Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Destructo Strikes Again!

I'm only blogging right now because Eric thinks it will be therapeutic.

While organizing the clothes in drawers that Emily "Destructo" Botley likes to empty, I set the girls down at the table to color with Crayola "No Mess" Markers. I just bought them yesterday because Emily has colored on our table, the walls, and herself. So, I said to myself, "Self, at least this way, if she colors on something besides her paper, you won't have to break out your 'Mr. Clean Magic Eraser' that you bought to take the pencil and crayon off of the wall that Emily scribbled a couple of months ago." (Pauses to take a breath and sigh)

So, while in the bedroom, I heard Bradley(the little boy I watch during the week) crying for me to put him down for a nap. I came out and laid him down in Michael's room and walked into the dining room to discover the brand new markers on the table with the tips bitten off of them.......!

It gets kind of fuzzy after that because the room started spinning and turning red! I've heard stories from my mother of my brother being a bit of a "Destructo", but I always just laughed and thought, "I won't let that happen with my kids." So, how do I eat crow? Today, I'd like it fried with lots of ranch dressing and a piece of humble cheesecake to chase it down!

74 comments:

Sherry Hayes said...

LOL-I think it's just another memory to laugh at when she's 12. My children love for me to tell them about funny,crazy,silly,destructive things they did when they were little and I have to really think hard to remember-so write em down, don't sweat the little stuff and enjoy your children each and every day. If I could just turn back the clock on both of mine I would.

CroppinRobin said...

unbelievable...well, actually, it is a bit believable....especially the fuzzy part and room turning red.

Dee Dee's Diary said...

was the room turning red because it was PAINTED? Did someone EAT the tips off the pens? Were the KIDS RED? I am confused.
I think you should paint a wall with that Chalkboard paint and let them "have at it"...or give them a closet to decorate...that way no one sees the artwork and one day they will laugh and so will you and you will cherish the little drawings.

Melissa said...

DeeDee, are you being sarcastic because of my Chuck confusion?
I was seeing red because I was so mad. There was steam coming out of my ears......I hope that clears it up.....:)
Emily bit the tips off of the markers.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry.

Unknown said...

Sounds like another job for the "Getting thru our childrens'childhood without selling them on EBay Mommy's Club..... Hope you paid your club dues this month Melissa... : )

Melissa said...

Oh, that's it! I'm past due! No wonder.........

Anonymous said...

Well, as the mom serving the crow, I got quite a chuckle out of the most current episode of destructo! Robert was definitely ours....there was the time he unlocked his bedroom window, pushed out the screen, climbed down the wall, all from his crib and I found him playing in the front yard. Or the time he found the new bottle of concentrated shampoo while I was giving a bottle to the baby I was babysitting, and proceeded to decorate his bedroom with it. It doesn't come out of carpet very well, by the way, it just keeps on lattering, the more you try. Or the many times he broke the diamond needle out of the stereo until we, finally just put it away in a closet. My friends all told me I should have written a book! Now these are very fond memories, as Robert is a super adult and all round general great human being! Markers bitten off....piece of cake! You'll get through it, as we all have. Love, Mom

Unknown said...

Jimmy once flushed one of my watches down the toilet..........

CroppinRobin said...

hannah wasn't a destructo...but one time when she was newly potty trained so flushed her barbie undies down the toliet. she cried and cried....

Tiffany said...

Emily sounds like fun. I love kids with some spunk and curiosity! Did the tips make their way out?

Melissa said...

Tiffany, they never actually made their way in. She just chewed 'em up and spit 'em out!

Judy Schwartz Haley | CoffeeJitters.Net said...

so would you call that performance art?

Anonymous said...

Oh I am right there with you! When I moved into my house almost 5 years ago there was crayon on every wall in every room. I swore if I ever had kids I would never allow crayons in the house...to hard to clean up.....Um...I now have crayon marks on my tv and my piano....but not on the wall!

Buttons and Dots Photography said...

Oh boy, you have your hands full! I have one of those too, she's 4. They keep you busy don't they?! Good luck!

Heather said...

I wonder how tasty those markers were? I mean, I'd get it if they were the scented ones... :)

Those Color Wonder markers are the only Implements of Destruction - erm, I mean art supplies - that I allow my kiddo to bring upstairs to her room. All the rest of her art stuff must stay downstairs. At least, that's the rule, I won't comment on whether it is followed or not.......................

