I posted almost a year ago about watching my nephews for the day. I thought that was a taste of what my future would be. It seemed pretty good. Today, I had another taste and it made me shudder...
For a few weeks (excluding Christmas break) I've been helping a friend by watching her youngest, a 7 month old chubster. He has got to be the easiest baby I've ever met. For those of you who don't know what "easy" means--in my book an easy baby does two things. They can hang out while I make lunch or dinner and they go to sleep on their own.
Today, I watched the chubby little guy and his two older sibs, a 2 year old and 6 year old. I don't know how to explain what the day was like; but I'll say that I hope my future isn't like what this day held. Thankfully, 2 year olds still take naps, even if they scream until they are red in the face and try to kick you. Their bodies are tired and little and will finally succomb to exhaustion before you do. Though I know my life with two more kids will be different than a day babysitting--this day exhausted me and I didn't even attempt schooling! I called Seth in the middle of the day and asked him who's big idea it was to adopt two kids at once. He laughed and reminded me that he wanted an older child and I pleaded for babies. Basically, no sympathy from him.
I did get the opportunity to evaluate how my house IS NOT ready for a baby and toddler. Later in the afternoon I called Seth again to tell him that we need to move. We have entirely too many levels in our house and we definitely must get rid of the bunkbeds--they mean death for climbing toddlers. Again he laughed.
2 comments:
Apryl:
What a funny but also scary story! We too babysat a 6 week old and 2 year old last Friday night and it absolutely freaked me out!! I forgot what it is like to try to fix dinner and eating, well, that was another story all together!! I have a feeling we are in for a roller coaster ride once we find out how old our babies are going to be!!
Hang on!!!
Mel
HAHAH. Too funny!!! That is exactly how I feel when my nephew who is the same age as my youngest comes over. Or, when my sis comes over with her threekiddos.
Here's my thoughts on that: I think the thing with having bonus kids all day is that they aren't used to the routine and I tend to not hold them to the same standards we'd hold our kids to. THEN, the novelty of having said bonus kids over for the day makes my kids SUPER hyper and so throws the whole day into overdrive.
Owlhaven who blogs over at the Ethiopian adoption blog posted a while ago about how she would've done things differently this last time when she brought her older girls home. She suggests that it would have been better to jump right into the household routines instead of easing the kids into them.
As far as baby proofing goes... I feel ya. Our older kids just hit the Lego stage and other toys that are deathly chocking hazards for babies and i am freaking out about how to have a baby around with these toys now.
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