Saturday, November 26, 2011

babysitting

The mostly mobile one has been chasing Sherlock around the sofa for over ten minutes. Neither of them are tired of it yet. Amazing. The baby is trying to eat L's mobile, his keys, his fingers, anything within range, basically.

I imagine we should take them to the park soon if we're going to. And then I really don't, but it seems to be going well so far. It's mostly just keeping one away from electrical outlets and changing nappies. Any suggestions? 

80 comments:

Greg Lestrade said...

He's just teething. We had a wooden spoon to chew as kids. I remember it always tasted of bolognaise sauce.

You going to drive the pushchair to the park? I fear for other pavement users if Sherlock does. He can barely see over the top of it.

John H. D. Watson said...

I will, yeah. He can help. Or ask them repeatedly why they can't walk yet. Again.

Greg Lestrade said...

want to start a book on how many people will stare at us and try to work out what on earth our familial connections are? It's enough with our two...these two as well throw a whole new question into people's minds, undoubtedly.

John H. D. Watson said...

On the contrary, I think it'll answer question for a lot the mums I see regularly at the park. Instead of wondering why I'm staying at home while my wife works, they'll come up with a whole new set of at least partially wrong assumptions. Sometimes I really wish I could read minds.

Greg Lestrade said...

They'll certainly think you've got terrible taste in women!

Bagsy a go on the swings. Why are parks so much better now than when we were kids?

mazarin221b said...

*eyeroll* Always fun to have that creeping sensation of people silently making assumptions/judgements about you, isn't it? Wish people would mind their own business.

Enjoy the day, though, and toddlers are pretty easy. Just let them lead you a bit to what they're interested in - probably dirt, so if there's a sandpit at the park you're golden. Also, toddlers love water play, so fill the kitchen or bathroom sink with water, give them some plastic cups and bowls and put towels on the floor! And babies - well, a little peek a boo and a spoon/pot combo (you know, to make noise with) never goes amiss!

John H. D. Watson said...

Well, what do you expect if you don't shave...

Advanced swing building technology? At least it's not all concrete underfoot so when you jump off the swing at the top of it's arc you don't crack your ankles. Not that I've done that recently.

John H. D. Watson said...

Mazarin - dirt, right. And I've just realised I'm not the one who'll be washing their clothes later!

Greg Lestrade said...

I hate shaving.

And yeah, no concrete, more fun stuff, massive climbing frames, slides...our playground was two concrete sewer pipes on the grass and concrete blocks to climb on.

You sure you haven't jumped from a swing recently? I've never asked what you get up to down in the park...

John H. D. Watson said...

Maybe once or twice. I mainly just watch since Sherlock decided he didn't need me to catch him at the bottom of the slide anymore.

Greg Lestrade said...

Will you catch me?

John H. D. Watson said...

Not while I'm holding the baby. I think I'd need both hands for you.

Greg Lestrade said...

Think I'd crush you.

Right...experiment time. Do babies like swings? (Yes, this is a transparent attempt to give myself reason to have a go on a swing, whilst holding a baby as an excuse.)

(Sherlock is frowning. The toddler 'isn't playing properly', because he's more interested in the piles of leaves under the climbing frame than the frame itself.)

John H. D. Watson said...

Have fun with that. I'll definitely be taking a picture.

Greg Lestrade said...

fun is exactly what I intend to have all day, but especially here.

Sherlock said...

I found a bug! A really big one!

Greg Lestrade said...

Bigger than the baby?

Sherlock said...

No but it's really long! Are there bugs bigger than the baby? Can I have one as a pet?

Greg Lestrade said...

I don't think there are, no.

I have a very wet and chewed shirt collar, courtesy of this little fellow. He is cute though. Got his Mum's smile - obviously she has more teeth.

How long should I leave Danger on the roundabout before telling him it's time to go home...?

Sherlock said...

We shouldn't go home, we should get ice cream. Can I take the bug with us?

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm fairly sure anywhere we can sit and have ice cream will have a 'no bugs' policy in place. Besides, you might be taking the bug away from its home and family. Put it back where you found it.

Sherlock said...

Fiiiine. Can babies have ice cream? If they can't, can I have his?

Small Hobbit said...

