Real Moments of a Toddler at Work

If only I had brought my camera to work today.

• The afternoon starts off simply enough-Scarlett falls asleep on the way to the office and I wake her up after letting her sleep about 20 minutes. Of course she had no nap today.
• She lets me carry her up to the office. So far so good.
• I get to work, my patient is already there so I hand Scarlett off to Scott. Screaming starts.
• Screaming and crying continue for about 15 minutes. Some in office. Some in hallway.
• Scarlett and her Daddy stand at the door, "See, there's Mommy. Wave!"
• I see patients for a couple hours. Occasionally I hear little laughs from the front, or a random scream.
• Sometimes I can hear the Wiggles on the computer, or Raffi.
• Sometimes I can hear the pitter patter of little feet in an empty hallway and a squeal of delight-don't they all love looonng hallways?
• Patients who haven't seen Scarlett before proclaim to me, "She looks just like you!" (Scott loves this).
• I'm not allowed in the front reception area because Scarlett will see me and start fussing. It always depends on the day.
• Patients come and engage in very long conversations with Scarlett, "And how is your day going? Which stickers do you have? What toy are you playing with today?"
• The stickers are EVERYWHERE. On Scarlett, on the desk, in Scott's hair.
• Did I mention my new patient-she walked in and saw Scarlett on Daddy's lap, of course, and Dad with stickers in his hair. We really work on our first impression.
• I still can't tell how she decides, but some people she will really ham it up for, and then others, nothing. Who starts the exchange?
• And the food and toys-scattered over the front desk and in the front reception area.
• Scarlett sometimes opens things on the computer that I have never before seen. How?
• Because the rest of the office was busy, Scott had to change a diaper on the floor. In the front room.
• Scarlett decides to walk a patient to the elevator-and it's a long hike from our office. She must have looked friendly and they had a little race to see who was faster.
• What else? When its time to leave, the animals from the play area get scattered all over the adjusting room. And the water cooler gets its obligatory play. And a drink of water, but none spilled today.

We try to leave the office with no evidence of us being there. Its a little harder than leaving our house which is in a perpetual state of disorder.

It's a lot of work being a toddler!