Laundry

My youngest took an extended nap on the couch. I knew I'd pay for it that night when it was time for him to go to bed, but I needed a break. Actually, I needed a nap, too, but that wasn't remotely possible because the older two were bored and when they are bored they will be nudgy and whiny and bicker relentlessly. I sent them up to their room to play laser tag (which is really an outdoor game, but they hounded me until I got it out, and because it was snowing, their time outside was shortlived). Then they wanted to play X-Box, but for some Godforsaken reason, none of the four controllers are working. Then they wanted to watch idiotic shows on TV. Interspersed with these activities were their requests for food. "I'm hungry" could mean, "I'm hungry," "I'm bored," or "I'm tired." The living room was littered with food debris, and soon strewn with toys, games, and trading cards.

My youngest eventually woke up and toddled off to the bathroom where soon I heard, "Mah-ahm! I need help wiping!"

Since it was late, nearly six o'clock, I suggested, since he was naked from the waist down (he usually takes the bottom half of his clothes off when using the potty), that he take a bath. He agreed.

While he was in the tub I started straightening out the living room, which I had been reluctant to do when he was sleeping. I noticed a big, wet spot on the slipcover.

"Oh, no -- God help me!" I thought he had peed on the couch. I stripped off the slip cover, and took the two blankets and the cushion cover off (while trying not to touch anything wet), and thought, "Well, all right, I guess I'll do another load of laundry." I went into the bathroom to retrieve my son's clothes to add to the load. Funny, they weren't wet.

I stuffed everything in the washer and went back upstairs. I realized that my oldest's abandoned cup of grape juice had spilled when his drowsy brother got up off the couch and staggered into the TV table. (I should just make the rule that any cups in the living room have to have covers on them.)

I was annoyed by the mess, but at least it wasn't tinkle, and at least I have a washing machine and dryer in my basement and don't have to go to the laundromat. (I discovered a forgotten load in the dryer when I moved everything over). It never ends.