I HAVE SURVIVED!
Friday I watched Zoey get her pictures taken. She didn't smash her cake. She kept trying to pick it up and when daddy said it was OK she just upended it.
Then she got icing on her feet and every time she tried to get up she went SPLAT. I helped get her cleaned up. Then they treated me to lunch at Johnny Rockets. I can't even imagine how many points that lunch was.
Saturday I got there right before 7am, still in my Mickey jammies. No way was I going to get dressed that early in the morning. The kids were glad to see me. They had so much to do before the party. I played with the kids all morning while Chuck and Karen set up tents, and tables and chairs out in the back yard. The bought a helium tank and blew up around 50 balloons and put them all around the back yard. It really looked great.
I kept the kids occupied until lunch time. I fed the kids while Chuck and Karen went out to pick up the food and cake.
I put them down for their naps and they slept for a good long time. So did I until someone knocked on the door. I thought it was a tad early for people to arrive for the party. Nope! It was Jehovah's Witness. I politely declined and shut the door. Zoey woke up really crying hard. I think she must have had a nightmare. She didn't want me to pick her up. I spoke quietly to her and rubbed her back and she finally let me pick her up.
I brought her downstairs and sat her on the couch with me. I put my arms around her and kept telling her she was alright and kissing her head. She finally stopped crying, looked up at me, gave a couple of big yawns and went right back to sleep in my arms. AWWWWWWWWW
Chuck and Karen came back with the food and cake and got Jesse up. I went upstairs to get dressed. We talked for a few minutes and then people started to come.
The party was a great success. All the kids had a great time. They had set up this little turtle pool with ice cold water since it was a hot and humid day. The pool is big enough for one. At one point there was FOUR kids in there.
Jesse had a bad fall down one step. He cut his lip and got a small brush burn on his chest. Oh how he cried. I was so upset. Chuck picked him right up and Karen took him inside. I had to find out how he was so I followed right in.
She was putting ice on his lip. Poor baby has a fat lip. My cousin Joan followed me in to see how he was and gave him two cars from "Cars 2" she had gotten him for his "unbirthday" present. It took his mind off his hurt lip and stopped crying. He even managed to say thank you to her.
In a few minutes he was back outside and playing again. I was busy pushing Zoey on the swing when Jesse's friend called "grandmom will you push me too". LOL So I was pushing both kids. My arms will never be the same. Then Jesse wanted me to push him on the swing. Zoey loves the swing too. She wants me to push her high too! She laughed so hard every time she went high.
The food was wonderful. I had too much of everything. Then I got in line for the cake. OMG it was so yummy. It had raspberry jam on one side and Bavarian cream on the other. I had a piece with the jam. Then I heard Karen asked if everyone had gotten a slice. (insert evil laugh here) I went up with my empty plate and told her I didn't get a piece.
She said "MOM, you LIE". But I got my piece with the cream filling. It was delicious too but I preferred the jam.
It was time for Zoey to open her presents. She unwrapped one with mommy's help and then lost interest. Jesse was grabbing the presents so he could unwrap them. Here is the conversation the Karen had with him.
"Now, Jesse, whose birthday is it?"
"Zoey's".
"And whose presents are these?"
"Zoey's"
"Now who should open them?"
"Me."
Well, I couldn't help myself. I laughed out loud. So did my cousin Joan and Karen had to hide her face in her shirt. It was the way he said it. He sounded so logical. He wound up helping her unwrap the rest of her presents. After that I gave him my "unbirthday" present. It was a monster truck. Oh he loved that.
All the guests started to leave so I helped clean up a bit. Chuck's friend helped take down the tables and tents and Chuck hauled them all back down in the basement. I know how exhausted they both were. So I stayed a bit longer to keep the kids occupied playing until the got all the food put away.
Jesse ran up to get his jammies on and then ran down so I could kiss him goodnight. I was more than tired myself. But Chuck and Karen both thanked me about a thousand times all day. I had fun all day! I got home a little after 8, put on my night gown and sat in front of the tv for a couple of hours and went to bed around 10.
Sunday, I did my grocery shopping and went over to watch the kids while Chuck and Karen had their anniversary dinner. They were both asleep when I got there and both took a nice long nap for me. Zoey kept looking out the back door and crying for mommy and daddy. When I woke Jesse up she calmed down a bit and I gave them both a snack and then took them down the basement to play.
Jesse got hungry so we went back upstairs and I gave them both dinner. Then it was back downstairs to play. LOL I certainly did get my exercise this weekend. Chuck and Karen came back around 6 and we talked for a while about our Disney vacation. (Only 150 more days to go!)
I left a little after 7 and vegged the whole night.
So that is my survival story. Now that I have had a day to rest up, I'm looking forward to the next time I "have" to babysit.
