You see this cape fluttering proudly in the breeze? The one with the giant "SM" stamped on the back? That's right, it stands for "Super Mom". And I wear it with pride. I became a proud recipient of said cape way back in January '09. It was tucked in my hospital overnight bag right in between the cutest newbie-sized strawberry onesie and a few pairs of granny panties that I swore I would only wear for a few days then it would be back to my cute little VS regulars. (Eight months later, I caught my husband staring longing at those same VS panties still resting in my top drawer...right behind their more comfortable Hanes counterparts.) I digress.
I pull out this cape for special occasions. Times when my motherhood, I believe, has reached near super-human status. Today's reason for pulling out my favorite wardrobe accessory? Addie will brush her teeth, wash her hands and her face all without having a nuclear meltdown.
The past five months have been daunting. Each morning I drag her into the bathroom, sit her on the counter, foil her attempts to plunge head-first on the tile in sheer desperation - all to avoid the wet washcloth from touching the giant eye boogers and snot that have plastered her face overnight. Seriously, WHERE do all these boogers come from?!?! She will go to bed with a clean face and equally clean nasal passages only to wake up looking like she laid in her crib shooting loogies into the air all night.
We have had the same morning routine since she was 10-months old. Wash your face - stick a toothbrush in your mouth. Good. Great. Let's get to daycare. I think it all changed when teeth started taking up residence inside of her mouth and I had to actually make an effort and brush those teeth. Then she realized, "Wait a minute, you're serious about this? Like, every day for LIFE I have to do this? No thanks." Plus, her new favorite past-time is "catch-me-if-you-can". Which is always fun when it either involves her running with a fork or her bare butt sprinting away from me as I chase after it with a diaper.
To many mothers, my recent victory may not seem like much. But I am a stickler for not having the "eww kid". Be honest, you know these poor children. The ones that show up for play group and have gummi-bears stuck in their hair because Mom decided to "let that fight go". Or the kid who always wipes their nose on their sleeve and therefore all of their sleeves are permanently stiff and crusted. Of course we all are well aware of the child whose mouth emanates those foul-smelling green gaseous odors like you see in cartoons all because their mom "didn't want to fight about brushing teeth".
Well, put your boxing gloves on, AG, 'cause your mommy is a fighter and you are brushing those dang teeth. And I will lay down on the tracks in front of that Snot Train before it leaves this house.
Maybe I didn't win the war, but round one is definitely mine. This morning when I uttered the (formerly) dreaded words "time to brush", she dutifully got up and marched to the bathroom. We brushed, washed and then I praised like crazy. Dancing, singing and clapping my hands like an insane person. She just watched with an expression like "Geez Mom, I brushed my teeth, get a hold of yourself."
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