Bathtime

It begins with a chase, where I jump swerve and run Always two steps ahead of my frustrated mum I duck under the table and knock over chairs rush down the hallway and dash up the stairs When finally she grabs me; she does every time I wiggle and wrestle, I whinge and I whine She tells me with patience to stop being daft There's no use complaining, I'm having a bath!! I'm dragged to the tub, which is already run Mum grins at thinking her battle is won the water is warm and its clean and inviting but that doesn't stop me from fussing and fighting I don't want to wash all my messes away not when each one reminds me of my brilliant day from the paint on my hands where I threw down the brush and used fingers and thumbs in my artistic rush to the dirt on my knees and my shins from outside where I jumped from the swing-set and climbed up the slide and the hair on my head which is sticky with cake from this afternoon when I helped nanny to bake and to my delight when the mixture was mixed she gave me the bowl and the big spoon to lick. To wash these away seemed like such a sad shame like erasing the memory of a magnificent game Mummy said hurry and pulled her stern face and I knew I had wasted all the time I could waste so with the bath bubbles rising up over the rim I finally gave up and began to climb in. The bath water warmed me right down to my toes the bubbles rose round me and tickled my nose and there in the middle, what terrible luck I sat down on top of my favourite duck At first I was grumpy but that feeling passed when I looked towards mummy and she started to laugh So deciding revenge was a brilliant plan I picked up some bubbles and clapped shut my hands and with a big whoosh to my mummies despair The handful of bubbles rose into the air The look that she gave, I will not soon forget her face full of bubbles, her hair sopping wet but after a moment, or two, three or ten she stopped looking angry and laughed once again and as I prepared for my second attack she stole all my bubbles and blasted them back We both join together and share a big laugh as finally I settle down into my bath Until eventualy squeaky and clean as can be I'm lifted back out and set down on her knee Where before the drips dripping can cause a wet puddle A big fluffy towel wraps me up in a cuddle Mum dries me gently with plenty of care and ends with a ruffle to fluff up my hair Then into my snuggliest jammies I go The ones with the booties that cover my toes I'm carried upstairs where I'm tucked into bed and mum plants a kiss on the top of my head With our final goodnights and a wish of sweet dreams the nightlight beside me lit up with a gleam still warm from my bath and without one more peep I curl up with my teddies and settle to sleep