Pee and cows

One hot summer day last year, I noticed one of the neighborhood kids, maybe three years old, wandering around his yard completely naked. He seemed so delighted that I had to smile, but then I quickly retreated inside, not trying to be that creepy stalky neighbor... A few minutes later I heard his mother, seemingly horrified, calling him to get into the house that instant! But the more I think about it, the more I think she was just putting on a good show. She was delighted to let that baby out of the house to run free for a moment of bliss.

Today was just one of those days. If one baby wasn't crying, it was the other, or even both at times. Lily screamed through Milo's bath, furious with me for putting her on her tummy (I wasn't that mean - she was propped up on the Boppy...). So I hurried Milo through his bath to get to her, and when he was finished, I left him in his room in just a towel while I moved her to a happier position. I know, I know. After the poo incident last week, I should have known better. But his room has a hard wood floor and the dogs were outside, so what harm could come?

Well, plenty. Before I knew it, Milo was screaming, too. I popped Lily into the jump-a-roo (which she adores) and headed in after Milo, who was now a heap of screaming hooded towel and tiny man flat on the floor. And then I noticed the puddle of pee and the slide marks and realized that he had indeed peed on the floor and then slipped and fell in it. (sigh) Poor baby. I usually laugh off the pee on the floor, to Nate's horror (keep in mind the man can smell pee a mile away - I've literally watched him sniff across the floor to find a phantom pee spot and dodged him when he's asked me, "Smell this! Does this smell like pee?"). But pee on hard wood is serious business, and I wasn't feeling like the world's greatest mommy at this point.

Milo loves naked time, after all his hours spent in a diaper. The child loves to run free, but what can I do if the carpet and the flooring are no longer safe? It hit me. I'll just send him outside for naked time, just like neighbor kid's mom did, and if I see any pesky neighbors nosing around, I'll fake like it was an accident. Can I do that, in all good conscience? Hmmmm. I'm thinking not. But it was a fun idea for that brief second...

Being a mommy to a boy is fun and easy and completely complicated at the same time. I wouldn't trade it for anything, though. Tonight we ran to Hobby Lobby, and let Milo hold a little plastic cow. I thought we might buy it for him since he loves to make the cow sound, but then held out for a little people cow instead. I returned the cow to its shelf, and Milo spent the rest of the time mooing very indignantly at me, reminding me (and all of Hobby Lobby) that he really wanted that toy. I'll know better next time than to hand him something before I decide if we're getting it. But what a cute little indignant cow he made!