Mr. Funny Business

When the Nugget was 4 months old, Grandpa appropriately nicknamed him, "Mr. Funny Business".  The Nugget is quick to smile and will do anything to make others smile too.  Here are a few of his latest smile-inducing tricks:

-Daddy taught the Nugget to march and spin like the Irish Guard, with high steps, right arm held up at a right angle, hand made into a fist.  The Nugget now cannot spin without his right hand in said position.  Yesterday, when Daddy was spinning with him, he had his hands to the sides, and the Nugget fussed and grunted, pushing his arm up into the proper spinning position, then smiled!

-The Nugget likes to plop.  From a standing position, he will plop down on his bottom as hard as he can, repeatedly.  This is always a big crowd pleaser, and he is willing to do at least a dozen plops in rapid succession for an appreciative audience.  It seems like it would hurt, but perhaps his cloth diapers offer some extra padding.

-If you are holding the Nugget while doing something other than gazing at him adoringly, he will cock his head to one side, open his eyes wide, and give you a million dollar grin.  If that still doesn't grab your attention, he will gently take your face in his hands and turn your head until you make eye contact.

-The Nugget has perfected the art of flirting, toddler-style.  He first locates an attractive female.  (He seems to appreciate a great diversity of women - age, race, height, shape, hair color...none of it seems to matter to him as long as they return his affection.)  He gets her attention with his trademark smile, then dashes back to me and buries his face in my shirt or ducks behind my leg.  He'll alternate smiling peeks at her and hiding.  If he feels bold, he will then approach her and plant a big drooly kiss.  I have yet to meet anyone hard-hearted enough to shun his advances.  I wish I had kept a tally of his kisses - countless waitresses, flight attendants, and cashiers have succumbed to the Nugget's charms.  This weekend, it was a student at the bookstore.  I have no idea where he learned this; it seems to be an inborn ability.  He does also kiss boys and men he knows, but doesn't do the whole hiding/flirting thing. 

-The Nugget has decided that Doggie is worthy of emulation.  He is constantly attempting to sneak food out of her dish and carry toys in his mouth the way she does.  Lately, he's been fascinated with the way she laps up water.  Given the opportunity, he will dump a small puddle of milk or water on the floor for her, and I'll catch them both lapping up the puddle.  It is definitely not a sanitary activity, it's a total chore to clean up the mess and worse if Doggie drinks enough milk to make her vomit, but I can't help laughing when I catch him in the act.

-My current favorite is that the Nugget is learning to jump.  He only gets maybe a centimeter of air on his best efforts, so it looks a lot like exuberant stomping.  He also pants like a dog when he jumps.