Patience is....

...required!!!

Last night was DaMom's night to go to her quilting class. On these nights it's up to me and only me to get DaKids to bed.

I had it all worked out in my head; bathe them simultaneously, dry and dress DaBoy first (since he's younger), dry and dress DaGirl, head upstairs with a snack for her, play with them and read stories until Daboy get's cranky, usher him off to sleep while she continues playing, then read her a couple of stories in bed and lights out.

Some varience of this usually works, honest.

Everything was going to plan until the "Leave DaGirl to play" business. UGH.

I was in the rocker in his room while DaBoy drifted off to sleep in my arms as he normally does. Then there was a thud. It wasn't the kind of thud that would make you jump up like something just came through the roof or someone falling. It was more like a potato hitting on the floor. This is an old house, 109 this year, and there are plenty of strange noises that occur but it was the silence from DaGirl that had me worried.

I tried putting DaBoy in his crib, but he stirred and whined as I tried to free myself, so back into my arms he went and off to see what mischief she was into.

In her room is a three drawer dresser that we used as a changing table. We stored the diapers and other necessities in the top drawer. Since DaBoy was exiled from our room and banished to his room for overnight sleeping, we've been keeping the cloth diapers on the stair rail. They use the same size now and it is just easier then having to creep into her room while he's screaming for a diaper at 1,2,3,4.....am, whenever really. However we never emptied the "other" items from the top drawer of the dresser.

Apparently we should have.

DaBoy and I came around the corner to see the top drawer open, DaGirl sitting in the middle of the floor, the mini crate of wipes and......petroleum jelly sitting in front of her.

The cover of the jelly was courteously placed in the crate, as if not to get any on the floor. However DaGirl looked like she was on an easter egg hunt and the best egg was at the bottom of this vat (did I mention it was one of the BIG containers?) of petroleum jelly.

I almost flipped right there but I held my cool, calmly told her to "get your hands out of that" and got DaBoy back to his crib. And all hell broke loose. DaBoy went balistic and DaGirl started crying when I chastized her and started cleaning her up.

That gunk was all over her. What a nightmare, hands, sleeves, belly, hair and a screaming sound track to boot. Anyhow, I got her cleaned up, into new PJs and issued the order that she lost storytime privleges for the night and to get in bed.

I then went to calm DaBoy. He was so worked up he had the hicuups and even in the dim glow of a green nightlight I could see his red face. It took nearly a half hour for me to calm him down (OK, more like him to pass out). I got him into his crib without incident.

Now back to DaGirl. I could hear her chatting away and banging on her bed. As I rounded the corner I see her head drop down (remember the prairie dog analogy?). I walked over to her bed to see her head buried into the pillow and her butt up like an ostrich.

She starts snoring.
Stoicly, I stand there.
She snores louder.
I lean over her.
She snores louder still.
I chuckle.
She chuckles.

We both bust a gut Laughing.

She makes it impossible to stay mad at her. I love her for that.

Patience gets you to the good stuff.

g