Friday, August 23, 2013

The convincing power of a two year old

I was sitting on the toilet today when suddenly Ruby entered the bathroom stark streaking naked. “Uh hi Ruby!” I’m still getting used to the idea that my days of privacy in the bathroom are long gone.

“Mama, diaper, diaper!” She was carrying her wet diaper and obviously concerned about where to put it.

“Ruby throw it in the garbage. But why are you naked?” She really hasn’t entered the wanting-to-spend-her-life-naked stage that it seems like most kids go through. Rather, she hangs out mostly at the other extreme (always clothed, never wants to be naked, even to change clothes or take a bath).

Before she waited for me to even finish asking she was gone. A few minutes later she entered with a swim diaper on, “Mama! Swim suit? Swim Suit?”

“Um, Ruby I think it’s in the laundry room,” she was gone before I could add my next thought, “You know it’s just about naptime, right?”

She came back in struggling to get into her inside out swimming suit, “Help Mama! Swimsuit on peeze!” 

Once the swimsuit was securely in place she bounded out of the room. By this time I had finished my bathroom business and followed her. She was headed straight for my closet where my swimming suit lay in my swim bag. “Mama! Here! Here!”

Of course I obliged. I can’t very well rationalize discouraging her development of the hobby I love most. Both in our swimming suits we headed for the backyard. Overcast and chilly—the coldest day of the summer—we jumped through the hose and screamed from the cold.


A perfect pre-nap adventure.