72 hours in Mississippi

Last Friday, the boys and I headed to the airport to catch a 6am flight to Mississippi. Thankfully, we had plenty planned to keep us busy over the 72 hours that we were down South, so that we didn't feel the lack of sleep from our early departure too badly (although I might have mentioned to my mom a couple of times that I would have given more than a few dollars for a Starbucks or Dunn Brothers to be in town).

While in Mississippi, we were, of course, able to see a lot of our family. I don't know what makes me happier--to see the smiles of my boys as they easily play, share and interact with their great-grandparents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncle, etc. or seeing our families' smiles as they sprawl out happily on the floor ready to start a new game or adventure with the two...maybe it's a little of both. :)

Here are some of my favorites:

...and just to keep it real ;) ...

...we hadn't seen my brother and his wife since the first of January, so when I found out on Thursday that they were going to be flying in as well, I was sooo excited!

This picture is a typical representation of the silly and adorable face that Cooper would make whenever his Aunt Fair was holding him or trying to get his attention.

As usual, there was a special event going on that gave me a fantastic "excuse" to skip to the South on this particular weekend. My dear friend, Ashley, is having Baby #1 (a girl!) so we threw a little shower for her (Terra, Mindy, and Mrs. Felicia...everything looked amazing. Great job!) We were all extra excited for this particular party because instead of the typical blue that we have had for almost every shower, we were able to decorate with pink! Unfortunately, I took so many pictures with Ashley's mom's camera that I hardly got any of my own, but the event was a huge success and so much fun!

Though I don't have pictures of the pink stuff, I do have a picture from my dinner out with some of the girls. I can assure you, we had a fabulous hour and a half catching up and chatting. To an outsider, our conversations, I'm sure, would have seemed comical. One half of the table (probably the 3 married with kids) couldn't seem to quit talking about bottles, new baby products, sleep schedules, toddler tantrums and other everyday things; whereas, the other half of the table (probably the 3 hot single girls who still have a social life and stay up past 10pm ha ha!) chatted it up about their recent international adventures, work, and not-so-serious relationships. Thank you girls for a terrific evening! You never fail to entertain! :) And thank you LaLa, Ashland and Papa for watching the boys for a little bit this weekend so that this mama could have a little girlfriend time! I really appreciate it!!!

And on the eve before our departure...Rassie got Parker in the kitchen for some simple baking and a Halloween craft. It was one of the highlights of the trip for him.

Proof that we did indeed sleep during the weekend...Parker probably better than all of us ;)

...and just like that we were back in Minnesota by 10am Monday morning. A little part of us ready to get back to our little routine but another part of us missing our family like crazy! Thanks to each of you for helping to make our trip so special and fun! We're already looking forward to the next time! :)

"i'm the birthday boy!"

It's My Birthday Today!

I am One Year Old.

A few things you should know about me (or things my mama says she does not want to forget!):

Weight: 23 lbs, 5 oz - 59%

Length: 31 1/2 in - 93%

Hair: Blonde (definitely from the Nolen side)

Eyes: bright Blue

Teeth: 9 (and working on a few more)

Diapers: Size 4

Clothes: 18 mos

Shoes: around 4 - 4 1/2 (my mama says she needs to get my feet measured soon!)

I like to crawl more than I like to walk because I can get there 12 times as fast. I like to practice walking with assistance and have been for a few months now but do prefer to use my hands and knees.

I like to eat. I really enjoy spaghetti and pasta meals with chicken, mixed vegetables, rice, and all fruits.

