bathtime fun

I love bath time. Our nightly bath routine has changed a bit over the course of four years. With Parker just days old and I had him in the tub with me. He was so tiny and pink and slippery. I was a new mom gently washing her new infants hair. I was nervous about getting the umbilical cord too wet. Just him and I taking a bath together. Once his little brother came along, he sat in the big tub with the infant tub next to him. New Emmitt having water dumped on his head and umbilical cord just 3 days old. I didn't worry too much this time around. I've been down this road before, he'll be fine. Once in awhile when Emmitt was brand new, all three of us crammed into the tub together. Me holding Emmitt, taking up the most room with my post baby body and little 2 year old Parker at the end of the tub playing away. Now Parker takes a shower some days with Daddy in the morning and sometimes all by himself. He is capable of washing his own hair and getting all the soap out. I stuck Emmitt in the shower one time with Parker and he wasn't too crazy about the idea. So just him and I take baths together once in awhile. Parker is officially banned from seeing mom naked (since he turned 4). We just tell him that mom's a girl and he's a boy and it's just not okay now that he is four. I always give Bear the option of bath time or ? whatever-dishes, supper clean up, laundry. He always picks the other. For some reason he chooses not to do bath time.

Most days the boys have baths together after supper. I have taught them to give mom pedicures in the tub while reading a magazine. I hang my legs over the side of the tub and they have my old makeup brushes that they use to "paint" my toenails and they pour water on my feet. All the while I am laying on the floor reading my latest Us Weekly. I definitely feel like I am getting the easier "chore" by being given bath time.

One thing both boys have yet to outgrow is their bath time snuggles. They both love being wrapped up like a baby and cradled in momma's arms. I enjoy every moment of bath time from start to the sweet, sweet finish...