Thursday, October 15, 2009

next time i'll send her with a spare outfit...

Leah owes Rachel an apology. But since she can't talk, I guess I have to do the apologizing for her. The down-on-my-knees-kissing-Rachel's-feet kind of apology. Really, I don't have words for what Rachel did for Leah today, but I want to get this recorded, so I'll do my best.

Every Thursday, Rachel watches Leah while I teach piano. Every week, I drop Leah off with a little bag of her "necessities." You know, a diaper, some wipes, a sippy cup, a snack. Every week, Rachel hands back the bag with everything in it, usually untouched. I've thought about sending her with an extra outfit, but she's never needed one before.

Today, Leah was returned to me wearing some of Ty's dinosaur jammies. I'll give you one guess as to why. Yup. You're right.

Leah is famous for sticking her hands down her pants before and after she has gone to the bathroom. Rachel knows this...and so she checked her. Twice. Thirty seconds after she checked Leah for the second time, a man at the park came up to Rachel and said, "Is that your daughter?", pointing to Leah.

And there it was. Everywhere. On her clothes. On her hands. On her face. In her hair. I'd like to say it wasn't in her mouth, but really, I know the odds are against me on that one.

Poor Rachel. She's at the park. With three kids. No one had wipes. No one had an extra diaper. So, she trudges home with three kids, plops Leah in the tub and makes her shiny and new.

When she dropped off Leah, Rachel apologized! As if she could have somehow foreseen that little Leah was going to explode in her pants, then proceed to wipe it all over herself. Rachel got extra brownie points in heaven today for what she had to go though.

And this was Rach's parting comment as she dropped off Leah: "Look! She's so happy. I bet she feels so much better. It was really big. I'd guess she won't have to do that again for another week, at least. Probably two weeks."

Poor Rachel. Oh how I hope she's right.

{and just look at her...she truly was a delight tonight. so happy.}

9 comments:

Uffens Family said...

That is a true friend!!! Hang on to her Mare :) Glad Leah is shiny and clean!!

Mary said...

Oh my gosh! Poor Rachel...is it bad that I keep thinking I'm glad it wasn't me?? :)

Alyse Burt said...

That is a REALLY good friend! When my oldest started doing stuff like that I bought the biggest onesies I could find to keep his little hands out.

Rach said...

Let's be honest...I probably had it coming to me. I am sure I deserved it...somehow!

Debbie Lawrence said...

Oh my heavens...so sad! I remember my brother did the same thing when he was little, and my mom threatened to sell him at a yard sale. :) She sure looks happy in that picture!

Karen Hauley said...

I am so grateful for Maren's great friends - thank you Rachel. I wish I lived closer to help with happy little leah (or sad little leah). Maren, you should start writing a book - really. Love you.

Molly said...

My favorite line from this post was that Rachel got brownie points. Pun intended? Ha!

mj said...

Actually, Molly, the thought did cross my mind as I was writing it...poop or chocolate?

Jenny said...

Oh my goodness. That's really great. ahhhh hehe Not the kind of great while it's happening, but the great when your reading it on someone's blog. Just a great great story. One for the record book that's for sure.