Cleanest Kids in the Land

I may have the makings of a child with O.C.D. on my hands. Claudia is slightly obsessed (well, really that is an understatement, but I am trying not to be overly dramatic here) with taking baths these days. If she had it her way, she would take a bath in the morning after she wakes up, one after lunch before her nap, one after her nap, and one before bed.

I don't know if it is really a desire to germ and dirt free or if it is that I am that boring to be around that she has to find entertainment in the tub, or if she is just taking after her dad and really loving to "swim."

Well, I should clarify, she would only be taking after her dad if we are talking about him after the age of 12 or so when he started swimming year round. Apparently, so he says, he only took a bath once a week when he was growing up. I find this hard to believe because Sandy, Scott's mom, is so clean herself. I have often commented that she keeps her house so nice and clean that I would literally eat off her garage floor. (I am not kidding!)

Also, she often gives the kids baths when she is visiting, and not just once a week. Sometimes, citing the cause for the bath to be that the "kids smell like tomato soup." Come on, admit it, you know the smell--although I think that they smell a little more like chicken noodle soup.

If Scott really did only take a bath once a week, he must have been one really soupy smelling kid!

Stinky

So this morning I was in Claudia's room helping her get dressed for the day. I had not done my morning routine yet. Here is what happened next:

Claudia: Scrunching her face up: Pee-ewh! You have something in your mouth that is stinky!!!

Me: What? I haven't eaten anything!

Claudia: Something in your mouth is really stinky!

Me: Realization dawning: Oh, I guess it is my breath. I haven't brushed my teeth yet.

Claudia: Yeah, your breath IS STINKY! STINKY! STINKY!

oh, so sad for me.

Busted!

Last night right before Claudia's bed time I was in our kitchen and for some reason the chocolate chip cookies in the cupboard were just relentlessly calling my name! I decided to eat one (just to shut them up!) but, I did not want Claudia to see me. I try to avoid a large dose of sugar immediately before putting her to bed as I have found that it does really help with the whole going to bed thing.

So, I quickly gobbled it up, but made the mistake of walking out of the kitchen and sitting down on the couch next to Claudia before I was completely done chewing the last bite. Here is what followed:

Claudia: What's that in your mouth? What are you eating?

Me: Nothing!!

Claudia: No, I can smell chocolate in your mouth. What are you eating?

Me: Laughing very hard: Oh my gosh, you busted me!

Claudia then proceeded to make me open my mouth and breath on her so she could smell the chocolate again.

Wow, she like a bloodhound for chocolate! I guess I will have to eat ALL my cookies in the kitchen and then brush my teeth next time.

Yes, I realize that I took the summer off...

I have heard from my avid readers (hi Grandma and Gran Sandy!) that you were missing the updates on the Walker family. I guess I reverted back to my childhood and took the summer off along with Claudia.

Alas, Claudia started her first day of preschool today and I supposed that I should get back to my homework as well. But, I keep thinking, "could fall be here already?" and "is Wilson really going to be turning one in just a month and a half?" It just seems like the summer couldn't really be over yet!?!

We did have a fantastic summer. Wilson had a lot of "firsts" like: crawling, standing up on his own, and crawling up the stairs. He also grew so much hair this summer! I need to get him a haircut, but I have been putting it off because I feel like that will change him from just a lil' babe to a little big boy.

Claudia was home with Wilson and I this summer. I have to admit that I was a little worried that she was going to get quite bored with just her old mom and little brother to keep her company, but that was not the case. We were busier than I thought possible--so many picnics and playdates. Why is it that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when eaten outside at a picnic is so much more exciting than when eaten at home? I don't know, but I am thankful that is the case!

We finished off our summer with a FANTASTIC trip to the New Jersey shore with Grandma Sandy and Auntie Amy and Uncle Bret. We had a great time even though the sun did not shine on us one time! (Well, that's not entirely true, the skies cleared as we were driving off the island to go home.) You can see a slide show of the vacation photos on the upper right corner.

Well, I am feeling a bit rusty at this. Please forgive me. I guess it will take me a couple of homework assignments to get back in the swing of things.

Honestly, Too Cute

Claudia and I just ran to the grocery store to get some milk. She loves the store we went to because they have child-size carts. She was walking up and down the aisles pushing the cart with one hand and in the other she had her "phone," (which was actually a calculator that she found at home today) pressed to her ear and she was saying, "Yeah, yeah...yeah, I am at the store."

Honestly, too cute.

Perhaps I Shouldn't Have...

taught Claudia driving rules.

Yes, this is another post about the car. I seem to have many, many posts about driving, playing or "parenting" in the car. Hmmm. I guess we may be spending too much time in or around the car.

So, Claudia has become a bit of a back seat driver. I am the only one to blame. I decided that I would teach her the rules of the road: red light means stop, green light means go. Seemed harmless enough. I also thought that it would help with her yelling from the back seat, "Mama, GO! I want to GO!" when we were stopped at a stop light.

You would think that it was pretty obvious that I couldn't go because there was a large car or truck in front of me. But what is obvious to an adult isn't that way to an almost 3 year old. I often and repeatedly had to explain that if I drove forward and "bumped" into the car in front of us, the car would break and we couldn't drive ANYWHERE and that includes school, Noodles, the library, etc. We would be stuck at home.

This (I think) wonderful explanation would prompt Claudia to say, "Why?" I took her meaning to be, "Why won't the car in front of us GO?" So, I taught her red light/green light.

Now when we are driving she will shout, "Mama, it's greeeen!" Many times it is, sometimes it isn't. Or, if we are stopped and I am doing a little daydreaming at a red light, Claudia will shake me out of my reverie with a "Mom, it's greeen, GO!" I have to say most of the time, she is right, it is green, but it is just green for the other cars. You know, there is almost always a green light visible at a stoplight, it just isn't always a green for you to go.

Favorite Toy

Claudia has a new favorite toy(s)--our cars. She is truly obsessed with getting in and out of them, unlocking the doors, and pretending to drive.

The other weekend I was gardening all afternoon and Claudia spent the entire time playing with the cars. At one point, she went into the house, found the spare set of Scott's keys, (they were stuffed in our "junk drawer") found the correct key and inserted it in the lock and opened the door! I asked Scott if he helped her find the keys or if he at least told her where they were and he did not.

I overheard her talking all afternoon to Cole. They must have gone to Target and Home Depot 20 times that day.

That same day one of our neighbors was walking by and we were discussing Claudia's new obsession and she said that she saw Scott just standing by the car one day after work and she was worried that Claudia had locked herself in the car, but then she realized that Scott did not look panicked so she assumed that all was well.

He will often stand by the car patiently waiting while she plays for a half hour. Oh lucky girl to have such a patient father! I think that she will test his patience when she turns 16 and actually can reach the pedals and legally operate a car. Oh! that thought literally turns my stomach!