I have seen the future, and it comes with a babysitter

So even though I feel completely normal this morning - albeit a very tired version of normal - we kept the appointment with the woman from the Entlastungsdienst to help me with Small Boy. I was curious, to say the least, to see how it would go. Small Boy is at that age where er fremdelt - that is, he's deep in the thickets of stranger anxiety. How would this work, passing him off to a total stranger? Would this even work at all? Is there even any point? You have to realize that since Small Boy was born he's been alone with me, R. or Grandma. That's it. I mean, the four minutes he's alone here and there with my friends while I go get a cup of coffee or go to the bathroom don't really count, do they? No, they don't. Let's face it. I'm pretty much with the Boy all the time. So on top of stranger anxiety there's the whole separation anxiety (for Small Boy and mom) to consider. How is this going to work?

Well. They're at the park. I'm at home. That's how this is working.

The first ten minutes were dicey. He sat on my lap and I chatted with Frau S. She tried to hold him, but it was too soon. We all three moved to the couch, where Small Boy plays sometimes and there are always a few small toys, and played together. Gradually I played less and became quiet and Frau S. played more. I moved to a chair. They kept playing. I went out of his field of vision to eat breakfast. They kept playing. I heard Boy giggles. She picked him up and carried him around. Later, he let her change a diaper. He let her dress him. They are right now together. At the park. Without me. (Admittedly since I am not there for all I know he's screaming his head off, but I doubt it. She'd come back.)

I could get used to this.