By the skin of our toenails

bath
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Last week I got undressed and turned on the shower, adjusting it 20 degrees cooler than usual. Annabel sensed something evil afoot and turned on her heels and RAN.

So I grabbed a towel and gave chase. I caught her in the livingroom. After a struggle involving sitting down, going limp and kicking and screaming while I peeled off her clothes, into the shower we went.

I swear she can leverage her mere 25 pounds to rival my own. As she held on to the frame of the shower stall refusing to go even one inch closer to the water, I had to enlist the help of the DAD to get all the way inside. Did I mention that the piercing shreiks didn't stop until after the shower was turned off, and she was safely ensconced in her sleep-suit?

Did I mention that because of this routine I have allowed her to be a grunge girl for far too long? I absolved myself from the label of bad parent by adopting the assumption that at least she doesn't have thick hair. A damp wash cloth will suffice, right?

But now, as her hair grows longer, I have deciding this is the battle I must fight, and this is the one I must win.

Last night I demanded she take a bath. I bartered with her, a trip to the park for a bath. She tried to reneg but I refused to budge. She tried to stand up but I called her father into the bathroom to sit on her. After a few minutes she was happily playing in the warm sudsy water. "Now that's not so bad," I cooed as I piled her up with colorful toys.

"This is fun," she giggles. "But not wash hair."

Ok ... in this skirmish we're making a little progress, but the war is far from over.


THE YAYA REPORT:
... what's up at the other mom's house ...


"Annabel and (baby) were playing so nicely today. I couldn't believe it. They played side by side in the sandbox for the LONGEST time. Of course, that was until she put sand in his mouth and then I had to tell her 'oh-no, we don't put dirt in people's mouths. Yucky'."