Follow me on this...
I'm in a fun-unique position where my work schedule is now just Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. (And, since I've picked up a part time jobbie at Pier 1; which I adore! I have a lot of time on my hands...)
We live in an awesome neighborhood where our neighbors have kids. We do not have kids...we have Jack.
There are days that my friends have scheduling conflicts or something comes up and they ask me to help out by watching their precious little ones.
Me, really?
(Before the first time my babysitting duties were put to the test a few years ago, I thought I was like the last person on the backup list of people that you'd ask to watch your kid...) Right.
Enter Sunday night. I'm working on my "me"-tenance (like maintenance...but for me! You know, hot shower...shave your legs, lotion up, pluck the brows- you feel me?) ...and I notice my celly is blowing up with texts!
K: Can you watch Lil' Guy? I know its really short notice...8.30-4.30
Me: I have a hair cut at 9 a.m. do you mind if I take him with me?
K: That's fine, he's really good at entertaining himself.
Me: Cool.
We don't have kids and yet I'm drawn to watching Supernanny with Jo Frost. OMG, she's like my super hero; and I learn a lot watching her. But I don't have my own kids to try her tips out on, enter Lil' Guy yesterday morning.
First thing was first, strap Lil' Guy into his booster seat (btw, my backseat looks so funny with a kid in it, but that's another story)...we were heading to get my haircut when my celly starts chirping at me.
"Sorry, Lindsay is sick today; can you reschedule your appointment?" Awesome. Now I gotta kid in my backseat who I just promised 'anything from the bakery if your good at the hair cut place'...So I do what I do best, drove to the Dunkin.
After ingesting a fair amount of fried dough, we were ready to watch Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. (Haven't see it? Your missing out...Mickey is the man!) While he was scanning our house, he noticed the huge SpiderMan that sits on the top of a kitchen cabinet. "I play wif dat?" (Enter my supernanny moment) "No buddy, we can't play with him until you eat your lunch..."
So I climb on the counter top, grab Spidey, dust him off and hand him to Lil' Guy. His eyes light up like Christmas morning was just bestowed upon him. (I just totally got the best-baby-sitter-ever award from him!)
While we were watching Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas for the second time (short story about that, I was the one who wanted to watch the whole thing from start to finish, not so much for the Lil' Guy...hehe) I made my grocery list o' things I needed from Tar-jey.
I took a gulp and said, "Hey, wanna go shopping with me?" "Uh hu" "Okay, go grab your coat and shoes"...And in less then 5 minutes we were in Target.
Me: "Do you want to ride in the cart?" (Translation: please ride in the cart so someone doesn't kidnap you...
Lil' Guy: No.
Me: "Are you sure? You can play with your cars if you sit in the cart!" (Translation: if I loose you in Target, I'm going to have a lot of 'splaining to do, please do me a solid and hop in)
Lil' Guy: I hold on.
Me: "As tight as you can" (please!)
Lil' Guy and I walk down the first isle; we needed dishwasher detergent, and as I reached to grab it, I heard Jo Frost give me a tip. She said, "Erin, let him grab it for you and put it in the cart; this way its a game for him...rather that a chore that he'd get bored at"
Me: Hey buddy, can you put one of these boxes in the cart for me?
Lil' Guy: Yup!
And he tossed the dish soap into the cart, and hopped onto the back of the cart. "Okay, hold on!"
I made my way through the list with his help, pointing out what I needed from the shelf and him grabbing and putting it in the cart. Each time he'd throw something into the cart he'd yell, "CANNON BALL!" and hop back onto the cart.
What made me laugh was while he and I were 'cannon balling' the groceries into the cart, the other moms with kids kept looking at us like, "How do you have energy to play with him?" or "Can we trade kids?".
So, until we have our own kids, I'll continue to play/corrupt the neighborhood children...and while in public I get to be 'that' mom- you know, the cool mom.
