Fine Print

I didn't forget…I just figured it deserved its own post.

Our KC Trip babysitter was the one and only Nana…aka my mom Pam.

So BIG! HUGE! GIANT! Thank you to Pam for taking it on!

We debated on having multiple grandparents take shifts watching the kids, but Ol' Pam excepted the challenge of three kids all 3 days…She may have missed the FINE PRINT when she agreed to babysit though.

*note if you babysit for us…you also babysit for our dog

Which normally a dog is no big deal…but our dog barks at everything, she barks at anything from the silverware drawer to you hugging the kids.  My mom now understands why I chase after the dog with a broom and a fly swatter.  

Under that fine print was minute print that said:

*note you will have to also take care your puppy, charlie

So for those of you keeping count, that a 4 year old, a 2 year old, a 10 month old, a giant crazy dog and overly-excited puppy…

So with all that, I tried to make it as easy on mom as possible. First things First! I stocked up on coffee! I pre-planned dinners and I made a cheat sheet.  Cuz I don't care who you are,  taking over for a stay at home mom is like the first day of a waitressing job: You have somewhat of an idea of what you need to do and your excited, but then you quickly figure out "this sucks!"
"Ummm…Miss, I want, I need, can I, wawawawawawawawawawawawa!"

I printed out these "cheat sheets" so if mom ever found herself daydreaming of posting the kids on craigslist, she could maybe find hope in the answers found here:

Now, some of you are going to think I am crazy and over-bearing…but I dare you to spend a week, not just a couple hours, a week with 3 young kids flying blind…it won't go well.   Day one  may go well, but by day 3,  you will have tried, cranky and constipated children who don't give a rats-rear-end what you have to say.

Naptime and Bedtime, can be stressful.  From my experience, naps are a necessity, for the children and for mom. That's why it's important that you ensure they go to sleep

 Blakely is the only one on a schedule…and by schedule I mean…she will start to get fussy at certain times during the day and this is what she wants :)  And with a baby you have to know what to watch out for…you may think you have common sense, but you will quickly learn…you don't :)

 There will be times during the day when it feels like the room is spinning, probably around lunch time or right before dinner time…where Riley is picking on Tate….Tate is throwing a fit and blowing snot bubbles the size of the Hindenburg... Blakely is tugging at your leg and you can't find her pacifier and the dog keeps barking and howling at the walkers outside.  These tips below may bring peace.

Now, as much help as I tried to give mom…I didn't factor in Charlie the puppy.  Mom came to our house about 2 hours before we left for KC…so I got a taste of what she was going to have to deal with.  And all I can say is…good thing she brought the squirt bottle of lemon juice :)

I'm not sure how she did it…she was pretty vague on the details, which could be good or bad.

And for the last week:

 I was called Grandma

and asked 

"where's charlie?"

"is Charlie outside?"

"is charlie taking a nap?"

"where's grandma?"

"is grandma taking a nap?"

And I found myself saying

"I don't care what grandma said…"

"I don't care what grandma let you do…"

In the end,  I'm glad we took the trip and somehow got mom to watch the kids…cuz I have a feeling after this blog, we may NEVER get a babysitter again.