The little guy I babysit just kills me sometimes. He's trying so hard to sort out this "boy/girl" business. He's only two and a half and this has been heavy on his mind recently. The other day he reminded me I was a girl like his mom and had a vagina. "Yes, that's true," I confirmed. A little while later, we were outside digging in our big dirt pit when he announced he really likes to play in water. In his next breath he said, "Girls don't like playing in water cuz they have a vagina." I almost hated to burst his little bubble but I couldn't have him thinking like that. "Well Tad, I'm a girl and I LOVE playing in water." You should have seen his face, a true Kodak moment. He looked genuinely befuddled. He slumped his little shoulders in defeat, "Hmmm, that's right," he conceded. An hour after the dirt pit, we were working in the garage on his father's workbench when he started looking around for something. I finally asked him what he was looking for and without stopping to look up at me, he said, "I'm looking for a vagina," and continued looking everywhere! In tool boxes, under sanding blocks, in the pockets of his fathers tool belt - nowhere on that workbench, to my utter relief, did he find a vagina! It was also a relief to know he didn't even know what one looked like. Ahhh but he still wasn't done. The afternoon routine goes as follows; lunch, stories then nap. Immediately after stories I turn the light out and lay next to him and sing to him until he falls asleep. I have, on numerous occasions, made up silly songs for him using tunes he's familiar with. I got through one of his favorite songs and he sat right up, "I know," he said, "I know, YOU can sing a song of vaginas!" He was sooooo enthusiastic! "I don't know any songs about vaginas Tad." He was not easily diverted, "Well you could make one up! Yes, sing me a song of vaginas!" Oh my, oh my, oh my.
No, he never got the song he was hoping to hear, at least not from me. "I'm very disappointed Darcy," he finally said and laid back on his pillow.
Monday is my last day watching him four days a week. His pre-school starts on Tuesday. After that, depending on what I find for work, I may get to watch him the one day a week he won't have pre-school. I sure hope those ladies are up for him. And I sure am going to miss him.
No, he never got the song he was hoping to hear, at least not from me. "I'm very disappointed Darcy," he finally said and laid back on his pillow.
Monday is my last day watching him four days a week. His pre-school starts on Tuesday. After that, depending on what I find for work, I may get to watch him the one day a week he won't have pre-school. I sure hope those ladies are up for him. And I sure am going to miss him.
