Signs of Spring

Are you looking for a definitive sign of Spring? Well, as someone who shares a house with a 6-year-old boy, I can give you one: dirt in the bathtub. I don't mean a dirty bathtub, as in it needs cleaning. (I'd probably qualify.) I mean when certain short people start wearing Crocs again in warm weather. And playing outdoors in said Crocs. And semi-permanently staining their feet the color of red dirt. And the fun part about Crocs? They allow you to bring the dirt, twigs, leaves and assorted detritus inside with you. Alex took a bath last night and when I went to take one this morning, I swiftly decided a shower was the way to go. At least until I have a chance to clean the tub.

As I did laundry this weekend, I found another point to ponder. Art handles bathtime so I've rarely seen this phenemonon in action. How DOES one remove their pants, underwear and socks all together, at the same time? Alex apparently can do it consistently, not just as a one-off occurrence, because there were several days' worth of his wardrobe arranged just so. Yet he cannot tie his shoes. Hmmmm.

When I picked Alex up from After School Care Friday he was in the art room, one of his favorite places there. I think they have a line of credit with Oriental Trading because he rarely comes home without some sort of thing he has put together, decorated, glued, etc. Friday they'd decorated small pillows and stuffed them with cotton balls. There was also a plastic pocket on the pillow case where you could put in a picture. Alex had written his name for that space and decorated the pillow case itself with writing he called "Chinese characters." (Genealogy note: he claims have Chinese and Indian heritage. Art says if he doesn't mean Cherokee, he is not correct. I'm staying out of it.)

The caretakers/jailkeepers called Alex out over the speakers to let him know I was there. That's when he walked out in front of me, several school employees and parents - with the pillow stuffed under his shirt, announcing in a loud voice (with a Scarlett O'Hara accent)- "Ah'm having a BAY-BEE!" At least it was Friday. I made him demonstrate the performance for Art as well. As for Chinese characters, it just reminded me of that old Chinese proverb and curse: May you always live in interesting times.