I love my kids, dearly. They love bugs, dirt, discovering and playing. Yeah, those last two are a deadly combination.
Ever since they were little, they have loved "spinney" toothbrushes. Now for those of you who don't have kids around, they come in the shapes of race cars, cartoon characters, animals, superheroes...you name it. And you plop your favorite toothpaste on there and BANG ZOOM! They take off. They jiggle and play music, spin and rotate...It's kind of like shoving DJ driven hand mixer in your face. But they love it. They will brush for ten maybe fifteen minutes, singing the songs and dancing around. Believe me there is NOTHING funnier than those knobby little knees frantically searching for the beat to "Hawaii Five-O" while white foam fills up their little mouths almost to the gag reflex. Let the vision come to you.....it's really quite good.
Yes well having said that, my kids have chosen a LOVELY shade of powder blue toothpaste with lots of purple sparklies and a blue raspberry scent that makes your nostril hairs spike and tingle. WHEW! But they love it and they have a jammin good time brushing their teeth, chasing the dog with them in their mouths: "How many times do I have to tell you NOT to run with them in your mouth????" You get the idea.
The other night I was doing my homework. They decided they could do it all. They would clear the table, do the dishes, get ready for bed, do story time; they were on top of it. So I believed them. Silly little woman. I was in my office banging away at my current story-submission. I heard the dog racing up and down the hall half barking half grunting. I heard the kids giggling and the music from their toothbrushes ebbing and flowing as they chased him and each other in, out and around up there. It was like a heard of elephants in slippers.
"Please finish your chores...." I warned from the safety of my office. I tried again to refocus on my work.
The dog began to yelp and the kids began to howl. The volume hit a dull roar: "DO WHAT I ASKED YOU TO DO!" I hollar a little louder. I realize now I should have just gotten my lazy butt up and taken care of this, but I thought I could still write suspensful twisted tales while worrying about dogs, kids and bedtime. Ray Bradbury I am not, so just before I get to "Three..." which we all know is a BAD thing in my house, I go up, straighten them out and get them to bed. We read stories and say our good nights. Everyone is out of breath and giggly.
I head down the hall and without turning on the lights begin to move around in my bedroom. I'll put on my jammies and recollect my thoughts...no problem. But I notice shimmering streaks on the walls from the light cast from the streetlight outside. I look around and actually see several. It looks like a bunch of tiny but very happy comets have been zipping around in here. At the same time I flick on the light, my nose hairs spike and tingle. I smell blue raspberry. And yes I see where they have run all over my upstairs with their spinney toothbrushes (functioning but NOT IN THEIR MOUTHS) flipping toothpaste bits all over the walls.
They went to bed late. My walls are clean and will NEVER have to worry about decay or gingivitis. Maybe I should let them throw some Aquafresh white trays up on the ceiling...it DOES need painting...Hmmmmm.
Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for playing.
