Extra Hands
The other night was one of those crazy multi-tasking nights. I was working on cooking supper when Cora decided she needed to eat. I pulled the booster seat into the kitchen so I could feed her bites as I stirred supper on the stove. Then Thomas decided it was time for a potty break and he needed me. I stirred supper one last time, fed Cora a bite, and headed to the back of the apartment to help Thomas. I was only gone a few minutes, but when I got back I found Henry standing by Cora, baby food bowl in hand.
"Look, Mommy! I learned how to feed Cora because I watched you! I'm feeding her for you. See?"
I did see. She had oatmeal all over her little face and dripping down onto the booster tray. But she was grinning ear to ear. Henry is her little hero, and anything he does is mesmerizing. Henry was beaming. He was so proud of himself for helping out.
"Wow, Henry! Thank you! That's a big help! Now I can cook supper while you feed Cora."
I kept watching out of the corner of my eye as he fed her bites. She ate up the food and the attention. Soon Thomas wandered into the kitchen.
"Can I feed Cora too?"
"Thomas, you don't know how. I think Henry can--"
"It's OK, Mommy. I'll teach him! See, Thomas, you just dip the spoon in like this and then you put it in her mouth very gently. Then you can use the spoon to scoop up anything that falls out of her mouth."
I watched as he patiently taught Thomas his new knowledge, and then let him try it out. Thomas fed her a few bites and then Henry took over his biggest brother duties again. I turned back to my cooking, proud of his little moment. Suddenly, I heard a panicked little voice behind me.
"Mommy! Mommy, I may need some help! Look! She won't let go!"
I turned around to see Cora swinging her oatmeal bowl around in the air, with Henry trying to catch it and pull it back. Good intentions aside, I guess some things are still better left to grown-ups...
"Look, Mommy! I learned how to feed Cora because I watched you! I'm feeding her for you. See?"
I did see. She had oatmeal all over her little face and dripping down onto the booster tray. But she was grinning ear to ear. Henry is her little hero, and anything he does is mesmerizing. Henry was beaming. He was so proud of himself for helping out.
"Wow, Henry! Thank you! That's a big help! Now I can cook supper while you feed Cora."
I kept watching out of the corner of my eye as he fed her bites. She ate up the food and the attention. Soon Thomas wandered into the kitchen.
"Can I feed Cora too?"
"Thomas, you don't know how. I think Henry can--"
"It's OK, Mommy. I'll teach him! See, Thomas, you just dip the spoon in like this and then you put it in her mouth very gently. Then you can use the spoon to scoop up anything that falls out of her mouth."
I watched as he patiently taught Thomas his new knowledge, and then let him try it out. Thomas fed her a few bites and then Henry took over his biggest brother duties again. I turned back to my cooking, proud of his little moment. Suddenly, I heard a panicked little voice behind me.
"Mommy! Mommy, I may need some help! Look! She won't let go!"
I turned around to see Cora swinging her oatmeal bowl around in the air, with Henry trying to catch it and pull it back. Good intentions aside, I guess some things are still better left to grown-ups...
