So Chelsea had to go to work today. She works at McDonald's now. Mom had to drive her since she still hasnt gotten her license back. She wasn't actually starting to work, but I guess they had to do a whole crapload of introduction stuff and give her her uniforms and all that. They left about 4:00 and Blake had just finally fallen asleep, so they asked me to keep an eye on him and told me that he had mac and cheese in the fridge for dinner. Simple enough. I've done it before. They said they'd be back in a couple hours.
Blake hadn't wanted to take a nap today, so that's why he fell asleep so late. I didn't have to do a thing for the first two hours. Mom called at 6:00 and informed me that they were keeping Chelsea there till 8:00, and she didn't want to drive all the way home and back because it was like a 35 minute drive to this place they'd sent her to. Well, I wasn't expecting to have to actually babysit, but it couldn't be helped. I got a little nervous, though, because I've only done this once before.
Blake then woke up at 6:15. I changed him. I realized his clothes were wet, so I called Mom to ask where clothes were, thinking she'd know since she takes care of him so much. She didn't. A few minutes later, I found some, thank heavens. Then, I got him his mac and cheese and juice. He usually eats better meals, but I kinda didn't know what to do, so I just did what Mom and Chelsea had told me. He only ate about 6 bites before he started throwing it on the floor, which is his way of saying he's done. I thought it was weird he didn't want to eat, but I'm not going to forcefeed him.
This is where things got fun (please note intended sarcasm). It was about 6:35, and I set him in his giant playpen in the living room. The kid proceeded to scream like I'd never heard before for the next hour and ten minutes. I tried everything. His diaper was clean. He didn't want to eat. He had juice. He had just woken up, so I knew he wasn't tired. I tried playing with him, and he shoved my hands away from every toy I touched. About 7:45 I called Mom flustered, and she said three words, "Turn on cartoons."
Why did I not think of that?!?! Cartoons are like magic to this kid. The second I turned on Cartoon Network and he saw Scooby Doo (which I haven't seen in 11 or 12 years, by the way), he sat mesmerized. Mom had told me about this happening before, but it just didn't occur to me. He was practically mute the whole time cartoons were on (though he did do this weird thing where he stood up, took out his paci, screeched, walked backwards a few feet, sat down, and put his paci back in like nothing had happened), so I actually got to sit down for the next 30 minutes, which was nice since I've had a stabbing pain in my right ribs all day, and then Mom and Chelsea got home earlier than expected about 8:15.
He was only awake for two hours, but between him nearly jumping off the changing table as I changed his diaper and clothes and the whole mysterious screaming for over an hour, I was exhausted. I am so not ready for this yet!
Of course, I'll probably feel the exact same way when it's my own kids, but that's beside the point. :)
I babysit a lot for a family with three boys...8, 4, and 2. It is definitely exhausting! A few weeks ago I was there from 9 am until 6 pm and I came home and went to bed at 8:30!! They are so well behaved (yet energetic!) when I watch them now, but the first time the baby cried the entire time. Like I've never heard a baby cry before. He was so worked up he almost made himself sick. It was horrible. I said to the older two, "Does Gus usually cry like this?" and they said, "NO!!!" Great! It almost made ME cry! It was awful! But now he's just the happiest little guy when I'm there. But yeah, EXHAUSTING!!
ReplyDeleteI think it is different when it is your own.
ReplyDeleteI was a nanny and worked in early childhood in college (I'm back in it, but on the corporate level) and there are those rare kids that it doesn't bother you.
When I am without my niece for more than a week I miss her tons...!