Splash Day

I've discovered my child has a love-hate relationship with water.

I am quickly developing a love-hate relationship with Splash Day.

But, hey, we all have our issues....

While Miles can't wait to drench his clothes, body and shoes in our own front yard sprinklers, he refuses to try his friends' Slip-N-Slide. He must be forcibly removed from swimming pools once he's in, but he says he "hates the water" when asked to swim in a plastic pool with (again, same friends) Luke and Lee. He regularly spends 25 minutes in the bathtub, trying to generate tsuanmi waves and displacing gallons of water in the process, but he cries when I get his hair wet.

Today, his preschool is having "Splash Day" to celebrate the end of the year -- just as Miles has developed serious, new reservations about water. Getting ready this morning was less than a joy, as Miles refused to get dressed, then needed to go to the bathroom. Then brush his teeth. Then wash his hands. Then get some juice. Then brush his teeth....

He also lost the mates to TWO pairs of shoes and, though he engaged a parent and two grandparents in the search, was unable to recover even one complete pair.

Then, as we were ALMOST ready for the front door, I realized he has misplaced two pairs of sunglasses and his only remaining hat that fits. We arrived late at Splash Day because Mommie and Miles went to the store on the way to purchase a bright orange (ladies!) Nike baseball cap.

With all the delays and the dragging of heels, I almost, almost gave up... by my Sixth Sense tells me this troublesome little boy will be so happy when he sees a sprinkler set up in the sunshine, and all his friends available to play in it. I am holding out hope for this crummy morning to become a shiny, happy, straight-to-memory day.

I read this great book last year, simply because my husband brought it to me from the library. Later, I learned that the book won a Pulitzer Prize. (Jeremy has a knack for good choices.) It's called "Gilead," by Marilynne Robinson. And it includes a marvelous, marvelous description of how "wet" and "kids" should best combine. I wrote it out and saved it, I liked it so much:

“The sprinkler is a magnificent invention because it exposes raindrops to sunshine. (I'm watching as) you two are dancing in your iridescent little downpour, whooping and stomping as all sane people ought to do when they encounter a thing so miraculous as water.”

Here's to Splash Dasy... big pain in the ass that it has been! :) Let me always make the extra effort to receive the miraculous!