What's That Smell?

This parenting moment brought to you by Renuzit "Fresh Elements" air freshener.

***

Kelli was having dinner with a friend, leaving me in charge of the kids for a stretch this evening. THEBOY was off somewhere in the back of the house, doing his own thing.

THEGIRL and I played in the living room, tickling, wrestling, playing "night night." We were having fun.

I thought I'd put on a little music to see if I could get her to dance. I opened the entertainment center and turned on the stereo. No CDs were in the player, so I had to go with the radio. The first station was playing a commercial. The second was playing the Byrds' "Turn Turn Turn." I figured it'd do the trick.

As I went to close the entertainment center door, THEGIRL got in the way, thus giving her full access to the receiver. I really don't want her messing with the stereo, but I stayed right there.

I'm not familiar with the station, and the song sounded like it had a lot of white noise. Lousy reception, I figured, but it'd do.

THEGIRL started poking at lights, exploring the receiver. Then the inevitable happened: She discovered the volume knob, which has a cool red light on it.

Yep. She grabbed it and turned it almost all the way up.

In an instant she dropped to all fours and began crawling away at warp speed. I grabbed the knob and turned it down. She was really scared, screaming and crying.

I picked her up to comfort her and reassure her in the silence.

Except... the white noise continued...

Then it hit me:

Sniff sniff.

Oh man.

I hustled the baby into the bathroom, and sure enough, THEBOY had been spraying air freshener, which he's obsessed with, the whole time.

The stench was unearthly. The bathroom rug was somehow SOAKED with air freshener and wet to the touch.

And the more I asked him HOW? and WHY? and WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? the fewer answers I got.

I didn't boil over, but I griped at him a bit. Then I told him he's a good boy, and now that he knows that the air freshener isn't supposed to be used like that, he'll know to spray it just one SHORT time from now on.

***

Met the lawyer this morning to draw up a contract on that house. We still have to go over the contract ourselves and sign/fax it.

***

And I met Dr. Ellison for lunch at a great little barrio Mexican joint called Campesinos. He's easy to talk to and get along with, and I think he'll be a great guy to have as an advisor and potential mentor.

Had tacos Yucatecas, which were quite good.

***

Happy Wednesday.