A Doozy of a Day

Today was what we, in Babyworld, would call “a doozy.”
I was baking away as usual and Annabelle became entranced by the container of flour on the table. She ran to her own little kitchen and pulled out her little pots and pans and started mixing away. I figured it would be messy,  but I was happy she was getting some tactile stimulation–usually she doesn’t like to get her hands dirty. A few minutes later I glanced behind me and she was covered in flour from head to toe, including two handmarks on her cheeks and her pink princess underwear bulging with flour. She started giggling maniacally (thank goodness Henry was sleeping and couldn’t join in the hijinks!) and took off running through the house, delighting in the trail of powdery footprints she made all over the hardwood floors.
A few seconds later, she’s grabbing handfuls of flour and throwing them against the wall, in her baby stroller, and into Daddy’s shoes. “Daddy’s going to love the powder I put in his shoes!” she shouts as she grabs another handful and flings it against the wall. I’m laughing so hard, there’s no way I can stop her, and so I resign myself to spending the afternoon cleaning it up. How hard can it be I ask myself?
Ha! Have you ever tried to sweep up flour on hardwood floors? It just multiplies! And if you add water? It makes paste! Yes, now all the cracks in my gleaming hardwood floor are filled with flour paste. The cucurachas will be pulling out their maracas and having a fiesta tonight! And my whole body aches from the hour I spent on my knees trying to clean it up.
This was followed by Henry insisting on wearing Annabelle’s white ruffled turtleneck under his overalls  and walking up to me with his big eyes and enormous cheeks, staring at me for a minute before reaching out one chubby hand to smack me across the face.
This followed by Annabelle climbing on me like I’m a jungle and she’s Tarzan.
This followed by a nature walk to try to redirect some wild energy.
And all of this preceded by an impromptu morning costume party. I love this day, even though it was a doozy!