I am a great sleeper. Now that I no longer have tummy problems I usually sleep through the night without any issues (well, except for when my teeth were coming through which was a process!) Since a baby, I prefer to be placed in my crib so that I can drift off to sleep happily on my own. I go to bed at 7:00pm. Every night after dinner is done and mama picks me up from my chair, I happily wave my arms up and down (to say bye bye to any observers I might have) with a big grin on my face and even sometimes say, "Nigh Nigh." I typically nap every day from 9-11 and 1-3. I sleep with my bunny lovee and a blankee that has a super soft side and a satin side. I sleep best in my crib at home and at Mrs. Leslie's. I do not sleep well in a stroller or on the rode when we travel. When tired enough I will fall asleep in my car seat (that takes a very long time though!) I have always been perfect at falling asleep easily but not always great at being able to stay asleep...my mama says she is very thankful for the full nights of sleep I give her though. She seems much happier when she gets rest. ;)

I am extremely active and like to get into things that my mama and daddy don't really want me to (cabinets, drawers, breakables, bathrooms potty's...you name in...I've tried to crawl to it, in it or on it. Mama says that she never had to put away her "pretty things" until I came along and now the story has changed. (supposedly my brother never got into things that he wasn't supposed to...well, not as much anyway)

I chew on anything and everything I can get my hands on. I like to try everything in my mouth first before I choose to play with it.

I love bathtime so much. It might be one of my favorite times of the day.

I like to play with my big brother and watch all that he and my daddy do.

I can already make car noises when I run them across the track of my choice ("Brrraah. Brrrraah.")

I say "Ma Ma." "Da Da" "Nigh Nigh" "Ba Ba" (for bottle) and am making fun new noises and syllables each and every day.

My mama has always had trouble keeping me in her lap for storytime but I am getting better. As long as I have something to feel or open on the pages of the book, my attention can be held a bit longer.

My mama says that I am her little Mr. Mr. (she's not quite sure why she started that nickname but says it might be because for so long I reminded her of a little old man with my fairly blonde/bald head and cute little toofers)

Most people tell me that I look more like my dad than my mom (my mom says I look JUST like my dad's side of the family..coloring, chin, hair, build)

I have 2 precious dimples on my cheeks that my mama says she could kiss all day long.

I do like to be held some and snuggled but usually will squirm out of your arms to get down on the ground to play. I like to climb stairs (since about 10 or 11 months).

I scream (loudly and shrilly like a girl) when I want to (one can typically hear it a time or two around dinnertime...though my mama has been working on signing with me since I was a wee little one, I prefer to scream when I need something or just because :) She and daddy laughed one night because mama kept trying to get me to sign "all done" after dinner. I had had enough of that mess, threw both hands in the hair, waved them around in the "all done" sign--but just above my head instead--and screamed "Ddaaaahhnnn!!!" Mama and Daddy say it hurts their ears when I scream like that. Parker isn't too fond of it either and says while covering his ears, "No screaming Cooper!" I get a funny look on my face when I yell too..it makes mama laugh. She says she needs to post a video of it one day.

I am definitely a verbal baby. I am also very social.

Since 11 1/2 mos I have been drinking whole milk. Bottles at bedtime and usually before naptime. During meals and snack time I drink from sippy cups.

I cry when daddy leaves.

I am and have always been a very happy and active little baby boy. My mama says my "toofy", cheesy grin gets her every time.

I am Cooper Bennett -- the birthday boy.

It should be another fun year. I plan on keeping mama and daddy very very busy. ;) I'll let you know how that goes.

"Cooper, your Daddy, Parker and I love you so very much. This past year has been such a blessing for us having you as a part of our lives. Thank you for being your spunky little adorable self. You make the sun shine on days when the rain comes. I love you my little mr. mr." 

We saw the sunrise while airborne this morning.

The picture that I was able to snap quickly from the other side of the plane, while in between the two boys who were, at the time, in very much need of their mama's full attention, does not do justice for the bright red and orange tinted sky that we witnessed on our way to Mississippi.

Often times when I fly I think of my daddy. This morning, I imagined him looking down at me smiling through the sunrise. Funny how flying or being 100's or 1000's of feet above ground (like when I went on that ski lift in Whistler in 2007...as you come up to the top, it feels and seems like there's nothing on the other side. It literally makes you feel as if the lift is taking you up into the clouds) makes me feel even closer to him. :)

Looking forward to a fun, jam-packed weekend with friends and family from our hometown. Hoping you have a good one too!

sweet moments of Fall

"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I embrace each of the seasons (though winter here in Minnesota takes a little bit more effort! ;)) but if truthful, I have always been partial to fall. Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. Everything about it makes me happy inside. Apple Orchards, red berries and pine cones, mulled cider, golden colors of orange, red and yellow, pumpkins, cool weather, warm fresh breads baked in the oven for friends, football games...each of the flavors that the season has to bring.

