Splish, splash

Julia likes taking baths almost as much as she likes to brush her teeth. In fact, after she's done with her toothbrush at the sink in the evenings, she will often turn around and say, "Tub. Bath."

When bathtime comes, Julia helps remove her clothes and fill the tub. She likes letting the water run over her fingers. In the tub, she enjoys her classic toys: a rubber duckie and small plastic toys that squirt water. Fortunately, she prefers to squirt the water in her own face and not her Mommy's or Daddy's. Special animal-shaped washcloths provide added incentive for Julia to wash herself in between splashing. The main event, of course, is the splashing.

Julia's Mommy and Daddy have learned that bathtime is about more than getting clean. Julia has become increasingly comfortable with water and is almost to a point of swimming in the tub. She should be ready for toddler classes this summer.

As with everything else that Julia enjoys, she hates to get out of the tub. She protests loudly, splashes the water that hasn't yet gone down the drain, and makes her Mommy or Daddy remove her from the tub, getting them wet in the process. Poetic justice comes in many forms for a toddler.