We arrived on Friday night and Brooklyn did AWESOME on the planes! We had one layover, but the 2nd flight was only about an hour. The first one was about 4 1/2 hours. She did an amazing job, especially for us being in the middle seat and her in my lap. I was so proud of her. She never cried or fussed or anything. I couldn't believe it. You can bet I was praying for days before this flight happend!
Our babysitting adventure started the next morning after we dropped of Mitzi, my sister off at the airport. I was then a single mother of 4 under the age of 5! We really had a fun time with the kids though. Brooklyn LOVED all the attention and play time that she got from Connor, Tara, and Zetta. She was never a problem the whole week because she didn't care what she was doing as long as the kids were around. The Mcbride kids were great. We had little problems here and there, but nothing that wasn't to be expected from a single mother of 4 all of a sudden! Haha. The only thing I would change is the start of the East Coast Heat wave!!! It started that week and we had temperatures of 106-111 degrees. One day we went to the park at 10:00 in the morning, and on the way there, the car said it was 106... at 10 in the morning! Ugh. Man, it was hot. SO our days consisted of staying inside the house, playing dress up, geo-trax, and dancing or in the backyard playing in the slip n slide or blow up pool. We did make it to the communtiy pool once when Mitzi's great neighbor offered to come with us with her kids and help me keep an eye on all of them. Here are pictures from our fun week:
Brooklyn's first time to play dress up. She loved it! How cute is she?!
This started her fascination with shoes. Princess shoes and Tinkerbell shoes... perfect for this little girl!
Out in the pool. That's Tara dancing in the pool on the bottom middle. That girl is such a cutie and a hoot! I love her to death!
This is the day we went to the park. It was our last day together. I texted Mitzi saying, "Why didn't you tell me to go to this park EVERY day!??!" It was a great enclosed park, with gates all around, and when we went in the morning, it was all totally in the shade. It was so nice to get out of the house and let the kids just run around without being blazing hot!
I will admit I am not very good about taking Brooklyn to the park. We don't do it very much. I would much rather take the girl to Disneyland than the park, and so that is what we do. We have been to the park maybe, less than 10 times. I know, I'm a horrible mother. But in my defense, the girl didn't start walking until 1 year old. Whenever we do go to the park, I usually just put her in the swings. I just don't really like park sand! Here she is trying to climb up the slide. She would get so frustrated that she couldn't keep going up, and then she was just so hot and tired, that she would put her head down and sob a little. It was so cute but so funny!
Mitzi has a swing set in her backyard and Brooklyn loved this special swing just for her. She sat in it and just swang her little heart out. And of course, Tara and Zetta would go back and forth between playing on the swings, and when they got to hot, would jump in the pool really fast and then come back and play with Brooklyn. It was so sweet how much these kids adored Brooklyn the entire week. I had to constantly say, "Ok, let her walk now" to them, who are only a few inches taller than Brooklyn, or, "Ok, thats enough kisses, stop pinching her cheeks." So much love!
On the last night, we went to McDonalds for dinner and stayed for 1 1/2 hours. Another moment where I texted Mitzi saying, "Why didn't you tell me to come here every night! I would have paid my own money for this entertainment!" The kids just loved it. Brooklyn had a happy meal for the first time. We got the apples and she had a great time with them. I was taking pictures like crazy. Here are all of her many faces.
Brooklyn got into cleaning mode also. I pulled out this electric hand vacuum, and she wanted to do it. I am trying to train her early. I love the bottom right... trying to get every corner and under every chair.
We tried out her new glasses this week. Doesn't she look so Stylin?
And the dancing... oh the dancing! Poor Connor. He would just bring in his trains and sit by me on the bed rolling his eyes at his sisters who kept playing the same song over and over again from the Anastasia soundtrack. Tara had the greatest move, where she puts her hands on her hips and shakes it. It was so funny. Brooklyn learned how to twirl and twirl from this trip. When we came home, we would tell her to dance, and she just twirls now. There is also a picture of Connor of his private Soccer lesson. He has soccer lessons every week, and usually there are a lot more kids. WEll, I guess other moms thought it was to hot or something, but he was the only one there! So he got a private lesson! I felt very proud of my "son" that day!
Mit and Mike, I'm so glad you were able to have a break and go to Hawaii. Thanks for letting me spend time with your sweet kids. And don't worry, I love all of them, not just my favorite! ;) And thanks for letting my little girl have such great cousin time.
Mitzi has a swing set in her backyard and Brooklyn loved this special swing just for her. She sat in it and just swang her little heart out. And of course, Tara and Zetta would go back and forth between playing on the swings, and when they got to hot, would jump in the pool really fast and then come back and play with Brooklyn. It was so sweet how much these kids adored Brooklyn the entire week. I had to constantly say, "Ok, let her walk now" to them, who are only a few inches taller than Brooklyn, or, "Ok, thats enough kisses, stop pinching her cheeks." So much love!
On the last night, we went to McDonalds for dinner and stayed for 1 1/2 hours. Another moment where I texted Mitzi saying, "Why didn't you tell me to come here every night! I would have paid my own money for this entertainment!" The kids just loved it. Brooklyn had a happy meal for the first time. We got the apples and she had a great time with them. I was taking pictures like crazy. Here are all of her many faces.
Brooklyn got into cleaning mode also. I pulled out this electric hand vacuum, and she wanted to do it. I am trying to train her early. I love the bottom right... trying to get every corner and under every chair.
We tried out her new glasses this week. Doesn't she look so Stylin?
And the dancing... oh the dancing! Poor Connor. He would just bring in his trains and sit by me on the bed rolling his eyes at his sisters who kept playing the same song over and over again from the Anastasia soundtrack. Tara had the greatest move, where she puts her hands on her hips and shakes it. It was so funny. Brooklyn learned how to twirl and twirl from this trip. When we came home, we would tell her to dance, and she just twirls now. There is also a picture of Connor of his private Soccer lesson. He has soccer lessons every week, and usually there are a lot more kids. WEll, I guess other moms thought it was to hot or something, but he was the only one there! So he got a private lesson! I felt very proud of my "son" that day!
Mit and Mike, I'm so glad you were able to have a break and go to Hawaii. Thanks for letting me spend time with your sweet kids. And don't worry, I love all of them, not just my favorite! ;) And thanks for letting my little girl have such great cousin time.
