One of the routines that has evolved over time since you were born is bath time. I remember giving you your first bath at home, and how much you absolutely hated it. We filled your little tub up with water, set it on the kitchen table, and carefully undressed you and placed you in the water. We were thanked with incessant crying while we washed you as gently and quickly as possible, to put an end to the apparent torture of getting cleaned up! I'll resist the urge to post the video of that first bath, to spare everyone your heartbreaking cries!
Before long, we moved your tub from the kitchen table to the main bath tub. It didn't take long for you to discover the joy of splashing around in the water. We slowly added toys to the mix, and your glee with bath time continued to blossom.
Bath time has been mostly Daddy's domain. He still uses your baby tub, since you still easily fit in it and it requires less water than the main bath tub. In addition to taking advantage of bath time as play time, you've recently recognized the relaxation potential of bath time, letting the toys go to lean back for brief pauses to kick back and relax. I sometimes peek in to get a glimpse of your fun and bonding with daddy, but mostly just smile at the sounds of your splashing and giggling, grateful for some moments to myself.
On the occasions when bath duties do fall on my shoulders, I've taken to filling the main tub and splashing and playing right along with you. You love having deeper water to move around in, and helping yourself to sips of my milk in between splashes. It's a delight to slowly pour water from a cup while you concentrate on trying to grab and pinch the stream of water, perplexed that your fingers just move right through it.
Playing in the bath with you brings back memories of my own bath time growing up, when your Auntie and I would stay in the tub until our fingers and toes were all shriveled up and the the entire bathroom was soaked. As I enjoy those fleeting moments in the tub with you, I look forward to seeing you enjoying bath time with a sibling of your own one day, showing them how to squeeze the toys to make water squirt out and making shampoo mohawks. For now, I'll continue to savor the good clean moments I get to share with you, and serve as a grateful spectator during your bath time bonding with your father.
Love,
Mama
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