6.16.2008

The Magical Fruit

Let me preface this by saying that one of Henry's unique talents is that of smelling stuff. His favorite thing at preschool was the set of "smelly" markers - he liked to color with them and guess what flavors they were. He is always sniffing something out and is fairly accurate at identifying strange and far away smells. Of course, sometimes he is a little far-fetched and a little imaginative and likes to make up silly smells or fancy names for what he is smelling. We often say to him, in the style of Super Why: "Super Henry, with the power to smell!!!"

So last night, I decided that I would go a super easy route for food today because I have so many strikes against me at the moment. I threw a couple ham hocks and some pinto beans in the slow cooker overnight and was happy to once again be (in some small way) following in grandma's footsteps. (Incidentally, ham hocks are super cheap and give such a nice flavor to beans...Grandpa used to drown a thick slice of bread with beans and Grandma served fresh from the garden tomato slices on the side. The perfect summertime lunch.)

Anyway...Henry was up in the middle of the night to "snuggle" and after a minute or two of wriggling into my space in the bed, said to me in his loudest of whispers: "Mom! I think Charlie pooped!" In my trying-to-go-back-to-sleep state I knew what the real smell was but Henry wouldn't leave me alone until I explained that Charlie is behind a closed door, he doesn't do that in the middle of the night, and that what his super sniffer was whiffing was just the yummy beans cooking downstairs. Great, I thought...it's going to be fun convincing him to try them tomorrow. (They really are delicious comfort food. And I was sure that no matter what Henry said, they did not smell like Charlie's diaper.)

So this morning I turned the beans off, David packed some in his lunch, and I had a few for lunch myself, and enjoyed them. The boys opted for PBJs. Then about fifteen minutes ago, I smelled the beans again. Oh shoot, I thought. Didn't I turn those beans off? They're going to be mush! I checked the slow cooker and it was off. And then I realized that Charlie (who, it should be noted, has not had any beans) was at my feet, smelling like our house did in the middle of the night.

I think I'm having a PBJ for dinner.

6 comments:

The Amazing Trips said...

So, what I want to know is if Super Henry smelled Super Charlie (with the power to stink) or if it really was the beans?

Which, ooohh, they do sound like they'd be tasty. But certainly not in the context in which you present!! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh.
My.
Gosh.

He's almost four Traci, don't you know that kids are RARELY wrong when it's their supertalent they are using?

See-yesly.

someone else said...

Oh my goodness! I knew the moment I read the title of this just where you were going with it. What a great story!

Michelle said...

Hahaha!

Unknown said...

Funny.

I have the super power of smell, too. I can smell things when my husband does not even acknowledge the presence of an odor. Unfortunately, it's usually bad smells.

Gabriela said...

:) I don't think I'll ever eat bean soup again without thinking of this post!

Happy Birthday to Charlie a little late, and I hope things are going better for you (I totally understand the one year perfect baby certificate expiring. It was a sad day in my household).