An acquaintance popped into the family room at church on Sunday, happy as anything.
I asked her why she was so happy and she said, "we're having a baby-free weekend".
Her 20-month-old was staying with her mum for the weekend. She did say that this was only the second weekend ever that they'd spent apart, hence the happiness.
A second thing happened.
My friend, Caren, also has boy/ girl twins.
Recently her hubby went to my favourite country in the world, Ireland, for a week on business. While away, a very good friend of hers flew up from Dbn to help Caren take care of the twins.
When I read this on Facebook, I was amazed.
And even a bit jealous.
Because I can't imagine someone ever doing that for us.
I told D about Caren and he said, "nobody would ever do that for us".
I asked if it was me, if I'm too strict, etc.
And he says, "oh no, we just have selfish family!"
!
So to all of you who have very kind family members and friends who would take a baby/ ies for a night or a weekend, treasure them!
As for us, we'd better start saving hard for lots of babysitting money :)
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Marcia, you are spot-on. We never had anybody - my mom is willing, but not able to. Then my cousin Ananda move to Pretoria and all of a sudden we have her and two teenage daughters to help. Amazing, I tell you! A treasure.
ReplyDeleteCat, you are so, so blessed.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for them to be older - I've already warned my sister in PE that I'll be dropping them off for a week and D and I will go jetset somewhere LOL
Their isn't a single relative that I would trust enough to leave our kids with... and the couple of forays into baby sitting have been nothing short of disastrous!!! We would rather just be with our kids and treasure them in the now... and you won't believe this (!!!) but they are with you for such a short time, a millisecond in eternity... yesterday I blinked and my twelve year old was born tomorrow when I look he will be twenty four and gone... no I will just have ours hanging around until they are old enough to be pushed out of the proverbial nest!!!
ReplyDeleteLOL I do agree with you, Se7en, BUT I'm still looking forward to some alone time with D ;)
ReplyDeleteIf you ever want to visit the states I'll take them for you!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything said so far....for my firs two children. Then for number three and four things opened up. We started to use sitters and had a great time. I think we were too afraid for the first two and too happy to have a free hour for the next two. We'll have to see how they turn out to know which is better....but at least we had a little free time.
ReplyDeleteNo one watches our kids either :(
ReplyDeleteJesse and I are leaving town tomorrow and my best friend is keeping Josiah Friday night and my mom is keeping him Saturday night. We'll be back late Saturday night and meet back up with them at church Sunday morning. I actually have too many babysitters, something I am very thankful for. This is only the 2nd time he's ever been gone overnight and I've rarely used a babysitter, because I tend to think that he's my son so I'll just take him with me wherever I go (even if it'd be easier without him). But I'm thankful for the people who are willing or even beg to watch him! If I was in South Africa, I'd babysit for you :-)
ReplyDeleteA lot of my friends in London have kids but no family to babysit, so we help each other out as much as possible which is great.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I'm trying to say is, go visit your favourite place (Ireland) and drop the kids off at us in London on the way!! ;)
Sabine, I might just take you up on that. We have VERY VERY good friends in London too (two sets) so the kids can stay with each of you for a few days :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. That's the problem with living in a different place from where you grew up!
ReplyDeleteStill, I don't know if the babysitting makes up for putting up with the family drama
P.S. That's the problem with living in a different place from where you grew up!
ReplyDeleteStill, I don't know if the babysitting makes up for putting up with the family drama
Hi Marcia. Thanks for mentioning me in your blog, I feel very important! I don't trust many people with my babies, but I am very lucky to have this very good friend that I am happy to leaves my precious babies with. We have been friends for 30 years! Love Caren
ReplyDeleteWe don't have family close by, and I don't want "just a sitter" to stay with my kiddos for any length of time. I know they're not old enough to understand the situation, and I'm afraid it would be alarming to them. As a bit of a compromise, my hubby and I have gone out to dinner a couple of times recently, after we got the girlies to bed at 7:30, having a "house sitter" come in. 8:00 is kinda late for dinner, but at least we got away for a couple of hours...glorious!
ReplyDeleteI will tell you that I get downright jealous of friends who have multiple sets of grandparents / aunts and uncles / etc. with whom they can and do leave their children with overnight. I can't allow myself to think about it much, or I get in a funk! HA! I don't even want to think about how many years it will be until we can sleep in, kid-free, one Sunday morning! Although, as a couple of people pointed out, I'm sure it will be no time and the girls will be 10 years old. :(
I thought about this post last night, when my cousin kept the girls so I could go for a loooonnnngggg dinner with some girlfriends. I realize how lucky I am to have very willing family around to help me out. I hope they never feel like I take advantage of them!!
ReplyDeleteMandyE...you're not too far from me, just bring your girls down here one weekend!! : )
My parents-in-law would drop everything for our family. In fact, when Melody had terribly painful constipation, my mother-in-law flew across the country to help us out.
ReplyDeleteMy Mum couldn't even be bothered to come for the birth; it was on an inconvenient date. She's never sent the girls as much as a birthday card.
The contrast really does remind me not to take my in-laws for granted.