It is especially easy to encourage my children to be attentive to all that nature has to offer us this time of year. A quote from a good book: "When we train a little boy to be attentive, we can encourage him to study a bug just 30 seconds longer...when we train up a little guy to be attentive, we give him the gift of discovering a fascinating, orderly world and making his own unique mark upon it." This quote and fine lesson on "training up a little guy on Attentiveness" obviously is referring to more than just the Autumn season; however, when I read it this morning I immediately thought of this time because of all there is to enjoy (and to take for granted if we move too fast to appreciate it.)

This Fall, take the time to lay in the grass with your kids and see how many different colored leaves you can find on the trees. Take a quilt outside with some good books and magazines for the season and breathe in the crisp air as you dive into an inspirational read. Go for a walk with your children and incorporate in a scaventure hunt, finding acorns, pine cones and all good things that Fall has to offer (you can even bring them home and have the kiddos make an art project out of it). Sit by a bonfire and toast smores. Visit several apple orchards letting your little ones pick the apples. With the apples you pick from the orchards, invite your family in the kitchen with you to make some special "apple treats" like apple pies and apple cider. Decorate your home with signs of the season: colorful leaves, pine cones, red berries, candles with scents of Autumn, pictures of past times enjoying Fall moments, pumkins and warm baked treats for the family to enjoy on the weekends.

...we are lovin' every sweet moment Autumn has to offer us this season. Hope you are too. :)

Applewood Orchard - it's Apple Pickin' Time!

This past weekend we headed out early Saturday morning for Applewood Orchard. We met friends Jami and Tom and their sweet girls Greta and Hannah. I was so excited to be able to spend the morning outside picking apples with my boys! ...and get some cute pictures. :) And did I get some good pictures? Well, they weren't exactly what I was going for but they make me smile because it's so them. ha ha!

Cooper was all into crawling on the "hay mountain." Parker wanted to jump off the pile of hay. And crawl and jump they did...

I so desperately wanted to get that "perfect and precious" picture of them together sitting in the hay flashing their big adorable grins...as you can see, that did not exactly happen. However, I have to admit, the photos do make me laugh because they are true representation of our day...busy, busy into play and uninterested in posing for pictures. ;)

After about 16 more attempts I decided that was enough of that...time to start pickin' some apples!

(I am aware that my youngest is not wearing shoes...we are working on that. It's actually hard to quickly find little boys shoes! Any suggestions? We always got Parker's from Stride Rite but the nearest Stride Rite is not exactly convenient for us to visit so I've been looking elsewhere...very disappointed with Target's two options for boys. Ideas?)

We were lucky we came home with any apples.

I almost posted our family outtakes, since they were quite the entertainment for us when I scrolled through them on Sunday, but decided the ones of the boys in the hay were enough. :) The one below was the best one. (It's actually pretty good of the boys. I think it's more of the "ahem" baby fat middle on the mama that made me not so very happy about this picture. We're working on that..well, not actively yet, but soon...very soon.) :)

One of the highlights of Applewood Orchard is their scrumptious "Apple Doughnuts." Mmmmm..

So thankful for the time to be able to get outdoors and enjoy the cool, fall weather. It seems to be passing us by quickly. I plan on sitting down tomorrow and making my Fall Bucket list for the remainder of the season. So fun!

Surprise Guests at Small Group...

Every Sunday night, we host Small Group at our house. As of to date, we are the only couple with kids...though that will soon be changing. ;) I think it would be a fair statement to say that our friends have seen, heard and learned a lot (probably more than they care to know) about life with a 3 1/2 year old and an 11 month old!

Typically, Parker is pretty good about going straight to bed when we tell him night-night and return to our small group, but some Sunday's he would much rather be up with us than laying in his bed trying to fall asleep. After tucking him in and re-tucking him in his bed tonight...almost an hour later when we went to check on "surprise little footstepts upstairs," this is what we found.

