water works

Dennis has figured out how to operate the ice and water dispensers on the refrigerator at the lake house and kept getting water in his little mug to pour into his other little mug in his play kitchen. He missed often and dumped a load of water on the floor, so I set him up on a chair at the sink and taught him to turn on the cold water and play dump-the-cup in the sink instead of on the floor. He happily played at this game for a long long time before his Daddy got unnerved and made him get down. We distracted him with a gumbo supper (where he insisted on eating ALL of the sausage out of ALL of our bowls) and then we played with the Thomas Train setup for the remaining time before bed. I brushed his teeth tonight with actual fluoride toothpaste tonight and attempted to teach him to spit it out, and we found ourselves covered in water and giggling, him and I, until I turned off the sink and dried us off. Gosh he's growing up so fast. He cried for awhile after I put him to bed and his Daddy went in to see why the first time (he wanted the pacifier) and I went in the second time because he specifically called "Mommy come in here now please please". I asked him what was wrong and he said "It dark in here--it's scary I want flashlight". I was shocked at his very grown-up manner and request, and I brought him a nightlight and he said "thank you for helping me Mommy" just as plainly and clearly as could be.