One girl-turned-artiste + one tube of expensive eye liner = a bad combination
Can anyone tell me how to get a lot of mascara graffiti off of the wooden bathroom door? It is not waterproof mascara, so I am surprised at its tenacity.
Increasingly I am feeling like I need to keep Mary tomato-staked to me. This morning I was diligent, requiring her to be in the master bedroom-and-bathroom with me while I was getting dressed. But my being in the closet for the time it took to choose an outfit was too long and too far away from her being in the attached bathroom. I am asking myself, seriously? Do I have to keep my almost-three-year-old within eyesight of me at all times? I'm starting to feel with a sinking heart that the answer is 'yes.'
Yet I already consider myself a mother who supervises on the higher end of the spectrum! John is allowed to play upstairs in his room at nearly five years old, but Mary isn't allowed to do so, even if John is with her to tattle on her. My kids are never allowed in the back yard without me. Still, I turn my back and even in the same room Mary really contributes to the reputation of two-year-olds!
Even with all this supervising, I am finding this season of life (three children, all little, no big ones yet) requires a lot of prayer to and faith in guardian angels. Just now, I was calming the baby to nap, but Chris and John were gone. I can't keep Mary in the room with me while I soothe the baby or the baby will never fall asleep. So I assigned her to stay in John's room to play and left both bedroom doors open, and hoped my ears could discern trouble from across the hallway. But distinguishing sounds of normal play from mischief from danger is difficult and imprecise! So I listened actively and prayed to her angel, something I have to do many times per day.
N.B. In the spirit of tomato staking, Mary has been sitting on my lap while I wrote this blog post.
We have the same issue with Madigan, who is 3. She does things McKenna never did. She is our daring one and "challenges" me at every corner. She took a highlighter to her door frame. Have you tried the Arm and Hammer Magic Eraser? We use them a lot around here!!
ReplyDeleteHaha, sorry. I have no useful advice. :) You know I personally shy away from anything that reeks of supervision. :) Is there any way to give her MORE of this kind of stuff to do, but that would be acceptable to you? She seems to need a challenge at all times. To keep her gainfully occupied would definitely be exhausting, but, more exhausting than firefighting her escapades? Who knows. :D
ReplyDeletePS Re: the mascara, I just have a bucket of kiehls primer and periodically re apply to all surfaces. lol We'll paint when we move.
ReplyDeleteThat constant vigilance is exhausting! I remember going to my sister's house when my children were little and asking her where her boys were in the house. (Her boys were probably 13, 11, and 9 at the time.) She responded that they were in various rooms, and I just could not wrap my brain around the idea of children being unsupervised throughout the house!
ReplyDelete"Goof Off" - Highly toxic, but works WONDERS at getting mascara off.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link for Goof Off:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.organize.com/goof-off-reg-citrus-pump-spray-16-ounce.html?gclid=CNmvg73Uz6sCFULf4AodkhzZZA
How about some make-up remover? There's the oil-free kind and Mary Kay has some kind (with silicone in it, maybe?) that feels a little greasy that we used to get some kind of lip or eye pencil or lipstick off of a rather porous doll face. Worked like a charm. You might also try some cooking oil or spray to break it down if the surface can handle it. Hmmmm...I'm also thinking WD-40, Goof Off (check to make sure it won't take off the finish - I think there's more than one kind of G.O.) or Greased Lightening all-purpose cleaner. No, I don't have any experience at all in this department...*cough* I have three sort-of-Marys in different ways: one was the curious type who was a terror with anything that could mark or write - we always had to beware of The Silence; the next was a terrible climber - and we have the pictures to document the times when her poor Guardian Angel must've needed a desperate break; and let's just say that with Rachel, I'm glad she has three older sisters to help watch over her. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, ladies! I tried the simplest solution from your suggestions first: old-fashioned Pond's cold cream removed the mascara!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you figured it out! I usually reserve the Magic Eraser for impossible moments like that, lol.
ReplyDelete