"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Purple Is NOT My Favorite Color

Remember how we spent days repainting the downstairs bathroom? Remember how I obsessed over this faux finish and was so in love with my plans for the bathroom that I wanted to adopt them and name them George? Okay...so the faux finish was completed. Looked cool. The red accent was done, needed a little touch-up. The trim was done (took me four days). All that was left was the blue accents, hang the shelf and the art print.

Last week, da Boo begged to play with her art set and being the wonderful mother that I am, I let her. It's a large pad of pictures that has a holder for watercolors, markers, crayons and scissors (can you see where this is going?). So she quietly painted and hummed and all was right in the world. I was upstairs doing laundry and tidying up (or I might have been blogging). Da Boo is usually very quiet but doesn't make a mess so it was no big deal to leave her alone.

Later that night, the kids are in bed. I was done working on the kitchen and decided to use the bathroom before going upstairs. I turned on the light. The sound I made brought the Man running. There was purple. Lots and lots of purple. On the door, on the light switch, on the counter, on the toilet, on the Man's ladder, on the trim, on the WALL. She had taken the purple marker from her art set and drawn X's on everything. I was so upset, I went charging upstairs and woke da Boo up, demanding to know why she had done that to the wall (who cares about the toilet seat?). She was still sleepy so I let her go back to sleep but promised we would discuss this in the morning.

The next morning, the Man got to have the discussion with her and then she helped me try to clean it off. It came off the counter and ladder easily. Part of the toilet was easy to clean but the toilet seat was still really purple. And the wall...well, at one point I think I might have cried, just a little. It wouldn't come off. Da Boo was grounded from TV for the day, we canceled a playdate she had the next day and she wasn't allowed to use any drawing utensils for a week. She scrubbed at her former artwork for a while. She was pretty subdued the whole day but that's because she knew she was in serious trouble. And at one point, I did leave her downstairs by herself so I could do some stuff on the computer (but not blogs, this time).

That was a mistake. Should not have left her alone.

Just as I am getting the house straightened up before making dinner, I find a book laying open on the couch. Is anyone else gasping in anticipation of the approaching horrors? On the very back page of the book, da Boo has carefully written her name (guess she can't blame that one anyone else). It wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for two crucial details:

1) It was the SAME purple marker that befouled my walls.
2) That was a library book.

She was sent to her room for the rest of the evening, only allowed out when it was time for dinner and for family prayer. No bedtime treat and no story. In fact, I removed all the books from her bed because she had shown that she didn't know how to treat a book. Also, she had to take the library book back and tell the librarian what she did. The librarian was really very nice (I would have liked her to be a little tougher) but she did ask da Boo to pay $1 for the damage to the book. She paid for it out of her piggy bank.

The Man took Q-tips and nail polish remover to the X's. While the marker came off, unfortunately some of the paint did too. Now the bathroom is delayed a little longer. Sorry!

Today is the first day I've allowed her to use crayons and so far, she hasn't asked to color. Can't say I'm surprised but from now on every time I see a purple marker, I might cry...just a little.

9 comments:

Kristie said...

Oh no!!!!!!! I am so sorry!!!! I think that I would have been pretty darn upset too!!! She really got into that purple marker. I bet she remembers this for a LONG time though and won't do it again!!! I think you need to go eat a big chocolate bar to get over this one!! :)

Tipi said...

{{HUG}}
most mommies have been there
in one way or another.
{{HUG}}

Debi said...

What a sweet sister you have with all her hugs! I think every family gets at least one who likes to do artwork on walls and etc. Ours was Melissa. Every time I turned my back she was busy with some sort of naughty thing like that (markers, colors, fingernail polish, lipstick). I had to watch her like a hawk!! No joke! I could NEVER rest or have a minutes peace when she was little. All I have to say is that she grew up to be the nicest young lady ever. The trick is that it is a process of teaching over and over until either they learn (takes a while), outgrow it, or you kill them..... I don't suggest the latter. It is not only against the law but not a good thing to have on your blotter at judgement day....

Amanda said...

:( Okay ....I know I should feel really sorry for YOU after that post....but I do feel a little bit bad for da boo:( She is so dang cute! Maybe I can relate b/c I liked to write my name in EVERY book I could get my hands on when I was that age:) Sorry...got side tracked for a moment!!!! Sounds like she loves that purple marker---perhaps only buy washable ones from now on:) Hope you can fix your bathroom wall. P wrote all over our sofa with a white-out pen when he was 2 yr old----does that make you feel better????

Emma said...

Jessica, I feel your pain! About a month ago, Audrey got a hold of a permanent marker and colored part of her bedroom walls. I had painted her room previously. Argh! We still have to fix it. One coat of paint did not cover the damage. On this last Mother's day, Gabriel and I were napping and Michael was making food and doing dishes and Audrey was quietly playing in her room, or so we thought. She had colored every bit of her walls with a red crayon. It came off with Mr. Clean sponges, oh but it was frustrating. To punish her she had to help clean it up, unfortunately she thought it was fun. Very annoying.
When I was pregnant with Gaby, Audrey was a poop monster for awhile, she played with her poop during nap time. GROSS! I was ready to give up on motherhood! Of course I got over it.
I am so sorry your bathroom go messed up.

Amber said...

NO!!! I'm so sorry! I HATE markers. They are pretty much banned at my house. My sister had a 5 year old do this. She was writing her name everywhere but where she should. She wanted to take the crayons and pencils and pens away from her in punishment. But her husband (the sucker that he is) wanted to take a nice approach. So he got her a notebook of her very own for her drawings and he told her, 'It seems like you're having some problems knowing where to color. I got you this very special notebook for you JUST for your coloring and drawing etc." My niece flipped out. 'I DO know where to color! I'm FIVE. I'm not a baby!" She refused to use the notebook. ROFL. But she stopped coloring all over everything because she was so insulted that her dad should think that she wasn't big enough to know where to color.

Good luck.

Jennefer said...

O.K. that is it. I am absolutely banning markers from Pineapple for life. O.K. until she is 18.

Meanwhile. I am SO sorry! I would have responded the same way. What are these little ones thinking? Don't they seem sane the other times of the day- like they would never do such a crazy thing and then you turn around and it can be shocking sometimes! I am trying to learn patience though it is hard coming.

Debi said...

Hey Jessie, do you actually KNOW the woman from the three sons and a princess blog? It is an interesting blog. I have looked at it a few times myself.

Jessica G. said...

Thanks for sharing your stories, everyone! It's true that misery loves comapany.
Debi - I don't know Jen personally but she does comment on my blog every now and then (like that comment there just above yours!).

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