Do you know what this is? I bet you don't. It was on the floor of Nathan's room. This is one of the large clumps and there are many small clumps all over the floor. I will tell you what it is, but let's go back to yesterday.
Yesterday, at church, we had a lesson on being slow to anger. A counselor (by trade) in the room suggested that anger comes from fear. I respect her very much. But, I believe anger comes from disobedience. Specifically, the disobedience of my children. And their lack of listening to their wise and aged mother. Anyway, anger is not really an attribute of the Savior, so I determined that I would work to not get angry. Really. I am really going to work on this. Really.
Fast forward to this morning. Nathan woke up and told be he had wet his pull-up. Not a problem. He wears one every night and very rarely wakes up wet. Now, I know someone is thinking, he shouldn't wear a pull-up to bed. And you might be right. Except I'm not trading not-wet sheets for a wet pull-up. Nathan is a heavy sleeper and has NEVER woken up in the night to use the bathroom. And he falls out of bed every night. And yes, he does have a guardrail up. We find him in the closet. We find him across the room behind the door. Behind the hamper. So...I would not have wet sheets...I would have wet carpet...and hence, the pull-ups for the rare wet night.
I digress. So, this morning, when Nathan said he had a wet pull-up, I told him to go throw it away and change his clothes while I took Riley to school. "Okay Mom." Yes, he said that. So that indicates that he heard and understood what I said, right?
I came home and he assured me that he had changed. Okay. Good son. Good day. It's all looking good for me today. About an HOUR later, Nathan says, "Actually mom, I didn't change. I was joking(lying) you." And because I am not getting angry, I say, "Okay buddy... just go change now so we can go to Wal-Mart before you go to school". "Okay, Mom". Again with the hearing and understanding, right?
A little while later, I go upstairs and he is nekkid. Like a jaybird. And in his room ALL OVER THE FLOOR are cupcake crumbs. Huge crumbs, small crumbs...everywhere. And in my non-angry head I think to myself, "Self, I wonder where Lauren got that cupcake. What a mess!" and then I went to get a closer look.
No, not cupcake crumbs. PEE Crumbs!! The inside of a disgusting pull-up! EVERY-where! Have you seen a wet diaper explode? Yep, same thing. All this individual plastic particles of pee! People!!
I was not scared. I was angry!!! Can I get some support here? Did I rush to this point? No. And as a pregnant woman, who is repulsed by nearly all smells....is this fair? Is it just to test my not angry-ness in this way?
So, I get the vacuum and determine running over the crumbs might drive them further into the carpet...so I call to Craig to bring me the canister vacuum. As I am cleaning this mess up, Craig tells me that in the hallway it doesn't smell bad. Thanks, Honey!! In here, where I am, on the floor, with the pee crumbs...it does smell very bad!
I love my son, I really do. I know I am learning things by being his mom that I couldn't learn in any other way.
Also, "okay, mom" is no longer a reliable gauge of hearing and/or understanding in this house!!!