New Friends (a.k.a. - Babysitters)

I am back at work for the start of a new school year which means we needed full time daycare for both kids for several days.  Owyn was easy.  We sent him to camp at Regina for a week.  He got to see his preschool teachers, play with some of his preschool friends, swim in the little pools, and go on a couple of field trips. 

Zoee has always been harder to leave with a babysitter of any kind, including Grandma Spurgeon from time to time.  But Grandma was unavailable for all the days so we had no choice but to hire a babysitter for her.  We ended up with two teenage girls, daughters of friends, and it could not have gone better!

Zoee's first babysitter was Taylor, a friend who was in town from Ankeny.  She stayed with both kids one day while I went to the dentist, and it went great!  Both kids loved her and were a little disappointed to see me walk through the door.  So Zoee had no reservations when Taylor showed up at our door for three mornings last week while we went to work and Owyn went to camp.  Zoee and Taylor ("Tay-wer") went for walks, swam in the backyard, read books and played, and had a great time together.  Zoee even took a nap each day.  In her own bed.  Going to bed awake and falling asleep in her bed.  An act that is UNHEARD OF when we are home with her. 

I was so relieved each day that everything went smoothly for Zoee.  That she was happy and not crying all day with this person she knows but rarely sees.  Perhaps she's ready for more regular babysitters, I thought.  Perhaps we can go out and have dinner or catch a movie once in awhile and actually leave them with a babysitter.  

This week, I still had two days to work and Taylor had to go back to Ankeny.  We called on another friend, Olivia, who brought one of her girlfriends with her because both Owyn and Zoee would be home for these two days.  Again they had a blast! 

Olivia's mom, Pam (a good friend of ours), came over each day to take them all somewhere.  On Monday, they went downtown to play in the fountain and had ice cream.  On Tuesday, they went to Macbride Hall on the UI campus and then to Pam's Kindergarten classroom where they played for a bit.  When they weren't out and about, they were playing games and dollhouse at our house and loving every minute of the attention. 

Again I was so thankful to have my children be so happy in the care of someone else.  To not worry about them while I faced the reality of going back to work.  To see big smiles on their faces as they told me all about their day.  And to feel relief that maybe they are finally ready for us to leave them with a babysitter every once in awhile so we can enjoy some grown up time without them.

However, I was not thrilled on Wednesday morning, my first day at home with them in nine days, when I work up in the morning and said "Mommy gets to stay home today!  What should we do?"  And they replied "No, we want Olivia to come back!  Or how about Taylor?" 

Hmmm, I guess I should be careful what I wish for.