Cheers!

wendy said...

Oh, yuck! Did it make her sick at all (I know - non-toxic and all - but still...blech!) Sounds like your life is very funny and interesting!

Givinya De Elba said...

Oh why do they like to eat things that are for drawing with?

http://friendlyblackandwhitedog.blogspot.com/2008/06/yum-wax.html

Heather said...

Happy SITS Day to you! Adore your blog...beautiful choice of colors. Your girls must come by their "artistic" talent honestly, huh?

Unknown said...

Markers=EVIL

Crazy Momma said...

Now THIS is TOTALLY my boys! Destructive till the end!

Karol said...

I'm glad everything 'came out' alright! wow...

The Pruetz Family said...

If it makes you feel any better, you are NOT the first mom to have this happen to them! Can you believe there are other kids in the world that bite off the tips of markers! Oh I feel your pain, sister!

Jenkins said...

You gotta love the adventure of having kids. Never a dull moment.
My middle child eats everything. I mean everything. He favorite is sand. Oh well, it always has a way of working it's way out. Yikes!

Feliz said...

Yum. Markers. Almost as tasty as play-dough, no where near the culilary delight that is glue.

yikes!

Amy said...

Never a dull moment, aayy!! Kids, gotta love 'em!

Adelaine said...

Wow! Hmmm...I hope they were tasty! Oh my....

I guess you can count your blessings that they weren't regular markers - can you imagine the colored mouth and teeth!!! (BTW - this has happen in our house by the baby who found a dried out uncapped marker - um yeah - fun times! It wasn't so dried out after she slobberfied it)

Melissa Lester said...

I have a 2-year-old like this; her daddy nicknamed her Emma the Destroyer. It is a full family effort to keep her out of trouble!

Anonymous said...

The Silver lining.... Your daughter is supper smart and creative to boot!

Melanie Dickens said...

Oh wow... It seems that we all have our destructos!!

Ronnica said...

Was it out of frustration of not being able to color on anything but the special paper?

Claremont First Ward said...

We've had one that does this......and not out of frustration......just because. Just because. :)

Debbie said...

Don't you love how WE ALWAYS come back to eat our words! Like my 8 year old says, "Never say Never, Mom." I would like a diet coke with lemon along with my crow please!

Kelly said...

Do you have poison control on speed dial. It sounds like your little monkeys keep you on your toes...at least it provides great blogging material!!!

Peggy said...

Nothing is safe where kids are concerned!

Creative Junkie said...

omgosh! you know, my mother always used to say "you just wait" and i never really knew what that meant until i had two daughters. karma - it's something, isn't it?

Kathi Roach said...

This is one of those things that you couldn't even imagine happening before you had kids.

It sounds like they keep you busy!

sassy stephanie said...

How funny...but not so funny.

Congrats on the SITS spotlight!

Dana said...

LOL! I'm sorry but I must say I'm glad it can be a girl thing too. I have some majorly destructive boys here.....It drives me insane. One of them is such a naughty boy at times that I fear I may have misnamed him. His birth certificate SHOULD read "Dennis the Menace" If you've ever seen that movie, you KNOW my son Tanner. I would say it gets better but you know what....it hasn't for me yet. They just get more imaginative! Good luck!

Rhea said...

They couldn't have been tasty. You'd think after the first one she'd figure that out.

Ewww.

Tami said...

Well, that's interesting....at least they didn't stain her mouth!

And ranch makes everything taste better :)

Blue Mama said...

As I was reading this I was wondering if that would be the outcome.

My boys (especially my LeeLee) have bitten the tips of of EVERY MARKER I have ever given them. In fact, I think I have a decapitated Color Wonder (or whatever those clear-strange colored ones are called) under the bookshelf right now!

It makes me sad because markers make such cute kiddie drawings. I thought maybe that was a phase and bought some new Crayola mini washables but sure enough: one boy bit the tip off and the other removed his diaper and colored his penis green.

Back to Crayola Write Start pencils....

Jenni said...

I think when you have kids they are instructed to teach you a lesson by doing all the things you swore YOUR kids were NEVER DO.

Lisa@BlessedwithGrace said...

More funny mom stuff. Arent' we blessed. ha ha ha

Anonymous said...

very cute page, very normal kids, and i too love those magic erasers. they are miracles.

