Bath Time

Yesterday I was able to participate in bath time with the two youngest of the family I’m staying with. First it was Angel, she’s almost 5, just ask her. She didn’t want to get into the bath. Let me first define this so you understand. Bath time consists marching a pot full of boiling water down the long hall to the bathroom (a room with a bath tub that is broken, shelves of clothing, and a shower stall, toilet would be in the toilet room the next door over). A large red basin big enough for two 4 year olds to sit side by side in is placed in the shower stall. Boiling water fills the bottom two inches of the basin. Then from the shower cold water is added to temperature. The first child in gets the clean water and by the last child the water is an earthy brown.
Angel was hesitant to enter the bath. She had a lovely princess dress up costume on and didn’t want to take it off. She climbed into my arms and held me tight. While holding her I was able to unbutton the buttons down her back. I then reached for the skirt and underwear; sliding it down as she held me even tighter. With her little legs dangling over the bath her arms got higher and higher making it easy to slip the blouse off. Still unwilling to enter the bath she stood in the basin with a playful look in her eye. I knew that there was nothing I could do to get her into the water except to tickle her. And tickle her I did.
My favorite part of the bath with both the children would have to be making bubbles with the soap on their bellies. And tickling their feet as we washed between each toe. Andy, Angel’s brother’s feet were so ticklish that I didn’t even make it to his toes before his whole body squirmed with delight.
Although thinking about it now there is nothing that compares to the joy of holding a freshly cleaned little body wrapped up in a towel. The way a child looks at you when they are perfectly content is beyond words and brings such joy. Some day I hope to hold my children in that way and see the look in their eyes that says mommy I love you. But for the time being, I will have to accept this joy from Angel and Andy.