Taste Testing

My sweet baby is growing and changing in leaps and bonds. Just recently I've noticed that simple pureed food does not satisfy this baby with chunky legs ripe for tickling. I've begun to dole out cheerios, grapes, watermelon and other hands on food for my nibbler to taste. Most recently we finished up dinner one night and Daniel kept eyeballing his brother's leftover spaghetti. Hummmm, I thought. Is it worth a messy cleanup?!

Of course it was! And as the smile shows he has a happy full belly!

Daniel is  also EVERYWHERE. ALL THE TIME. He has crawling down to a T. Thankfully he adores his brothers enough to tag along behind them instead of wandering off. He is also true to baby form in that everything must pass through his hands into his mouth for testing. Thus far, grass and dog food have been the worst of it.

     I don't know about other mommas who have it ALL TOGETHER, but THIS momma doesn't sweat over nightly baths. We shoot for 3 baths a week and I am okay if Saturday night is all we get in. That doesn't mean we skip out on teeth, face and hands. BUT the rest we just wipe down or cover up! ;)
     For one reason or another we missed that crucial Saturday night scrub down this past weekend. I was bound and determined this morning, that the summer routine was going to halt long enough for a sudsy soak that left the fingers and toes in true prune form. How else do little boys comply with removing set in dirt in all the crevices and cracks?! Somehow I didn't get the bath started until Daniel had been put down for his morning snooze.
     I don't think the older two minded having more space to play, because normally all three go in the tub at once. So the boys bathed, dressed, and promptly went outside to undo my scouring. I finally got the baby up and ran a fresh bath for him. I didn't catch the fact that the boys had stacked the remaining pieces of their soap in the lower corner of the tub.
     As soon as splashing ceased and momma was soaked, than the exploring began. I promise I only turned for a SECOND, just long enough to grab a towel and a fresh diaper. All I see when I turn back is a baby smacking his lips. I knew instantly that something had been ingested, so I did the tried and true finger sweep, but came back EMPTY. So I shook it off as nothing and pulled my slippery chub of laughter out of the draining tub and began to dry him. However my mothering instinct knew I couldn't let the smacking lips go. One good sniff of his mouth and I was assaulted with sweet lavendar. Yep, this cutie pie swallowed some soap and didn't shed a tear!

No telling what else my curious Daniel will be taste testing in the near future!

Help Wanted

So this weekend my van was DEFACED. It looked like someone had major vengeance with me parking in a shady spot. There was an unending squiggly line all the way around the van. Perfect height for a few boys I know who bunk up at my house.

With this knowledge and the freshly opened sidewalk chalk scattered in the driveway, it was easy to pinpoint the culprits.

Here is where I ran into a problem. Though it's easy to tell a child, "no, no." It is not as effective as a punishment that fits the crime. How do I impress upon the long term memory bank? Telling them to wash the car ISN'T punishment. It's sudsy wet fun on a hot summer day. Nope. That is not the solution.

Come on mommas(and dads too)!!! Throw out some helpful tips for creative EFFECTIVE punishment.