Dirt

Ever since we found out that our newest addition (coming in August, if you hadn't heard!) is a BOY, we have heard a slew of random comments, congratulatory remarks, and lots of tips on how very very different this little creature will be from our two sweet girls.  And while YES, we are over-the-moon excited about all this little guy is going to add to our family, there are a few of these comments that make me scratch my head sometimes.  For instance, "You'll never believe how dirty little boys can get!"  I may very well eat my words someday, but let me just state for the record that little girls can get awfully dirty, too!

 

Daddy has been hard at work in the garden as of late (he expanded it quite a bit, which required lots of digging, removing giant rocks (because this is Tennessee), adding to his amazing rock wall, and adding more dirt of course), and Caroline & Ellie are happy to be of assistance whenever possible. 

 

Yesterday evening he was adding and leveling some dirt in the new addition, so the girls got to work with their shovels as well.  They weren't big fans of Daddy tossing the dirt from one end to the other (as evidenced by their facial expressions in this picture!).

 

I only had to ask Ellie not to lick the spade two or three times.

 

But she worked really hard on moving big clumps around to make sure things were in their proper place.

 

Caroline has gotten pretty handy with that shovel.  Although she did ask Daddy for some "softer dirt" a few times.  I'm pretty sure they are going to be sorely disappointed when we actually plant the garden and they lose their giant dirt box!

 

No comments about child labor laws, please.  She's 3 1/2, plenty old enough to start earning her keep around here!

 

This is the filth I'm talking about, people.  This child.  The quantities of dirt do not necessarily show up in these pictures, but it's there alright.  The ring left in the bathtub last night could attest to it.  And doesn't she look just distraught over it?

 

I'm actually a little upset about these shoes.  I just bought them...as in, last week.  Someone apparently didn't get the memo that they are not her gardening shoes (ahem, Daddy???).  I'm hoping they survive the washing machine.

 

But how is a mother supposed to be upset over these things?  Even when I see stain removal in my immediate future, I can't help but enjoy this sweet, filthy face.

 

Ellie spies just about any bird in a 100 mile radius.

 

She melts me.  Snot & all.

 

I guess she'd had enough of the garden for awhile, so she decided to check out her other favorite location...there's ALWAYS dirt and/or mud here!

 

And then there's my first born.  Crazy Caroline.  And while this girlfriend can get dirty, she has also been known to fall into tears of despair when being sprinkled with water from a neighbor boy's water gun.  She just needs to be prepared for what's coming.  So if dirt is coming, it's okay...so long as she isn't presently in love with the outfit she's in or the shoes she's wearing or won't be forced to take a bath AND wash her hair because of said dirt.  And while I sigh in exasperation, I also completely understand what she's going through...she may be a little bit like her Mama :)

 

Apparently she was prepared for dirt yesterday.  And somehow, her clothes managed to escape with only so much as a smudge on the back.  So maybe that's what people are talking about when they say little girls just don't get very dirty.

 

But then again, they probably have never met Ellie.