New chapter! This proves that you should never throw out a playpen even when the child supposedly gets too old!
Ash shook his head to clear it. He just had to get Emily to babysit him again soon, that's all. In the meantime though, Ash needed to eat the bland oatmeal that was currently sitting right in front of him.
Ash started to spoon it up while he wondered where his mother had gone. He could hear sounds of her moving something, but his highchair faced away from the living room and he couldn't twist himself enough to see anything. The only thing he could do was eat his oatmeal quickly. A little too quickly, as it turned out.
After about 5 minutes, Ash was done. His mother hadn't come back though, and he was getting a little worried. Ash decided to call out and get her to come back.
"Mommy? Mommy, I'm done!" Ash called.
"Okay sweetie, I'll be there in a second."came his mother's voice from the living room.
Ash fidgeted in his highchair for a few more seconds before his mother returned. He was eager to get out of the chair by now. So eager that he had forgotten about making sure not to get any on his bib.
"Good job on the oatmeal, honey! But I see that you got a little on your bib. Oh well, that's what bibs are for!" Helena said with a smile as she took it off.
Helena unlocked the tray and scooped up Ash again. He expected to be let down, but instead his mother carried him into the living room. And waiting for him in there, right in the middle of the room, was his old playpen.
"Mommy! I don't need a playpen!" Ash whined and squirmed in his motherâs grasp.
âShhh. Mommy needs to do some housework and Iâll feel better if I know where you are. But donât worry, itâll be fun. Look, I brought some of your old toys from the closet!â Helena said brightly.
His mother had indeed brought some of his old toys out. They included his blocks, his toy xylophone, some stuffed animals and the dolls Aunt Sara had bought him when he was 10th birthday. Even now, Ash was embarrassed to remember unwrapping the Bratz dolls she bought him, only for them to be confiscated by his mother as she thought they were too mature for him. So instead, Aunt Sara bought him three American Girls dolls; Willa, Emerson, and Ashlyn.
Helena deposited Ash inside the playpen and looked down on him warmly.
âHave fun, honey! You can play until lunchtime. If you get tired and want to nap, or you need to be changed, call for me. Iâll just be in mommyâs room with the door open.â Helena instructed him with a smile.
âWait mommy, Can I have some juice?â Ash asked hopefully.
âOh thatâs right! I totally forgot. Iâm sorry sweetie. Iâll be back with some apple juice.â Helena said, surprised at herself.
Ash was barely able to see his mother return to the kitchen. His playpen was unusually tall. Even standing up, the top of it was even with his neck. The sides of it were smooth and he wasnât very good at climbing. Ash doubted he could climb out even if he really wanted to.