Babysitting

That's right, I have a job now. It's not an official "on pay-roll" job though, it is emotionally taxing and physically exhausting. I am babysitting.

Babysitting is not an exceptionally difficult job. In fact, it is quite easy. I however, am a little out of practice. Case in point, feeling completely useless with a baby strapped to me, a little girl holding one hand and my 4 year old daughter trying to help while we chase after a 2.5 year old spirited little girl that did NOT under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES want to leave the park! I felt like I had tried everything, but the truth is I am ill-equipped because it has been a while since my children were at that stubborn, limit testing age. It struck me: she likes puppies! Why is this significant?? "Okay it's time to go see the puppy!" worked like a dream. She ran over to me, grabbed my hand, and off we went down the yellow brick road towards home. It's days like this that I am so glad we have a mangy mutt chewing up those markers everytime we leave the house.
A child's basic needs are food, shelter, compassion and creativity. The biggest tool for any parent or care giver is to be flexible. Distraction is a great way of getting kids to listen and think that it was their idea.

So if you are wondering where I am for a few days, I will be up to my elbows in diapers and spaghetti sauce. I will be caring for two little girls under the age of three, plus my own six month old, four year old and five year old. These two sweet little girls will be with us for 9 hours a day, five days a week, all of June. I'm not sure what next month has in store for us, but I am excited to find out and see many possibilities all around me. One day, we will buy a house.