You should wait for Danger to be ready to go home, otherwise he will stamp his little feet and refuse to move.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock, I've no idea if they can, but he won't. We've got him a bottle and some fruity stuff (I think)...it's a jar of stuff, anyway. And you can't have his because he won't have any if we don't buy it, which we won't.

SH - I'm hoping I can distract him with ice cream, to avoid that sort of tantrum.

John H. D. Watson said...

All right, all right. We're done on the roundabout. I better get sprinkles on my ice cream though.

Desert Wanderer said...

Maybe promise Danger a nice lolly to lick later?

Greg Lestrade said...

You can supervise all ice-cream eating, and spoon feed me whilst I attempt to get SmallFry here to drink some milk and eat some yummy...stuff.

John H. D. Watson said...

Have you been secretly looking after babies, or does it all just come back to you when you get handed one? You make it look very easy.

Greg Lestrade said...

Damn. My cover is blown. My desk drawers, filing cabinets, intray, outray - all stuffed with babies. I'm amazed you haven't noticed before.

I don't know - instinct? Spent the first 15 years of my life with babies around the place. Then Nicky's two...

John H. D. Watson said...

Well, I didn't notice you were Robocop either, so obviously my observation skills could use some work.

John H. D. Watson said...

(PS Roger Federer is about to win his match. I hope.)

Greg Lestrade said...

Hang on - Federicorn is only a few miles away in the Dome...and you spent the say with me, herding cats - I mean kids? Damn, it must be love!

John H. D. Watson said...

Must be. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha.

They are both lovely kids. And very well behaved. Even though my ear is currently this one's favourite toy. So glad I don't wear earrings now.

John H. D. Watson said...

They are much less trouble than I thought they might be, I admit.

Sally said...

So you've both survived? Sounds like you've all had a great day!

We're on our way over to you now.

Thanks, all three of you. And anyone else who helped.

mazarin221b said...

Maybe promise Danger a nice lolly to lick later?

Maybe instead of "enabler" I should have said "instagator!" :D Sheesh, DW, you're almost as bad as Lestrade!

Greg Lestrade said...

What do you mean 'almost as bad as'? I'm innocent!

Defender of justice, player of peekaboo, innocence personified.

Sal - not 100% sure we want to give them back! We might keep them...

Sherlock said...

No! We want to give them back. You can have them back now.

John H. D. Watson said...

Pretty sure L wants to keep the baby, despite the drool on his ear.

Sherlock said...

I don't think you should keep him he takes up loads of time and is boring and you have to carry him EVERYWHERE and I can't sit in his shoulders when he's got the baby. give it back.

Greg Lestrade said...

...I think we've hit Sherlock's limit for sharing then?

and he is sort of right. We would never have time. But we could babysit again, right?

John H. D. Watson said...

Happy to.

Greg Lestrade said...

It's kind of nice to give them back too, though. With yesterday's run and today's pursuits...I'm knackered. And a bit achey from carrying SmallFry around.

John H. D. Watson said...

You were very good with him though. With both of them.

Greg Lestrade said...

So were you.

A natural.

Even Sherlock did well.

John H. D. Watson said...

Heh. Up to a point, yes.

Greg Lestrade said...

Think he has more empathy with Mycroft now?

John H. D. Watson said...

No, I think if you asked him he'd say he's much better than a baby and can talk and doesn't wear nappies so it's not the same at all.

Anon Without A Name said...

Sounds like you guys had a good day?

Greg Lestrade said...

Hah, probably.

I think I'm glad that baby questions eclipsed any sex questions!

Nameless - yeah, it was fun.

John H. D. Watson said...

I'm simultaneously disappointed and relieved that you haven't been inundated with question for your column.

Nameless - yeah, pretty great really.

Greg Lestrade said...

Simultaneously? And they say men can't multi-task.

There's still time! I'll just answer any that are too risque Anon.

So, looking forward to work this week? Do you finish in time to pick up Sherlock, or is Mrs H doing that?

John H. D. Watson said...

I don't know. Sort of.

Yeah, drop him off and pick him up. It's only nine to three. I wouldn't feel right about doing it otherwise.

John H. D. Watson said...

