bodies

As a parent, I find myself having weird conversations either with Jasper or about Jasper. I know it comes with the territory of teaching things to a young child, but sometimes, as things are coming out of my mouth, I find myself thinking, "wow. this is weird." For example...

On Monday during lunch, Jasper picked up my bible and randomly opened it up to some verses and asked me to read them to him. Very happily, I complied. I read them and then, like always, attempted to explain to him what they mean in "every day life" to a toddler. You know, make them applicable to his precious heart. The verses were about being good stewards of our bodies, and our conversation went like this...

me- "so, basically Jasper, what God is saying is that He created our bodies and so we need to respect our bodies and do only good and healthy things for our bodies. We should not do anything that is harmful or wrong to our bodies."

J- blank stare.... then... "where'd da bodies go?"

me- "oh."

let me explain. Whenever Jasper doesn't understand a word or concept or wants further explanation of a topic or is just confused in general, his way of asking for help in understand is to ask 'where did such-and-such go'.

me- "That's a good question, buddy! Ok, let's see. Our bodies are... hmm... like, this right here (patting my arms, legs, head, knees, etc.). This is my body. Everything that's inside my skin is my body."

J- blank stare... then... "where's da skin go?"

me- "oh. That's a great question, buddy. Let's see... skin is... this stuff right here (I'm pinching my skin and holding it up to Jasper's nose). This is my skin. It holds together my body and all the stuff inside my body, like my bones and joints and my blood."

J- panic creeping into his eyes... then... "Mommy have da blood??!? Mommy have blood?!? Mommy have da blood boo-boo!! Oh no!! Mommy have da blood boo-boo!!!!!!!"

freaking out ensues.

after I convince Jasper I don't have a blood boo-boo, I say...

me- "ok, buddy... this is way too confusing. let's start over. Can I start over and try to explain 'bodies' again?"

J- blank stare... then... nods

me- "ok, 'bodies' are... you. When you see any person in the world, you are actually seeing their body. You have a body sitting right there in the chair. And I have a body and my body is sitting right here in this chair. This is my body, this is your body. Your body includes your head, legs, arms, armpits, knees, toes, ankles, and everything!! Allllllll of this stuff (patting him all over his body) is your body!! Does that make sense?"

J- "Mommy's body is in dat chair, and Baber's body is in Baber's armpit!!!"

me- "well, close buddy! Your body isn't really in your armpit, but your armpit is a part of your body."

Jas- "Baber's body is in Baber's armpit!! Dat's cwazy!!!!! AHHAHAHHH!! Baber's body is in baber's armpit and mommy's body is in dat chair right there!! That's cwazy!!!!! AHHHAHAHH!!!"

me- "Ok. Watch this!!!" I start running around in circles in the kitchen. "See how I'm running around?"

he nods

me- "That's my body running!! Whatever I do, my body does it, too!! I am my body and my body is me. It's the same thing. I am my body. Does that make sense?"

he nods... then...

J- ""Mommy's body is in dat chair (even though I was still running in circles), and Baber's body is in Baber's armpit!!! Dat's so cwazy!!!!"

he's lifting up his arms, pointing to his armpits, and talking about how crazy it is that his body is in there and he's just laughing and laughing and laughing.

At this point, I give up and say..

me- "You got it, buddy!!" thinking to myself, 'If ya can't beat em, join em.'

so lunch goes on, jas is talking about his armpit and laughing the whole time, we finish lunch, we're playing on the floor, and Jas says..

J- "where'd daddy's body go?"

me- "good question! You know where Daddy is, right?"

J- "Daddy at Bofferfrom!!!" (aka Wasserstrom aka Andrew's work)

me- "That's right! Daddy's at Wasserstrom and so is daddy's body! Daddy and his body are the same thing and he's both at Wasserstrom."

J- "no, no, no, no... Not where'd Daddy go. Where'd Daddy's body go?"

me- "sweetie, they're both at Wasserstrom. Daddy AND daddy's body are BOTH at Wasserstrom. Then when daddy is done working, he AND HIS BODY are both going to walk out to his little black car and drive home!" thinking to myself, 'I'm totally making Andrew sound like a schizo.'

J- "Dadda at Bofferfrom and Dadda's body at Bofferfrom?"

me- "that's right sweetie!"

J- "when is daddy's body coming home?"

me- "Well, Daddy, and therefore his body, are going to be home in time for dinner."

J- whispering... "dadda's body coming home time fa ninner!!!"

me- "well, sure. You got it!"

the rest of the afternoon passed. not too much mention of bodies was made. I kinda forgot all about it. The following morning, I went to get Jasper up from his bed. I went in his room...

me- "Good  morning sweetheart!! I love you so much!! How are you?!?"

J- ....hunched in the corner of his bed, looking quite pathetic.... "Baber sad."

I look closely. There are tears. Huge crocodile tears forming in the corner of his eyes...

me- "oh sweetheart!! I'm so sorry!! Why are you sad?"

J- "Baber sad. Baber misses Daddy's body."

stifling every urge to laugh out loud, I scoop him up in my arms, gently soothe him, and think to myself, 'oh trust me. You're not the only one who misses Daddy's body.' :o)

Thankfully for us, both Daddy and his body rush home after work each day to spend the evenings with us. We greatly appreciate any and every minute we get to spend with both of 'em.