Baby Day Thursdays

Thursdays are Baby Days. On Thursdays Gemey rises and drives her van out on her grandchild route, first picking up Kaylee and then Kaleb and Codey. I typically will lollygag around the house until they arrive, playing with infant Codey for a while before going off to work. Kaleb these days is usually ready to start making messes at the rate of one every 14 minutes. Kaylee will pause to greet me, but she is anxious to begin the days work of reporting on her toddler cousin's misdeeds.

Gemey begins preparation for Baby Day the night before. A pot of Hamburger Helper is whipped up and preserved for the following day. Stocks of Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms are replenished, and supplies of milk, juice and ice-cream bars are pre-positioned for rapid deployment under fire. Gemey prevails upon me to make ready the wading pool, retrieving it from the garage and setting it in place in our small back yard.

Yesterday morning begins smoothly enough. Codey is tired, and will probably go back to sleep shortly. You can tell because his highly jocular nature is subdued, and he buries his chubby hands into his eyes. Still, even worn to a nub, you can always get Codey to laugh by making faces. This makes him especially endearing.

I go to work, and do my work thing, knowing that a house full of juvenile chaos awaits. I love to come home on Thursdays, since Kaylee always gives me a heroes' welcome. She'll run up to me, throw open her arms and cry "Grandpa!", conditions hostile to a foul mood.

Codey is in the kitchen sink getting a bath. He is slick with water and mild soap, having a wonderful time splashing and sucking on the washcloth. Gemey has already filled tummies with her prefabricated casserole, and cousins Kaylee and Kaleb are amusing themselves, Kaleb by getting into things, and Kaylee by informing on Kaleb.

In time I am caring for a freshly jammied Codey while Gemey takes a break from nine hours of children by straightening up the kitchen. I follow the ambulatory children into the guest room lugging the formidably sized Codey along. Kaylee and Kaleb gleefully play on the beds, bouncing, asking me if I'm going to "get them". I clutch the tiring Codey in on arm, and tickle with the other until Kaylee can't stand it and breaks off the engagement.

The bedclothes are strewn over the floor by now, the blue sheets are "safe" and the blue carpet is shark infested. I am warned that my feet are in the shark waters, and I dutifully act alarmed, and loudly decry the biting of my feet. The giggles of Kaylee and Kaleb fill the room with sunshine even as the actual sun downs the horizon.

Such is a typical Baby Days. They seem such wearying joy, and they seem to last so long (especially for sturdy Gemey), but I know that they will be memories much much too soon.

Tim McNabb