Babysitting Again

I'm babysitting all three nephews tonight, the little tykes. I haven't done a whole lot of babysitting over the years since before I was married. The occasional time for a friend once in a blue moon. I used to do tons of babysitting when I was in high school. And some of those kids...well, they were a challenge. I remember one little "charm" who refused to go to bed until his mother came home..at 2am. She wanted me to lay down with him until he went to sleep and just when I thought he had finally dropped of, I'd sneak out of the room to go downstairs to do homework, I'd hear him up on the phone, talking to his mother at work. It was one of the worst...another was when a brother and sister played tricks on me all night, bratty ones too. Then there was the little gal named Reagan, who screamed for 3 hours each night. Her father was a dentist...I was thinking of asking him for some drugs to put her out for the night. She would rock in her crib and wiggle that thing right to the door, screaming blue murder the whole time.

So far, these boys have been quite well behaved. I've been here nearly a week, so they have gotten used to me, and listen fairly well to me. They are heading to be in about 10 minutes and we'll see what happens then. It is their parents worst time with them. It was always my best time with Amber. She would often come with her dolly and book in hand and tell me it was bedtime, could I please put her to bed. We would read a number of stories, and then she would either have tapes to listen to, or some books to look at until the half hour was up, then lights out. I never had a peep from her after that, unless she had a night terror. Remember those? You're in a dead sleep, probably dreaming of sunny summer days, lolling around the beach...and then AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH
comes out of the dark...you think someone has slipped in and murdered your child in her sleep until you get to her room to find her soaked in sweat, eyes glassed over like someone on speed, and panting like a dog. She doesn't know who you are and continues to scream. Finally, you break through, she settles down and goes off to sleep like nothing happend...too bad your own heart is still thundering away in your chest...who is going to settle you down?

So its been an adventure so far. My cold is relenting somewhat, and I have not been hiding out as much from the family. I know its likely they will all get my cold, but I don't have to rush it. They may just give it back to me before I go.

My days are numbered though...11 days to go...