Lesson Learned

Let me start this story by explaining how Caleb has always been fascinated by chewing gum. If Caleb doesn't nap well, there is a lot of time that needs to be filled up for the afternoon. When Caleb was around a year old, we had a package of Bubble Yum given to us, and I would sometimes entertain Caleb by blowing big bubbles for him to pop with his finger. I think this is where the gum obsession started. He knows right where I keep my gum in my purse, and if I ever leave my purse in a place where he can get to it, the gum is the first thing he goes for. (He has become quite persistent too, where he'll push up chairs and try to climb to whatever high spot I've "hidden" my purse.) I stopped carrying gum in my purse for about 3 months, but always got frustrated when I needed gum and it wasn't there. Recently I've started carrying it again thinking that it has been long enough that perhaps he's forgotten this obsession. I soon learned that this was a big NO when in a moment that he and his cousin, Dallin, were playing a little too quietly together. After investigation, I discovered that Caleb had gotten a hold of my purse, pulled out the gum, shoved TWO whole pieces of gum in his mouth (wrapper and all) and was offering Dallin the opportunity to partake as well. Dallin had gotten one piece in his mouth by the time I could reach them.

Last night Caleb, Matt, and I went to an Astros game with some friends. As one might guess, Caleb's attention span doesn't last all that long even though there is a ball involved (which keeps his attention longer than it otherwise would). Minute Maid Park has a kids' area with a jungle gym and other fun things. Parents aren't allowed in the gym, so I sent Caleb up by himself and followed him around from the outside. (Most of you will see quickly where this story is leading.) Caleb was at the second level of the play gym trying to climb up a slide (with me down below telling him not to), when I see his attention focused on something at the bottom of the slide. I couldn't see what he was concentrating so hard on from my angle, but after about a minute I see his proud, little face showing me what he found...a used, nasty, big wad of gum! He then proceeds to put the wad in his mouth! Of course he wasn't able to to get the gum entirely off of wherever it had been on the slide, so there are gum strings everywhere as he's pulling it and creating a huge mess. I am down on the ground trying to convince Caleb that the gum is yucky and to give it to Mommy. Parents on the ground around me are laughing at the little spectacle that is my son. After a few minutes, Caleb tired of the sticky mess (and maybe the gum didn't taste good?) and proceeds to try to shove the sticky mess through the mesh wall down to me like an obedient little child. Once I finally convinced Caleb to come out of the jungle gym, I had quite the time getting the sticky gum off of his clothes, face, hands, hair.... Lesson learned.