Inexplicable, really. How does one so young have such an evolved sense of humor? She frequently declares that we should stop, “joking” her, recounting stuff that she says we say. She also likes passing gas, and can do it on her own whim. Again, laughing and laughing. It’s especially funny to fart ON people, BTW. The kid even takes credit for other people’s gas. She finds humor everywhere.

Today, for example, as we played tea party with her dolls and tiny toy pets, I asked her what her dog’s name was. “Poop,” she said with a smile, laughing hysterically. Then she jumped up, grabbed the pretend potty, and made the small dog go poop, except oops, it fell in. I got fake indignant, of course. No! Dogs don’t use potties. Ewww! And she laughed some more.

It’s not just scatological humor that she’s got down, either. Last night we were playing with an empty toilet paper tube. I was using it as a secret-sharer, putting it up to each girl’s ear and telling them a secret. I started with Big Girl:

Me: I want to tell you a secret.
Big Girl: What?
Me: I love you.
Big Girl: That’s not a secret. And then she laughed, and my heart melted.

Then came Little Girl’s turn. I put the tube against her ear, and she started making whispering sounds as I tried to talk. Big Girl and I looked at each other, not being able to control our laughter. No, I told Little Girl, Mommy goes first. You listen, and then you get a chance to talk. But she wanted none of it, preferring to whisper, whisper as I whispered, laughing the whole time. We all collapsed laughing until their daddy, my husband, came home soon after. This kind of stuff happens all the time. It’s rare that she’s sad, pensive, or upset.

Tonight — just a few minutes ago, actually — was one of those rare occasions. She had a nightmare. I heard her crying in her room. I went in, my arms aching for her, and picked her up. What’s wrong, mama, I asked. Are you okay? And then I carried that little bundle over to the chair and rocked for what seemed like forever. Smelling her little head, rubbing the small of her neck. No jokes, no laughter, just a tiny girl clinging to her mommy. I wondered to myself if she senses how serious the rest of her family is and tries to make us all laugh. I wondered if she thinks she has to be funny. Crazy, right? She’s only two. But I still wonder. Because of that I will try harder to make sure she knows I love her whether she’s funny or not. That she knows we love her and not her funny jokes and infectious laugh. Oh, I’ll still laugh just as hard at her jokes — who wouldn’t — but I want to make sure as she grows up she realizes that there’s more to her than just being funny.

Wednesday she started school. I asked her if she was finally going to make me a picture. (Her running joke all summer was that all the pictures she made in her mini camp were for Papa — my father-in-law.) “You’re going to make Mommy something today, right?” She looked at me, started laughing, and told me no. “It’s for Shari,” she said, mentioning one of our good friends. And then she laughed some more. I did get a picture, though. It is hanging up in my office.

Another example: Yesterday Little Girl, Big Girl and I went to Trader Joe’s. We decided to hit Home Goods, too. We pulled into the parking lot behind the building and I reminisced about the Gymboree that used to be there. I told Big Girl about the day I pulled around the same corner and saw a tunnel out back. I knew, I told her, that someone must have thrown up. And then I explained how we went inside — she and I — and asked if someone threw up. When we got the confirmation, we left. Everyone thought I was nuts. Why did we leave, Big Girl wanted to know. I explained how vomit is my thing. I can’t handle it. It freaks me out.

And then I heard it. Little Girl making noises like she was going to throw up. Like she was trying to throw up. I stopped the car and turned around. “Don’t even think about it,” I told my 26-month-old daughter. She grinned ear to ear, started laughing and said, “That’s funny, Mommy. I funny!” I didn’t know whether to laugh with her, cry or be really mad. I went with all of the above.

Being Little Girl’s mom is such a trip. It’s amazing to live with someone who is constantly looking for the joke. Little Girl was interchanging nursery rhymes with the word poop at like 18 months. She’s been grabbing things and hiding them since around the same time. Her favorite phrase for months now: That’s funny! I funny, Mommy!

And she’s right. She is. I feel sorry for her teachers. She’s going to drive them nuts.

Whoa! Something is very wrong with this kind of search.

Friends. They can be so important to our well-being, keeping us sane, healthy, and happy, and changing our lives for better or for worse. I thought I’d shake Favorite Things Friday up yet again, so — although I still selected several found-on-the-Web favorites for inclusion in this week’s list — I’m dedicating the first few faves to some “friendly” surprises. I hope you’ll help me help others smile by leaving your own friend stories at the end of this post.

