Bath_Time

The last light of the day was drifting in through the window with a final attempt to reach out across the world. Cold floor tiles under my feet were radiating their lack of human contact through the day. With a flick of the switch, next to the door, the bathroom was illuminated with life from the round yellow lights above the mirror. Heat permeated the room as they made their presence felt. It's a small space just enough for the white tub and shower crowding together in the wall opposite of me and the toilet and sinks to my left. The ceiling heater starts making it's whirr of activity and blowing warm air across my face. A small turn of the faucet knob starts water gushing out into the bath tub, like a mini waterfall, and splashing the cold water around the bottom of the tub. Before long I can see the steam from the hot water dancing in the air with little waves. Another adjustment to the knob forces the faucet water into a perfect temperature of relaxation. With all the pieces in place the stage was now set for what had become a nightly bath time ritual, and all that was missing was the bubbly three year old little girl to make the picture complete. Just as the thought enters my mind I hear the laughter approaching and the tan Mastiff, Ehod, closely in tow, tail wagging frantically, and tongue out. The guest of honor, Mackenzie, had arrived a short three year old girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a infectious smile. With the air of a three year old going on thirty she exclaims that she is a big girl and can get undressed for the bath on her own; she doesn't need help! Ehod finds his usual spot on the tan tile to watch patiently until it is his turn to participate. After a successful show of her maturity, with the pink shirt and jeans piled on the floor, she slides to the tub and checks the water temperature. One foot and then two in the water send ripples out {text:soft-page-break} across the surface, announcing the intruder to the tub. Before I can even reach for them the bucket of colored letters, ducks, and other assorted toys have been tipped into the water and were now floating contently around, occasionally running into each other like floating bumper cars. Ehod feels that he's been quite patient enough and that it's his turn to be involved, so he stands up to move over and inspect everything that's going on. His huge head dips down, lips playing with the top of the water and bites at the toys, which elicits a giggling "stop Ehod" from Mackenzie as she pushes his face away. Being rejected from his fun he concedes to just drinking some of the hot bathwater in a loud slurp. Feeling satisfied at being part of the family, Ehod moves away with water streaming down his face, leaving a wet path on the floor, and moseys back to sit and watch once again. With the bath to herself, Mackenzie turns her focus back to the toys at hand, making the ducks talk in mommy and daughter voices to each other. I have to tell her that it's time to actually wash and grab the small bottle of shampoo. After some complaint she gives in and slowly dips her hair into the water, careful to keep it out of her eyes with two small hands covering them. I fill her cupped hands with a small puddle of pink shampoo before she enthusiastically smears it into her hair, creating a white wig of bubbles that run slowly down her hair and back into the water. Dunking her head into the water she emerges with bubbles gone and water logged blonde hair over her face. My announcement that bath time is over is met with a look of condemnation, but she resists the urge to argue and begins to step out , drip by drip, adding her water drops to Ehod's puddles from before, and enlarging them that much more. Shivering out of the water and back in the cool of the bathroom I wrap her in a soft gray towel big enough to envelop her and still drag the ground like a cape. I reach down and unplug the bath tub, creating a small cyclone in the water, sending the toys around in circles, and making gurgling noises as it drains. Now that she's dry Mackenzie goes into the closet to dress, because once again I'm told this is a one person job by a three year old with a air of authority. A clean, but still slightly wet, little girl {text:soft-page-break} comes back out of the closet dressed in pajamas, boasting once again of her accomplishment. With everything done and the bath tub having accomplished it's job we are set to leave the bathroom as it was in a mirror reverse of our setup. A smiling three year old runs out with Ehod in tow again, tail wagging just as enthusiastically as before. The towels are hung up in the same spot only slightly wet. The fan goes back to silent and the hot circulating air becomes still. Lights that brought life to the room are turned off and the dark takes the bathroom once again. The tiles start their transition back to cold and the water dries up on the floor. The room becomes dormant again until tomorrow when the ritual starts over with the same three year old, dog, toys, and daddy.