What Would We Do Without Our Friends...

Today we were fortunate to have one of those unseasonably warm January days that seem to come along at just the right time. You know the time...when the weather has been cold, or snowy, or wet for at least six months--or maybe it just feels that way--and you wake up one day and realize that if you have to spend one.more.moment in this house with these children you might just lose the teeny tiny little pieces of your sanity that remain.

In fact, you are so sure that this is going to happen, that you wake up one day and say "Please God. Let me hold on just a little bit longer. These kids need me until at least age eighteen, most likely longer, so please don't let me lose my mind just yet. And, oh, by the way, a little sunshine would probably help".

And then...voila...He delivers. Sunshine and 50s in January.

Phew.

That was a close one.

(I realize that some of you live in warm places, where temps in the 50s in January is not that warm. And you should realize that I don't live in one of those places, so please don't burst my bubble. Trust me when I tell you, it was practically roasting here today).

Since we had a play date planned with my friend Lisa (mother of the Triple Threat, and blogger at Three Under Five and Still Alive) we decided to head to the park. We love the park. The girls can play together. The boys can run together. And occasionally, and briefly, the moms can actually take a swig from the wine bottle in the brown paper bag have a conversation.

Yes, of course I'm kidding about the brown paper bag.

Maybe.

Another great thing about the park is that, if you're a three or four year old boy and have to pee, you can grab your buddy, find the biggest mud puddle you can, and together, you can drop your trousers.

Splashing and peeing at the same time.

What could be more perfect?

As an added bonus, you'll probably get the park to yourself for a little while after this.

Lisa and I, of course, put on our best Mommy voices and told our respective children that they needed to pull their (soaking wet, mud covered) pants back up, and keep them on at all times while at the park. Then, because she's way more together than I am, Lisa changed her flasher's pants. I made my flasher stay in his (soaking wet, mud covered) pants. I figured it would teach him a lesson. I figured it would help him remember why we don't pull our pants down in the middle of the park and pee in mud puddles. It had almost nothing to do with the fact that I am a slacker and didn't have a change of clothes for him.

They kept their pants on after that. B even told me tonight that he was sorry for peeing in that puddle.

"That wasn't good, Mom".

Got that right, B.

"I shouldn't have peed in that puddle".

Nope, you sure shouldn't have.

"I shouldn't pull my pants down outside..."

Right!

"...without a tree in front of me".

Um. Yeah. We'll go with that.

But if you ever DO pee in a mud puddle again, I hope you have a friend with you.

It's much more fun that way.

At least, that's what I'm told.