Privacy, Please
Yesterday evening I locked myself in my bathroom to take a shower. Now that the boys are getting older, I am actively teaching them about modesty and privacy. J doesn’t care much about either subject. I’m hoping that this is just a 3 year old stage. As for C, a couple of months ago he started requesting that he and J take baths “one at a time.” At this request, I am happy to oblige. With only one boy in the bathtub at a time, there is less likely the chance of a mess.
C is able to start his own bath and washes himself pretty good. I help him with washing his hair just to make sure that it is clean, but he can drain the tub and dry himself off and get himself dressed (C even picked out appropriate “church clothes” for this morning after getting out of his bath!). The only issue, and it’s not really a problem, is that C is obsessed about being clean. After playing in the wading pool or playing outside, C will come inside and want a bath. I think he could bathe 3 times a day and be quite content. Normally this isn’t a problem, but I get tired of washing towels. Little neat-nick!
Anyway, I digress. Back to last night. I was in the shower and hear, “Mommy… Moooommy!” It is J at my locked bathroom door. “Open the door, Mommy!”
I ignore J, knowing that B is watching the boys, and enjoy my hot water and solitude. A few minutes later the door opens and J pokes his head into my bathroom. Smart boy - he can unlock doors. “Mommy! Whya takin’ a shower?”
Mommy: “J, go back to the living room and I’ll be there soon.”
J proceeds to my bathroom counter to checkout my sewing box that I had gotten down from the top of my closet to sew a hole on his Sally (from the movie Cars) pillow. “B!!” I call to get B to retrieve J. At my bellow to Daddy B, J runs to the bathroom door and closes and locks it back again. Smart boy. He knew what was coming! “B!!” I yell again and when B comes to the bathroom door J unlocks it and hops back over to the sewing box. Finally B acquires J and I can finish my shower in peace.
It is hard to remember a time when I was able to do anything by myself. Earlier, J helped me make homemade biscuits for lunch and then when C and B went out for the evening, J helped me make chocolate chip cookies. While we cooked J had an endless stream of conversation going. I learned that when J grows up, he wants to be a policeman, fire fighter, ambulance driver and telephone line repair man. May the little fella maintain his current energy level to accomplish all of these professions!