Four Hours of Motherhood

No makeup- this is reality!

No, I didn’t have a baby, but I babysat a 15 month old little boy the other Sunday. Remember me talking about The Latebloomers and their adopted baby? That’s who we babysat for the first time- at our house. Well, the Latebloomers moved into our branch this summer and Bro Latebloomer just became our branch president which I’m hoping means less inquiries about my love life. The Corry branch now has a baby in it, which is pretty unusual. And entertaining- it’s nice to have something to watch during Sacrament meeting!

Laura was off babysitting her Primary kids, so Mom and I tag teamed for Lil’ Droopsnoot. He screamed for a couple minutes after his parents dropped him off at our house, but that’s to be expected. And there’s just something about Mom that makes every baby within 10 yards of her cry- it’s been our family joke for the last 20 years. I joked with Dad that 15 months is the best of both worlds- he’s mobile AND not potty-trained! Oh, joy.

I picked him up from Mom and wiped his nose and he settled down. I spent most of the four hours that he was at our house on the couch with him on my lap, he was happy there and we weren’t about to disturb that. We watched Toy Story movies and some old Muppet Shows- he was mesmerized by the Muppets singing and dancing! I know you shouldn’t have the tv babysit your kids, but it made our experience a lot easier!

I fed him Cheerios and soon learned that if I had too many in my hand that they went all over the couch. He ate applesauce while on my knee at the table and Mom was daring and fed him sweet potatoes while he was on the couch with me. Miracle of miracles, we didn’t get sweet potato everywhere!

There for awhile we played with him in his pop up tent, he had these colored plastic balls that he liked to throw out of his tent and have us throw them in his tent. He got a big kick when I would put a plastic ball under his shirt or up his pant leg and then work to get them out. I opened up my pant leg to him to see what he would do and he stuck a plastic ball up there, what a funny kid. I had fun- I am such a big kid myself. His mother said she'd never thought to stick the plastic balls up his pant leg, I guess I am creative. LOL

And then four hours had come and gone and his parents picked him up and things went back to normal. I was a bit apprehensive about us watching him but things worked out really well. The little tyke laughed and cooed most of the time.

So why write about this? Well it’s not every day that I deal with little babies. If I’m around kids then they’re usually over the age of 5. Like I said, there’s no little ones in our branch (until now), just the older Primary children. I have to go to Stake Conference to see little ones! I don’t really have friends out here that have kids- I’m mainly friends with YSA or my college peers or my adult YSA advisors (who have kids but they’re grown ups!). My friends with kids are out West.

But even before moving out here, I wasn’t around babies very much. My only sibling is only 4 years younger then me, so by the time I was old enough to babysit, she wasn’t much behind. We lived out in the boonies, so I didn’t babysit much anyhow- few people wanted to drive all the way out to pick me up, drive to their house, and take me back home. I only have two cousins that are younger than me and they live in CA. Most of my experience with babies comes from serving in Nursery for the 3 months before I left on my mission and also the Rodarte twins that got passed around in RS before we moved. And we moved over three years ago!
There’s nothing like having a tyke come over to make one realize how unbabyproof our house is- clearly we have no babies around here! There’s the wood stove (which had a fire in it), electrical cords and outlets, the three big dogs, and countless sharp objects and things not suitable for babies. Like the space heater with the pointy metal corners that was right by where he was playing in his tent. I was right there with him to make sure he didn’t hit it.

My mother took a the photo above- I think she wanted to document that I do have some motherly instincts. My poor mother- I know she wants grandchildren.


It felt good to know that I can take care of a youngin’. And that babies can like me. It’s nice to know that I have some motherly instincts in me and it was nice to see them come out. I wanted to keep him! It feels natural when I pick him up and hold him. Maybe someday the stork will bring me one or two.