Kids. I don’t have any. I don’t want any.
But don’t say I don’t love them. I absolutely love them.
I’ve spent the past few days babysitting for my nieces (ages 3 and 1) while Kevin and Jenn are on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico), and I have learned a few things about kids:
= a sippy cup is not the same thing as a bottle (no wonder Sadie wasn’t wanting her milk!)
= Missing a nap has the opposite effect one would think – instead of being extra tired at night, they are extra cranky and sleep-deprived (Jenny told me this for fact; I learned it first-hand when Mia went to a birthday party during naptime.)
= Help is so, so valuable. Colleen spent the weekend here with me. Jeff brought me dinner at night. Amy visited with her girls and they kept Mia company. My parents visited and the girls looked forward to that all day.
= Nothing beats PBS.
= The bouncy seat with toys all around it is a perfect distraction while I’m doing the dishes or cleaning the counters.
= The whole “why” game is completely annoying. Mom, I apologize. I’ve learned it’s very difficult to explain, in 3-year-old language, why it’s not ok to play with one’s, um, privates, in public or why it’s not ok to drink bath water after taking a bath in it or why coffee is for grownups.
= Games are great for kids that won’t eat. We played the “guess how many raisins I hid in your peanut butter sandwich by tasting game” and the “if you eat four bites then you can sing your sister a song” game. It worked!
= Nothing beats hearing, “I love you, Missa. Can you stay forever?” As challenging as this has been, I’d do it again in a heartbeat …
Comments
7 responses to “What’s wrong with drinking bath water, anyway?”
I still think you’re a saint for doing this. Looks like you learned a lot of things in just a few days!
I was totally paid back for the WHY game with Emma. We would go in complete circles and all of her responses where why?
And yeah, I love you’s make it all worth it. I keep trying to store them up for the teen years when they hate me. wahhhh….
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle Review =-.
You are a saint! Thank you so much for doing this! And that is exactly how we feel as parents. So exhausting, but totally worth it! And even better when you have a sister as awesome as you are to look after them! Is this what I get for showing you how to ride a real bike and falling while doing so? The bruises are almost healed BTW!
.-= Kevin´s last blog ..I must be from Chicago… =-.
Kevin, we may need to trade sisters for our next weekend getaway 🙂
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle Review =-.
I second the saint part! And how lucky for those kids, to have an aunt like you.
.-= EDW´s last blog ..I strum my guitar and I sing an outlaw love song =-.
I got home yesterday (grandparents came for second part of the week as I have a big client deadline) and I’ve been trying to think of excuses to go back over there ever since! I miss them soooo much.
I’m sure they would love for you to come…as you say, visitors are a good thing!
.-= Amy´s last blog ..A Daddy’s Kiss =-.
This reminds me of the last time Mia was at our place and I actually asked her “why” one time (after she had kept asking us “why”)….her response, “That is not a why question!”—-in a very sassy tone!
So funny! I’m trying to enjoy the fact that Cai can’t talk yet!