I smell something....

You do not want to sit up suddenly in your bed with this thought in your head. I was taking a well deserved nap today while my children all slumbered soundly in their own beds, or so I thought. I drifted off to sleep and then remember sitting up so suddenly that I choked on the insane amount of saliva that had accumulated during some very heavy open mouthed napping. What was that smell? I got up and could hear the sounds of play from behind the closed door of the playroom. J and L. Oh. No. Anytime these two get together trouble is sure to follow. I dreaded opening that door. I knew it wouldn't be good news. The smell was so strong from where I was. And so familiar. I really was hoping for a poop incident or something within the realm of "normal" around here. Well, I guess almost anything is normal for us, so scratch that, I really meant normal for someone else.

I slowly turned the knob... I peeked my head around the door and L and J immediately drop what is in their hands and put their hands behind their backs. On the floor is laundry detergent- liquid laundry detergent. On the little blue table is floor shampoo, also a liquid. I take a deep breath and then instantly regret it. Coughing I usher them out of the room and into the bathroom. They are already crying and I haven't even been able to speak (Thank you God for a coughing fit... the words that were filling my head...). They know they are in trouble. They knew it wasn't okay to climb on top of my washer and grab all the soaps and things they could find. They knew that pouring them out would eventually result in my wrath, but they did not care. I strip them down and sit them in the tub, still coughing, and rinse them until their skin is no longer slick with soap. I wash their hair and make sure to rinse their eyes well. I put clean diapers on them and put them to bed. They are still asleep.

My own nap, interrupted by their shenanigans, is now completely over. A mere 15 minutes. Sigh. I go into the playroom and begin the ever difficult task of cleaning the soap out of the floor. I open the windows upstairs and the doors downstairs to air out the smell. I can hardly breathe and wonder to myself 'just how many brains cells did they kill while breathing this stuff in?'. I am crying while using the carpet shampooer to vacuum up the soap and water. When will I get a break? At what point will someone look around and say "she's done her time, cut her loose." I just wanted a nap for crying out loud. Really, even that is too much to ask?

I finally get the majority of soap out of the floor and decide to revisit the issue tomorrow. I get the baby out of her bed and head downstairs. Now I sit on the front porch, enjoying a cool breeze and a glass of ice water, breathing fresh air and watching C jump for joy in her bouncer.

I can't say it's been a stellar day for me, but I am thankful for the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and have semi-clean carpet in the playroom. And eventually, it will smell "just after a rain fresh" once the room airs out a bit. :)

-LL
"profiter de la doublure d'argent"