Water, Water Everywhere

I should have bought stock in Bounty paper towels long ago.

Barney has loved experimenting with liquids since early toddler hood.  It started innocently enough when I bought him a floating stove top and cooking utensils for the bathtub.  I was tired of him dumping the dog's water dish multiple times a day.  He also constantly grabbed for any beverage container within reach at home, and anywhere else we happened to be: playgroup, the park, Starbucks, it didn't make a difference to him. In an attempt to be a creative problem solver, I figured encouraging  his pouring and mixing tendencies in the tub each evening would decrease his need for this behavior outside of the tub.  Hah!

The bathtub full of cups, pitchers, bowls, pots and spoons inspired Barney to find new and more exciting liquids to pour and mix. All of my cleaning supplies and toxic liquids were safely out of reach even before Barney was born, having childproofed for his older brother 18 months earlier. Henry liked to splash but it never occurred to him to explore any of the other bottles and tubes in the bathroom.

Whenever the house got too quiet I knew to check the bathroom. If I reacted quickly enough I would find him mixing toothpaste, mouthwash and shampoo in a drinking cup with his brother's toothbrush. His intelligence has never been in question.  He had already figured out that a soapy toothbrush tasted yucky so after one bad experience he never again used his own.  If I happened to be distracted by a phone call or my older child and hesitated before finding him, the experimentation would have escalated to the sink or toilet.  I can't even begin to imagine to money we have spent replacing shampoo, conditioner, lotions, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc.

I understood that Barney's behavior was fulfilling  a sensory need as well as being an outlet for his natural curiosity. When the weather was warm enough, we do after all live in New England, I indulged lots of water play outside. We had a water table on the deck, a wading pool, sprinkler, hose with a kids firefighter attachment, sprayers, water balloons, splash balls and anything else I could think of. I let him play and play as long as he wanted and it worked.  That is, until the temperature dropped enough for it to be uncomfortable to be soaking wet outside.  Cold weather always brings with it a significant increase in bathroom play.

Last weekend however, he took things to a whole new level.  His latest thing is indoor water balloons.  I have been as patient as possible and have allowed this play in the bathroom.  He fills the balloon in the sink and explodes it in the tub, the bathroom gets really wet but I can deal with it.  On Sunday morning while I was in the shower (and my husband was supposed to be paying attention, cough-cough) Barney filled up a water balloon and decided that he wanted to see how long it would take for the water to drain out from a pin hole.  Since he didn't want to wait alone in the bathroom he brought the balloon into the kitchen. Daddy is not nearly as tolerant as I am and Barney did not want to be yelled at so he hid his slowly leaking  balloon.  He hid it behind MY LAPTOP!!!!!

I came into the kitchen relaxed and freshly showered and found a flood.  My computer and all the paperwork on the counter surrounding it (prescriptions, applications, bills, etc.) were soaked and sitting in a puddle of water.  I am usually a calm, even tempered person but I lost it!  There is only so much I can take!!!