Preparation...

Today started my new job as babysitter. One of our friends and neighbors asked me to help them one day a week (Tuesdays) to watch their two year old, their 5 1/2 month old, along with Mikayla. A toddler and two infants. I was going to be working from 9:30 in the morning to 3:30 in the afternoon. Now I will not be alone (for the most part), the mother will be there to take the youngest when she needs to nurse and sleep - so why was I worried. The reason is the little monster that I call my daughter. The mother will be working from home and the way Mikayla screams, well need I say more. Mikayla also is in the "I want to be held now put me down" stage. This will be hard when I have the small one in my arms. Then the thoughts of keeping the oldest entertained while I take care of the younger ones. Simple right?

Many may not know this but I have had many days where I had to hand Mikayla over to Mark right when he walked through the door. The best one (which we still talk and laugh about) was a day that I had very little sleep, Mikayla would not stop crying (not sure why), she wanted this and that, the dogs would not stop bugging me and well by 6p.m. I had just about enough. Mark walked in the door at 6. I was at the dinner table with only the light above me on. I stood up, turned to him, handed Mikayla to him, turned away and walked up stairs. No words were said. About 15 minutes later Mark came upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door. The rest is how he tells it because I don't remember it well. He said he opened the door to a dark bathroom, me in the tub with bubble bath all around, my arm covering my eyes and me not saying anything. He asked if I wanted some wine and there was some sort of sound that he understood as a yes.

So as you can tell, Mikayla can be a little draining on me and I was scared that having three would be too much. My sister had three. I have a friend in California that has three (really four with her husband). I know people do this on a daily basis and I was only doing it for six hours one day a week. Mark tells me that it is in preparation for our next one (or our third).

Well the day was really uneventful. Mikayla played with the oldest. She really didn't climb on me that much. She didn't scream (until we got home) that much and overall it was fine. I think I can handle three kids with no problem. No problem that is if I only have them one day a week!!