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July 10, 2009

I am hippo, hear me roll

After another nutritious dinner of sliced hot dog (“NO BUN!!!”), ketchup, grated cheese, ketchup, cucumbers and more ketchup I found Mads standing in front of the bathroom mirror and looking intently at her now-full – but not too full for a popsicle – belly.

“Look at my tummy, Mommy… I look like a hippo!” This was followed by fits of laughter, wailing sounds that I assume were meant to replicate the calls of a hippo, and repeated exclamations of, “I’m a hippo! I’m a hippo!”

Ah, toddlerhood, when it doesn’t matter if your hair has toothpaste in it or you still have yesterday’s peanut butter on your chin or you boast an insanely high percentage of body fat. When looking like a wild jungle beast is a cause for celebration.

I have hippo moments of my own of course, after that ill-advised cheeseburger happy meal or one (dozen) too many Timbits. I tend to greet them not with gales of gleeful laughter, but with a powerful cocktail of self-loathing, exercise and empire-waist tops.

So is it the daily onslaught of Barbie dolls and Fergie’s abs on MTV? Or maybe that single horrifying moment when Shelly, your 6th grade nemesis, waltzes in with her bedazzled jean mini and glossy blonde hair as you sit suddenly conscious of your seafoam-coloured sweatpants and that mess of a bad home perm that refuses to grow out. Most likely it’s a bit of both.

But wouldn’t it be nice if we could always feel as good about ourselves as we do when we’re 3 years old? Let’s just all take a moment to embrace our inner – and outer – hippos.

July 10, 2009 | Permalink

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Comments

i dread the day when instead of jj sticking out her belly, she starts to suck it in!!

Posted by: brandee | Jul 12, 2009 12:52:35 PM

Needed this today........
Am 7 months pregnant and I totally look like a hippo......
And it sure doesn't help when the other pregnant colleague in the office looks like she hasn't put on a pound anywhere except the belly.
:) , But for today let me embrace my hippo-ness ...lol.....nice post.

Posted by: desertblogger | Jul 14, 2009 4:51:37 AM

Love it!! Would'nt it be nice....

Posted by: Danielle | Jul 17, 2009 2:08:25 PM

AMEN!!
I'm bracing my inner hippo right now!

I love how you express yourself. It's fun to read your blog.

Posted by: kjell | Aug 5, 2009 8:35:48 PM