Yepperooni!

Ahren's right!!! It IS the lock on a door. Contrary to popular (or just Tif's) belief, it is NOT a robot nipple. Although completely impossible (like, how would I have access to a robot nipple?), I did like her guess (submitted through email) better than what it actually is. Now all I need to do is find a robot nipple.... :)

Congratulations Ahren!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, just like every other What is IT? there's a story.

Please be advised that the following explanation DOES include some adult content. If you have small children in the room, please proceed accordingly.

This past weekend, we had family in town. Translation: Another set of eyes was present so we didn't have to be available to children at all times.

So, Sunday morning Ernie kept asking me if I was going to take a shower. I have to say, this IS a reasonable question at this point since there are MANY days "shower" doesn't get checked off the "to do" list.

I did finally get in the shower (subconsciously maybe only so he'd stop asking me), and moments after I get in, you guessed it, he plows in. There we are showering, really! And, THANK GOODNESS because despite MANY lessons about how closed doors mean we are supposed to KNOCK before entry, one of the big boys walks right on in. Uh, HELLO??!!

Mom, widhsldo shielso shwekos......why are you both in the shower? I'm pretty sure there was an actual point to the first part of his question, but it took my ears a few moments to get over the shock of his presence and to acclimate to the thundering water as I tried to hide in the corner so maybe he wouldn't notice I was in there.

Pretty much all I heard was the obvious 2nd question. And I am proud to say I think I smoothed it over fairly well. A short explanation about how we were taking a shower the same way he takes a shower with Daddy after I give them all haircuts seemed logical. Genius Dena, good save. Of course, a day later, he was still mentioning it, so I'm not sure if he bought it or was even listening. But, hey, what's new?

Of course, this is selective attention at it's best. I can tell him and show him something 100 times (like DON'T go in a closed door without knocking) and I still have to do it the 101st time. Buuuttt, he catches us in the shower and it's forever etched in his brain.

At this point, you might not be bridging the gargantuan abyss between this story and the What is IT??!!. A LOCK, if Ernie would've used it, I could've finished my shower and ENJOYED it without visualizing the kid running right out of the bathroom and announcing his find to everyone who would listen. I'm fairly sure he even ran up and down the street announcing it on a bullhorn.

All of you with small children are probably smarter than us and would never have to experience the uncomfortable re-entry into a family gathering because you would go ahead and give that little shiny lock a quick turn. I'm just saying, don't give 'em too much credit, don't get overconfident. Please just accept this and learn from us, you only think they know how to knock!