i just want to hold my shoes

Several months ago,  my sister mentioned that she and her husband were going to take a long overdue "mini-moon" (mini honeymoon) to a music festival.  They got a sweet package deal and the plan was set into motion.  I volunteered to watch their 3 kids while they were away.  Annie - 7.5, Aidan - 2, and Adeline - 7 months.  I figured - I'm around them quite a bit... .how hard could it be? (This is where all you moms out there insert your evil laugh.....)

Well, last Friday, they arrived.  The whole family spent Friday night so that the kids could get acclimated.  My sister and her husband left around 10am on Saturday.  (they kind of snuck out so that no tears would be shed.)

*Note- I'm lucky I got any pictures at all.  All of these photos were from my blackberry, because despite my best intentions, I never got around to getting my camera out.  Things were a little busy.

We collected bugs,

waved and yelled "hi" at golfers as they drove past,

went to get cupcakes,

swam in the tiniest pool on earth,

and chilled on blankets covered with toys.

We also went to a baseball game.  Aidan wanted to wear a hat, so I dug out one of my old visors and he put it on with his tiny little camo sunglasses.  If this picture doesn't make you laugh, you have something wrong with you.

The baseball game was HOT.  Super hot.  So we only stayed long enough to eat a hotdog.  You can see how flushed the kids are in the picture below.  (And don't worry... I didn't keep Adeline in her carseat - she had been asleep and just woke up.)

You can also see how flushed I am (photo courtesy of Annie.)

We spent time at the neighborhood swimming pool

and the local park (while wearing cowboy boots!!!)


We ate macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, raspberries, chicken nuggets, spaghetti-os, pop-tarts, bananas, marshmallows and pancakes. 

I wasn't as tired as I thought I would be after waking several times with the kids each night.  Adeline still wakes up once or twice, but she is easily pacified with a pacifier or a bottle.  Aidan woke up the second night crying for his mom (and assuring me his dad was outside in his car.)  He kept saying, "I just want to hold my shoes."  I was like - here, they are right here by the bed!  You can see them!  He kept crying, so I was about to give in and just let him sleep with his sandals.  Finally, he'd had enough and said - "NO!  I want to hold my SHOES!"  I said, "Ooooooh, your JUICE?"  And he nodded.  So I went and got his sippy cup and then he was happy. 

Other memorable moments:
-  Annie hula hooping like a professional.  She can even hoop around her neck.
-  Getting stung by a wasp while pushing Aidan on the neighbors swing.... while I tended to it, Adeline fell off the bed.  Fortunately she didn't get hurt.
-  Having the kids use pool water to fill up watering cans and water all the flowers
-  Scolding Aidan for picking the flowers off the plants.  I said, "leave the flowers on the plants."  He got all serious, looked at me, pointed at me, and said:  "You better watch it."  I bit my lip so I wouldn't laugh.
-  Adeline peeing all over me as I changed her diaper.  Turns out that doesn't just happen with boy babies.
-  Annie showing me how games worked on the ipad
-  Aidan getting a kick out of Larry blowing his hair with the leaf blower
-  Getting in "trouble" from the lifeguard at the pool because he thought Annie had brought her own hula hoop to the pool.  (it was one of their toys, but I guess he didn't recognize it. You aren't allowed to bring toys from home.)
-  Aidan as a "fish" in the bathtub and Annie with a white beard made of bubbles
-  Finding a camel and a rhino in a houseplant after they had left 


It was exhausting, but worth every second.  They were all so good and never once acted up.  (But they are still a lot to handle when you're thrown into the fire and have them all at once.... at one point, Larry said - "Man, can you imagine if you had BAD kids?")  Getting to tuck everyone in and kiss them on the forehead was the highlight for me.  So glad I got to spend time with them!