Thursday, July 23, 2009

Babysitting/Birth Control


Assuming you've read the title of this post (specifically if you happen to be the parents of the small child in Pete's arms above), I feel I should issue a disclaimer. Little Jack is as sweet as can be and is a very easy baby by any standards. Furthermore, rest assured not a hair on his head was harmed during his time in our care. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Friends and relatives often ask us if we are done having kids. Our stock answer is an immediate affirmative. Why? Simply put: too chicken. But the question itself always unearths that lingering thought that this might not truly be our "final answer." Last weekend we had the opportunity to babysit a two-month-old for a couple of hours while his parents went on a date (part of our gift to them at his baby shower). I think it's the first time Pete and I have watched an infant together since James was born. So for one evening, we got a glimpse into what it would be like with three.

At any given time, at least one out of the three children sort of became a blur...
Feeding a small primate is more complicated and nuanced than it looks. The older children, having eaten a mere 20 minutes earlier (toddler eternity), starve in the process and begin begging for food...
Middle child is already mysteriously absent from pictures...

And finally, Dad dozes off, the eldest regresses to an infant, and the middle child is left to fend for himself...

Both Pete and I come from families with three children. Our hats go off to our parents and all the other parents we know who are outnumbered by their children. They are brave souls. We're not even sleep deprived from around-the-clock infant care, but I'll embarrassingly admit we were "feelin' it" by the time it was time to return Jack to his rightful guardians.

Anyway, I think the next time a doctor asks me what form of birth control I am using, I might just say, "oh, we just make sure we babysit an infant from time to time..."

(and again, if you are reading this, B & M, we do want your little guy back soon!)

3 comments:

Bethany Fegles Photography said...

Seriously one of the funniest blog posts I've read in a long time! I was laughing out loud and then insisted Josh go read it too. :)

Unknown said...

Very funny, you guys! You did find the time to takes some good pictures, though....

Melissa said...

Yes, almost all the families at our church have three or more kids. I always ask them how they do it. My husband and I are also too chicken to be outnumbered by the kids.