AJ is back to his happy, healthy self today. After sleeping an hour longer than usual (hurray!), he has been �busy, busy, busy� as he put it. Besides attending preschool for two and a half hours this morning, he drew a picture of �the human body� complete with labels for body parts, based on a picture in one of his much loved Magic School Bus books; he built a model of the solar system in the family room using assorted balls from around the house and a Slinky for Saturn�s rings, read several books out loud to me, drew a picture of �Mommy and AJ on the sledding hill in the snow when the sun is going down�; ate a lunch of peanut butter, which he carefully licked off the bread, and oranges which, given the speed of the eating, he very well may have swallowed whole. He is now quite understandably asleep, a state he achieved by singing Christmas carols to himself in bed.

And just so you don�t think AJ is always engaged in such educational pursuits, I must point out a new quirk of his conversation [scatology warning: Proceed with caution!]. Lately when he hasn�t wanted to do something, he has been responding with the simulated empirical evidence that a part of his body is responding to the contrary. An example:

Harriet: AJ, it�s time to put away your cars and take a bath.
AJ: Well, my tummy is saying that it�s still time to play.

Although the tummy is the usual provider of an opposing opinion, this afternoon, perhaps inspired by our assorted readings on the workings of �the human body� as AJ always calls it, other body parts got in on the action. I must admit that I did not handle this state of affairs with the utmost maturity.

Harriet: AJ, it�s time to put your pencils away and get ready to take a nap.
AJ: Well, my pee-pee says it�s still time to play.
Harriet: AJ, I don�t think you pee-pee [I should point out that I was less than enthused with the use of cute euphemisms for body parts and had always referred to this particular part of AJ�s anatomy by its appropriate biological term. �Pee-pee� remains, however, AJ�s choice.] has anything to say about this. It�s your head that�s saying that. The only thing your pee-pee can say, �Quick! Quick! I need to go potty right now!�
AJ: [looks thoughtful], Well, do you know what my pee-pee is saying now?
Harriet: What?
AJ: �Quick! Quick! I need to go potty!�
Harriet: Well, you�d better go then.
(AJ sprints out and returns a few minutes later with dripping hands � he never remembers to dry them. I suppose I should be grateful he remembers to wash.)
AJ: Do you know what is the only thing my butt can say?
Harriet: (rolls eyes) what?
AJ: I have to go poop!
Harriet: You�re right. Except sometimes he says something else.
AJ: What?
Harriet: Pththththtt!
AJ: (tries to blow a raspberry and dissolves into giggles).

Ass-related conversations aside, I am healthier too, although somewhat panicky about the state of my paper, which I have to deliver next week on my campus and the week after at a conference at another major Midwestern university. It�s getting there. I have more than enough to talk about. But it�s very messy and far too long. I want to make sure I have time to show some clips from the film too. I�m hoping I�ll be able to get some more writing done on the train tomorrow. I�m planning an early trek in so I can catch the significantly faster express train and the campus shuttle. If I time it write, the combination shaves an hour off of my commute. I should be done with my exam before lunch and will hopefully have time to do a little library work before I return home.

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