(My one disclaimer: This list is in no order; don’t take it personally if you’re my friend and you’re not on this list. I hope to be blogging for a long time. I’ll get to your story eventually. I don’t want to blow my wad in one shot, as my husband said I should avoid doing. Hmmm. Is that obscene? I don’t know…oh, and I’m not including my family because they have an unfair advantage.)

• A Loving Surprise: Amy G. I was pregnant with Big Girl the same time another friend was pregnant with her son. My friend Amy had promised me her bassinet when she found out I was pregnant, but she knew our other friend, who announced her pregnancy after mine, much, much longer. Of course she should get it, she said. I was hurt, but knew it was the right thing to do. I’d get one at my shower, I assumed. But before I got the chance to register for one, Amy beat me to it. As I was leaving her house one day, she walked out and handed me a brand new, gorgeous bassinet. I was touched beyond belief. I have always had a hard time accepting help from people. The fact that Amy went out and did something so thoughtful and kind has stuck with me all these years.
• A Sweet Surprise: Shari. I miscarried a few years ago. I did it the hard way, sitting in my bathroom bleeding for 12 hours until the baby passed. (Sorry, TMI.) I was so hollow and sad afterward. That night my friend Shari showed up at my door with a large cup of Ralph’s jelly ring ices. She handed it to me, saying she didn’t want to bother me, but she wanted to know she cared. I already did, but that simple gesture meant a lot.
• An Awkward Surprise: Judy.  Judy and I were not just friends, we were couple friends. The four of us had more laughs than I can count. Through half our 20s and our early 30s until we had a falling out. We’re both have/had sensitivity issues. We both used to get hurt and jump to protect ourselves. She expected a lot. I over-promised a lot. I never wanted to disappoint, but managed to do that often by overextending myself. We had a falling out. A  big one. After some time, I wrote Judy a note. She replied with a handwritten three-page letter that she poured her heart into. She started an honest dialog that helped us reconcile. We’ve re-started our friendship from scratch. Even though she lives in another state, we can pick up the phone and talk for two hours like we did last weekend. What a wonderful gift.
• An Old Surprise: K. Sometimes, the people who do the most for us don’t stay in our lives, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate them. Not only was high school horrific, but, when I was 19, I got engaged to a real psycho. It was so hard. Part of the reason I stayed as long as I did was the fact that I was happy when he wasn’t being abusive. We had couple friends. A full life. But there was always that beat-you-up underlying psycho thing I had to deal with. When we finally broke up, the sociopath kept all the friends. Of course, it didn’t help that I didn’t really know how to be a great friend back then. So I went to college knowing nobody. I had very few social ties. Then I met K., who introduced me to everyone she knew, and taught me how to have fun again. We had a falling out a few years ago. We both said terrible things to each other. (She said I was dead to her; I said she was a selfish, self-centered bitch who always has to be angry at someone. Not my best moment.) Still, I appreciate her for the person she helped me to become. Losing her friendship changed my life, and that’s what a good friend does: Helps you to be the best person you can be.

OK, a few lighthearted links to get your weekend started right:

Experience Project. Experience is everything, which is why I love this site. You can go and read about millions of different experiences — wacky, profound, funny, sad, exciting. You can also challenge yourself to do something new, and get support along the way.

BabyBox.com Cute site, but there are plenty of cute sites out there. The thing I like about this one is its service that lets you take your kid’s art work, and make it wearable, turning it into a shirt, pillowcase, or blanket. At $125 it’s expensive, but I still love the concept.

The Failblog. Am I the only one who hasn’t already seen this site? A collection of mostly really funny videos and photos that show people doing stupid things along side snarky commentary. I laugh every time I check it out. It’s probably on par with People of Wal-Mart, another place I go for a quick chuckle.

The New Blog. Looking for something new? Well, this site lists a bunch of them. (Loved being pointed towards the new FunnyorDie.com Ed HardyBoys — get it, Hardy Boys — video!)

I Am Bored site. Bored? There’s something on this site to un-bore you. Bare-bones but so worth the read, there’s something here for everyone, whether you want to laugh, think, smile, or cry.