Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Advice from Mom

"Enjoy what you can and ignore the rest."

That was Mom's advice to me the other day as we were trying to get off the phone.  Of course we didn't get off the phone on that note because I had to point out that very often the stuff that can't be enjoyed also cannot be ignored.  Like when someone flings a bowl of mushed up muffin soaked with water across the dining room.  Not a moment for savoring and not a moment for ignoring on so many levels. 
As we finish laughing and moaning about that scenario (that really had occurred not long before) Bigger came running into the room.  He was babbling about Littler.  And peeing.  I translated this for Mom as "clean up on aisle 7" and got off the phone to investigate.  You see, Littler has taken it upon himself to potty train and therefore wears undies.  Accidents happen but mostly it's going pretty well.  But there was urgency in Bigger's voice (and I'm pretty sure there was something in the babble about "our room" but I couldn't make it all out) which made me pretty sure this was not a celebration of using the potty. 
And sure enough, it was a mess I discovered.  A royal mess.  I handed the Smallest off to her Daddy and carried Littler to the bathtub.  He had been in the window when he had his accident.  Yes, standing in the window.  The mess had both splashed (and in fact Littler was splashing in it) and run down the wall onto both floor and toys.  Definitely not something to enjoy.  Most definitely not something to ignore. 

Meanwhile in the bathtub...

Littler got hold of Daddy's shampoo and proceeded to coat half the tub in thick, foamy shampoo suds.  It was truly impressive lather.  And really slippery.  So once Littler was cleaned up and rinsed off (which took some doing) he was sent to the living room to get help drying off and putting on fresh undies.  And I gathered supplies and scrubbed the bathtub.  Lucky Mama. 

Well, at least we got a clean tub out of all this.  That's something.  (It would have been better if I could have enjoyed it with a nice long shower in the clean tub but so it goes.)  Later he did have another accident, this time while climbing on the bathroom sink to put away his toothbrush.  It was a doozie of a day.  I think we need to change Mom's advice to "enjoy what you can and mop up the rest." 

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