Smells

For a kid who sure can make her own share of stinky smells, Madeleine definitely can't handle any odors that are not to her liking.

After shovelling the wet, heavy snow in our driveway for over an hour, I came inside and stripped off my outerwear.  When I asked Madeleine for a hug, she came over to me and wrapped her arms around me, then recoiled.

MADELEINE: Uh, Mama, did you just go for a run?
ME: No.
MADELEINE: Then why do you SMELL like SWEAT?
ME: Well, think about it.  What was I just doing?
MADELEINE: Shoveling.
ME: Right. 
MADELEINE: Okay, well, Mama, can you take a shower?
ME: No, I already took a shower today.
MADELEINE: Uh, but Mama, even when I come a little near you I start smelling sweat.
ME: So you don't wanna hug me??  (pretend sad face)
MADELEINE: Uh, Julia??  Could you help Mama??  She needs some hugs!  (scampering off)


That's right.  She couldn't even deign to hug me because I smelled too sweaty.  That was a job she was going to delegate to Julia.  SHEESH.

Although Madeleine is critical of other peoples' smells, she is not immune to her own odor.  She had a crisis when we were in CT because she couldn't discern which underwear in her overnight bag were clean and which were dirty.  So she came to the obvious, logical conclusion.

MADELEINE: (with dramatic sadness) Mama.  I can't wear ANY underwear today.
ME: You can't?  Why not?
MADELEINE: Because!  I don't know which ones are CLEAN and which are DIRTY!
ME: Uh-
MADELEINE: I *tried* smelling them, but they ALL smell DISGUSTING!

Well then.  I guess going commando is the only forseeable option.  Right?  Glad she was able to reach such a drastic conclusion so easily.

Since my kids don't want to snuggle me and warm me up after my tough afternoon of shovelling, I guess I'll bundle up in a non-judgemental blanket and cuddle my own smelly SELF.