Now I've seen it all...

This afternoon I asked Avery to go blow her nose and then wash her hands. She'd been in the kitchen for a bit when I heard her yell, "Mommy?!"
I was heading into the kitchen as she called and I said "What's up?"
When I saw her face she looked really guilty.
She responded with, "Uh, I love you...?"

I was messing with my cell phone trying to plug it in and also thinking about my grocery list on the counter. So I didn't think too much about the guilty look.

A couple moments passed and she was still standing there. I looked up at her and she said, "Uh, Actually I did do something."

"Whats that Avery?" (Im still not paying much attention at this point...)

Avery, "Well I put my kleenex in the candle." (which is burning on the counter by the sink)

Me, "Well where is the kleenex now?" (I'm still totally calm, I didn't think she actually got it on fire)

Avery, "Its in the trash."

I slowly walk to the trash under the sink. Seriously, I'm still messing with my cell phone at this point. I'm thinking a kleenex that ALMOST touched the fire is in the trash.

I opened the door to the cupboard to find it ENGULFED in FLAMES!

I screamed. Loud.

I grabbed it and tried to shove it under the faucet but it was too big. So I threw it outside and kind of jumped on it. (I KNOW! I Dont know why, I just went into surival mode. Im lucky I dont have burns all over my hands and feet!)

The trash can is ruined, my kitchen smells like burned plastic.

THANK GOODNESS she told me.

I had just put Sully and Tess down for afternoon naps. Which means Avery and I were headed into the living room for quiet time. The next time I would have gone in there would likely not have been until the smoke alarm was going off and my kitchen cabinets were wiped out.

I sent her to her room and cleaned it up and just sat in the kitchen. What was I to do? Obviously she had to be punished. But Avery is notorius for doing naughty things and then trying to hide them. I didn't want to get so upset with her that she'd not tell me the next time she starts my house on fire!

After about 15 minutes I went in and we had a long talk. She told me that she didn't think 'candle fire' could hurt you. She thought it was only pretty, not scary. I think all mom's with candles need to know that four year olds thing 'candle fire' can't hurt you!

I guess now we know, when Avery looks guilty...investigate. And possibly, no more candles.

ARGH!