Sweetness

We don't often get babysitters, other than grandparents.  Sometimes we feel like we ask too much of them, though, and so we decided it was time for our kids to get used to having a non-grandparent babysitter here or there.  The night before Thanksgiving we informed our kids that Jordan King, a 16 year old girl we've gotten to know a bit, would be babysitting that night. Every 2 minutes the kids would ask "when will she be here?!!!" This started at 10am until she arrived at 7pm.  Even Meredith kept asking me, "When will my friend be here?!" THAT was so cute coming out of Mer's little mouth. The first night was a success and they asked when she could come again. Three days later, that Saturday after Thanksgiving, we had her come again.  The kids were ecstatic...except maybe Meredith.  She didn't nap during the day and I could tell by 6pm when Jordan arrived that she was not pumped.  Surprisingly she let me put her down and I was able to leave without her crying.  I told Jordan she would be ready for bed by about 7:30pm. Well, the night did not go well for Meredith. The night was recounted for us by Jordan and Luke the following day.  Mer cried most of the night, often trying to catch her breath and hiccuping because she was so upset.  Jordan tried to put her in her crib a few times but she just cried and wanted Lukey.  She loves her Lukey and her Benny, but when mom and dad are gone she really relies upon Luke.  Ben had already fallen asleep on the carpet in front of the fire in the living room, so by 8:30pm when it was time for Luke to go bed, Meredith went with him.  Luke told me this the next day:

Mom, she was really crying, and she'd do that thing every few seconds where she would kind of hiccup or try to catch her breath.  She just wanted to be in my bed.  So I just thought about what helps me fall asleep: reading and being rubbed.  So I turned out my lights and got my two books.  I turned on my book light and I read her both of the books.  By the middle of the books she wasn't doing that thing (the hiccuping) as much.  There was more time in between, like this (he proceeds to demonstrate).  So then when I was done I just rubbed her face and then she fell asleep.

Joe and Hannah got home to the guest house before Paul and I got home, so they paid Jordan and let her go home.  When Hannah went into the boys' room, there was Mer, tucked under Luke's arm, snuggled in tight.

I love that story from Luke so much.  I love how he takes care of her and knows what to do.  I'm so proud of him.