Marla said...

i think this is why we have kids... so we can forgive our parents for grounding us... embarrassing us in front of our friends...using spit to clean our faces...making us wear ridiculous clothes etc...

they know some day it will all come around.

Swirl Girl said...

Another saying from dear old mom..."Those too shall pass"

I wonder what color they were when they came out?

♥ Becky ♥ said...

Holy Cow!!!!!
I had to laugh a little. But yea, my Mom always said to me growing up that I was gonna have a kid just like me and then I would know how it felt. Well you guessed it I did. And I have eaten crow on a regular basis, it gets easier as the years go on. :-)
At least my brother the pyro got exactly what he deserved!!! :-)

Linda S said...

this is why blogs were invented!

katylinvw said...

oh.my.word.! that is definitely one i've never heard before! this will be funny at some point :)

Mandy said...

Makes you wonder where the heck they come up with some of this stuff!! LOL!!

Live.Love.Eat said...

Great blog!! Congrats again!!!!!

Amy said...

Well. This hits a little too close to home for me. My youngest son (2) was "playing" alone in his room last night. When I called for him he said "nothing mom". I found him covered in RED marker. DRY ERASE marker. It came off of his body pretty easily. I asked him where else did he color? He took me to his newly redecorated room and showed me the pretty painting HE did on the walls. ALL over the walls!!!!!!! When he was asked by my mom (his nana) WHY he did it, he said "I baby". MY MY. He has heard ME give that excuse for him too many times!

Kaycee said...

Oh goodness!! I had to laugh a little though.. kids can get into the most random things!

~*Paty*~ said...

Was she hungry later in the day? JK

Michelle said...

Where do they even come up with the ideas to do some of these things? I try to explain the rules to my wee ones, but I'd never think of a rule like "don't eat the markers."

EmBee said...

Interior Decorators and Gourmand's... My you have some real talent on your hands!
:-)

emily freeman said...

So great...and I just read your profile. I'm a pastor's wife too :) Well, my husband is a youth pastor...but still, a lot in common I'm sure.

Alison said...

Sometimes they are lucky you love them so much. If you didn't you would have to KILL them!

Kara said...

Oh man, my 14 month old daughter does the exact same thing with every marker she gets a hold of. WHY???

Jess NBP said...

OH MAN!! I know what those days are like.

Adiel | Rose Gold Lining said...

I can't even imagine what the train of thought would be that would lead to anyone biting the tip off of a marker. haha

j said...

Just hysterical.

*stops and grins at pauses to take a breath!

Unknown said...

That so funny!!!

My daughter also used to tell me that it would never happen with her kids.

These days, she eats her share of crow :-)

As your Mum said in the comment...you'll get through it as we all did. Plus, in 20 years or so, you'll be serving up your own helpsings of crow!!

Kaza said...

Seriously! It seems like whatever we said we'd never have/do/put up with, we always end up having/doing/putting up with.

Nicole said...

Don't you love how we never thought this things would happen to us when we were parents because our kids would be perfect. I have to hide my markers because my kids ALWAYS ruin them, it stinks!

Anonymous said...

Impressive set of chompers there. I have a teen and yet I once was a teen, alot has come back to haunt me!

angela | the painted house said...

Now that is how to eat crow!

Unknown said...

oh gracious...who'd a thunk it? I have puppy that would get along great with your daughter...oh the things they could destroy.

Megan said...

I love that! "I will never let my kids ____ " As soon as that phrase exits the lips (or even enters the head) of a mommy, you can almost guarantee that their own child WILL do just that!! Kids are funny like that!

Anonymous said...

I think your Emily and my Gabby are destined to be best friends! Or should I say, The Gabberwocky, as we like to call her. She's only two and I can't tell you the path of devastation she has wreaked through our house! Please know that you are not alone and hang in there!

PS - Hope the SITS comment love cheers you up on those Destructo Days!

Blog said...

Oh boy ... those things actually leave an oil stain on clothing or the walls. Additionally you have to keep buying the paper. I did not like those markers at all. Also the washable ones are not always washable. They sometimes stain. I say go back to good old crayons and paper and buy stoke in Mr. Clean erasers!

Sarah said...

Crow Serving Suggestion: Top with lots and lots of chocolate syrup and sprinkles to make day seem less like "Mission Impossible 3" and more like "She's All That"

Anonymous said...

Why do children insist on tasting art supplies? I can't leave mine alone for fear that the play-doh will be all gone!