Adventures in Babysitting

I LOVE my sister's daughters--my nieces! If I go without seeing them for too long, I get a little depressed.  She has four girls and a stepson. Two teenagers, a tween, and two toddlers. I know what you're thinking..."Holy crap!" It's a crazy life, and I help when and where I can.

{{quick note: Also have a brother-in-law with six kids--five boys and one preteen girl. I know...CRAZY}}

We don't have kids of our own, but thank the Heavens above, I have a husband that joins me in my Disneyphile freakness!  One of our guest rooms is a Disney room. Disney collectibles, Disney toys in the toybox, Disney books and magazines, Disney games, Disney bedding...You get the picture.  The kids love visiting all of our Mickeys and all of his friends. There's the Seven Dwarfs, various Stitches, Dumbo, NUMEROUS Mickeys, Mr Potato Head...again, you get the picture.

Sometimes we'll have the laptop in the room, playing a Disney movie, but the two of them get so engrossed in playing that it's more for the background noise.  It's also in case either of them get a little tired, then they can lay down and watch a movie and drift off into nappy time!

SIDE NOTE: I like nappy time. I can clean up and grab another cup of coffee to re-energize, because by then, I am exhausted! My energy boost will have only been in my system for two MAYBE three hours by this time.  "Five-Hour Energy" never met a toddler it could take, let alone two at once.

"Princess" as she likes to be referred to now--thanks to her Daddy and me--(I don't give names, for anonymity's sake) almost always wants to come to my house.  She actually asks to, which pleases me to no end.

I am the dreaded one that got her hooked on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  She didn't even know who Mickey Mouse was before I introduced her. LOL Mind you, she is only three.

We don't usually watch much television when I have her and her little sister, whom we shall refer to as Little Missy Thang. We play A LOT!  Dress up, toss the ball, build a castle, bean bag toss, etc., etc...

Today was a different animal. I had some things left undone from yesterday and if I didn't get them done, trouble would ensue. I digress.

I put on Lady and the Tramp in the Disney room, set them down with their morning fruit, and went about doing things. Not twenty minutes later, Princess comes running in holding Little Missy Thang's sippy-cup of water by the handle with the tips of two fingers. Apparently Little Missy Thang decided her cup needed a bath...in the toilet...while her sister was readying to use it. **facepalm**  It's a good thing I had cleaned it, but still... insert heeby-jeebies here with body convulsions.

As it turned out, getting things done was not an option. Little Missy Thang was very needy today. She asked to be picked up and then clung to my neck so that I had to sit with her. It's a rare thing that she does that with me, so how could I refuse? Princess decided she was tired too and she wanted Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on. That required moving out into the living room which Little Missy Thang was not at all happy about.  I got her to calm down by giving her big hugs and rocking her while humming.

Two hours later they were both passed out on the couch, and I had about a half hour of quiet time before Little Missy Thang woke up. Oddly enough, I missed the clinging and grouchiness, so I was a little relieved. We sat together and she had her afternoon snack.

When Princess woke up, she was not at all happy to be awake. She was more grouchy and whiny than she had been when she passed out.  We had a few tantrums and time-outs later on, but all in all it was a good day.

Like I said, I love those girls! I love being an auntie. I didn't get all of my things done, but the time spent with the littles was well worth the procrastination.