I love you stinky hands

One of my favorite books in our house is "I Love You Stinky Face," by Lisa McCourt. It's the story of a little boy who questions his mother's love for him. Would she still love him if he were a terrible meat-eating dinosaur? She'd say "I love you, my sweet, terrible dinosaur," it reads. A super-smelly skunk? Her response ... "I'd whisper in your ear, 'I love you Stinky Face.'"

I'll die with the memory of rocking Trace and reading this book to him when he was only weeks old. He'll never remember the first time we read it, but for me, it will always be "our" book.

Its point is that this little boy's mother loves him unconditionally. Regardless of big, sharp teeth or slimy, smelly seaweed, she loves her wonderful child. It's what being a mother is all about.

Whether small or large, a mother overlooks her child's imperfections and loves without question. Of course, these "flaws" are rather minute when the child is a baby, and most likely grow greater as the years pass. For Trace, the opportunity for having any weakness is negligible. What blemish can a four-month old possibly have?

He has stinky hands. Yes, despite my persistent washing and wiping, his hands stink. Probably only to the point that a well-tuned sniffer would detect, but nonetheless, they do have their own unique aroma.

At first, I was unsure of its source or cause. Thinking that maybe it wasn't even him that I was smelling. But after careful observation, I learned it was in fact him. He loves to chew on his fist. Initially it was a case of "Look, I found this little hand attached to me, that I can feel when I put it in my mouth." We've now reached the point that it's all-out gnawing. Most likely his first tooth is on its way, and his fist makes a wonderful teether that doesn't ever get dropped out of sight or reach.

No matter what the reason, baby fist, plus a little mouth (more times than not still hosting milk residue from his most recent bottle) equals stinky hands. Every time I get a whiff I'm reminded of the little board book and have to say to him, "I love you stinky hands."