Puddles

My boys love puddles. Ethan wakes up in the morning asking to put on his rubber boots to go play in the puddles. He looks out the picture window in our living room talking about the big puddles in our front yard... I didn't know there was so much to say about puddles!! So we've been going out every day (even in the -2 degree weather!) to splash and play. It's been so fun to watch the joy on the boys' faces as they kick and stomp and jump.... well Ethan jumps, and Anthony just squats and says "GUMP!" (it's so funny watching kids learn how to jump! And yes, Anthony actually says gump instead of jump :)

So in all the excitement and lack of planning on my part, I decided to walk with the boys to Safeway the other day, which is about 4 blocks down our street from our house - lots of puddles! Ok, never again! Never again! We live on a fairly busy street, and the sidewalk we were walking on had lots of driveways and roads across it. Apparently it had been way too long since the last time we'd gone for a walk because Ethan forgot all rules about stopping at the roads... and because Anthony wanted to walk too, he was off in every direction in search of new water. We had made it about 1/4 of the way there, and my voice was almost hoarse from yelling "STOP" to Ethan because he kept going too far ahead of me and Anthony, and almost going onto the street! So I had to do what every loving parent does to teach their 3 year old about the dangers of the street... I told him why he can't go on any roads without me - because he could get hit by a car, get hurt very badly and bleed everywhere, and even die.... Is that a little harsh?? It worked. So ever since, our bedtime conversations have included such statements as: "I don't want to go on the road because I can get hit by a car and get dead." I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I had to tell him the truth, it's a very serious matter. He's very easy to reason with, and understands why he can't go on the road, it's just a matter of him remembering or being able to resist the urge to jump in the puddle that's in the middle of the road!!

Anyways, I'm not sure the reason for this post, maybe just to remember our first puddle jumping experience with both boys. It was actually pretty amusing because Anthony kept yelling "ETHAN STOP," and would even point his finger at him. I'll have to try and get it on video :D