Messy Monday...

Sister love at the playground!

Lucy took this picture with a friend's phone at the playground this morning. Not bad for a 2-year-old amateur photographer :).

It is my first week of the summer with all six kids home for the full day with no camps (and there's only three weeks left of summer...how could I complain!?). Monday is about half way done and it's been nice (but, I haven't reached my "tough" hours of the day yet...ask me again in a few hours how Monday was!!!).

Anyway, we met some friends at a playground, and it was fun. The kids played well together, I had another mom to talk to (key to my sanity!), the weather was comfortable, etc. Success!

Until...in the distance, I could see that Cecilia (5), Justin (age 3-1/2), Lucy (age 2), and a strange child jumping into what looked like a deep mud puddle. UGH! Their sneakers were already wet because they had been jumping in little-ish puddles on the basketball court all morning (pick your battles, right!?).

When it became clear that my yells were being ignored (and probably annoying all those around me!), I ran over there. "Are you kidding me, Justin!?!?!" The lower half of his body was COVERED in mud. His clothes, socks, sneakers, and legs were disgusting. Are you kidding me?! Luckily, Cecilia only jumped in once and came to her senses (I just wish her senses had kicked in sooner!), and Lucy was much more interested in observing than in participating.

Long story short: I did my best to remain calm (not easy during PMS week!) and clean up my child with baby wipes without making a scene (the mother of the stranger child was making enough of a scene for both of us!). I actually ended up throwing out his socks and sneakers....they were that bad! Luckily, they were hand-me-down sneakers that are actually too small on him now. But still!!!

She's crawling now...only a matter of time before she's chasing everyone :)

On the ride home, I kept hearing that, "It was so-and-so's idea." I did my best to explain peer pressure and what to do if people are doing something that you know is wrong. It was clearly lost on those ages 3-1/2, 2, and 9 months. It's debatable whether the older three internalized anything useful (about mud puddles or about life!).

So, it begins! Messy life lessons...

At least we are all cleaned up and no harm done. If only life's lessons were always so easily fixed, huh?! :)