It used to be that there was always one person assigned “the con.” “Who has the con?” Davinder would ask. “You have the con, Chacah!” Lucinda would say when Rin showed up for babysitting. If you had the “con”sole (or “con”trol), you were in charge of making sure Austen didn’t get into any danger or break anything; you always needed to be aware of exactly where she was and what she was doing — and often you had to feed and diaper her solo.
Now Austen wanders all over the house (except for rooms that are closed off to her by child safety door knobs). She goes upstairs and downstairs by herself, chatting with Mama in the master bedroom for a while and then, on her own, returning downstairs to see what Dada is eating at the kitchen table. She’s no longer constantly monitored. Although, during naps and at night, Mama and Dada still watch and listen to the video monitor. Maybe they’ll give it up by the time Austen’s a teen. When Mama is home alone with her, Austen is always being checked on and never left by herself for long, but it’s not such a big deal for Mama to go downstairs and get something. There’s not so much worry, especially when Austen can be heard talking or singing or making noises the majority of the time.