We took the kids out for ice cream last night. There’s a place near us that serves ice cream through windows. There’s no place to eat inside the store. You walk up, order your ice cream and then just sort of hang around outside, eating it. They also have these little kid-sized cones that are free if your kids are under a certain size/

Good stuff.

Last night was N’s first ice cream cone, and he was having a tough time figuring out what to do with it. Once I showed him (through pantomime) how to lick it, things improved. He clearly thought that was pretty cool, and got right to it.

However, it kept dripping on his hand, and he definitely didn’t like that. He’d say "cold" and stare at the offending blob of ice cream. Once I showed him how to lick his fingers, once again life was good.

Until some dripped on the thumb of the hand holding the cone.

Getting the full effect requires audience participation. Ready? Good. Hold out your right hand like you’re eating an ice cream cone. Now, without tipping the cone over, try to lick where your right thumb joins with the hand.

Notice anything?

Yep, you just stuck the ice cream in your left eye.

And so did N.

Surprisingly, he didn’t get upset. He shuddered a little bit and said "cold" – and then returned to licking. Apparently, he was okay with ice cream dripping from his left eyebrow and eyelashes.