Parker and his "friends" were happy to listen in and be a part of the Small Group discussion tonight...hidden and out of sight, of course!

Meet my new friend, Liz.

Meet my new friend.

It was 2007. I was re-discovering my passion for scrapbooking and photography (after a 2 year hiatus). I was given a Creating Keepsakes magazine by a friend. Inside the magazine, was this spread about the most recent Scrapbooker of the Year, Elizabeth Kartchner. CK posted a link to her blog. I had never been to a blog before (didn't really understand what they were.) And then I went to Liz's...I was hooked immediately. I appreciated this girl's passion for life and her amazing creativity inside and outside the home....she was adorable! Additionally, I noticed several similarities between the two of us...one of which was that her father had passed away due to a lifelong battle of diabetes, much like my daddy. I don't know at that time if it was that, the adorable scrapbooking pages that she often posted, or the "mommyhood" moments that frequented her posts that kept me coming back daily. Maybe all of the above plus some.

To this day, her cute little self and precious family are one of my favorite reasons to visit her blog. I have often thought, "If we lived closer we would be such good friends. I would love to meet her one of these days." (in a totally non-weird, non-stalker kind of way) ;)

Fast forward to this past weekend. My boys needed clothes. Mall of America, here we come! And guess who I got to meet and visit with! :) Liz was teaching at Scrapfest at the Mall of America this past weekend. On top of a brief visit on Saturday (that I would have loved to have continued for 2 hours!), I was able to drive her to the airport on Sunday. After dropping her off and bidding her a safe flight...and encouraging her to stop for a little chocolate along the way, :) I left for home smiling because I had a new friend.

Her name is Liz and she is Amazing!

photo credit: collin kartchner

Liz, I am so thankful to have finally met you face to face. You are even cuter and more fun in person (who would have ever thought that to be possible?!). You know, you always have a place to stay up North if you find your way to our little area of the country again. We could eat chocolate, talk about kids stuff, and scrapbooking, and photography, and random things...If we ever plan a trip out y'alls way, I'll be sure to give you a call. Would love to book your talented hubby for a session of family photos and a video. Hmmm...maybe I could start sweet-talking Clay into a weekend trip in the near future...I'll work on that :)

I am so glad God enabled our paths to cross.

Until next time...

(at least we have our blogs...and facebook...and twitter...and email...and snail mail...and the telephone ;))

Take care, girl.

Check out Liz's website at www.elizabethkartchner.com and her Dear Lizzy line at American Crafts. She also has a book out through Creating Keepsakes that is incredible for some quick, crafty inspiration.

what's been going on around our house lately...

Our beloved "Duckie" has sat its last days in the warm, clear waters of the upstairs tub. (An undetected hole slowly promises to take the last bit of air out of our yellow friend.)

We have enjoyed many a nights splishing and splashing, laughing and babbling in our floaty friend.

Picture taken of  Cooper in July 2011

Before handing Duckie over to the garbage, the boys are having one last hoorah with their little friend. Over the last 4 days, Duckie has acted as a recliner, a boat, and a storage container for race cars just to name a few.

In other news, this little tike --who does not seem very little anymore-- is as usual, getting into anything and everything his curious hands want to get into. I definitely need more childproof locks for this house.

A few weeks ago, Cooper started walking with his riding toys.
...but mostly, I just wanted to post this picture because of his dimples and the monkey outfit that totally reminds me of his personality. :)

I Spy...something that does not fit in this picture....besides the terrible landscaping

Yep. That would be a bottle in a tree in our front yard. (some of the best afternoons are spent outdoors, with a Tball set, a soccer ball, a bottle, and sidewalk chalk. Usually when the bottle is in the tree that means hard core kickball time... :))

This is what a typical night looks for us around 7:30pm. For fun this summer, I picked up this fabulous game for Parker and all of us to play together around a campfire. Though we did not actually get it out near a bonfire and smores, we have enjoyed many nights before bathtime of the Camp boardgame. I look for it to be one we play together for many years. GREAT gift idea for little boys!

