[Owen] Charles in Charge

They say God doesn't give you more than you can handle.  If that's true, he must've seriously doubted my capacity for "handling" when he gave me Eliza -- the most easy-going child on the planet -- and Owen -- whose favorite pastimes are cleaning and parenting.  

Aaron and I joke that there are now three parents in our family; should we have a momentary lapse in judgment or (gasp) try to cut a corner here or there, we can count on Owen -- our Mini Voice of Reason -- to bring us back into line.  He patrols the household diligently for items out of place or routines not followed, and seems to take pride in publicly shaming the offender.  

We first realized we'd acquired a third parent when Eliza was only a few weeks old.  Sleep deprived, chronically late, and hungry, we'd hurriedly left the house to go to dinner when Owen announces:  "Daddy, Owen need shoes on."  Oops.  One point for the 2-year-old.

And he's handy for many such transgressions.  For example:

• Should you try to bribe your toddler into eating eggs by sprinkling them with parmesan cheese:  "No Mommy, that for pasta, not for eggs."
• Should you display poor hygiene after allowing your toddler to sit on the potty: "Mommy, need to wash the hands."
• Should you lazily leave an empty baby bottle on the coffee table:  "Have to put it in the sink, Mommy.  Owen do it."
• Should you recklessly climb a tree in the park:  "Need to be careful up there, Daddy."
• Should you negligently ignore the spit-up slithering down the baby's chin:  "Mommy, need to wipe Ewiza face!"
• Should you think it's acceptable to splash your brother in the tub:  "Don't kick water on me, Ewiza JANE!" 

It's reassuring to know that someone's making sure nothing falls through the cracks.