The Dirt Monster

I have pictures of this, however I don't have them uploaded yet..so you'll have to bear with just a description.

2 weekends ago there was a little 2 year old that didn't like to get her hands dirty. She would try to make sure they were always clean. Mommy thought this wasn't a natural thing for a two year old and attempted to change this thought. Mommy went to the garden store and bought Terra cotta pots for vegetables that were growing larger than the kitchen window and on that Saturday afternoon, started to move soil into the pots. The conversation goes as follows:
"Momma, What's Dat!?"
"It's okay, baby. Momma is getting her hands dirty and putting soil into the pots."
"Dirty?" she asks curiously
Momma holds out her hands covered in smelly soil.
The 2 year old backs up with a look of horror.
"It's ok, sweetheart. See? Momma loves the dirt." Mommy proceeds to drop more soil into the pots. "Do you want to help momma?"
"Yeah!!!!" with great enthusiasm and prompty puts her hands into the soil bag and starts to move soil to the pod - one hand at a time. Suddenly realization dawns on her adorable little face and she looks at her hands in horror. "MOMMA!!!! " showing her hands "YUCK!!!!"
Mommy smiles shows her hands to her little one, "See sweetheart. Mommy's hands are yuck too. It's okay!" Mommy continues to move soil. Little one watches and helps for a little while longer and then gets bored. Her hands, however, remain dirty.
Mommy smiles in contentment.

The following weekend the little 2 year old is running around wildly with waaayyy too much energy. Mommy, needing a little time to continue to get somethings done, remembers that there are digging toys in the garage. When said 2 year old shrieks, Mommy decides "To hell with a Sand and Water table. We're going to use what we have." Mommy brings in the digging tools from the garage into the house, to which the little 2 year old says, "Ooooo...What's dat, momma?"
"It's your digging toys. Do you want go play in the sand?"
The little one looks with questioning eyes at her mother, unsure what is being said.
"Come on, baby..let's go in the back yard."
"OUTSIDE!!!!! YAY!!!" She scrambles out the door barely missing the door on her way out cause Mommy can't get it open fast enough.

Side note: Please note here that the entire yard is built on top of sand. You dig *anywhere* in our yard and you'll find sand. So the plants that were pulled out recently result in a large length of sand box revealed. It will ultimately be partially planted again, but who can pass up a pre-created sand box!?

Mommy crawls over the bench to where the sand is and pulls out all the sand toys. The two year old watches curiously. Mommy pulls out the shovel, "See sweetheart? You use a shovel and dig." The grin that appears on the 2 year old's face is from ear to ear when she realizes the potential. Two year old scrambles over the bench and grabs the shovel.

Needless to say, Mommy walks into the house after applying 50 sun block to childs' skin and doesn't hear a peep for an hour and a half. After arriving home from going to the store (just at nap time), 2 year old delcares "I go outside now." Mommy doesn't think this is a bad thing - 15 minutes of getting the groceries etc in, would be a good amount of time. *sigh*

45 minutes later, getting caught on the phone, Mommy looks out the window just in time to see said toddler dump an entire bucket of sand down the front. Mommy suddenly is realizing the ramifications of showing her baby that it's ok to get dirty. *sigh*. In short, there were 3 changes of clothes that day with as many face and hands washings and the look of a racoon that was just adorable. Pictures were shot and Daddy got to experience the changes that occured. There is now more sand toys added to the area and said baby has found another way to spend time outside - much to her delight.

Ultimately, mommy and daddy aren't too unhappy as the little one is able to entertain herself with great gusto and not be watching TV. The baths are worth it.