When big brother is gone, the sister will play (October 18, 2008)

Braden is off having some much needed bonding time with his grandpa, my dad. It's been quite a while since Braden has had a sleepover with his "Papa". He was very excited to go.

Usually, we get home around 3:30pm, have a snack and the kids go play until dinner time. Because Braden was off with my dad after school yesterday, it was just Kenzie and I. It's amazing how kids adapt to routine, and abide by it. As I was in the kitchen humming and hawing over what to make for dinner, I heard Mackenzie yelling at her brother. She was pissed. "NO 'BADEEEEEEN!' I. SAID. NOOOOOO!!" She was freaking out. I called out "Mackenzie! Don't talk to your brother like that! Braden! Leave your sister alone!" Silence. Then quiet chatter.

Wait.

Didn't I say that Braden wasn't here?

Yes I did. I walked to the bedroom not knowing what to think. I slowly pushed open the door to find Mackenzie holding Charla, our cat. Who looked terrified. "Um. Mackenzie?" I said gently. "What?" She responded. "Honey, were you just, um, yelling at your, uh, brother?"

Mackenzie grinned ear to ear. "Yes! 'Baden' at Papa's house, right Mommy? So I say Charla is the 'Baden' and Charla bit my finger so I yell "NOOOOO 'BADEEEEEEN', right Mommy?"

Ooookay...

I return to the kitchen, get my groove on and start dinner. Mackenzie is playing quietly so I snuck away to the computer to get my daily fix of blog reading check my email.

So I'm in "the zone". Apparently I was in the zone for quite a while before mommy instinct kicks in.

Swish. swooosh. Splash. "Mmmm. Smells like roses." (calling from a distance) "Mommy? My feet smell like roses now, right Mommy?"

Slowly I come out of my computer induced trance. "Mackenzie? Whatcha doing baby girl?" I ask as I begin to get up.

"Washing my feet."

Washing her feet? Wha..???

Now, I know I can get pretty lost once on the computer, but I know there is no way I would not hear the bathtub running. I don't think I'm going to like what I see, I think to myself.

I walked into the bathroom to see my precious little princess sitting on the toilet. With her feet in it. Up to her knees. Not only were her lower extremities in the ole porcelain bowl, but a bar of homemade jasmine soap my mother brought back from a recent trip to Indonesia for me was in it too. Half of it was still covered in plastic.

I was immediately split into 3 different people. Now I understand that long hesitation people have in strange or unexpected situations. Your body is fighting among it's self as to which personality will take over.

Southern-lady-mommy-personality said, "Oh dear Lord child! Your feet are in the stinky yucky toilet! Ew! we poop in there! Germs germs yucky evil germs!! Now we have to scrub you with a wire brush and throw the soap away!"

Boot-camp-drill-Sargent-mommy-personality said, " MACKENZIE!! What are you DOING? We do NOT wash ANYTHING in the toilet! EVER! YUCK! Now I have to throw away the soap that GRANDMA GAVE ME!! AND I have to give you a bath NOW instead of AFTER dinner. SIghhhhhhhh."

Silly-mommy-who-thought-she's-seen-it-all-after-having-a-boy-personality said, "Um.... Macken.... snort. giggle giggle. Ha. HA. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AHAHAHBWAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

I'm so glad that personality No 3 won. That was one of the funniest things ever. If I knew where my dang camera was, I would have taken pictures! It was priceless. No Mackenzie. Your feet do not smell like roses. That is called Jasmine.

And I'm keeping the soap.