...some fun (and entertaining) storytimes before bedtime

And even a little couponing after the boys go to bed.

The days of summer are gone and we are starting to transition our closets and drawers into fall/winter items. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Fall? (It's what comes after it that I am not so fond of!) The weekend after Labor Day I put out my fall decorations; every day it makes me smile to see the vibrant reds, the muted yellows and the aged orange colors in my house. Pictures of home decor will be posted soon...I say this to remind myself to actually take some pictures :) Have a Happy Day!!!

Six families, eight kids and one terrific evening...

I think I mentioned in the last post about friends flying in from out of town on Labor Day Weekend. A bunch of Lauren and Jonathan's friends decided to come crash the relaxing evening they had planned for their little family of 4 at the hotel in St Louis Park. :) Six families and eight kids later (one family unfortunately didn't make the group picture), we were laughing it up at the Homewood Suites that Friday night.

I pity those walking in the front doors to check in between the hours of 6pm and 10pm that particular evening. While we were sitting out on the back patio eating supper --amongst a variety of other things that one can only understand if you have that many children in one area at suppertime-- and having a good ole' time, we managed to scare off more than a couple of families who were apparently planning on enjoying a nice dinner outdoors as well.

Do you think it was the 3 1/2 year old, the 2 year old, the two 18 mos olds, the 10 month old, the 7 month old, the 4 month old or the 2 week old child that made them change their minds on joining us? Hmmm...that's questionable. I'm not sure what was more intimidating...seeing the men out on the basketball court trying to play like they were in highschool again (did I mention this is a really great hotel for a family atmospere?!) , the 3 1/2 year old and one of the 18 month olds pulling patio chairs up to this pitifully small decorative garden tree so excited to try and climb it, the other 18 month old going around screaming, "Wah wah!!! (aka water) excitedly grabbing any and every water bottle that she could get her sweet little hands on and drowning her precious little sundress with the liquid, the moms sitting at two tables trying to "easily and effortlessly" feed the smallest of the tikes, or do you think it was just the pure madness of it all?

I'm not really sure myself, but whatever the reason, our group of friends had quite the time chatting it up and letting the kids (those that could walk anyway!) roam free for a couple of hours. That's about as relaxing as we have it these days..but we love it that way. :) It was just the dose of "end of a busy work week" medicine that everyone needed. After it got too dark and chilly to remain outdoors, we then ventured inside where the hotel offered quite the large sitting area next to an almost as large television complete with a fireplace...and lots of safe running space for the kiddos.

Truly, we don't know who had the most fun...us or the kids. Doesn't matter. I'd call it a terrific evening either way and would request for a repeat in a heartbeat.

...now, I don't feel as if the couples and families who walked by all the diaper bags, bottles and strollers and shook their heads with disbelief and laughter would feel the same. However, one couldn't argue that they didn't get 3-4 minutes of fast-paced, childlike entertainment for the evening...or the desire to run to the nearest convenient store to stock up on a variety of birth control methods for the weekend. ;) No need to thank us people; this is how we roll!

Fair, Food and Friends '11

We didn't realize until we were walking into the gates that we were ALL dressed in green...seriously. Clay thought it was smart. I thought it was cheesy.

1st time on the giant carpet slide...gets an A+ from Parker and me.

I would recommend taking your biggest, widest stroller to the State Fair. It's definitely the way to go. The crowds part when they catch a glance of these things...just be careful going through the barns  :)

...always a favorite of Parker's...big trucks and big machinery

Clay has introduced me to Lemon Lime Hawaiian Shaved Icee's. New favorite.

Minnesota State Fair - Take 2
Friends of ours flew in from Chicago during the second weekend of the State Fair so we met up with them on Labor Day Weekend for more fun!!! I prayed that my husband would not get called out to fly that day so that I would not be stuck with the stroller, 2 kids and the bags by myself. Prayer answered.

You don't come to the fair without leaving with a face filled with chocolate! Martha's Cookies are a must-have. "Hmmm, I wonder what I should get into next..that water fountain over there or the chicks in the barn. Why not both?!"

