Stages

Cleaning up the bag balm that she smeared all over the carpet -- during naptime.

In "A Mother's Book of Secrets," I recently read, "Shakespeare's Jacques in As You Like It proclaimed: "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players." I'd like to add that every child who ever lived is going through some sort of "stage" on that stage as they progress through childhood."

Fair enough. Kenzie's "stage" is easily summed up in one word: DESTRUCTIVE. (Ok, ok...maybe I should use CURIOUS instead. Perhaps she'll major in chemistry and all of her 'explorations' in her youth will turn into a cure for cancer or something.)

I hesitated to post this...on the off-chance that my parents read our blog. After all, we are going to visit them in less than two weeks. They might not welcome us with open arms after reading about Kenzie's recent activities. Seriously. If she wasn't three, I would swear she is simply out to get me.

Brynnley's lemonade-enhanced dinner that Kenzie was forced to eat since she thought it would be funny to pour the lemonade onto the hamburger in the first place. She had a pretty intense gag-reflex going on after being spoon-fed the soggy bun. Will she think twice before doing something like that again? Not likely.

My attempt to keep her inside her room during naptime. Yes, I am at war with a three-year-old. And yes, I am losing. As is the carpet. You can't really blame me for trying though. I'm pretty close to super-human, but even I have to go to the bathroom every once in a while. And forgive me for thinking Cambrie should be allowed to eat in the quiet of my bedroom - without the distractions that 4 other children offer on a regular basis.

Marker that is a new addition to the carpet in Cannon's bedroom.

Nail polish that is a new addition to Brynnley and Kenzie's carpet.

Kenzie was so excited about her first trip to the dentist, and the ensuing "treasure" of her own toothpaste. She promptly came home and redecorated the hall, the railings and of course, the carpet.

Make-up that Kenzie decided would look better on the floor -- rather than on Addysen's face. (Not sure why 4th-graders give each other make-up for birthday gifts anyway.)

Fish food -- for the second time.
There is a carpet store going out of business down the street. I briefly contemplated stopping in to see if we could get any good deals. But then reality hit. Why replace the carpet while in this "stage?" And then another reality hit...Cambrie will be mobile all too soon. Heaven help me.

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Sidenote: while in the midst of typing this post, I was summoned to the kitchen with, "MOOOOOMMM! Kenzie and Brynnley are coloring each other with marker." SIGH.

Let me just stop you right there - because I know what you are thinking. I would have thought the same thing before I had 5 children...NO...it's not that easy to just remove ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING from the entire house. I've eaten a lot of words and judgments since having children and you can bet they go down just as smoothly as that soggy hamburger bun!