Glow Baby Glow!

Tuesday, November 4 08

Mrs Bennet couldn’t believe it. Miss Rosie Bennet was sitting at the end of the bed shining like a glow worm. A strange aluminous green light radiated from her adorable chubby body. She was officially a glow baby in time for Bonfire night. The older Miss Bennets had discovered an unopened tube of glow sticks and decided they’d have their own firework display. Unbeknown to Mrs Bennet, they’ had handed a stick to their baby sisters, who promptly hit each other with their allotted lime green and fluorescent pink wands.
“Mummy can you come up and turn the light off please? We’ve got something to show you!” cried the Miss Bennets who could talk.
Mrs Bennet approached the bedroom with caution, but spotting their sticks, she realised five hands were ready to perform. In turning off the light however Mrs Bennet’s eyes were drawn to her fourth daughter who clearly stole the show.

Rosie’s stick had leaked. Her little arms and vest were now glowing impressively. Mrs Bennet did see the funny side, but concern about the liquid contents forced her to whip the stick and the vest off the glow baby, who didn’t want to be washed down by a warm flannel and shouted in protest.

The line between humour and danger was fine at times. Situations were only funny once the threat had vanished. A few months ago Mr and Mrs Bennet had found a 3cm-long screw lodged in Rosie’s belly button when they changed her nappy. Thankfully the long point was sticking upwards. It was at Rosie’s “I’m-now-a-speedy-crawler-and-I’m-going-to-pick-up-everything-I-find-stage.” She’d quite happily explored a friend’s kitchen floor, picked up the screw and dropped it down her vest.

And yesterday, Mrs Bennet had laughed aloud as she changed Miss Kezia Bennet’s nappy. Obviously not yet aware of belly-button piercing, Miss Kezia had opted for the safer option and a currant was nestling nicely in her belly button, tailor-made for her tiny body! Mrs Bennet couldn’t resist taking a photograph so to embarrass her daughter at a later stage in life. Unfortunately Mrs Bennet’s “safety first” approach, meant there was no photographic evidence of the glow baby to produce at her 18th birthday. But it was a memory Mrs Bennet would never forget.