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Archive for the ‘babysitter’ Category

  Mike and I have been talking for month (years?!) about getting a good pool of babysitters that we can call on for things. When Matthew was first born my mom came down to Pittsburgh once a month or so for the wekend and we got time out then. Mike's mom would also act as a go-to babysitter when she was still alive.  We also had a couple of neighborhood girls that could babysit if needed. 

But things have changed.  My mom has a new job that gives her many days off at a time, so she still comes down but it's for longer periods of time and less frequent.  Mike's mom died in August,and the babysitters we used to use have gone off to college.

It's time to find some new people.  We've been doing the same thing…have nothing "important" to do so we neglect to find a sitter and then when we actually NEED a sitter we have nobody to call because we don't want their first time to be a long and important night (in case it wasn't going well and we'd need to come home)

So last week I was talking to a neighbor and she gave me the names/numbers of two sitters that she uses.  I also have the names/numbers of two more that another neighbor uses.  Even though we have absolutely no reason to go out (except to preserve the sanity of our marriage) we decided to schedule some low-key short date nights.  We'd stick close to home, just be gone an hour or two and be prepared for lots of questions/the call to home home.

I scheduled one for last Saturday.  Her name is Carly and she's in 9th grade.  I prepared the boys, which was no easy task.

You see, my kids don't like being left with anyone. They much prefer mom and dad every day, every time. They dont' get excited about going to school or about babysitters.  I think it stems from the fact that a)we work so they kids don't have time to get sick of us and b)we're damn cool parents*   (*even it's not true, it makes me feel good to believe this so don't burst my bubble, k?)

We were both super nervous at how the boys would react to a new person.  We were afriad of the crying and hanging on to a leg as we dragged them toward the door. We played the cowardly card and snuck out when they weren't looking.  We left our cell phones on the table, ate hurridly and rushed home in 1.75 hours. 

We stopped at the basement steps, just listening.  Listening for the screaming, the crying, the "I want my mommy!".

All we heard was silence peppered with the occasional burst of laughter.  We walked in the door and neither boy ran to greet us. Neither one said "You were gone too long!", they just kept playing and said 'Hi guys!"

Turns out they had a fantastic time (well, Ben will say he had a terrible time but Ben also says he had a terrible time at Disney World, so that's just Ben, I don't think he really gets the question).  Matthew was in love.  Carly was his new best friend.

After I took her home I realized that she had not only kept the boys safe and happy but she had washed the dinner dishes and put on their PJs without being asked.  And when I asked Matthew how much he had for dinner he said that Carly divided his dinner in two sections and told him he had to eat one entire section and then he could have a snack (making deals…played like a true mom!).

The next day we went to the Carnegie Museum to see the dinosaurs.  When we left Matthew exclaimed "That museum was so cool! I want to come here again and next time I want to bring Miss Carly!"

As a fellow parent, I'm sure you can share in my sheer and utter joy at finding a sitter that we love. 

Now we just have to pray she doesn't a)move b)get too busy c)get too cool to babysit

We're trying a second one this Friday, just because. Two dinners out in two weeks is crazy, but I'm terribly excited.  Here's hoping this one is a keeper too!

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