posted May 10, 2007 02:03 PM         

So, we had this great cat named Jack and the kids would carry him around
and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on
this mat in our bathroom. Well we have 3 kids and at the time of this
story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is
Eli.

Eli really loves chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick
and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom
I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to, but he
needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.

Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try
to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys
are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my
little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a
mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor
me and the amazing job that is motherhood. We finally have the older one
and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched
everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And
there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . .
rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you
have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty
chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind.

And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the
1st time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth.

And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us
that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little
creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been
using your chapstick on the cat's butt. This is an important reminder for
all mommys of little children. Don't let them touch your stuff!