Baby Toe Soup

While cleaning Chloe's disaster -- I mean room -- this week, I ran across an old Polaroid of Harley.  He was probably about a year old, back when I thought he was going to be a rather petite guy, instead of the monster he is today at 16.  He was in the tub, with a huge "hat" made of foam Silly Soap.  When my kids were little, I was forever making beards, hats, horns, etc. out of Silly Soap when they were in the tub.  Both of my kids were fond of just lying in the tub, listening to the sound of the world as muffled by the water.  One of us would always look down at them and say, "Baby Toe Soup!"

Anyway, the picture reminded me of all the times I bathed my kids when they were little.  During those days, there were so many toys in the tub I actually put them all in one of those plastic tubs they give you in the hospital -- you know, the one they send home with you that has all the weird, random stuff you get in the hospital.  (Random stuff, which, by the way, would probably cut health care costs considerably if they gave you a choice of whether or not you wanted it.  Just a thought.)

There were ducks in the tub.  Lots of ducks.  Come to think of it, there is a duck in my own tub, even as I write this many years later.  Go figure.  There were G.I. Joes, plastic cups, random animals, random Happy Meal toys, random pieces from games -- seems to have been a random theme in my life, huh?

When the kids were little, though, and they'd come out of the tub all wrinkly and clean and sweet smelling (at least for a time), Charles and I would snuggle them up in a big fluffy towel.  While we dried them and dressed them, the one thing we absolutely could not resist was nibbling on their chubby little toes.  There is just something about baby feet and toes!  Anytime I see a baby, my fingers just itch to take off their tiny little socks and see those precious little piggies!  It is, for me, an absolutely irresistible compulsion.

So here it is, one of the very best recipes you'll ever find on the web or anywhere else:

Baby Toe Soup
Ingredients:

1 baby (more if you prefer)
Water (enough to splash)
Toys, cups (enough for fun, but not enough that the baby won't fit)
Silly Soap (enough for one hat or pair of horns)

Put all ingredients into a tub and mix till baby is pruny!  Once baby is wrinkly, remove from water, drain tub and wrap baby in large fluffy towel.  Toss baby gently on a bed of clean sheets and enjoy.  Note:  This recipe DOES NOT KEEP.  It only lasts for about six years, so enjoy your Baby Toe Soup while you have it.