The Next Meryl Streep

Last Thursday, as I was getting ready for Hip Hop class, Lotta and Ben had discovered a bottle of Burt's Bee's lotion.  I adore Burt's Bee's, its honey smell, it's 99 percent pure, so pure you could actually eat it, should you become hungry during your lotioning.  The way Lotta puts on lotion is she slathers a huge quantity on, then uses a cloth to wipe it off.  I could not let my wonderful lotion meet this fate.  I mean come on!

As soon as Lotta was turned the other way, I moved the lotion to a less visible location.  Which, of course, was quite sad for our beloved heroine.

My mom is visiting so she was in charge of Lotta's bedtime, while I was Hip Hopping.  They went upstairs together and read in bed.  Afterwards, Lotta requested that her mommy stop hurting her feelings (because of the previously mentioned lotion incident).  Then she told my mom that she would be back in "one minute".  Previously, I'd told my mom of this trick, wherein Lotta then disappears, never to be seen or heard from again...When my mom resisted, Lotta said she needed to give hugs and kisses to her dad and brother.  Hard to say no to that!  This time, she accomplished her task and returned promptly.

Lotta laid in bed with my mom, feeling quite squiggly, continually flopping and moving about.  Finally, she started making sleeping noises.  So convincing was her performance, that she actually fell asleep.  Those are some acting skills our young Lotta has!

Babette

When Ellie was around Lotta's age, I got fed up one day because Ellie once again, refused to wear her winter coat.  Suddenly, I decided I would become a different person, whose main job it was was to put on Ellie's coats.  Thus, our "staff" was born.  Ellie had a manicurist, a bather, a coat check person, really whatever needed to be done that Ellie did not want to have any part of could be accomplished easily with a staff member.

This week, I was feeling tired and out of sorts and it was bath time.  Lotta wanted to put on her beautiful easter dress given to her by Aunt Linda, while I on the other hand, wanted her to take a bath and get the marker she'd drawn all over herself off.  (I think she was going for a zebra look as there were many many stripes involved).  We were getting frustrated.  I gave the baby to Thom so that I could better deal with the situation.  As I arrived in the bathroom, I donned a "French" accent and introduced myself as Babette the Bather.  Lotta shook my hand, surprise showing on her face.  We then proceeded to have a lovely, fruitful bath, with me even being able to wash her hair.  Later, Lotta kept insisting on playing with "Ballet" (her name for Babette) because it had been such fun having a new playmate.

Our staff for Lotta has continued to grow as we now have Delilah the Dentist, Henri the male version of Babette, Hank the Hand washer....