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Today, I babysat for the first time since high school.  Buttercup’s best buddy came over while his mom went to the dentist.  It went remarkably well.  I’ve been slightly keyed up about this one since she asked.  Watching someone else’s little one has never been something I really enjoyed doing, even as a teenage girl.  However, I know this little boy rather well, and I adore his mother.

I had geared up Buttercup for the event by explaining that we had to take care of Cutie Pie today, because his mommy was going to the doctor.  I told her he might get a little upset, but we had to make sure to share with him and give him lots of hugs.  Well, it worked.

About ten minutes into it, Cutie Pie got the dreaded, “Where’s my mommy look?”  I picked him up and carried him around the house.  I gave him the tour of the house, even though he’s been here lots, and I showed him all the familiar objects.
“Look, buddy, it’s the stove!  Do you have a stove in your house?”
“Yeah!”  He nodded his head emphatically, so I went with it.
“Here’s the sink.  Do you have a sink in your house?”  And we went like that.  I showed him the couch, the windows, the desk, the beds, the dressers, the drawers, and on and on.  I kept asking him if he had these things in his house.  It just worked.  I told him his mommy would be right back, and it all fell into place.  It turned into a really nice afternoon.  He ate all of his lunch, we fed the fish, fed the dog, did coloring pages, he took pictures with my camera, and he pushed the toy baby stroller all around the house.  Later, we went out into the backyard, and I discovered, much to my surprise:  Yes, one woman can get two toddlers down a flight of stairs safely.  Thank you, Jesus.

Buttercup, for her part, was so very good about it all.  She kept explaining to him, “Mommy at doctor.”  She was calm about this and held his hand, leading him from room to room.  Towards the end, I think she got a touch peeved, because when I told Cutie Pie he was being such a big boy, she frowned and said, “I a big girl, too!”  Oh, little angel, what a big girl she is.

This means some good things, too.  His mom has offered on multiple occasions to watch Buttercup so I can work, go out on a hot date with Daddy, or whatever.  Since we don’t have a baby-sitter, this might be the beginning of a beautiful trade-off between mothers.  I’m stoked.

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