...If you're answering them, everyone will still know it's you, so how will doing it anon help?

Greg Lestrade said...

I can deny everything.

Anyway, it could be anyone! Nothing could be proven.


You'll be brilliant, you know? Anything I can do to help, just say. Make you a packed lunch, flask of coffee, send you motivational text messages? Book an appointment in the middle of the day to give you a cuddle?

John H. D. Watson said...

Can I stop by after I pick up Sherlock if you're not busy?

Anon Without A Name said...

Lestrade, it sounds like you're actively soliciting sex questions...

John, Lestrade's right, you'll be brilliant :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Of course you can! You don't need to ask.

Well, I mean, check I'm around, but apart from that.

Nameless, I don't know what you mean...innocent, remember?

Desert Wanderer said...

Innocent. Uh.huh...

I'm trying to decide how to phrase a question about condiments/food. And the one about numbers of issued invitations. And descriptions of.the various ways beds break. And, of.course, the standard "big spoon or little spoon" question. I'm guessing little spoon since pouch stealing is difficult.the other way...

John H. D. Watson said...

DW - there's nothing indecent happening with marmite around here. Or jam.

Greg Lestrade said...

DW - Pouch appropriating only happens on the sofa, really. I don't tend to keep my pouches on in bed. So that's more about sprawling than spooning.

Danger - watching you eat jam is fairly indecent.

Desert Wanderer said...

There's more to food than Marmite and jam, Doc.

You can count that as two separate questions, then. One for sprawling, one for spooning.

Anon Without A Name said...

I second DW's "Uh Huh". And am slightly disappointed, because I was thinking about asking a question on that very subject. Shame.

John - I'm not sure I believe you about the jam...

John H. D. Watson said...

I would never lie about jam.

Greg Lestrade said...

Which subject, Nameless? And I've answered you other question on my new blog post.

Danger - you'd lie about in jam though. Sticky.

John H. D. Watson said...

Slander. Libel. One of those. I never would.

Greg Lestrade said...

written is libel. Spoken is slander. SO if I say it out loud, it could be both...

Greg Lestrade said...

Oh, except it's the truth, so it's neither!

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha, too late, you've admitted it.

Greg Lestrade said...

Would never stand up n court. They'd just have to sit an open jar of jam on the bench and they'd see you turn into a Jampire and let me go, without a stain on my character (but possibly covered in jam, if I didn't move fast enough.)

John H. D. Watson said...

I'd take offense, but I'm too busy laughing at 'jampire'.

Anon Without A Name said...

Lestrade - your innocence. And any loss thereof that you might be willing to admit to (but only as part of the Lestallion's Upstanding Column of Love Q&A, of course; I'd never ask such a personal question otherwise).

REReader said...

Told you babysitting would be fun! (At least mostly. :))


I don't think you should keep him

Sherlock, I have a bunch of nieces and nephews, and I always enjoyed playing with them and even babysitting them. But I was also always happy to give them back at the end of the day (or evening). And people tried to make me feel guilty about it, and I DID feel guilty about it, but that's the truth anyway. Babies and children ARE a lot of work.

But then, I don't have children of my own. And my siblings--and my friends with children, and my parents, too, all tell me that having children is worth the work and then some, and I believe them. (They don't say it's not a lot of work, though. :))

REReader said...

Not commenting on jam.

And Sherlock may well come back to the sex questons, now that the babysitting is done, for now at least. ...

anon anon said...

So, Lestallion...

What are your thoughts on Prince Albert piercings?

anon anon said...

Oh, also! Did you ever think of having John do your nipples ones if you decide to get them done? Or do you think a professional piercer is the way to go?

Greg Lestrade said...

God, I hadn't seen either of these questions - Prince Albert's, no thank you! I don't...well, I don't really see the point. I mean...well, that. And seems like it might be...uncomfortable and slightly risky, in some scenarios!

And professional piercer, definitely. No offence to Danger, who is entirely free to help with aftercare, but I'd rather have a pro, definitely. Don't want it going wrong.

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh good. I'm very relieved to hear that.

REReader said...

Well, now I just had to look "Prince Albert" up, and...it's quite an education I'm getting here.

And clearly, L, it is your fault.

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