When Joshua first came home, he and I were attached at the hip by my design. Where I went, he went. I often joked that I gained 36 lbs on my trip to Ethiopia.
Eventually Joshua and I were attached at the hip by mutual design! Now that we have a deep emotional attachment, the physical one is not as important. So more and more often I will leave Joshua with Chad or Krissy.
I had never left him with Jamison... until last week! Prior to last week neither of them had ever suggested that Jamison babysit. One afternoon last week Joshua had grown VERY tired of playing taxi with mommy! It was time to pick up Krissy from summer school and Joshua had no interest in riding along. He desperately wanted to stay home and play.
Since Krissy was at school, the only "babysitter" at home was Jay. Jay is the world's BEST big brother, but he prefers to play with rather than be responsible for Joshua. He really has no interest in babysitting, so I have never asked him.
However, Joshua did the asking for me. When it was time to get back in the car to get Krissy, Joshua RAN to Jay! He squirmed up on his lap and said, "Jamison, my brother, pleasie babysit me! Joshua no I like it getting Krissy! Joshua I want play withie Jay."
How could Jay say no?
So I left the boys home alone!
I knew it would only be about 15 minutes. What could go wrong in 15 minutes?
When I returned 15 minutes later, Jamison said, "Mom!" in a voice that told me there had been trouble.
"Hey Jay! How did it go?" I asked.
Then Joshua came running around the corner, bubbling over with excitement. He told the story before Jamison had the chance.
"Mommy! Joshua havie go kaka (poop). Joshua on the toilet. Joshua yelling Jamison wipie my butt! Jay say no! Jay tell me to wipie my own butt. I yell Jamison! Jamison! Mommy Daddy wipie Joshua butt! Mommy Daddy bye-bye, so Jamison have to wipe my butt!"
(At this point I am hunched over laughing! Jamison has a very weak stomach! The only thing worse for him than wiping a butt would be changing a poopy diaper. To him, Joshua's request would have been torture!)
Joshua continues, "Jay come into bathroom. Jay say ooohhh! it stinks!"
(I am in tears at this point!)
I finally get up the nerve to look at Jamison. He has an amazing sense of humor and my uncontrolled laughter helped to break the ice. Yet, he was still not laughing! He was just staring at me blankly.
He finally said, "Yeah! I won't be babysitting again!"
To which Joshua replied, "Thank you Jamison! Thank you wiping my butt!"
The hug and thank you helped, but it will still be a loooong time before Jay agrees to babysit his brother again!
***This story was posted with Jamison's permission.
