MACKEY CHRONICLES | "Poopy Dots"

Hannah comes rushing into the room, dripping wet and covered by nothing but a towel. But it's her face that made me stop what I was doing.

"Hannah, what's the matter?" I asked, my voice filled with concern over the frustration that is clearly written on Hannah's face.

"I can't get it off." Hannah said, her eyes beginning to fill with moisture.

"What can't you get off, sweetheart?" I ask.

She opens her towel, and points with consternation at a brown dot located just above her right hip.

"This poopy dot. I tried to wash it off and it won't come off." Hannah replied.

Her eyes furrow with anger as I start to laugh. The brown dot is simply a freckle. I pull her close to me in an attempt to relieve her frustration.

"Honey, it's not a poopy dot...this is a freckle." I try to explain.

"No...IT'S A POOPY DOT!! LOOK!" Hannah says with all the force she can muster, convinced I must be wrong.

Just finished with their baths, Tyler and Vern, with Rachel in his arms, walked over to investigate the uproar- just as I was began trying to explain the concept of freckles to my stubborn and very concerned 3 year old.

"Hannah, look at this freckle on mommy's arm. It's not a poopy dot, it's called a freckle." I said, and looking at Tyler, "And see, there are freckles all over Tyler's face. These definitely aren't poopy dots. These are freckles. Tyler wouldn't have poopy dots on his face, right?"

Hannah and Tyler laughed at the thought of poopy dots on Tyler's face. But Hannah remains firm. "It's not a freckle...it's a poopy dot."

I look up at Vern and smile, clearly I've lost this one.

"Ok sweetheart. You can call it a poopy dot." I said. "But just remember that it's really called a freckle."

"It's ok mom," Tyler says with a smile, "We can call them poopy dots!"

So...now, we have a family with bodies full of poopy dots. And just saying it makes me smile!! I guess maybe that's what's important!