Negotiations: Act One

"Lucy, if you want to go bye-bye, you have to put pants on."
"Nooo-wa."
"Can you please help Daddy? Please let me put your pants on."
"FFtttt. Nooo."
"Okay, then we'll stay here."
"NO, GO BYE BYE."
"Well, you have to help me put your pants on."
[Momentary quiet as pants go on]
"Okay, now we have to put your shoes on."
"NO BLACK SHOES. BIG GIRL SHOES."
"Those are sandals. It's too cold to wear sandals."
"BIG GIRL SHOES. BIG GIRLS SHOOOOOOOES."
"Do you need a timeout, Lucy?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, sit in this chair."
"Waaaah."
[Door closes.]
"I'm a bad father."
[Muffled wailing. Banging on door.]
[Sandals being banged on door.]
[Alternate pleas for Mama, Daddy and Shoes.]

Fade to shot of defeated, snotty child wearing shoes, not sandals, accompanied by triumphant father, complimenting child on her lovely shoes.

SCENE

Helpful Advice

If you are driving down the highway and you happen to spill an entire Diet Coke on your crotch, you can use a diaper to clean it up. Diapers: absorbent little miracles.

An Open Letter to St. Luke's

St. Luke's parents and friends,

We didn't want to leave Lucy with anyone — ever — last November. We were fortunate enough to hold off the big childcare decision until she was eight months old, but it still felt huge to leave that bald baby girl in the hands of strangers.

They didn't remain strangers for long. In almost no time, we could call the Center and say "This is Kate" or "Hi, it's Jason" and get a full report on how much Lucy had eaten, pooped, played and cried. From whomever happened to answer the phone!

It's a magic place, St. Luke's. If she could have stayed forever, we would have happily sent her straight from St. Luke's to college. Alas, there are greater subjects than waterplay, fingerpaint and scarves in which to major. But she learned a lot of big lessons that will serve her well into graduate school:
--Be sweet (hugs, gentle touches and big sloppy kisses are very effective).
--Rocks are for hands and pockets (adult rock-eaters are often shunned).
--Sit on your bottom when you eat (you could choke, for heaven's sake).
--Use your words (the kid could stand to user fewer, frankly).

We have moved on, grudgingly. But I am convinced no other group of teachers would have been so nurturing...and so understanding of Lu's idiosyncracies (bad napper, constant talker, inappropriate snacker). I have learned more from them than an entire nightstand of pop-psych baby-raising advice. The love of the teachers and the supportive community of families — all striving and scrapping to raise loved babies — will remain with us forever.

To quote Lu: "Please, thank you, yeah, sure, you're welcome, I love you,"
Kate Donaho and Jason Sugawa
(political ad paid for Lucy Sugawa for Mayor campaign)