Babysitting for an Afternoon

In an effort to apparently reconnect with my childhood, I offered to babysit for some friends this afternoon while they packed. They have two daughters, ages 1 and 3, and will be moving home to Wisconsin in June. My friends have found that packing is nearly impossible to do with the girls at home, because they become suddenly attached to everything put into a box, and make it more of a hassle to get anything accomplished. I figured giving one afternoon of my time could provide some time for my friends to pack, so I didn't mind that I would be solely responsible for two young girls for a few hours. Plus, I used to babysit all the time when I was growing up, so this shouldn't be a big deal, right?

The afternoon started off well. We sat down and watched some Sesame Street (thank God for OnDemand television!!), and ate some sandwiches. Before dropping the girls off, the parents warned me that the youngest child hadn't been feeling well, so she might get fussy. Naturally, as soon as I thought I was in the clear of any fuss, the screaming and crying began.

Sure enough, the youngest one started showing signs of being sick. She was warm to the touch, and kept covering her ear with her hand. As someone who lived through many ear infections as a child, I was able to recognize the symptoms right away. I tried to sooth the poor thing, while her sister decided to play with my cat Pippin. Pippin, not being a fan of small humans, immediately hissed at the girl, who screeched in surprise, causing her younger sister to cry even harder. Fortunately for me, the girls' mom rescued me soon after that moment.

When the girls left, I immediately sat down in my over-sized chair, and just relaxed. I was glad to have some peace and quiet (as was poor Pippin). Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I offered to watch the girls, and would do it again in a heartbeat, I was just grateful to give them back to their parents at the end of the day.

Now, I do want children of my own someday, and hope that I will be blessed with that opportunity eventually. But times like these, I am reminded that I'm not in any real hurry.