From May 18-June 4, I had the opportunity to tend my next door neighbor's little girl, T. My next door neighbor teaches school and her husband was starting school, so they had a weird overlap of time where neither of them could watch her. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. She would come over with her Mighty Mouse lunch box in hand (a very popular item with J's and J's boys) and we would just have a great time. I got her to take naps by putting her in my room, shutting the door, letting her cry, coming in to console her, and then she would fall asleep on my shoulder. We watched Sleeping Beauty almost everyday. In the car we would sing "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream"...she would sit in the back and yell "I know you, I know you" until I started singing. Her other favorite phrases were "No way" and "Thank you". We got to go to the zoo (thank you J), where we rode the carousel and saw the elephants. She also had a wicked sweet pair of Ranger Rick binoculars (another popular item for the boys). We only had one incident at the zoo, when W(?) threw part of the binoculars into the giraffe cage. J risked life and limb to retrieve it for me and even gave me a wet wipe to wash it off. What a great friend. I was glad to give her back to her parents at the end of the day, but I do kind of miss her now. This was the only picture she let me take of her.
Tom also had the opportunity to watch a youngster (just for an hour or so). He got to hold our little nephew E, while his mom and dad and older brother went on the Alpine Slide. He really liked Tom and sat there cuddling him just like this the whole time. Just darling. Tom may or may not have been glad to give him back. I'll have to ask him. He looks like he's having fun to me. :)
