was cut e- she is adorable!

Manager Mom said...

The only dangerous thing with my kids and their belly buttons is that the questions wander past the reason they HAVE a belly button (it was because it fed you while you were in my belly) inevitably down the path to "the talk." (how did I get in your belly in the first place).

just jamie said...

So here's something you may not know... MY "bummie" (along with millions of other plastic surgery peeps) isn't really "mine." After the twins, my stomach muscles tore pretty severely. So, the solution: a tummy tuck. Yup. I had one. And the weird part: they gave me a NEW belly button. It's so weird. I like my old one better. It was my portal to MY Mom. Now it's a fakey.

Rachel said...

How sweet; my little one LOVES looking for "beep beeps," as she calls them. It's so cute to see what amazes them at this stage!

Tara R. said...

If we did focus on all the many things we have in common and not so much on the small differences, the world would be so much nicer. Your daughter is brilliant!

Unknown said...

I am having the worst luck with comments, lately. I could have sworn I left a pithy, witty comment here yesterday. Somehow, it isn't here. And since I can't remember just exactly what that pithy, witty comment was, I am now forced to NOT leave a comment.

Kaci said...

Great post!! El loves her beep beep too! :)

Unknown said...

Awww, what a great discovery and lesson to teach the little ones. You are such a fabulous Mama!!

Anonymous said...

You have such a sweet blog! : )

Anonymous said...

So cute that you did a search! Nice to know that although we are all so different, we share one common thing!

Anonymous said...

No one has said much about that TUMMY around the bummy. It's delicious and I would like to bite it, like I bite my kids' bellies.

C and C Mommy said...

My uncle is Czech and he taught my daughter to call it her popek?? I am not sure how to spell it but she loves looking at everyone's popek!!

Anonymous said...

My two year old has been fascinated with hers since she was itsy bitsy. Instead of a security blanket. She holds on to her belly button to comfort her. She has made her belly button raw from holding it so much. She has to hold it while she is drinking milk, watching shows and whatever else. It is really cute, but it has required having her in a onesie at some times to keep her belly button from rotting off from being so raw. Ha ha!!!

Quarantine Hobby said...

That is SO cute!

I had no idea where "bummies" was going--didn't even think belly button until you said it. Fifi is just adorable.

 

Blog Designed by: NW Designs

Original Header and Concept by: Judith Shakes