Guest Blogger, Tom - Father and Son Bonding

Traveling is so much easier when you’ve got talented friends and family that are willing to share some great (sometimes embarrassing stories) as Guest Bloggers. Today’s Guest Blogger is my nephew(-in-law), Tom. Tom and my niece have their hands full with a rambunctious, inquisitive, curious and playful, soon-to-be 2-year-old boy. The Little Guy is definitely all-boy and keeps them on their toes! A short while back (during the NCAA tournament), Tom spent a day at home with The Little Guy and just had to share the special experience.

Without further ado, here’s Tom :

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I love my son. We play together and he adores me to the point my wife is becoming green with envy. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have one day during the work week to just spend time taking care of my boy. That day, however, was a test.

Some background info is needed. I had been trying to occupy as much time as possible that day because I had to fast for a life insurance physical at noon. So, as I was scarfing down my sugar-free chocolate pudding at 8 p.m. the night before, I was trying to think of what I could do to keep my mind off snacking and my butt out of the kitchen. Sleeping would certainly take up 6-8 hours, but I needed more.

I decided to wait until late that night to fill out my NCAA tournament brackets. After my wife and The Little Guy went to bed, I started filling out my sheets. My buddy runs a pool and set it up online for the first time this year. I usually play two sheets in his pool but there was a problem with the site and I could only fill out one bracket. I alerted him via e-mail that night, assuming it was too late to do anything.

I awoke around 9 a.m. and showered and got ready to start my day. I had the baby monitor by me in case The Little Guy woke before 10 a.m. As I was getting dressed, I looked in on him and he was still asleep. The phone rang and it was my buddy telling me the website issue was resolved and I could fill out my second bracket. At the same time, The Little Guy was stirring. I was conflicted. What could I do to buy time, fill out my second bracket and keep him safely occupied? I had planned to give him a bath before I took him downstairs for his breakfast.

I ran the bathwater and got him undressed and prepared for his bath. After washing him, I decided I would let him splash around for a bit with his tub toys. He has foam letters and a miniature basketball net with three colorful balls he “dunks.” Lately, he had started dunking his letters and getting them tangled in the net. A perfect time to submit my final bracket on line.

I could hear an ESPN talk show on TV in the background and I was intrigued by some of what I was hearing. I figured I would grab my laptop and listen at the same time. However, I was afraid if I brought the laptop into the bathroom, my son would splash me and damage the computer. I decided to sit on the steps facing the bathroom, close enough to hear the TV in the bedroom. I could see my boy’s perfectly round head over the wall of the tub and I acknowledged him so he knew I was right there.

I have to admit, I was trying to tune him out so I could hear ESPN but his splashing got louder and louder. I was getting increasingly frustrated and as I looked up to tell him to settle down I saw the impossible… he had pooped in the tub and slam dunked one!!!

Panicked, I snatched him out. He was not smeared but his hands were gooped up. I was worried if he was done and fearing he would “grow another tail” while I went to wrap him up in a towel. Luckily, he was finished. I cleaned him up, dressed him, kissed him and put him down. But that boy has mad skills. He b-lined for the laptop, put a move on me, reversed his footing and ran straight for the tub. I got to him just I time and put him in his crib. Cleaning the tub would be a daunting task, so I called a time out, sat down and filled out my final bracket, just in time.

I recouped and started the daunting clean-up. He was playing with some toys in his crib, so I had time. Sadly, the three “fudge rolls” dissolved into a field of 64. I found myself “panning” for toys like a 49er during the gold rush. As I narrowed the field from the “S__t 16 to the Final Four,” I knew victory was at hand. All that was left was to cut down the poop-filled net.

So, to sum it up, I was able to complete my fasting for, after this, I had no appetite at all, thanks to my dear son. I got my bracket in and, even though The Little Guy gave me a sign from God, I decided not to pick “Duk-e” again.

It was my “One Shining Moment.”

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Okay now, I KNOW all you mom’s are now laughing not AT Tom, but in support of him as we all know, it could have been you with a similar mess!!!