When I was growing up, I did a lot of babysitting. I babysat pretty much every weekend and even gave my money to my parents to buy groceries, we were that poor, sometimes. I was in demand and I liked to do it.
I like to think I was a good babysitter, despite the horror stories my sisters and cousins will tell you of making them run around the house for being too noisy. What they don't tell you, is that I babysat them once a month for about three days straight, when their parents and my parents would just "take off" and party for the entire weekend. And when summertime came, I was the "chosen one" to watch all the cousins all day long while the moms canned and cooked and did all the motherly things. A lot of babysitting....I was pretty much their second mother at times! So, when they complain, they just don't remember everything....
And, they don't tell you about the cool dance parties we had and the sugar cookies we decorated and all the pictures I drew them to color....no, just the mean cousin/sister making them run around the house!
Let me introduce you to another mean babyitter......Emily.
She's a hockey player and she doesn't take crap from anyone! And that's why she is MY children's babysitter!
Her dad is in the military and her mom works at a department store and does hair on the side. They are wonderful and so cute, as you can see, sitting together eating cake!
Yes, this mean babysitter can handle Eleanor...and that makes her amazing!
She was their second mother this fall when we were so busy with the Day Violins business. She picked them up from school, taught them Lady Gaga songs, did homework with them, listened to them talk about their day and their friends and their concerns, fixed dinner and got them ready for bed. And she became the neighbors babysitter too, so we would "fight" over her and schedule her in advance, she was that popular with the neighbors!
So, when Emily turned 18 on the 18th, we decided to have an "I love Emily" party.
Did I mention she has a 4.75 GPA, takes college chemistry twice a week for fun, is being considered for the Naval Academy, WestPoint and Penn State, is the Editor for the school newspaper, one of the top players of the hockey team, drop dead gorgeous, plays the violin and is fun to be around? She comes to all the kids birthday parties, comes to their games and loves them unconditionally. AND doesn't let them get away with anything! I am so bummed she is graduating! I need to clone her!
Thank you Emily for everything! We hope you had a great birthday!
3 comments:
I never thought you were mean for making us run around the house, I'm sure we deserved it...the funny thing is my biggest memory of the babysitting, besides the pickle-stealing (what was with us all and pickles :-) is all the "big kids" making popcorn right after we went to bed and the smell just killing us downstairs in the basement...we were so jealous! Now when I'm watching other people's kids, all the kids get locked outside to run around and play in the backyard "for at least 30 minutes" when they get too crazy. After the first 15 minutes of banging and complaining at the back door, they completely jump into pretend mode and end up happily playing for close to two hours...see, I learned all your mean babysitting from you, and the kids love it! :-) Thanks for putting up with me and my obnoxious laugh all those years!
Maybe not mean, but you were awful bossy. ha ha ha. Love you sissy. I also learned all my techniques from you.
Happy Birthday Emily!
I remember eating spaghetti on plates that were turned upside down and milk colored green. I didn't mind running around the house 'cause I was good at cheating. I and I wouldn't know how to draw without Jenna! Hours of watching that amazing older sister. You even played barbies with us with your untouchable barbie and her perfect clothes and pink perfect scarf. You were the best babysitter to me! Love you sister! What are you going to now that she is 18?!!!
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