Almost 4 years

3 years and 9 and a half months to be exact. Before we had a "stuck in the nose" incident at our house. Frankly, I'm kind of surprised it took this long with these two knuckleheads. The boys were down for their naps when Mark comes running out of his room screaming and crying. It took me a minute to figure out what he was saying. "It's stuck! It's stuck!" Immediately, I realize that he's put something up his nose and I turn around to keep him from seeing me laugh. (Because it's okay to laugh at your children while they are crying. But it's NOT okay to let them see you laugh at them while they are crying.) I finally get him to stop screaming and decipher that he's put a portion of a foam submarine hull up there. I look but can't see it. So I decide to go in with my finger and sure enough, there it is. It takes me a few minutes but I fish it out with my fingernail. (Pretty sure that one earned me a manicure!) And then there are more tears because I tell him that we are going to throw it away and that I won't be giving it back to him.

I guess it's just one of those day around here that submarines "suck". Ha, ha!

Ouch!

This is what your toe looks like when your 3 year old stops suddenly in front of you and you stump your toe on his foot.  I'm pretty sure it's broken.  And I'm also pretty sure that isn't going to work out well for me walking all over Disney World in two days.  Any advice on what to do for a broken toe?  (Other than whining pitifully to your husband.  I have that one down well!)  

"Quiet" Water Play

I've heard this term but it means nothing to me.  First of all, with two little boys there is no such thing as quiet as long as they are awake.  I've come to terms with that.  My house is and will continue to be noisy as long as they live here.  And there is certainly no chance of them being quiet while playing with water.  So, was I dumb enough to try to get them to have some "quiet water play"?  No, I was dumb enough to let them play for 30 minutes without checking on them while hearing only hysterical laughing.  

Together playtime with the two of them usually involves a great deal of screaming and toy snatching so when I could hear them laughing I thought to myself, "Wow.  They must really be growing up.  How nice that they aren't fighting."  What I should have been thinking was, "Wait a second!  They aren't fighting so they must be conspiring against me!"  But no, I continued to clean the kitchen and prepare dinner in my blissful ignorance - for 30 minutes.  A lot can happen in 30 minutes, believe me.

I had gated off the hallway and left both of their doors open so that they could go back and forth and play in either room.  They usually play well this way.  I closed the doors to the bathroom and the guest bedroom so that Luke couldn't get into either one.  Mark has never really been interested in playing in them, so no big deal.  Uh, yeah.  Until yesterday.  

From best I can determine, Mark opened the bathroom door and started playing in the sink.  He probably spilled some water and Luke laughed.  He did it again to make Luke laugh - again.  This continued until the entire bathroom floor was covered in water and both boys were soaked.  I think they mainly got soaked from trying to walk on the slippery bathroom floor and falling into the puddles of water.  There was also hand soap involved in some way because there was a lot gone from the pump and a little on the counter.  I asked Mark if he played with the soap a little too.  He said, "No, Mommy, I played with it a lot."   Gotta love honesty.  

And, as any good blogger, I grabbed my camera instead a towel.  I figured the boys and the floor were already wet.  What's a few more minutes?  I might as well get some good proof!  

Uh oh!  We've been caught!

Mark falls and Luke starts back into the bathroom...

Luke falls over...

Mark tries to walk toward Luke and they both fall into each other...

Mark gets sidetracked from dressing...

Can you see how soaked Luke's pants are?

Maybe I should reconsider my business...

Why should I reconsider my business?  Well, because I have now branded myself with the Pampered Chef logo.  Apparently, if you take a hot quiche out of the oven and grab the Pampered Chef pie crust shield in the wrong way, it will snap upward and over your hand searing your arm with 375 degree aluminum band.  Maybe if Southern Living at HOME doesn't work out I can explore other direct sales companies...  

What Happens When the Lid Is Pulled Off the Cuisinart Popcorn "Pumper" While Popping?

Oh, and the lid cracks when it hits the tile and the baby cries...