Down the drain

We're headed out today for a convention in Michigan, potty seat (among other things) in hand. We went to the same convention last year, but back then Chloë wasn't mobile. It will be interesting to see how this year goes. She will unfortunately run short on TV and baths, but both of those shortages are good for her, in my opinion. TV for the obvious reasons, and baths because her skin has gotten very, very dry in patches. I've been applying lotion, Johnson & Johnson and Aquaphor, which she loves. She likes to get dabs on her fingers and apply it to herself, and lately she's started rubbing it on me as well. But it's not doing enough, and I think the daily baths plus the winter weather are just too much. It's a shame, but she plays with Oppy and Turtle and Duck (she's been saying "duck" much more clearly lately, by the by) as much while sitting on the potty as while in the bath, and she's still obsessed with "washing her hands," so I think she'll be all right without a daily soak.

Eric bought her her own bath pouf, which we told her was a "scrubber," because she's been interested in his and mine the past few baths. She likes throwing it around to make the water splash against the side of the tub (or, if it's too high a throw, Mama's chest) more than actually washing with it, but she seems pleased to have her own. At the beginning of her bath yesterday she looked at me and said "Cubbuh [scrubber]?" I retrieved it for her. She swished it up and down her chest a few times, then pointed to Eric's and said, "Dada," and mine and said, "Mama." She repeated this, to make sure I got the picture, then went back to playing with hers.

Later that night we were in the bathroom just before bed because she was on the potty. After I helped her on with her diaper and her pajama pants she climbed into my lap and nestled against me and said, "Mama. Baby. Happy." I melted, of course. But the shower curtain was still open and I know she could see over my shoulder to where all of our scrubbers were in their various places, and now I wonder if she was just telling me she knew which one was her own.