So Not Ready

One day during our holiday vacation in NY, Alson and I babysat my cousins (2 and 4 yrs old*). It was a last minute request from my aunt; my grandmother usually watches her daughters but grandma was sick and wouldn't be able to babysit. We didn't have anything planned so we agreed to watch them for the day.

I had a dentist appointment in the morning, so I brought the 2 year old along with me. This was quite the experience. Luckily my hygienist is my mom's cousin (gotta love small towns) so she was totally fine with it and entertained my cousin between cleaning, flossing, poking, prodding, etc. My cousin made out with stickers and two toothbrushes (she asked if she could have one for her sister too, haha) so I think she was happy.

After we picked up the 4 year old from preschool, Alson and I took them to Chuck E. Cheese. I hadn't been there since I was a child. Man, that place is overwhelming when you are an adult! First, we had to stand in line and order...which is no easy task when the kids are so excited and certainly don't want to just be standing around when the playroom holds so much excitement! Then we had to try and keep them at the table and have them eat their pizza. Again, the playroom holds too much excitement to sit still and eat. My pretty white jacket also mysteriously got some pizza smudges on it during this time. Note to self: children will dirty not only themselves, but you as well. I guess I should have known better than to wear a white coat to CEC. Alson and I then split the tokens and decided to each take a girl out into the playroom. Alson headed off with my 4 year old cousin while I chased around my 2 year old cousin. The games and rides were the perfect entertainment. I will note that the 2 (almost 3) year old was very insistent on doing EVERYTHING herself. This was hard to deal with because I obviously wanted her to be safe and help her when she needed it, but then I also learned quickly that intervening when she doesn't want help results in a tantrum. I narrowly avoided many of them that day. After all the tokens were gone we hit up the bathroom, which is much more complicated with two little girls, and headed out to the car. Did I mention their car seats? They are such a pain to maneuver! Plus, the shins of my jeans got all salty from leaning up against the car when trying to buckle them in. Apparently I'm destined to be dirty when I have kids.

This whole experience reminded us that we are certainly not ready for the responsibility that comes with little kids. Granted, we wouldn't be thrown into the lives of our own 2 and 4 year olds immediately, but still...I can't imagine the responsibility of having a newborn around either. I definitely have moments when I say I want to have a baby right now, but seriously...this was the best birth control ever.



*My aunt has another on the way. Yikes! That will make 17 grandchildren for that family.