"Hey!" exclaimed Pär. "It's been ages since we played Twenty Questions to Rule Them All."

"Ooh, let's play!"

"Okay! I'm thinking of a thing!"

We haven't played this game of ours for months. I tried to remember what the best questions were for starting a round. "Is it... a living being?"

"Nooo... not exactly."

"Is it in the Silmarillion?"

"Probably."

"Is it in The Hobbit?"

"Probably."

"Is it in the first book of The Lord of the Rings?"

"Probably."

"Second book?"

"Probably."

"Third book?"

"Probably."

"What do you mean, 'Probably'? Is this thing actually in these books or what?"

"More or less, yes."

I stared at him, trying to figure out what it could be. Suddenly the gears clicked into place. Oh, no. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Is it someone's butt?" I demanded.

"Yes!"

"Goddamit!"

He burst out laughing.

"I'm not going to play if you're going to have your thing be people's butts again," I told him. "Whose butt is it?"

"Gandalf's."

"Gandalf's butt."

"Yep!" He beamed at me, absurdly proud of himself.

"All right," I said. "All right, then." I crossed my arms. "I'm thinking of a thing."

"Is it a body part," he asked promptly, without even bothering to add the question mark.

"Yes."

"Is it someone's penis."

"Yes."

"Is it Gandalf's penis."

"Yes. Are you happy? Is this out of our systems now? Can we move on?"

"That ruled!" He was still laughing.

I sighed. Some of us take longer to get over a joke than others do.

I look half asleep here, but Tot seems extremely merry. Very common expressions for both of us these days.

Pär and Tot playing "Let's Stand Up!" While Jeremiah enjoys trying to stand up and does so as often as possible, you can tell from the photo which of them gets the biggest thrills out of this game.

Tot laughing himself senseless over how much fun it is to say things like "Gah!" and "Hoo!" repeatedly. I think he's inherited both of our senses of humor. Oh yes, I can see the future now...

Jeremiah: I'm thinking of a thing.

Pär: Is it Gollum's butt?

Jeremiah: Yes!

Jeremiah & Pär: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Karen: (sigh)