Fingerpaint Threatens Friendship (or this means war)

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The mercury stretched toward 90. We were planning beach trip to celebrate the second birthday of the pixie stix.

The boys were outside playing while I packed up our gear. Suddenly I heard an ear-piercing shriek calling my name. Search looked up at me, sidewalk chalk streaked across his face like war paint. Red ooze dripped down his arms like blood.

The boys had moved on from the sidewalk chalk. They’d begun expressing themselves via the visual medium of fingerpaint. And Search was marking the house walls as his with bright red handprints. Destroy was making footprints on poster paper – alternating with blue and yellow paints.

They immediately began sharing the story emerging from their young artistic minds. They were a complete mess. And loving every second of it. (Even playing nicely together!)

Three packs of baby wipes and a half-bottle of Simple Green later, I returned to wrap the birthday girls’ gifts so we could leave. I smiled – remembering a conversation that occurred just before Search and Destroy’s second anniversary on earth. (Pixie mom was 8 months pregnant with her twins at the time.)

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Pixie Mom: So I’ve been thinking about presents for the boys and was trying to come up with something they would play with. Aunt Ivy and I had discussed activity things when I thought (bing bright idea) why not get something that will inspire a future blog post.

Soo finger-paint it is!!! What do you think?

Me: Oh dear god, help me. I swear I will get your girls crying babies and drum sets for years to come. YEARS, I tell you!

Pixie Mom: Ha. I can see it now. I’ll wake up in the morning with a drum set on my porch and wonder, “Why does it keep coming back?!”

Me: See?

Pixie Mom: But it would be so hilarious!

Me: Just so you know, the title of said blog post will be, “This means war.”

Pixie Mom: I think that would be an AWESOME post. You know it’s like those reality shows where the producers prod the people into doing something crazy.

Me: No kidding. Especially because I think the boys would LOVE fingerpaint. They do it at school sometimes.

Pixie Mom: That’s the scary thing I bet they would. Too bad there isn’t a fingerpaint that disappears when it hits walls or any other non-approved canvas.

Me: That is a million dollar idea. Get on that. Now.

Pixie Mom: So I have your approval? I’ll make sure to get the camouflage colors.

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Because the universe decided to smile upon me, Pixie Mom couldn’t find fingerpaint. She bought the boys the sidewalk chalk now doodled across my driveway. I must admit, I bought the Crayola paints. But at age 4, they now have the tiniest modicum of control over fingerpainting placements.

PS. I much prefer the mess of chalk and paint to the de-sanding process involved upon return from the beach. Those fine little grains are on par with glitter – it never really leaves you.

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1 Comment

Filed under Birthday, Milestones, Seriously?

One Response to Fingerpaint Threatens Friendship (or this means war)

  1. I am so glad my little one never thought to paint walls; I am having palpatations at the thought of it now. Though you may have a budding artist on your hands….