His Two Cents Worth

Yesterday afternoon, while changing my son's poopy diaper, I looked down to see a coppertoned Abe Lincoln looking up through a messy blob of... well, you know. My first thought was, "Oh no! He swallowed a penny. Is that harmful?" Then I thought maybe it had just fallen down his shirt and into his pants, somehow, and hadn't actually gone through his digestive tract.

The kids had gotten into a box of loose change I had on my dresser, and there were pennies all over the floor. I know I should have cleaned them up right away, but it was one of those things where you see the stuff, but decide you're in the middle of something else, so you'll come back to it a bit later. And then, of course, you forget. That happens to you too, doesn't it? It's not just me?

Anyway, I was just sitting here reading a book (10 Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth) with my daughter, when my son looked over and stuck out his tongue to show me a bright, shiny penny on the tip of it. I told him to take it out of his mouth. Unfortunately, I used a rather loud voice, and I think I startled him. He swallowed it right there in front of me!

"Where'd the penny go?" I asked.

"In my tummy!" he replied with a grin.

Well, I hope this one comes out the other end as easily as the first. And, by the way, I just went around the room and picked up all the loose coins. He's had his two cents worth.