100% BOY

There is a spot in our yard that our tire hits every time we pull in or out and so has caused a rut or whatever you would call that. So every time it rains it becomes a mud hole and kids just can't resist it, especially Eli. We were hanging out and playing and Eli spotted the muddy water. He has played in it before, so he started by casually walking through it, which was very exciting to him. I was on the phone with my mom and my first response was "Eli, get out of the mud!" I even thought about punishing him when he started to walk through it again. But as I was in route to punish I asked myself "Am I punishing cause he is inconveniencing me or because he needs correction?" Obviously by the pictures I decided not to and after he asked so sweetly "Please mommy I play in the mud?" I replied "Yes you may, thank you for asking nicely" My mom heard the whole conversation and was giggling at me and Eli. In the middle of him playing in the mud I put my parents on speaker phone and let Eli talk with them. He is always amazed to hear their voices coming through on the speaker. I'm not sure he really gets it, but he is usually happy to talk if it is on speaker, but you can forget him holding the phone to his hear. So they talk, he tells them he is getting muddy and wet and then my mom says something about wanting to hug him and without skipping a beat he gives the phone a huge hug. It was precious. And as if he wasn't wet enough from the puddle he asked if we could wash the car, so we did and he was drenched from head to toe and let me tell you, it was chilly yesterday!!! Bottom line, we had a good time. Lucy slept through all of it!