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drop the baby


as all parents do, we have a set of invented games that we play with john. some are ones that our parents played with us as kids - "up in the sky" means propping him up on our feet while we're lying on our backs so he's soaring in the air; "wake up and play" means pretending to go to sleep and then getting up and being silly while saying (surprise) "wake up and play!" 

some are our own (or john's) inventions: we still play "funny hat" with anything under the sun; "kleenex head" was a favorite when he was younger, and he invented that with his grammie.

but here is my secret confession: there is one game that we play frequently that has me desperately worried. not for john, but for fear that he'll talk about this game in public and be misunderstood.

this game, you see, is called "drop the baby." more recently, as john has become a big boy, he calls it simply "drop john."

you understand my fear?

of course, the game itself is innocent enough: i carry john through the house saying, "uh oh ... uh oh ... uh oh!" and when we reach my bed, i "drop" him on the bed, usually shouting "oh no, i dropped the baby!" and john giggles with glee at the feeling of being dropped, and landing safe and sound on the mattress.

it wouldn't sound so innocent though, would it, if you were a childcare provider and heard this adorable little towheaded blue eyed boy say, "mommy drop the baby! mommy drop john!"

i can almost see child protective services at my doorstep now.

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