The checklist just got a little bit longer

Yesterday we decided to divide and conquer. Nik took the #2, who apparently has come to the terrible twos a bit late, on the bike in the early evening hours before bed. I took the #1 to the supermarket where I had just a few things on the list. Oliver likes going to the store and I like spending time with the children one on one whenever possible. I like even more not having to listen to the constant barrage of comments and complaints from #2 for a few blessed moments.


The outing to the store went fairly well and when we returned to an empty house I offered Oliver a popsicle. My thinking was that there was only one lime popsicle left so if I offered it when there was only one child I avoided the inevitable ruckus should one child have to settle for raspberry or strawberry. So, outside with the popsicle Oliver roamed around and occassionally obliged my request for a taste. I took the opportunity to roll up the new slip and slide so that it wouldn't kill the grass in the morning sun today. In the middle of this task Oliver finished the popsicle and headed inside. I quickly ran through a mental checklist. Front door: locked; bladder state: empty. Ok, I'll just be a minute and then I can join him, I thought.


Then I heard it, the sound ever so small but most definately a splat, followed closely by a second splat. No, surely he wouldn't, I thought, as I grabbed up the slide and threw it on the deck. I opened the door to the house and scanned the kitchen immediately relieved by the sight of the closed refrigerator door. But what's this? A head barely visible on the opposite side of the kitchen island. A sicking feeling comes over me and I peer around the island at the floor and the sight of Oliver's obvious delight: Two eggs that must have hit the ground at high velocity. "Messy, Messy!", he said sounding highly pleased as I handed him the paper towels. Having been through the drill twice previously that same day he knew the routine.