Eleanor, we miss you sweet girl!! Tell your mommy and daddy to come visit us again soon!

How do 3 guys manage to bring back enough food for 8 people without spilling anything?
Answer: see below (sadly, this was not all of the food...for lunch)

= Good times.

How and Why to Document the Not-so-Great Moments of Mommyhood

After reading my last post, several people asked the question, "How did you capture Parker in the moment without him catching on to the camera and hidden smile?" I know that's a big question among us moms with always-on-the-go children and one that I am still trying to perfect every chance I get. :)

To answer the question frankly: by remembering to grab my camera and not getting caught up in what could have been the fury of the moment. ha! That's the hardest part. And then prayerfully, carefully, thoughtfully...and a little shrewdly.

Not so long ago, and every once in awhile still, I have to watch myself and my temper. To this day, I wonder if I received a thicker dose of that Creek Indian bloodline than my other relatives. Family, what do you think? ;) Anyway, at that moment of walking in to disaster zone and being completely stunned, all I could think about was 1. how to react best to the given situation in order to teach his little heart versus hurting him and  2. grabbing my camera!

So, to keep from laughing and/or blowing up at his little toddler creativity, I set the tone quietly but firmly and left the room. I was actually excited to have this opportunity to teach Parker something and do it in a calm and rational way unlike a few times in the past! I ran downstairs, called Clay and hooted, grabbed my camera and ran back up the stairs to deal with the situation. By that time, Parker was horrified that I had not come back in...he wanted to know what I was going to do. When I opened the door again, he almost seemed relieved that I was back. Poor thing...didn't know what was coming to him. ;)

I quickly and seriously dropped down to the floor and snapped a couple of not perfect pictures (did you see the terrible lighting in those bathroom pictures?!..but I didn't care. I just wanted to capture the moment and to teach him a lesson at the same time. Spending several minutes fiddling with the perfect settings on my camera just wasn't going to cut it.) Parker asked what I was doing. I slowly raised my head, looked him dead in the eyes and told him "If he knew what was good for him, he would be very very quiet right now." hee hee. I'm so bad. It wasn't long after that that he asked if he was going to jail. :)

And as for the close-ups of him, I don't even think he knew until the last picture was taken that I was taking pictures of his expressions. I had him focusing on my face at that point. As I talked and he listened, the camera was out to my side (no flash) snapping a couple of "mug shots." It wasn't until the last one that I got right in front of his face with the camera. Then while still talking, I nonchalantly put the camera aside like it had never even been there and did not pick it up again until everything was said and done...I then went back and took pictures of the towel pile up after he was in the bed.

Sounds easy right? Well, it wasn't. ha ha! If it were that easy, I would take a lot more "mug shot" pictures after catching the little man in action...wouldn't we all! Sometimes, when things are backsliding fast and furiously it is hard to pause to even think about grabbing your camera for a quick snap. More times than not, smoke can be found coming out of my ears when I "discover" another mess or tantrum. One of the things I have found though, that helps me in ridiculous situations such as these, is to grab my camera and document the moment. It doesn't have to be perfect; remember, you can always edit and crop it later. Just get it on camera!

This past year in MOPS during our very first week, the moms all went around and mentioned one thing that helps them "get through" the tough days and moments. My one little tip for the table was to document it. Document the crazy, insane, torturous moments of the days...not just the good ones. Because those times are the ones that will break you down then build you back up to become a better mom for your little ones. Those instances, in addition to the good ones, are the ones that will cause you to look back and laugh when your children are all grown up. Those horrible in-the-day moments are the ones that we will look back on with happy tears and wish we could go back to...maybe not an hour later...but one day.

This one little thing has helped me a TON with the not-so-great moments since I have had kids. I hope you find that it helps you too! (just remember to charge your camera first so that it is ready to go!! :))

...

So, here's to the all the moms with plenty of chances to document "the-not-so-good-moments." May you find a peace and calmness to help and to not hinder the situation, a remembrance to document so that you can laugh later...and a tall glass of wine (and maybe even a little chocolate) as soon as the kids go to bed that evening!

...

