Wet and Wild

I am constantly amazed at the way that motherhood twists and turns, evolves and grows a life of its own.  Just as soon as I congratulate myself for figuring it out, or arriving at a place of rhythm and balance, the game changes. 

The current challenge; a shower for mama.

Since Milani learned to pull herself to stand, she insists on being an active participant in my shower.  No sooner does the warm water start running down my back, but there is a little hand flinging the curtain open and up pops a little tub side spectator.  By the end of my shower, I have a very soggy baby.  I've learned it's easier to towel dry Milani than strip her out of dripping clothes, so sister sports nothin' but a diaper while I shower.

 

She squeals and giggles when the water sprays her.  Splashes and smears the little puddles that gather on the edge of the tub.  She slurps up water and blows raspberries.  All while getting drenched and standing in the growing puddle on the bathroom floor.

And when I open the bathroom door, setting loose soggy headed diaper baby, well that's when the real fun begins.  She scoots around in her diaper.

And rolls and wiggles in her diaper.

But I think for the moment we have the shower situation contained, at least until she can reach the doorknob.  We'll cross that puddle when we get to it.

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Moses faces his own challenges being the big dog of the house.  I desperately want to let him have free roam of the house whenever I'm out, but Moses is having some difficulties respecting our boundaries.  Not only does he make our bed his bed while I run errands, but I come home to find our comforter in one corner of the bedroom, the sheet strewn another way, and a hole in the fabric covering the mattress.  He's left me with no choice but to re-erect his crate in his corner.

I don't think he minds.  He will voluntarily lounge drowsily in his crate all day long.  Except that he's quickly learning what it's feels like when someone has difficulties respecting his boundaries.

Sometimes it seems like Moses enjoys the company, someone offering attention, and a buddy to snuggle alongside.  But there are those times when Milani kicks it into four wheel drive to get across him, and he takes a little foot to the snout and a tug to the ear, that I'm certain he'd evict her if he could.  Or the times he gives up and hits the road, giving Milani sole rights to the crate.  That's when Lala really lives large and lets loose.

And of course, kickin' it in the crate is another one of those things she'll even do with a wet head sportin' nothing but a diaper.

So Milani will keep making up the rules, and calling the shots; and Moses and I will keep rolling with the punches, learning the game as we go.  Because it's so much more fun that way.