The other night my light-of-my-life 16 month old spent her first evening and bed time with someone other than mom or dad. Mom has her day or two a week and dad often works late but this was her first evening spent with someone else. I'd kept her up late the two nights prior in case she refused to go to sleep for a different person in a different home. We didn't expect to return until 10. Our first time out together at that hour without our darling little munchkin and her beautiful smile and infectious laugh.
Numerous times we have taken her to evening get togethers. She has attended meetings through to 9 or 9:30. She successfully rang in the New Year with us, initially by behaving herself during a lengthy five course meal in a fancy restaurant, ending after midnight with a small group of die hard friends. She was quite in awe at our loud antics when it hit midnight. Since her birth we have only had one quick lunch and one early dinner without her. But now it was time for mom and dad to have an amorous night out (it was more like a carefree, don't-have-to-think-much night out).
She handled her adventurous evening extraordinarily well. She didn't even look for us. She went to sleep with no complications, no protests, no tears. Once again, all my worry had been for nothing. When planning, we had even considered cancelling our "date" and turning the outing into a guys night. I had bought my husband two tickets for a show for his birthday. He was decidedly excited and wanted to share the experience with her but that wouldn't have been possible. I didn't know what I was going to do with her and I expected to send him with a friend while I stayed in with her instead.
I am sure all mothers are apprehensive about leaving their precious children. I find it extremely difficult. She is my beautiful little miracle. I waited so long for her and she is perfect. At this point I can't just leave her with anyone. Not that no one is capable. I am sure there are many safe options.
I can't recall many of my own babysitters. We probably stayed with loving aunts and uncles and grandparents. But I do recall one when we were a little older. He was quite a trouble maker. He was young. A friend of the family. One time we were walking by a convenience store and there was an unattended delivery truck out back. He had us climb along a fence and steal 2L bottles of pop. Another time, he had us steal something even worse. I don't know if if was premeditated or if he randomly climbed a ladder up to a residence and looked around. But he discovered marijuana plants and he had us help him take some by stuffing one in our shirts. Children make great accomplices because they don't grasp the ramifications. Prime child care, that was! I am sure quiet, shy little me didn't have anything to say. In a third incident he had us participate in some vandalism. I didn't think much of it at the time but in hindsight I saw how much trouble we could have been in and I was mortified.
I know that the chance a baby sitter is going to have my daughter steal items is very slim. It is the idea that you don't know what's really happening. What food is being served. If your requests are being honoured, or even blatantly disobeyed. How people are talking to your baby. How they react when she is doing something she shouldn't. So much could go wrong. So much trust is required!
I am so glad her first cousin, first removed, had a great evening with her. They fed crackers to the cats, had a nice bath, and read a collection of stories. My little social butterfly fell asleep in her cousin's lap. I love when my princess gets to bond with family.
And what better way to bond than while mom and dad are out. Duly noted, mom, duly noted.
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