One magical day a few weeks ago, Oliver figured out how to turn door knobs and open the doors.  All of them.  And it was mostly okay.  He decided to bother Hanna in her room, because she’s his favorite, and well, all of the really good toys are in her room.  She got mad.  He plundered her room bringing his choice prizes to the family room.  And then… They were playing together nicely.  Wow, I was happy!  Playing nicely and quietly in her room.  So I thought.  I should have known better.  In my blissful, trusting state, I let them keep on playing.

I was sitting there enjoying my few minutes of peace when I smelled something really sweet.  And it passed.  And then I smelled it again.  What IS that?  Who knows, I’m probably just imagining it… And there it was again.  So strange.  I brushed off the strange sweet smell a few more times.  I should have trusted my pregnancy induced super-sniffer.  And then, it was really quiet.  And all moms know when it gets really quiet that nothing good is happening.  As I got closer to the bedrooms the smell got stronger.  Recognizably stronger.  I KNOW that smell.  Oh no.

They had moved on from Hanna’s room and into Oliver’s room.  Where, when I opened the door, I found this:

The entire room, filled with baby powder particles.  I stepped into the room and it immediately started settling on my arms.  Everywhere.  I could taste it in the air.  I had no words.  Hanna was “helping clean up.”  Sure, sure you are.

I sent Nick a text telling him he needed to come home instead of going out.  I would have sent them away and cleaned it myself… But obviously, they can’t be trusted alone in a room.

So I made them strip off their powder filled pajamas and head to the bathroom for a bath.  It was 10 PM before the kids were in bed.  I think Oliver has the cleanest room in the house now since every inch of it was vacuumed and dusted a few times over.  All of the stuffed animals and bedding washed.  Every book on the bookshelf (and floor) vacuumed.  I’m seriously surprised they didn’t have “baby powder lung” after that.

 It ceases to amaze me the things I never thought my kids would do before I had kids, or even when I just had one.  And now, I really don’t question much at all.

Oh, and just a little tip, if you ever want to look like you’re 80 – just dump an entire bottle of baby powder on your head.  It totally does the trick.