Uh oh, someone is in trouble...

Yesterday morning I realized everyone was accounted for… except Dennis the Menace, I mean, Colsen. I called out my usual refrain, “Colsen, where are you?” and when I heard his suspicious voice float back saying, “I’m just playing in here…” I went looking for him. This was the sight that met my eyes when I found him.

Realizing it was just soap and not something to completely freak out about (what a veteran mom I am!), I took some pictures, and then told him sternly he was not supposed to do that. He quickly reassured me that he would clean it up all by himself, and I agreed this was a good idea. (an indication that I’m not quite the veteran mom I think I am.) He ran off to get a towel, and I went back to tending to 2 other kids who needed me “right now!”

Less than a minute later, I came back to check on Cole’s progress… and found that he had taken the towel, dipped it in the toilet, draped the sopping thing all over him, and then dragged it around on the carpet in the living room. Needless to say, I did not run to get the camera this time! And, yes, this time I did freak out.

After getting the situation contained, I heard Colsen up in his room telling Strider all that he had done. He finished the story by saying, “I got all wet and then I got in trouble.”

“Was Mommy mad at you?” Strider asked him.

I walked in the room and Colsen asked “Mommy, are you mad at me?”

“I’m not mad anymore Colsen, but I really don’t like it when you put things in the toilet!” I answered.

“You yelled at me,” he answered.

“I know,” I said. “You don’t like it when I yell at you?”

“I don’t like it when you yell at me,” he answered, in a pitiful voice.

Strider chimed in, “I know, Colsen, I don’t like it either.”

Now I’m feeling pretty bad. So I give Colsen a hug and tell him I’m sorry.

“Don’t yell at me again, Mommy” he says.

“I’ll try not to, sweetie” I say… and then I think: WAIT A SECOND! WHO EXACTLY IS IN TROUBLE HERE?! HOW DID THE TABLES GET TURNED THIS FAST?

Man, this parenting thing is hard.