"Alright, you get undressed, and I'll get the bath water all set up, Ritchie," his loving mother instructed.
"I'll help you," I told the young one.
"O tank."
"You wanna do it all by yourself?"
"Aw huh!"
"Okay!"
He got his blue sweater off but under that was a tie, vest, button up shirt, and an undershirt.
"Auntie Riwy, I eed elp."
"Okay," and I got his upper body undressed.
"No! I get it," he pleaded when I tried to undo his belt.
But he couldn't get it off to save his life.
"I eed elp, Untie Riwey."
"Okay!"
I got his belt off, pulled down his trousers, and got off his pants.*
"No! No look!" he screamed when I got his boxers down.
"Come on, Ritchie, let's get in the bath," his mother told him.
"Oooh! Look at all da bubbles!" he giggled, carefully getting in the tub.
It didn't take long for him to start splashing.
"Hey now, cut that out, young man," I told him firmly.
"Es, Auntie Riwy."
"Thank you."
But then, he filled up a squirt duck.
"Hey, Ritchie, give Mummy the duck."
"Yes, Mum."
"Hey, don't be upset! Ritch, there's plenty of fun things to do in the bath tub!"
"Weally?"
"Yep, see all those bubbles?"
"Yeah."
"They're just waiting for you to get creative."
So, he picked up a clump and set it on his head.
"There you go!"
He continued to play around until it was time to get scrubbed up.
"Hold still, Ritchie, I'm trying to get the shampoo in."
"Auntie Riwy, are you almost done?"
"Yeah, I just have to scrub you down after this. Why?"
"I gotta go potty."
"Ritchie, you know the rules: if you have to go potty, wait until after bath time."
"Yes, Mum."
I got him cleaned up as fast as I could, but it was so hard to to when he was complaining and wiggling.
"I gotta go, Auntie Riwy! Auntie Riwy, pwease hurry! I really gotta go potty!"
"And done! Dry of and go potty, young man."
I had never seen someone do anything as fast as he did that day.
"He won't tell you, but he wants privacy. That's why he's starring at you."
"Oh, thanks."
Once he was finished, I helped him get dressed.
"There's your pants* and what shorts do you want?"
"Dese!" he replied, pointing at the blue pair.
"Okay, and I'm guessing you want the blue and white striped T-shirt."
"Yeah!"
"An ou elp me with da zipper?"
"Yeah!"
Once his shorts were on, I helped him get his shirt on and comb his hair.
"You're all set, young man!"
"Yay! I go pway now!"
"Okay, I'll be right there!"
Merry Christmas Ringo!
