milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Parker is engaged in a Convoluted Exercise of Extreme Girliness this evening.

An old towel is spread out on the sofa cushions to protect them from spillage. A plastic basket full of small bottles, cotton balls, and other paraphernalia is sitting on the coffee table. Parker – in pajamas, hair up in a messy bun –has her feet propped up on the sofa and is carefully painting her toenails turquoise.

A demure (and more workplace friendly) pink is set aside to do her fingernails in.

All she needs is an umbrella drink, but that’s only one waitrat away.

Feel free to stop, chat, do your nails. She is entirely botherable.

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Hey, that looks like fun.

Even to little boys. No, scratch that. Especially to little boys, particularly the ones who have recently discovered they like playing with paints.

Have a young boy, clearly still a little new on this whole walking business but apparently has the hang of it, poking a curious finger at your foot, Parker. He is currently clad only in a diaper but his other hand is dragging a pair of baby-sized trousers.

The rest of his clothes are being picked up by his mother as she follows him, silently hoping that he doesn't figure out how to take off his diaper.

Parker is so intent on what she's doing that she doesn't notice him until a little finger comes into view.

"Well, hey there, bub. Where did you come from?" Parker asks in a friendly voice, while quickly screwing he lid back onto the bottle of nail polish.

(Nail polish and small children can be a bad combination. Especially when they're at the I wonder what THIS tastes like age.)

She glances around for a responsible party, and quickly spots a harried looking Mia.

"I think you have a budding nudist on your hands here."

"Baaaaaahb," Cepheus says, trying the word out and poking at a toe. Hope the polish was dry.

He turns when he sees Parker address Mia and goes, "Hay, Mama!"

"Hey, sugar," she says back before giving Parker a smile. "I think so, too. I should be taking pictures so I can embarrass him in front of the young ladies before their dates, shouldn't I?"

Seems like the thing a mom should do.

"It is a time honored tradition."

There are a few birthday-suit pictures of Parker floating around, though she's pretty sure those were saved for giggles at family reunions.

Parker grins at the little boy and whispers loudly.

"And that will be nothing compared to the slide show at your wedding...."

Cepheus likes that he's getting a secret and giggles as close to conspiratorially as a one year old can. Never mind that Mama can hear it, too. Clearly it's his secret.

"I don't know whether my husband lucked out or not," Mia says. "His mother didn't show me any baby pictures of him until around when Cepheus was born."

She then tries to get the baby back into the shirt, though he'd rather look and poke at the nail polish.

"It may be spring but it's still cool at night. We need to keep warm, Cepheus."

Parker nods in agreement, fixing Cepheus with a serious expression. Staying warm is important.

"Let your mama put your clothes on, okay? And then you can see the bottle."

With the lid on tight he certainly can't hurt anything.

"Did Cepheus turn out looking like him?" she asks Mia.

Cepheus is more agreeable to this when Mia takes a moment to pick him up and get his socks on, taking the pants from him.

"Except for my hair, yes," she says. "His Grandmother Narcissa's mentioned that he looks like her side of the family."

She carefully juggles him into his pants, putting him back on the floor so she can pull them up. She then reaches and gently pinches at his nose, prompting him to laugh and try to get her hands.

"You've got Daddy's nose, don't you?"

"Yah," he answers back.

"I don't know if he's being agreeable or what but we're enjoying it while we can."

"Hey. Enjoy the moment."

Parker's done enough babysitting to know that.

As she promised, she hands Cepheus the bottle of nail polish, after checking one more time to make sure the lid is secure.

She grins and shakes her head.

"I don't know what it is that they all go through the 'must be nude' phase. I babysat this one boy? He stripped his diaper off so many times that his parents actually resorted to duct tape until he grew out of it."

Cepheus takes it happily and looks it over, softly gurgling with interest. It's shiny and the insides move!

"Oh goodness," Mia says with a laugh. "I suppose, in the worst case scenario, we could use a sticking charm. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that's why that particular charm was invented."

Mia kind of hopes that she's joking about the sticking charm thing.

"The nice thing about home, though, is that we have no lack of help in trying to catch him while he's streaking. It's the rare member or two of the Magic Guild that hasn't been smitten by him."

"That would be handy," Parker grins. A charm would be a lot easier to get off a diaper than the tape.

She's guessing, anyway.

"They're like that, aren't they? Making friend and influencing people."

If you're a witch or wizard. If not, it could be bothersome. Unless, of course, it wasn't done right. Then it's much easier.

"He certainly has, the little charmer. He's got most of the Guild wrapped around his tiny fingers. I imagine it won't be long before the guards there can't resist the urge to play with him and let him wear their helmets like they did with me."

Parker laughs.

"Once he hits the really rough and tumble stage, a helmet might not be an all bad idea."

Smacks to the noggin just seem to be a natural stage for kids.

"My grandma says that God knew what he was doing when he made toddlers cute."

"It's so that when they're screaming about not being allowed to play with the steak knives, or unrolling all the toilet paper, or not sleeping for three days their parents won't sell them to the nearest circus."

Mia laughs back while Cepheus giggles and shakes the bottle of nail polish.

"That's what babysitters are for, as my friend Jessica taught me when her daughter Rachel was born. They would ask me to watch her whenever they were in the mood to let Rachel wear herself out on me so they could have a break."

She keeps a hand near the small one shaking the bottle. She doesn't want him to suddenly lose his grip and let it go flying.

"Fortunately, Rachel and Cepheus can now wear each other out."

"It's handy, when you can turn them loose with other short people."

Nothing entertains a little kid like another little kid.

"I earned a lot of my spending money in college by babysitting. I always thought it was fun. Harrying, sometimes, but fun."

This makes Mia wonder something...

"I should offer more compensation for the people who watch Cepheus, shouldn't I? Some people volunteer and don't even think to ask for anything in return but it is a tough job."

Granted, most of them have been family, but there have been some maids and guards who want to watch him.

Parker thinks.

"Well, I guess it depends on the relationship you have with them. I mean, some people just like hanging out with kids. I watch one of my co-worker's kids every now and then just for the fun of it."

"But it couldn't hurt to offer. Especially if they were watching him for a while."

"That is a good point. And I do want them to know that they are appreciated."

"Plus," Parker adds, "it never hurts to be in the favor of a good sitter. Or two. Or three."

"For when you really just need to leave him somewhere for a bit."

"Considering our wedding anniversary is coming up next month, that might be a good idea."

It's here that Cepheus abruptly drops the nail polish, laughing as it lands and rolls away. He starts to go after it while Mia keeps an eye on him.

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