Teague the Explorer

Rebecca asked me to blog about a recent experience I had with Teague. So...here goes. The other night, Rebecca had to leave for a party while I was just jumping in the shower after work. I had given Teague a bath first and he was in his pajamas waiting for dad to get out of the shower. As most parents know, when your kids are quiet, it usually means they are up to no good. Well, I hadn't heard Teague playing at all in the living room when I was in the shower. I didn't think much of it, because he often times goes downstairs to play with his toys and most likely that was what he had done. So, when I got out of the shower I threw on my underwear and started to walk around the house looking for Teague while calling out his name. He wasn't upstairs and he wasn't downstairs either. At this point, my heart rate quickened. I went through the house one more time calling his name now and looking a bit more carefully in out of sight places. Nowhere in the house to be found was Teague. At this point, many thoughts are racing through my head as I run to my room to throw on some shorts because I am sure by now that Teague is outside. I run out the back door and head for the drive expecting the worse, like seeing Teague in the road or something of the equivalent. As I turn the corner of the house, there's Teague in the dirt next to the house playing with our sprinkler. He is in his pajamas just recently out of the bath playing in the dirt. I breathe a sigh of relief, but also want to drive home the point to Teague that you don't come outside without mom or dad. So, I am trying hard not to look too relieved that he is alright, but rather disappointed and mad about what he had done. Well, I got him crying for sure as I laid 3 firm spankings to the butt and ordered him inside. It's amazing at almost 17 months how much he already knows. He knew what he did was wrong, I am convinced after seeing his face when I ran around the corner. And for sure after his punishment. We went in the bathroom and I washed off his feet and hands with a wet rag and changed his shirt. He was still sobbing at this point, but I wasn't quite ready to let him off the hook. I gave him a short lecture with a stern voice about what he did. He kept trying to look away from me and I would say, "look at me" and he would lift his head slowly. He was so sad to have disappointed me so. Finally, when I was finished cleaning him up and talking to him, I softened my glare and reached my arms out to him. He was on the ground at this point and he ran into my arms and just squeezed at tight as could be. I knew he was sorry without words being said.