The best time of my day occurs at 7:30 pm each evening, right after the Jeopardy winner of the day is decided.  We scope Lucy up in a big ol bear hug and transport her upstairs to begin getting her ready for the bath. It starts with the three of us sitting on the floor of her bedroom, projecting stars onto the ceiling via her twilight turtle.  This never fails to astound.

Then we bring out the BIG GIANT PANDA – big giant panda was a Christmas gift that she got excited about for 5 minutes and then promptly forgot about until about a week ago and now he’s the best thing EVER. He’s taller than she is and can completely surround her with his big giant panda arms – she can barely contain herself.

Then, just when you think things can’t get any better, she gets nekkid and gets to throw herself all over big giant panda without any clothes on… We let her run around nekkid while her Dad gets her bath ready.

In a fit of giggles and flailing arms she is set in a tub of warm water – WATER, OMG WATER! Water is by far WAY better than big giant panda. She squeals and kicks and grabs for the wash cloth and splashes around until we finally decide that perhaps we should actually bathe her. Her father has this down to a science and can wash her in entirety in 6 minutes. Six minutes I spend signing the “No hands in the face song” Cause, you know soapy hands in the eyes…

No hands in the face
No hands in the face
No, no, no, no hands in the face
Sung to the tune of ‘farmer in the dell’

 Once she’s clean we sit her up and throw all sort of manner of toys at her – octopuses and cows, sheep and lady bugs – we squirt water at her with them while she squeals In delight and tries to splash  so hard it gets the whole room soaking wet. Just about the time she’s dropped all of the aforementioned toys over the side of the tub (you know, to see where they end up) Dad brings out the bubbles – BUBBLES and blows hundreds of them into her face. This quiets her down, while she puts on her serious face and tries to unlock the mystery of the disappearing bubbles.

Eventually she’ll give us a sign, she’s had enough water and bubble excitement and we will lift her out of the tub, wrap her in a big terry cloth towel and stand with her in front of the bathroom mirror where she laughs at herself all nekkid and wet.

Back in her bedroom we get ready for bed, diapered and lotioned and put into jammies.  If it’s my turn to get her ready we do this while I regale her with my rendition of ‘little bunny foo foo.’ If it’s her Dad’s turn to get her ready he regales her by humming the theme to Star Wars. Both seem to make her happy – there is no clear favorite.

Afterwards I nurse her and if she’s really tired she’ll simply fall asleep in my lap, if not she finishes eating, gives us both big smiles and waves as she’s taken upstairs. She’s usually asleep before I wish her sweet dreams and quietly close her door.

I LOVE Bath time.