Friday, July 12, 2013

Drains, part 2

Bath time has gotten a little bit easier around here.  Pookie still has an intense dislike of drains.  I think that is something that will take a while to completely dissipate.  Things finally came to a screeching halt a couple of weeks ago during one of Pookie's tubbies.  It resulted in me stripping down to my skivvies and getting into the tub with Pookie.  I have come to the realization that as long as my feet are in the tub, Pookie does okay with his baths.

Pookie has taken to hording all of his bath toys and attempt to sit on them.  That way the toys won't float away and accidentally get too close to the drain end of the tub.  Let me tell you, that process is rather entertaining to watch.  Nothing like trying to sink float-able objects.  Also, all of the bath toys have to be out of the tub before Pookie will get out, and then I need to be the last one out of the tub.  Pookie will still get a little freaked out when I take him out of the tub and start to dry him off.  I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I am still standing in the tub while I'm drying him off.  Our bathroom isn't that big and there isn't a lot of room to maneuver.  Then once he is all dried off and into a set of PJ's, we watch the water go down the drain.

Another thing that has helped is reading books about bath time.  Pookie has really fallen in love with a book called Bernard's Bath.  It's about this little elephant that doesn't want to take a bath and his parents and grandma convince him that baths are fun.  Pookie also really likes Curious George: Plumber's Helper.  George takes a bath and his toys accidentally go down the drain and cause a clog.  The plumber needs to be called to fix the problem.  I think the Curious George book is great because it shows how pipes work and if something were to go down the drain, it could be retrieved.

In addition to our bath time rituals, we have taken to checking out other drains.  Mainly the sewer drains in the street.  Pookie likes to check to see if there is water at the bottom of the drain.  He also likes to reaffirm the fact that he is indeed too big to fit through the grate and will not get sucked down the drain.  After dinner, as long as it's not raining, we set out for a walk around the neighborhood.  As we go along Pookie will pick up rocks and sticks, although, he is limited to one of each.  Sometimes when we go for a walk, Pookie will want to bring along his egg.  This drives me nuts because I have visions of him dropping it down one of the drains and not being able to get it out.  Generally I try to dissuade him from bringing anything along for a walk.

I love to hear him chatter as we go along.  There is a section where there are a lot of trees and Pookie will call it the spooky forest.  I tell him that we have to be quiet and tiptoe through the "forest."  Pookie, of course, thinks this is great fun.  I'm sure the neighbors think I'm nuts.  Really, who cares what the neighbors think, Pookie is having a grand time and that's all that counts!

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