I spent Saturday night babysitting for my girlfriend's two young sons so she could work while her husband attended a social work function. She was desperate when she asked me, so I agreed with minimal arm twisting. I love her little boys. No fool, I went armed with what I knew her 4 year old would lose his mind over: my iPad. When I got there, this one's father said his son had just endured the longest day of his life wondering when Miss Rudee (that's what he calls me) would finally get there.We spent the next 5 hours playing. In this enormous toy house, they only wanted what was mine. Including the "balls" in my bag. I'd only turned my attention to the chicken nuggets in the oven for two seconds when I found 3 "balls" of yarn had somehow gone flying across the room which one of the dogs took to be an invitation for a great game of catch.
Somehow I'd forgotten how energetic and creative little boys can be. It's funny how time has a way of erasing these things.
To completely distract the 4 year old, I introduced him to the Photobooth application on my iPad and went about trying to keep the younger one entertained. Talk about trouble. That one--a sixteen month old baby-- is Trouble with a capital T. He is so Quiet (with a capital Q) and I found I couldn't take my eyes off him for one second. He is extremely allergic to milk--anaphylaxis allergic--so I kept one eye on him, another on what he put in his mouth and used the two eyes in the back of my head to watch the pantry and the epipen. I was half terrified that something bad would happen on my watch. I needn't have worried though...as soon as he found it, he was enthralled with my iPhone pretty much the entire time.
There wasn't an electronic device that wasn't covered in fingerprints and drool when I went home. At one point, the baby had even found my keys and pressed the alarm button for my car. For about 5 minutes, I walked around my friend's huge house wondering who the idiot was with the car alarm that wouldn't shut up. Me.When I got home Saturday night (completely exhausted), I browsed through Photobooth to see what photos the 4 year old had taken of himself. There were about 150 of them. It took me about a half hour to go through and delete most of them (too many taken of the ceiling.) The rest I'll keep in case I need a reminder how hard it is to take care of two young boys.
14 comments:
Yeah, we've used the iPhone and iPad as babysitting tools, too. Whatever did we do before that?
LOL - you are a GOOD friend :)
oh my gosh, apple sure can entertain them can't it?
hugs, bee
xoxoxoxoxo
My sympathy for sure. I remember 20 years ago when I visited my offspring in Yellowknife and he and his wife wanted an evening out. There was a newborn with colic, a 3 year old and a 4 year old. It was the longest night of my life and I was a lot younger than you are. There were also no cool gadgets in those days, you did good... ciao
the joys of small people - they are hard work but bring much joy recently Ni who at 2 1/2 does not always have a sleep in the day fell asleep in my lap - the simple pleasure of holding a sleeping child. Watching both of them play together argue fight over the same toy and then hug each other - makes toy melt. And yesterday i was downstair in the laudry and this small big voice comes down the stairs - hello nanna where are you ? A drop in visit on the way to somewhere else so I get a great big hugs from a small boy.
I feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster with my grand kids. One minute I can't believe how much I adore them and the next minute I feel all zombied out and desperately need a Calgon Bath...alone.
You did good Rudee!
Sounds like loads of fun!
How about you and Leo open a daycare?
What fun! Send me an email and I will forward the chocolate pound cake recipe. My email is cpowell at mtnwaves dot net.
children feed the spirit. My late brother-in-law, a sweet, lovely man, used to say that he thought that the world would be a better place if all heads of state and CEO's held a baby for 10 minutes a day. And if they cared for young kids, too. :-)
Yeah, those little guys keep you on your toes. It was quiet the other day and I wondered what Ben was into. He managed to climb on a chair and was standing on the kitchen table. I got him before he made the dive.
You did a great job Auntie!
Those photos may come in handy in a few years as blackmail!
You are a braver "man" than I am, Gunga Din.
Oh Rudee I loved that story. Been busy all week working on birthday gifts and evenings out so ready to settle in for a week-end of crocheting and reading. Can't wait til you get into your new routine, want to hear about it. Good luck.
QMM
hahaha, this had me chuckling.
I watch, not only two boys but throw in a 4 1/2 year old with attitude and that's my weekly life, maybe not every day, but several times a week.
hahaha...this post was funny, especially about all the photos you had to delete. That happens constantly to me. hehe.
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