Dogs & Desi

Last night my roomies & I got to dogsit little Parker. So cute. I've never been a dog fan but I think that's changing. Miriam and Chris went to a broadway show last night and left their little foster dog in our care. She brought over all of his treats, special blankets and toys. We had fun running around and playing. I hosted Bible Study at my apt last night and Parkie was so cute to sit near me while we talked. He's such a well behaved dog.

After the study, we played for a bit and then watched some tv. Then I was exhausted. I wasn't going to let a dog get in the way of slumber, so I hopped in bed and he came along and snuggled close. It reminded me of when I was a nanny and would watch the boys overnight.

One time D&T peaced out and headed for the Caribbean leaving me with their 2 year old and 9 month old for 5 days. Alone. All alone. I can't even begin to tell you how good it was to see their car service roll in the driveway on their return home.
Usually when they were away on their trips, the boys & I would have the best time and play outside a little longer and giggle a little more... mainly because there was no schedule to stick to. So after dinner we would take baths, read books, snuggle, talk and tell stories. I put them to bed and I then had the whole house to myself. Aaahh.

When D&T were gone, I would sleep in the room right next to Nicholas & Alec's, but before I turned out the lights, I would sneak in and check on the sleeping babes. I love the verse in the Bible where Mary 'treasures up all these things and ponders them in her heart'. That's what I did. My heart holds such sweet memories of tucking them in and just looking these wild & crazy boys who wouldn't sit still for a minute at the restaurant and excercised their toddler two-ness about a million times that day... but now they were warm & snuggly in their beds and so peaceful. I prayed for them and cherished those moments at the end of a busy day.

So I then went to bed and hoped for a long night's sleep. Yeah right, nice try. The baby was up crying a couple times and sometimes Nicholas would call for me. When he got older, he would get out of his bed and come get in with me. So sweet. But as much as I loved it, it's pretty hard to get quality sleep when you have a little 2 year old right next to you who's moving around.

And of course, the boys would want the day to start bright and early at 5:30am. And sometimes it was fun. Fun to hear them talking in their cribs and calling out, "Cawwwwiee" and then the joy on their faces when I came and got them as they were wide awake and ready to play with their trucks and diggers.

I miss them. I miss them alot. I miss bedtimes and the smell of shampooed heads and helping them brush their 4 teeth, how they would always want "one more" book. I even miss those early mornings, their 'sleepy eyes' and making pancakes and how they would smell like syrup for the rest of the day.

I know. I'm being sentimental. But that's what happens when you raise kids (even if they're not your own). You get a free pass at sentimentality and get to share/bored others with it.

But I'll actually end on a funny note (or, at least it's funny now):

It was after dinner one night and I was giving the boys a bath. Alec was too young to just sit in the tub, so he played next to me while Nicholas took a bath. Got Nicholas out of the tub and let him run around in his towel while I gave baby Alec a bath. Took Alec out, drained the water and then to his room. Diaper, lotion, pj's. Not even 2 minutes.

I go back into the bathroom and there is Nicholas covered... covered in Desitin. (Desitin, Desi for short, is the little tooshie paste to help prevent diaper rashes, and the like. It is pure money and essential in raising kids). He had gotten into the tube of Desi and "painted" it all over himself. Now, if you've worked w/ Desi before, you know it prides itself on "stickin to ya". It was so hard to get off and my attempt with a wet washcloth didn't help and made matters worse but I finally got it off him. I did get a good laugh about it. Oh children. The things they do while you're not looking.