It had to happen sometime. We’ve got a very, very curious child, and despite his energy and zeal for life, we’ve made it nearly three years with few…er…bodily mishaps. But yesterday went a little something like this:

Sarah: “It’s time to go to ECFE, Griffin. Let’s clean up and head upstairs to put our shoes on.”

Griffin: “Nooooooo! I want to play blocks!”

S: “I know you want to play blocks, and we can play them later, but now it’s time to go to school.”

G: “NOOOOOOO!” <insert crying tantrum here>

S: “Okay. Well, it sounds like you’re pretty upset about not playing blocks, so I’m going to head upstairs and get ready. You come up when you’re done.”

<crying and wailing ensues for about three minutes>

G: <coming up the stairs> “Mama. I’m done. I put a penny in my mouth.”

S: “Oh? Well, that’s not something we put in our mouths. Time to take it out.”

G: “I can’t. It’s not there.”

S: “Did you spit it out?”

G: “No. Look. Mama take it out!”

S: “Well, if you didn’t spit it out, and it’s not there, you probably swallowed it. Did you swallow it down your throat?”

G: “Yes. Mama take it out!”

S: “Does your throat or tummy hurt?”

G: “No. Where is my penny?”

S: “Well, it’s in your body now, so it will probably come out in your poop.”

G: <excitedly> “I want to poop it out RIGHT NOW!!!”

After trolling the internet, a call to the pediatrician, and support from parents at ECFE, it was decided that we would just have to wait to see if it came out on its own. I do have to admit, though, that being under the spell of pregnancy hormone-induced anxiety, I let some of the internet findings of coins being lodged in the esophagus one way and then being dislodged and killing a child, or coins causing ulcers, or any of the numerous “my child needed surgery” testimonials get to me. I checked on him multiple times during his nap, reminding me of nap times postpartum when I would nervously check to make sure he was still breathing.

But predictably, he survived both nap time AND the night, and this morning from the bathroom I heard:

“Mama!! MY PENNY IS IN MY POOP!!!”

Whew.