Stand-up baths and backyard skinny dipping

When it comes to water, our boys are experimental.

Yesterday, Andy and I were out back with Drew while Jacob was finishing up listening to an audio book in his room and resting. As Andy was filling up the baby pool, I happened to look up into the sunroom to see Jacob standing at the glass door, stark naked and giggling.

"Jacob, why aren't you wearing any clothes?" I asked when he opened the door.

"I had to take off my clothes so I could get in the water!" he said, jogging down steps.

I can understand his confusion. This week is the first time this year it's been warm enough to play with water out back. So usually when he's getting in water at home, it's bath time.

It took some persuasion, but finally we managed to get him to put on some swim trunks. Too bad we forgot to take embarrassing photos for later in life.

Now Drew, on the other hand, prefers to do his water experiments indoors. For quite some time now, he's been trying to start a trend with the stand-up bath. We've told him repeatedly it won't catch on, and last night I think he finally conceded when eight months of refusing to sit down in the bath tub led to its logical outcome: a gashed chin.

It happened right at the end of his bath. I asked him if he was ready to get out of the tub. He said, "Mm-hmm" (his favorite new expression) and took a step toward me as I was reaching for his towel. His foot slipped out from underneath him, and he fell smacking his chin against the tub wall. His chin was bleeding, his mouth was bleeding, my shoulder was covered in blood right after I picked him up, and as I was wondering if we were going to be headed for the emergency room, Jacob was following me around saying, "I never ever want my chin to bleed like that. Man, I never want that to happen to me." Mr. Sympathy.

It all turned out okay. No missing teeth. No serious injuries. Once Drew stopped crying, and I knew he was going to be okay, I told Jacob it was time for his bath. He looked into the tub and said, "Make that water go away. I want new bathwater. Drew ruined that water with blood. Sorry, Drew, but you didn't make it a very good bath for me." Then turning to me, Jacob asked, "And what's Drew say?" It doesn't get much more classic than that.