That Weird Couple at Daycare

My husband and I are definitely that weird couple at daycare. We are advantageous enough to work in the same career field, so due to our schedules, we always pick up our son while the other parents come in solo. Being that we come in as a unit, we are not in a hurry to get home to anyone. The daily family reunion happens at daycare. So we stay. And play. We probably overstay our welcome. But the room is bright, and colorful, and full of toys we can't afford because we send our son to daycare. So we play. Sometimes, it causes problems.

There's the spit up issue. Usually our son has recently finished eating. My husband forgets that a full belly and a flying baby usually equals curdled spit up on the numerical multicolored carpet. Several times a week, our poor day care teachers have to clean unnecessary spills because of us.

We might come off as creepy too. We know all the other babies. We know their names and personalities. Some have taken to my husband's goofy antics while the others look forward to climbing me for my jewelry. There are times where I enter the classroom and greet others' babies before my own! I even got mad at one of the babies yesterday.

Our son was playing rolly-polly man on the carpet with Daddy when another boy, maybe 3 months older, was idly enjoying belly time nearby. My husband decided to socialize our son by placing him on his belly in front of the other boy so they were face to face. The babies eyed each other up, and the little boy clumsily swept his hand across my son's face. My son immediately waled, and we noticed a nice scratch down his forehead. Of course, it was an accident. These babies don't know what scratching is, but I was livid at this child for hurting my son. I quietly picked up my baby and packed him away.

Today, my husband and son were playing rolly-polly man on the carpet as my son spit up. I sat on the carpet, laughing as one baby climbed my body in pursuit of my work lanyard. Another baby crawled toward me, but not the unintended bully. He stayed away as if he knew what I would do if he touched my son again.

When we took our son home, he violently gripped my face and smothered me with kisses. My face is covered in little scratches. Little glorious scratches. I forgave the carpet bully for his ignorant actions.