It Finally Happened

Caden drew on the furniture.

A couple weeks before his third birthday, I finally let Caden use markers. He is good about only coloring on the paper and wipes the table if he accidentally colors on it. Even when he was younger, we only had one incident where he found a pen and drew on his chair when he was about 18 months and didn't really know better. (I got the pen marks out.) I was proud of my good little boy.

Until today.

I don't even know when it happened. He only colored for a few minutes while I was putting in a load of laundry. After that he watched Curious George while I was on the computer. Then I went to change Gabe's diaper and saw an orange streak on the new couch. I thought it was an accident because sometimes Caden asks for help opening and closing the marker lids and comes to us, marker tip exposed. But then I saw another, and another, and then a bunch of scribbles all over the glider footstool. I even found a streak on the baby's burp cloth. I was in shock!

In my surprise and haste to remove the stains, I didn't get a photo. The marker came out of the couch really easily (the salesman wasn't lying!), but the footstool took a good amount of scrubbing. Caden got a timeout and then went straight to nap time without a story and lullaby. Although I was upset and stern, I didn't yell at or spank him. I'm proud of myself for keeping cool. I told him he was in big trouble, and he replied, "Small trouble!" Nice try. He has lost all marker usage until further notice and all coloring privileges temporarily.

I still can't believe this happened! Though I'm glad it was washable marker and came out. I knew a mom whose son drew on their new couches with Sharpie!