Dear Emilia

Dear Emilia,

We have devolved into one bath a week plus a lot of spot cleanings because you hate baths so much. The word "bath" makes you shriek and yell, "NO!" and run away in terror. I have no idea what happened that made you hate baths.

Special toys, foam letters, bubble bath -- even a water book about Elmo did not help you overcome your fear of baths. The only distraction that has come close are some Crayola water markers I found on clearance at Kmart; these markers allow you to draw on the bath tub, and that is a lot of fun!

But still, even with the markers, you shrieked at the thought of a bath, and it was really quite torturous trying to get you bathed.

Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, you did not scream in the bath. You screamed BEFORE you got into the bath, but once you were in, you drew with the markers and allowed me to really wash your hair. Ohhhh, you smelled so wonderfully clean after the bath. You did ask to come out, and we took you out.

This evening, you came into the bathroom while I was washing my hands. "Bath?" you asked me. "Bath?" I repeated, pretty sure I must have misunderstood. "Bath! Yay!" you clapped. "Really?" I countered. "Bath?" "Yayayayayayay!" you cheered.

I filled up the bath tub with lukewarm water. "In?" you said. "Not yet," I told you. "You have to wait until the water fills up the bath tub." "Okay!" you relented. I felt like I was walking through a dream.

Once you were in the bath, you played with markers and splashed and had a wonderful time. You got even CLEANER. I had to drag you out, because you were getting all bath-wrinkly!

A while later, after you were dressed and had eaten your olives, you said, "Bath?" Bath again? Really?!?!? "You can have another bath tomorrow," I promised you. "Awww. Okay," you gave in, but you did ask for a bath a few more times during the course of the night.

Emilia, you are two. You change your mind a lot. Sometimes you want milk, sometimes you want juice, sometimes you want something ELSE or something MORE. Sometimes you change your mind on the olives mid-mouthful. I am used to your constant changes. But this time, with the bath, you really surprised me, in a wonderful way!

Love,

Mom