"But Dad Said We Could"

When I pick up the girls from preschool yesterday, I see that Louie has drawn all over her legs in marker, from the kneecaps down to her toes. I look closer and see that Doodle and CeCee have also drawn all over their legs in marker. After telling them we'll have to scrub well at bath time that night, I say to Doodle, "You know better than to draw on yourself."

She counters, "It was an accident."

"You're telling me that the flowers and butterflies on your shins and feet are an accident?"

I have a trio of technicolor children, looking down at their artwork. At first they look repentant, then they start laughing.

Doodle adds, "But Dad said we could!"

"Really?"

"Yes!" Louie and CeCee agree. Three heads bob in unison.

I don't know what to say to that. It seems wrong, but they aren't very good at lying yet, and they are sticking to their story.

"How long have you had marker on your legs?"

"Only two days at school." This means they did this on Sunday, while I was in Idaho. I didn't notice when they picked me up Monday night because they were already wearing nightgowns. Suddenly, I'm a little suspicious of James getting them ready for school by himself on Tuesday morning to let me sleep in.

After dinner, I tell James, "The girls tell me you said they could draw on their legs."

Long pause. Funny face while James decides how to answer.

"I didn't say they could draw on themselves. I found them already drawing on themselves. They wouldn't stop, so I said, 'Fine, draw on yourselves.' "

And then he let them go to school tattooed with their marker artwork for two days.

My Grafitti Artists, scrubbed up