While on the phone...

This morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table feeding Maxwell and talking to a friend on the phone.

Maxwell was in his Bumbo on the table, attempting to eat cream of wheat and pears.

Kathryn was standing at the sink making her famous apple cider (water and apple scented soap).

Maxwell was quickly disinterested in his food, so I gave him the spoon to play with instead.

Within seconds, he had food all over face, hands and clothes.

And Kathryn worked her way up to the counter and was washing the bar.

I didn't have my glasses on, but I described the scene to my friend as best as I could.

She said to me, "You are such a good mom."

To which I replied, "No, I'm not a good mom. I'm just on the phone and not reacting quite the way I might if I weren't on the phone."

But still, I was interested to see what Kathryn would do.  Plus my counters needed washing anyway.

So I let her spread water and soap all over the bar and counter, adding more and more soap as she went.

And I let Maxwell continue to splatter food all over himself, while I talked to my dear, sweet friend who lives across the country.

Suddenly, water was dumped all over the counter, which quickly gushed onto the tile floor.

And Kathryn, stripping as she went, stood up on the wet, soapy counter in her underwear, only to find herself slipping.

So I rushed over to her, leaving Maxwell sitting in his Bumbo on the kitchen table, to catch my slipping daughter.  All the while, turning my head to keep a careful eye on my tiny, little son on the table. 

Luckily, she caught herself, and Maxwell sat very still in his seat.

I told my friend goodbye.  And then, I informed Kathryn that she needed to wipe up all the water.

By this point, she was jumping on the couch cushions, which were on the living floor, in the nude.

And she told me No. She was not going to wipe up all the water.

I told her to go to sit on her chair in her bedroom for a time-out if she wouldn't wipe up the water.  

She happily obliged.  So I decided to change my mind, and told her she didn't have a choice in the matter.  

She needed to be responsible and clean up her mess.

And that is how both of my children ended up clothes-less.  

Maxwell because he had food all over his clothes and Kathryn because she was soaking wet.

I did need my counters and floors cleaned after all, so it ended up just fine in the end.