True story: One particular afternoon Parker decided to pitch an all out kicking and screaming fit while we were out running errands. Thankfully, this does not happen very often with him, but on this particular day he was done. And I was done with the fit. I happened to have my camera with me and pulled that baby out and started going to town snapping pictures of his fit. Upclose, upside down, vertically...I mean that camera was all over the place. Once he realized what I was doing, he looked up with those tear-filled pitiful eyes like his mom had grown a second nose. "What are you doing, mom?"

I kept snapping...He asked again...a little louder this time..."Mom! What are you doing?!"

"Oh, me? I'm just taking pictures of you pitching a fit so that I can show you how silly you look!" That was the end of that tantrum. So moms, try pulling out your camera a little bit more.  You never know when it can come in useful! :)

"It's all good Mom! Just put me in Duckie with those warm bubbly things and I'll be good as new!"

Happy Snapping! (with the camera that is!!)

3 year old mischief..."in the bathroom"

No, this is not our super slick and shiny clean bathroom floor. This is standing water. Water that my 3 year old decided would be fun to dump outside of the bathtub one recent evening while I was putting Cooper down in his crib.

Lesson learned: Just because the 3 year old behaves most nights during bathtime doesn't mean he can't turn around and flood the bathroom the next night by submerging his clothes and towels in the water and chunking them at the walls and floor. Also, please note for future reference that there are creative ways of getting water outside the bathtub wall without making a lot of splashing noises for mothers' ears to hear. You may think he's contentedly playing with his boats and sponge letters, but in reality please know that he is up to no good.

After walking in to the flooded bathroom to see my son sitting in the floor playing in the standing water and a big grin on his proud little face, I quietly and quite firmly said --with a look to kill I am sure--, "Son, you'd better get back in that bathtub right now and not make a move until I return." With a stern look on my face I left (to hide the laughter and to call my husband...and to make Parker sweat out the absence of my presence) and returned to a wailing 3 yr old who wanted to know what was going to happen to him. As soon as he saw me, Parker wailed, 

"Mmmmmommmmmm! --{insert exaggerated short and quick sucked in breaths and gasps}- Am I going to --gasp gasp-- jaaiiilllll?! {insert another extremely loud and pitiful wail}

I literally had to pinch myself from busting out in laughter. With as straight of a face as I could muster, I replied, "Well, I don't know Parker. What do you think? Silence for a second. Boys who do naughty things go to jail. Maybe a night in the slammer would do you some good."

"NOOOooooooooo Mom! I don't --gasp gasp-- want to go to jail!!!!"

To make a very long story (and night) short, it was not long after that I looked around the room and realized how big of a mess it actually was (water all over the bathroom mirror, changing table--I actually had to take EVERYTHING out of each of the dripping wet baskets--toilet, walls...what had he been doing in here?! There truly wasn't an area untouched.)

I looked down at him again and this is what I saw.
Warning: Do not be fooled by the pitiful looking angelic face that is shown below. There was (I'm sure) a mischievious little plan already brewing inside his mind as this picture was being taken.

My heart did go out for him...a little. After a long talk about being naughty and not dumping water outside of the bathtub ever again, the discussion ended with lots of hugs and reassurance that he was not actually going to jail...or getting thrown away. (At one point during our little talk, I explained to him that because he had dumped water on everything in the bathroom, certain things were going to have to be thrown away since they were ruined. Parker misunderstood me and thought I said that I was going to have to throw him away. My heart tore in two when I realized why he was so upset at that point. Poor baby.) 
Though he knew he was in deep trouble and had his "bathtime play" privileges taken away for a night or two, he went to bed with a smile on his face. He knew his mama still loved him even though he had been a little troublemaker that night. I love that he knows that.

....

Fact: It actually took all but 4 clean towels in our house to wipe up the mess in the bathroom.
Fact: My bathroom floors finally got cleaned and are shinier than ever...Note: do not thank Parker for that...he is to never find that out!
Fact: No matter how exasperating some evenings get with him and his little self full of constant creative energy, I love him so much I could just burst.

What's been on your bathroom floor lately?

;)