Think Twice

You know, I really should think twice before I jump into an activity with N2.   My sister told  me how much fun her daughter had playing with baking  soda and vinegar so I thought, what the heck I  should try it too.  Once I get an idea in my head it's quite hard to dissuade me.  I only had one medicine dropper so we trekked out to Walgreens to get another one (we had to go there anyways) and wouldn't you know it, they were all out at the pharmacy counter!  But hey we got free coloring books at the pharmacy!  So then we went to Jewel to get one and  luckily they had one.  We also scored a free 2 liter bottle of Cherry Dr. Pepper.  Free today only!  I think from when I  first got the idea to when  we started was over an hour.

N2 were quite excited to have some fun.  I gave them each their own  baking soda box with a teaspoon and cup with green vinegar (they both wanted green) with a medicine dropper and showed them what happens when you squirt vinegar on top of baking soda.  The fizzing was quite cool!  They were quite enthusiastic.  However neither of them could use a medicine dropper.  They didn't quite get how to squeeze  the bulb, put it in the liquid  and let it go.   So I showed them how over and over again with hopes that they could do it themselves.  Fail.  Occasionally they would get a little vinegar in the dropper themselves but not much.  They  could however get the baking soda on the pan so we would have mounds of baking soda just  waiting for vinegar.

My patience was wearing out at this point  because they just couldn't get how to use the medicine dropper and they kept sticking the tip in the baking soda or sticking the spoon in the liquid so  I kept having to wash things out.  Then came the real kicker-Natalie managed to knock over her cup of vinegar (which I had JUST refilled) and it spilled all over the  table, herself and the floor.   She was NOT happy to have green vinegar all over her.  Nor was I happy to have green vinegar all  over everything (it even went under the booster seat).  I  stuck her in the  tub, clothes and all, cleaned up the vinegar and declared the science experiment over!  The silver lining here is that I've heard the vinegar  is a good cleaner for the floor-so  at least the floor under  the table is clean!    However my house smells like vinegar.  I  think this is project for when 2 adults are around.  Or perhaps I should  let them use syringes-those might be easier to use.