I was watching the kids last night while the parents were at church. I was getting Mackenzie ready for bed so her parents wouldn't have to. I wasn't quite sure what's involved with "getting ready for bed". So, Mackenzie led me the whole way.
After getting her into her pajamas, it was time to brush her teeth. I found myself in her parents' bathroom following her instructions: "Get a new paper cup"; "Now, fill it with water"; "No, not that toothpaste - I'm not a baby". As she took over for the parts she could do herself, I found myself watching in amazement. Brushing my teeth is just another task to me. To Mackenzie, this was something she could do for herself (mostly) that helped her prove to herself that she's *not* a baby anymore.
Of course, I was asked to brush her teeth after she did. I was all too happy to do so. She was laughing at me as I tried to brush her teeth from this strange perspective - toothbrush backwards, not looking into a mirror. I think she knew I didn't know what I was doing, but I'll pretend that I was tickling her mouth with the toothbrush. Later on, we sat down and read some stories together. She was snuggled right up next to me holding one side of the book with me holding the other.
When I have these times with Mackenzie, I'm reminded of how differently she sees the world. She doesn't have to go to work, worry about getting enough exercise, or plan out her next big purchase. All she cares about is having someone there to help her brush her teeth and read some stories before bed. I'm glad for that because, during those short times with her, that's all I care about too.