Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Splish, Splash. . .

I'm so thankful for winter, because the cold weather means less baths. Summer wore me out giving so many baths! In the heat of last summer, Isaac and Maya were taking a karate class in the park. I wasn't a fan of staying and letting the kids play in the park because then I'd have to come home and give 6 baths before naptime. (I don't want sweaty kids in their clean beds!)
Isaac and Maya can now take showers independently, and Elena and Chloe take showers too, but they need a bit of supervision. ("Right is off. See the labels I made with the big arrows??")
So the only baths I give nowadays are for Daniel and Lydia, and I bathe them together despite the fact that we're a modesty-loving family. Four is the magic age for separating boys and girls I've decided. Anyway, they are adorable and I love watching them play together in the bathtub. Daniel only needs me to add soap to his scrubby; he learned how to bathe himself at the orphanage and is quite thorough. Lydia wants the same treatment and I let her believe she does a good job of it. Then I scrub her down myself.

As Lydia was putting the "wetters" on the shower wall, she was attempting to sing the Letter Factory songs: "The B says aaahh. The B says aaahh." One day, I'll correct her. For now I just enjoy her mistakes.

5 comments:

MommaofMany said...

Yes, showers go get easier when they get older. It used to be my most disliked "child chore". Now I have an older child choose a younger child to shower with (girls with girls, boys with boys, of course) and they spend some time together.

I bathe everyone six and under once a week myself and play with them, so we don't miss out on that time together, but I don't get overwhelmed by doing it myself ALL the time!

My Honey always bathes the babies until they are a two or three. It's a special time for them, too!

Love the pictures. I just got a scanner and am trying to figure out how to add some older (not digital) pics of the kids. I have a similar shot of a couple of kids in the bath.

Momma

Anonymous said...

I'm with Momma in the once a week is enough camp. I can't imagine your dark kids can handle more than that!! And swimsuits and a hose are all that are needed in summer!!

Katie

Ginger said...

You're right, Katie, my Africans can't handle too many baths. During karate, they did take 2/week but I didn't wash their hair both times.
Now they bathe/shower once a week and they wash their hair with conditioner only.
I've been using shea butter on their skin and it makes them so beautiful.
So, on your advice, next summer we'll just hit the splash park before going home from karate. lol

Jamie Wooddell said...

I love to watch my babies take a bath, but I dread giving them. Talk about back breaking labor! But they love it and I enjoy the giggles and squeals. And the clean smelling kids.

Faith said...

Oh don't I know what you mean. The problem here in sunny southern california is that even if it's chilly outside the kids end up stinking, just like cold sweat. I was so happy when Sarah was able to take showers by herself and now that Alana is 4 1/2 they take them together and Sarah shows her how it's done. I can't wait till the 4 littles can do it themselves too!
Blessings, Faith