Bathroom Bonding

When you consider the size of our house, the master bath is pretty much the Pacific Ocean. If the builders had decided to make it a normal, functional size, we'd have square footage for, oh, I don't know, maybe a closet bigger than the white part of the fingernail on my pinky finger?

We've come to terms with this waste of space in numerous ways throughout the years, but mostly, it has become an extra place to store toys and play...because as long as the kids are closed in there with me and all their toys, I can take a shower most days, and shave my legs.

So many people ask me what I do to take a shower. When Hailey was little, she sat in the bouncer or the exersaucer, and when older, started collecting enough "bathroom toys" that we actually put a little crate in the bathroom so they could be contained there. When Keelyn was little, she'd watch Hailey play from the bouncer, and as she got bigger, they'd laugh at each other while she was safely tucked into the exersaucer.

Now they are both on the loose...and it proves to be more challenging. Something about me being separated from them by a thin panel of glass, screams, go wild and do whatever it is you know will make Mommy upset because you can, because she'll do anything to not have to get out of there before she's done! She'll plead, she'll bribe, she won't follow through with threats of time-outs, and she'll forgive you because she's clean! Most days, there is a lot more "Hailey, let go of Keelyn," and "Keelyn, Hailey's hair is not for pulling," than anything else. And then there's the incessant desire to unravel all of the toilet paper. Like most moms, I've learned to complete my shower in only a few minutes, and I try not to get frustrated with the behavior since it's usually coming from a loving place, despite the discomfort they manage to cause for one another.

But, on occasion, there is a day like today, and one day we had a few weeks ago...where they are calm, and cuddly, and quiet, and just in love with each other and the few moments of time they have to just be. I can relax, and I think we all feel refreshed when it's over. (They're not looking at each other here, but on this day, there was lots of kissing, and cooing, and rubbing...so precious.)

And, today, there was lots of singing and clapping and talking about our favorite things together. They sat this way the whole time, looking at themselves in the mirror. Hailey still loves to hold her baby big girl.

You should know, that not 30 seconds after taking that second picture, Hailey was dragging Keelyn across the floor by her arm, faster than her little feet can move, so that they could go pull clothes out of drawers in her bedroom. Hailey had good intentions of finding an outfit. Keelyn just likes to make the mess.