color me embarrassed

For a few months now Jem has been napping in our room. He and Tru do fine in the same room at night but nap time is a different  story. They talk and laugh and jump around and nap time doesn't really happen. And I need nap time to happen so Jem got moved to our room.  He is starting to outgrow his naps and doesn't always fall asleep. And sometimes he decides to explore our room. This has led to my chapstick being used as a crayon on the wall and my hand lotion being smeared on cheeks. Last week he was exploring and the result was a little different. As I went in with him to lay him down, he suddenly crouched down and said, "Mommy. I found something under the bed last time."
Before I go any further, let me say that for the past two years Sam has taken a group of his high school friends up to his family camp for a "man" weekend. They shoot guns, drink beer, and reminisce by the fire. They also do a gag gift exchange and sometimes the gifts are a tad scandalous. Okay, a lot scandalous depending on the guy. And last year Sam was the recipient of a pair of purple hog-tie cuffs. He brought them home and showed them to me. He thought they were hilarious. I thought they were tacky and gross. And that was the end of it. But I didn't realize that Sam had simply shoved the package under our bed.  And suddenly, my four-year old is holding them up and asking me what they are. I snatched them from his hands, praying that he hadn't looked at the pictures on the package and silently cursing Sam in my head. And then I told him that he would have to ask Daddy about them and took them out of the room, once again praying, this time that he would forget all about it.
The cuffs are now in the trash, where they should have been in the first place. Thankfully, he hasn't asked about them since and I have preserved his innocence for a little longer. I, however, feel scarred and have absolutely no idea how I'm going to handle it when the real questions start coming.

photo by 4otos  http://www.flickr.com/photos/40224942@N02/6715794041/