Crayons are not for eating!

“Mommy, it’s yucky,” two-year-old Lily said on her way upstairs.

I looked up at her from the computer, located at the top of the stairs. She was holding her hands out open wide and her mouth was partially open as well.

“What did you eat?” I asked, not certain I really wanted to know.

“A color,” she said matter-of-factly.

“A what?” I said in disbelief. I stood up and moved closer to examine the inside of her mouth. And there, on her teeth, was the purple evidence I needed to confirm her story. She had indeed eaten a crayon.

“Lukas!” I called. “Do you see a crayon down there that Lily might have eaten?”

I pulled her along into the bathroom as I awaited his response.

“No!” he called. And then a pause. “I mean, yes!”

I rinsed her hands in the water and started brushing her teeth as his elephant foot steps sounded on the steps. Moments later, he was at my side holding the crayon in question.

I mumbled a thank you, handed Lily a Sponge Bob cup to rinse with, and took the offered crayon from his hands. There were little girl sized teeth marks all over it.

“Crayons are not for eating,” I told Lily.

She nodded and returned my solemn gaze. “Colors aren’t for eating,” she repeated. “They’re yucky.”