A mother revealed how her house was left looking like a ‘murder scene’ after her toddler son smeared red wax on the wall.
Emma Smith, 30, of Fettercairn, Aberdeenshire, told how one-year-old Archie dipped his big sister’s make-up brush into a wax burner in the hallway and proceeded to spread the liquid across a 6ft stretch of wall and dropped dollops on the floor.
Bar worker Emma, who is also mother to Angel Smith, 10, Angus Lees, four, discovered the ‘scene’ after becoming suspicious that her children were being too quiet while she cooked in the kitchen.
A mother revealed how her house was left looking like a ‘murder scene’ after her toddler son smeared red wax on the wall. Pictured, Archie’s creation
Emma Smith (right), 30, of Fettercairn, Aberdeenshire told how one-year-old Archie dipped his big sister’s make-up brush into a wax burner in the hallway and proceeded to spread the liquid across a 6ft stretch of wall and dropped dollops on the floor. Left, Archie at home
When she poked her head through the door she discovered the bloody-looking trail of destruction – and a grinning Archie.
She said: ‘They say silence is golden but not when Archie is around. He’s a feral child, I thought my middle child was bad but my youngest has topped that.
‘It looked like a murder scene, I came running out of the kitchen and said “oh my god what have you done?” and he just stood and laughed with a makeup brush in his hand. Even now when I ask him “why have you painted mummy’s hall?”, he just smirks and laughs.’
Archie had used the melted wax from a plug-in burner, meaning the cheeky toddler wasn’t at risk from burning himself.
Archie had used the melted wax from a plug-in burner (left), meaning the cheeky toddler wasn’t at risk from burning himself. Right, Archie with lip gloss smeared across his face
When Emma poked her head through the door she discovered the bloody-looking trail of destruction (pictured) – and a grinning Archie. The mess took more than an hour to clean
Archie had also dropped dollops of wax on the hallway carpet (pictured), which Emma cleaned
Emma said: ‘I have the plug-in burners everywhere, but the one he used was in the hallway. Angel ushered Archie away while steam was coming out of my ears.
‘I had to go back to the kitchen, turn off the food I was cooking and then had to get it off the wall. I had to wait until the wax had dried then spent 45 minutes using a hairdryer to re-melt it and a cloth to scrub it off my wall.
‘It formed thick clumps in the carpet but I managed to lift it out.
‘When Stuart found out it had been on the walls he just asked “are we going to have to redecorate?” Just a usual man moaning.
‘I bleached the wall to remove the remaining marks on the walls but because I know the marks are there I can see a tint of colour so we’ll have to redecorate. The burner has since been removed.’
Emma with partner Stuart and her children Angel, 10, Angus, four, and one-year-old Archie
Emma said this is the worst incident out of a catalogue of mischief Archie has got himself into, and fears what’s to come.
Emma said: ‘Archie is very free-spirited and is always up to no good.
‘We live on a farm and have a small fence between our house and next door and he has a habit of digging underneath the fence, like a dog would do, to escape into next door’s garden.
‘Archie’s also escaped into the fields, got behind the shed and also dug up flowers.
‘Our dog Jock just toddles on behind him, he’s definitely one-of-a-kind, wherever Archie is Jock’s not far behind, they’re best of friends.
‘He’s that kid that if it was someone else’s you’d laugh about it but when it’s your own you can’t.
‘I thought Angus was the worst because he used to get up to no good as a toddler but he’s very couthy [sociable] now, while Angel’s always got her head in a book.’
As Archie turns two next month, Emma dreads what escapades she’ll face as he hits the ‘terrible twos’.
Emma said: ‘It’s probably the worst thing he’s done to date, but I imagine there’s more to come.
‘We’re heading toward ‘terrible twos’ territory and I’m dreading it, Archie is full of surprises he definitely keeps me on my toes.’