Mom's Singularly Necessary Position

It's impossible to overestimate Mom's importance in the regulation and optimal running of our little family - she does so much in our household! Sure, Dad gets all the glory, but without the thorough attention to detail that Mom provides, The Culbertson Family would fall apart in minutes.

The best example of Mom's behind the scene's importance is bath time. At first glance, bath time seems to be equal duty. Mom is in charge of the washing, and Dad is in charge of keeping Henry calm. I spend most of bath time holding Henry's hands and telling him that things are going to be OK, occasionally warning Bonnie if the bath water is too warm.

Not shown: Henry's Rod and Tackle

But bathtime, absolutely the most important part of our bedtime ritual, wouldn't work without Bonnie's "behind the scenes work" - most of which I only become aware of later, if at all. Before bathtime even begins, Mom is at work in Henry's room, lowering the blinds (enabling the little tyke to sleep in later), getting his nightime outfit ready (he's started sleeping in just a shirt and diapers, which allevates worries about overheating and makes it easier to change him in the middle of the night), and tidying the room so that Dad can find everything during nighttime diaper changes. She even covers his sleeping blanket with another blanket, so that when he gets put down for the night, his sleeping blanket isn't too cold. Before we get to the actual bath, she calls out to make sure that I've got a binky (pacifier) ready for him.

And if it's not already obvious, Mom is the one who actually gives Henry his bath. She makes sure that it is a successful part of putting him to sleep every night. Dad just holds his hands and reassures him. (She's also in charge of most of the picture taking.)

And after the bath is finished? It's Mom who is ready to put him in his towel before he begins to cry from the cold.

Truly, without Mom's persistent and perceptive help, our whole world would fall apart. Without her help, it wouldn't be...well, I won't say easy, but it sure wouldn't be as not hard.

As may be apparent already, this particular post is less for the wider audience, and more specifically for my wife - I'm constantly reminded of how wonderful she is, both as a wife, and as the mother of our child. (It also provided an opportunity to publish some photos of Henry in the bath, useful for blackmail later on in his life, but that's really a secondary benefit).

Thanks, Bon, I love you and Henry both, and couldn't dream of a better family than ours.>