Rookie Dad: With the wave of her hand

It's been a period of milestones for The Youngling. Just last week - at the ripe old age of 16 months - she was placed on her potty chair and used it. A day before that her pacifiers vanished and both parents survived the ensuing rampages and refusals to nap.

But the big story was how, as the photo above shows, she single-handedly held back the rising waters of the Minnesota River with nothing but her hand. She's a magical little girl who, not unlike the Dutch boy with his finger plugging a hole in the dam, is all about doing her part to help neighborhoods and cities at risk from rising flood waters.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure that The Youngling actually understood why dad was so crabby after he returned home late each day or why she hasn't crossed her favorite bridge for a few weeks but she is definitely enjoying the great outdoors and whether it's walking with a grown-up, cruising down the sidewalks in her stroller or being pulled around in her little red wagon, she can't get enough fresh air.

That fresh air must be addictive because even as darkness was setting in on Saturday, the demanding little lady knew that she wanted to see what was happening around the neighborhood so we caved and pushed the stroller down those all too familiar sidewalks once again before settling the now pacifier-free tike in to her crib which she, thankfully, hasn't learned how to climb out of - yet.

Rookie Dad: It was just a cookie

As I sometimes do, I was giving The Youngling a bath last night. It's a common occurrence after a messy supper as it's both necessary and easier than an extensive clean-up.

After the tub's water was up to the appropriate level I lifted the little girl into the excessively large tub and she proceeded to splash around and throw her duckies. That's when I noticed a certain matter at the bottom of the tub. Having seen her poop in the tub once before (which is one time too many) I quickly flipped the lever for the drain and snatched her from the tub.

I'm a pro at this procedure so I quickly cleaned the tub and refilled it with a towel-draped toddler standing alongside the tub. With water back in the tub, I stood The Youngling back in the tub, she walked around some then sat down and begin splashing again.

That's when I noticed a substance on the edge of the tub. I chalked this up to a toddler's possible curiosity but something about the color just didn't add up. Being either extremely brave or extremely stupid I leaned in for the classic sniff test. Having a full stomach this might not have been the brightest idea I have ever hatched but I did it anyway.

I immediately felt like an idiot. The mystery substance on the side of the tub wasn't poop. Instead, it was peanut butter. I quickly deduced that the particles in the water was logically the remnants of a Nutter Butter which The Youngling had been munching on for her dessert. So I had been fooled by a 16 month old and a cookie. I guess I'll have to do a thorough pat down before she gets in to the tub from now on to make sure she's not not smuggling cookies.