Loogie

DSC04421, originally uploaded by kandjpowell.

Okay, this may be the grossest thing that I have encountered thus far as a Mother. At the baseball game, Jack was enthralled by the players and tried to stand as close as possible to the fence behind the dugout. As I'm watching him, he leans down to grab something in the fence that has caught his attention. Much to my horror, I realize that he has just gotten a tiny fistful of authentic baseball player loogie (is that even how you spell that?) that was so thick and mucousy that it had caught on the fence and was hanging there until Jack managed to grab it. I couldn't act quick enough. I managed to grab jack's little arm even as he's moving the gelatinous substance closer to his face for a better inspection. So now I 'm carrying Jack and holding his arm straight out and we move through the spectators trying to find Jim because he has car keys and baby wipes are in the car. Jim is thoroughly impressed with Jack's "find" and we trek back to the car while alternating between gagging and giggling. (This is when we took this photo...by which time the loogie had already disintegrated or dripped off somewhat...so please imagine it much grosser and thicker to begin with...) Jack meanwhile is taking the whole situation very seriously....almost stoically. With great relief I use several baby wipes to clean Jack's hand and Jim and I send him trotting out in front of us in the empty dirt lot near the practice field as we walk back towards the game. Jack stumbles and falls, catches himself with his hands, and stands up completely fascinated with something he found on the ground. We hurry up behind him and find him with a damp hand full of gravel and...horror of horrors...ANOTHER LOOGIE!

At this point I was totally overcome with the complete grossness and hilarity of the situation. I suppose this is just a good preview of life with a boy...but, really, who's ever had so many intimate encounters with other people's mucous?