Her eyes twinkling, Maria whispers in Carlo's ear. Carlo looks up at me with a big grin and says "Daddy you've got a big butt!"

They explode with glee. Carlo repeats his witticism and they giggle uproariously.

"You've got a BIG BUTT Daddy!" Carlo confirms. Hilarious.

They cackle like mad things, their little tummies bubbling with mirth.

"Say it again!"

"Daddy's got Big Butt! Ha ha ha ha hahahaha."

And on it goes over and over. Each repetition is rapturously received by its tellers. It's a line that never loses its freshness. Apparently. They can't stop their faces splitting in giggle fits. Ha ha ha ha ha.

After a hundred re-tellings their fickle minds drift to other stuff. Maria frowns and looks at me.

"Daddy, what's a butt?"