How to get kids dirty

Step 1:  Make sure you pick a day that's kind of rainy in the morning, but not too much so there's still sunshine to enjoy.  Today, for example, was perfect.  The sky opened up as I was driving to the Royal Botanical Gardens to meet my friends for a playdate, but by the time I got there it said "Just kidding, cue the sun!"

Step 2: Bring lots of children. Especially three-year-olds, and a 16-month-old who thinks she's a three-year-old.  They will get each other nicely riled up.  They may even roll on the ground for you!

Step 3: Go on a hike in nature.  Since you picked the perfect weather, parts of the trail will be muddy.  Make sure you let the children walk through the mud without assistance.

Step 4: Pause for a while on a particularly muddy patch of trail.  While you're trying to identify what species of swimming larvae you're looking at, pay little or no attention to what your 16-month-old is doing.

Step 5:  Hot dogs and ice cream.  Nothing dirties a kid's face faster than a chocolate ice cream cone.

Step 6:  If they aren't dirty enough yet,  FINGER PAINT!

Play dates rule

After yesterday's incident with the outlet it was nice to have a bunch of women around who can relate to having a two and a half year old. Today's festivities included: eating timbits, eating cookies, eating animal crackers, playing with toys, playing with balls, fighting over balls, holding Jadzia, baking a pretend cake, throwing magnets, shrieking, practicing indoor screaming, jumping on William's car bed, reading a book, eating noodles, throwing noodles on the carpet, watching Cars.

I can see why children nap, they make four hours seem like ten. Still, it was oddly relaxing having three extra toddlers running around my house, while we Moms sat on the couch in the eye of the hurricane. My friend Columbia calls me "Zen Mommy" because I'm always so calm and don't let things phase me. In reality I'm only calm with my Mommy friends around. They remind me that I'm not alone in the universe.

Baby John's Welcome Shin-dig

I just went to a playdate/baby shower at my friend Columbia's house. 2 babies, 3 women, 3 toddlers, and a twelve-year-old. Officially, we were welcoming our friend Jessica's new baby John to the world (he's a month old and makes Jadzia look like a giant), but for some reason he didn't seem to notice there was a party going on at all.

You might imagine that many toddlers would be less relaxing than only one toddler, but I find the opposite to be true. It's nice to have friends who occupy the same circle of hell as you do. Not that having children is hell, there is much joy. I'm just glad it was someone else's child who got nail polish on the couch (because it could just have easily been mine).

We did trash Columbia's place a bit. I tried to help tidy up, but I have dyspurgatia (like dyslexia, only with cleaning and yes, I made that word up). Everyone's coming to my house for a bbq on the weekend, though, so I'll get my pay back.

Thanks Columbia, you're amazing.