One of the things that I love most in life is making people laugh. And while it's nice to elicit a polite chuckle in a social conversation at a party or a work setting, I am most pleased when I make someone laugh for real. Like, LAUGH-laugh. Bend-over-hold-their-sides-bust-a-gut laugh.
And generally, depending on what floats your humor boat, I suppose, I am successful in this, my life-long endeavor. I have been known to make people actually LOL in [church] meetings, pee their pants (LITrally) and spew beverages from their nostrils. I've even almost drowned a friend at a water fountain with [a well-timed] a joke told at what turned out to be a delicate moment in the crucial act of swallowing.
From my earliest recollections, 'You're so funny,' has been consistent feedback from others. It is a personality trait that I value in myself and in all others who are close to me. What floats my humor boat is a combination of quickness of wit, irreverence, willingness to laugh at oneself, and no hesitation to treat wicked, politically incorrect, and/or even the darkest subject matter as fodder for teh joking. To me, humor functions not only as entertainment but also as a way to grease difficult subject matter. Both within myself and in relation to others. The Man and I use humor even in our hardest, roughest conversations. It's a spoonful of sugar, yo. Also? A damn useful coping skill.
My sister is funny. My husband is funny. All of my friends are funny. And as things are shaping up, I'm finding that my kid is funny too. And while she does the regular two-year-old, testing-out-her-world things that are just inherently funny, I see in her (FINALLY) a shadow of myself. She STRIVES to be funny. She tries to make me laugh and when she succeeds, she radiates what looks like pride and self-satisfaction (and then of course REPEATS AD NAUSEAM). She is surprisingly quick, appearing to get the subtleties of humor in a way that leaves me wondering if I'm imagining things.
Like when I ask her, 'What do you want for breakfast/lunch/dinner?' without the benefit of a couple offered choices, her answer is the same:
'DOG FOOD!'
I have absolutely NO idea where this came from but she remembers it every time that she's asked an open-ended question about a meal. And let me tell you--it's still funny. The only exception was the day we played with play-doh and she was pretending to eat it. Later that day when I asked her what she wanted for lunch?
'A PLAY-DOH SAMWICH!'
During bath time, she squashes a rubber duck against her chest to make fart noises. She deliberately sings the wrong words to songs to make a joke. She is starting to make faces for laughs.
I don't know. I read this back and it sounds like a thinly veiled post about how funny my kid is, and I suppose there is that. And I suppose, too, that it may be that every kid is super funny to his/her mom, and that's cool with me. It's not like I think that my kid is the funniest kid in the whole world. It's just that for me, it is one of the most interesting and gratifying parts of parenting so far, watching my girl develop in this particular way. In a way to which I can relate so thoroughly.
When I mention to friends or colleagues that I think my kid is funny, their responses are all variations on a theme:
'Well, you don't say. I wonder where she gets THAT?'
I think it's a good thing, too.
Because some days, her ability to make me laugh is [the only thing that keeps me from putting her up on Craig's List] how I know things are going to work out juuuuust fiiiiine.
Love this!
My oldest son is one of the few people on the planet that actually gets, and participates with my slightly quirky (OK, really odd) sense of humor. He's in the Navy, stationed in Japan, and we have some truly hilarious email exchanges.
He called the other night, and by the time we were done, I was spewing wine out of my nose.
So, I guess the point of this comment is that you likely have much of this sort of interaction to look forward to with TLNG. Enjoy!
Posted by: Carrie | July 23, 2009 at 09:24 AM
That IS some funny stuff. My 8yo doesn't really get humor. His version of a joke is "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "Because it wasn't a duck." Ummm, ooookkkkk. They never make sense.
Our 2yo on the other hand does things like tonight: We went out to eat. He threw a tantrum and threw a small toy. The lady at the next table was kind enough to pick it up for me. EVERY time she got up to go to the buffet for food, he'd get a huge grin, look at her, then throw the toy in her path. When she'd pick it up, he'd sweetly say "Thank you." That's funny. Slightly annoying, but funny.
Posted by: Amanda | July 22, 2009 at 08:28 PM
I love this post. Shes a funny kid alright.
I swear, my kids make me laugh all the time, their ages range from 20 months to nearly 14yrs(with the youngest being the funniest to us all). We all have a similar sense of humour. My husband and I laugh alot together. I laugh alot with my siblings and my parents. I love having the craic with all my friends too. I think that is a huge bonding factor for most people.
Hope you are feeling well.
Best wishes.
Posted by: J from Ireland | July 22, 2009 at 06:57 PM
Dog food is funny. Being funny is a great trait.
Posted by: Secret Mom Thoughts | July 22, 2009 at 05:39 PM
I'm so proud to be the one who almost died at the water fountain.
Posted by: Lori Portka | July 22, 2009 at 05:08 PM
Conversely, as a kid who was as serious as a heart attack, it is similarly gratifying to me to watch my children develop a sense of humor.
Posted by: Julie @ The Mom Slant | July 22, 2009 at 03:07 PM
Never underestimate the power of a well-timed knock-knock joke.
Posted by: RuthWells | July 22, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Now, see, my kids are trying very hard lately to be funny too, but their version is stuff like this:
Why did the chicken go to the hospital? Because somebody kicked his butt!
Even I don't think that's funny. Unlike the dog food joke, which rocks.
Posted by: bea | July 22, 2009 at 09:36 AM
That is really cool. I bet your daughter is hilarious.
My son has just learned his first joke. He tries to shove his binky into my mouth, and then he cracks up. I love it.
Posted by: -R- | July 22, 2009 at 09:16 AM
A senior manager (my boss's boss) I had told me when M was little that the most important thing to teacher was how to laugh and have fun. Nothing else matters as much as that.
I totally get being proud of that. We are in our house too. I like to think I'm funny, and my husband actually is. She's about the same age as TLNG and has the same humor things going on. Never fails to crack me up.
Posted by: Amelia Sprout | July 21, 2009 at 10:44 PM
Dog food. That IS funny.
I'm hoping my own daughter follows suit. Cause about now, I could use the incentive to keep her around...
Posted by: julie | July 21, 2009 at 10:39 PM
It just gets better too. My six year old's sense of humor just slays me lately. The best part of being a parent so far is laughing WITH my kid instead of just AT him. ;)
I still think you're one of the funniest bloggers I've read. TLNG will be lucky to have half of your humor.
Posted by: AnnetteK | July 21, 2009 at 10:34 PM
That's so awesome. Seeing a kinship to your child develop as she grows is just amazing. My daughter is becoming as much of a bookworm as I am, and the joy of watching her totally absorbed in a book is exquisite. That said, once she starts ripping her OWN farts for a laugh, you're hosed.
Signed,
Stanked-out mother of non-stop fart-ripping boy who still thinks every fart is ALL THAT
Posted by: shriek house | July 21, 2009 at 10:21 PM