Words of Wisdom

Parenthood is definitely hard for those of us who like instant results. I love when I can cross things off my "To Do" list. (I guess this is where I should admit that I add things I've already done just for the satisfaction of crossing them off. Yes, it's sick, I know.) Anyway. . . Clean house, check. Grocery shopping, check. Laundry, check. Raising strong, well-balanced, independent, all around "good" kids. Hmmmm. Not sure when you can ever check that one off. But luckily, you get little peeks here and there that maybe, just maybe, you know what you're doing.

When we came back from vacation, I threw the girls in the tub, started the water, and left for two minutes. Then I hear blood-curdling screaming and of course, I think the worst--I'm that mother who left them unattended in the tub and someone drowned. I run down the hall and meet Sa, buck naked, screaming, and sliding on the floor. I run in the bathroom, expecting the worst, and Stinkus is happily playing in the bubbles, oblivious to the big fat frog sitting on the edge of the tub. Talk about traumatic. Days passed before Sa would go to the bathroom without crying. (I kind of feel that way too but it's because seven years after we bought this house, the toilet is still blue.) So anyway, we finally convince her that it was a one-time thing, she doesn't have to worry about a frog tub invasion. We still don't know where the little booger came from. My theory is he came in at one point with the dog, and migrated to the girls' tub toys (always a little water in the bottom of the basket) and hung out there while we were in FL. Imagine HIS poor trauma when we returned for baths!

So fast forward a few more days. The girls want to swim in their little pool outside. Which isn't a problem, but our dog is in his pen and will bark like crazy when he sees and hears us. Which means I have to go get him. Which isn't a problem, but his pen is in the woods outside our house and I might encounter a mom-eating snake. I share none of this with the girls. Only: "Man, I have to get Bo."

Sa: "Mom, how many snakes have you seen out there?" (How did she know?!)
Me: "None. . ."
Sa: "Ok, it's like the frog. There won't be any snakes down there. You can't be scared because you might see one."

Wow. How many times did she sit terrified on the blue toilet but did it anyway. . . So I bucked up and ran like a madwoman to the pen and back. No snakes. I returned breathless to my five year standing in the little pool with her hand on her hip.

"So. How many snakes did you see?" She smirked.

I wasn't sure whether to be angry that she was being so sassy or proud that she's listening to what I say after all and taking it in. I'm going with #2 and checking it off the list. . . for today at least. Tomorrow's a whole other day.