Me: I don't know if we can go. It's a school night and we'll have to find someone to come watch them.
Hubby: They'll be fine. We'll let #1 take care of them.
Me: Seriously? Are you hearing yourself right now? You're going to let a # take care of the other #s? Do you know the #s?
Hubby: We've got to start this sometime. It's just down the street...we can rush home if anything happens and it won't last long.
Me: I'm not feeling good about this...
...and that was the end of the conversation...until two nights before the night we're supposed to be out.
Picture this...we're all at the dining room table and we're almost finished with dinner...
Me: Have you told them what you've decided?
Hubby: You mean what we've decided?
Me: Sure.
Hubby: Well...Mommy and I are going out in two nights.
#3: Who's going to babysit us?
Hubby: We're thinking of letting #1 be in charge.
#2: Seriously...who is coming over?
Hubby: #1 can be in charge for a few hours.
#2: Mommy...seriously...who is going to watch us?
Me: If it doesn't work out, he will be in big trouble.
#1: Hey...I'll do a great job!
Me: It's not that I don't trust you...I don't trust the world.
#1: Please Mom...this will be THE DAY!
Me: What day is that?
#1: The day I become a man!!!!
Me: Because you'll babysit your brothers?!?!?!?
#1: Because you trust me enough to watch them. I'll be in charge of them. PLEASE???????
I mean, how do you say no? I mean, I DID say no, but Hubby really thought #1 could handle it...
Me: What if someone comes to the door?
Hubby: They won't answer it.
Me: What if a storm comes?
Hubby: They're gonna stay inside.
Me: What if #3 has a meltdown?
Hubby: What if he doesn't?
...so we said yes. And the next thing on my phone was this.....
...yes...#1 being excited is an understatement. :-)
So the day comes...I don't even know how we got here. Just yesterday #1 was starting Kindergarten, #2 being carried, and #3 was still inside of me. WHERE DID THE TIME GO?!?!?!?!!? I mean, I've gone through this stupid thing called puberty with #1...things are growing, voices are deepening, and now he's watching over my other children. Can I just turn back time a few years!?!?!?
As Hubby and I are leaving, we are giving rules...okay, I am giving rules...and lots of them...
Me: Don't open the door.
#1: Okay.
Me: You cannot go outside to play.
#2: Okay.
Me: You may not eat anything cuz you might choke and die.
#s: Okay.
Me: Water only to drink cuz everything else is thicker than water.
#s: Okay.
Me: You may not have a meltdown while I am gone.
#3: Yes ma'am.
.....and then we took pictures to document the event...
...I'm pretty sure we need to frame these to show that at least we have a sense of humor...or maybe they were taken so in case something happened, I have the most up-to-date picture of each of them!
Of course, before we leave the house, I call #1...AND HE DID NOT ANSWER...
Me: STOP THE CAR!
Hubby: Okay.
...I run to the front door and ring the doorbell about 20 times. #2 and #3 run to the window and I hear #1....
#1: DON'T GO TO THE DOOR OR WINDOW!!!!
#3: But it's Mommy!!!!!
...#2 opens the door...
Me: What was the first rule? WHAT WAS THE FIRST RULE?
#2: Don't open the door.
Me: Then DON'T open the door...and #1, don't LET them open the door...AND ANSWER YOUR PHONE!
...as I leave...
Hubby and I had a fabulous time at the party. And during the party, I checked on the #s...a few times...a lot...and I'm okay with it...I'm truly okay with being "that mom"...
...I'm okay an epic pillow fight...I'm okay with asking them over and over if they are okay...I'm okay with #2 continually complaining that I'm not with him...and I am CERTAINLY okay with them fixing our bed after their pillow fight.
I also got this text...
#2: Can I have a cup of milk?
Me: No.
#2: Why not?
Me: Cuz it's thicker than water and you might choke and die.
#2: What happens if I choke on water.
Me: Don't.
Then it started to get dark...
Me: We have GOT to go.
Hubby: Okay...let's say goodbye.
Me: Seriously...quickly...they are home by themselves and it's getting dark.
...I've left them by themselves for 1 hour and 30 minutes...it is time to check on them...hold them...put a book on their head so they'll never grow up.
We get home...I walk in the door...they are all in our bedroom...the tv is on...the bed is not fixed...pillows and blankets are everywhere...BUT MY BABIES ARE SAFE.....
...I think they missed me!
So as they brushed their teeth and got ready for bed, Hubby and I sat down and talked to #1...
Me: So how did it really go?
#1: It went well. We played video games and we had an epic pillow fight and then we watched tv and they played on their tablets. #3 almost had a meltdown, but we diverted his attention and saved it. We had a great night.
Hubby: We are really proud of you!
Me: Yes we are.
#1: Thank you for trusting me!!!!!
...and then he hugged me. It was a different type of hug...one from a kid that is growing up...a kid that has been given a responsibility and he took it seriously...a kid that I can trust taking care of my other kids...a kid that I feel great about growing up...a kid that loves God...a kid that loves his brothers...a kid that really isn't a kid anymore. Sometimes being a parent scares me to death, but in the end, I know that I love being a wife and mommy in our life by numbers!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for reading and commenting! God bless you!
Grace and Peace,
Kelley