Seat Mates

I bought the girls a stepstool to aid their current obsession with washing their hands in the bathroom sink.  Prior to this purchase, I had been trying to hold each child up to the sink and use both my hands to wash both of their hands.  It goes without saying that holding a child without using either of my hands is a difficult task, one which required copious use of my knee as a makeshift seat and which demanded more balance than my uncoordinated body could handle.  I finally realized a stepstool could save my dignity and my back.   

However, the girls prefer to use their new stepstool as a seat instead.  So they stealthily grab it from its proper spot in the bathroom, haul it out into the family room (complete with dramatic panting and wobbling to emphasize the stool’s cumbersome shape), and proceed to play musical chairs.  First one girl will sit down, subsequently get distracted or bored and vacate the seat, and then her sister will occupy her spot until the first girl remembers what a privilege it was to be sitting on the new stool, and try to reclaim her rightful throne through any means necessary.  Here is the illustrated version: 

Becky: “This is my special seat forever and ever…oh look…a toy cow…”

Susie: “This is my special seat now.  Becky’s too interested in that silly cow to know what she’s missing.” 

Becky (on right): “I understand the error of my cow-chasing ways.  Kindly return the seat to its proper owner.”  

Becky (on right): “Perhaps a little friendly backrub will help ease the transition?”

Becky (on right): “Okay, I tried to be nice about this.  I’m coming in for the landing.  Move it or lose it.”

Susie: “Ha, ha…Becky might be bigger, but I’m more stubborn.  I win!”