Adventures in Babysitting

Saturday night, 4 year old Clare and I hung out for about 4 hours, while her parents got a much needed night away. I've known Clare since the day she was born. I sat outside the birthing room for the last of the 48 hours her mom was in labor. As soon as she started talking, I was Aunt Teetee, spelled Titty, and I babysat her for the first time when she was 2. She has not had a babysitter besides her grandparents and it's been 2 years since I've done it, so I was not sure what to expect. She and I were making dinner together when her parents left and she barely blinked an eye. Good start, though several times during the evening she assured me that if we had an emergency, her car seat was by the door and we'd have to use it. I know that I've been built up as crazy Aunt Christy so I don't know what she was expecting, but in my mind, a couple of Chutes and Ladders games, a dignified Tea Party, and I'd be outta there, emergency free.

Now I don't hang out with many children, but I find Clare to be beyond her years. She's amazingly articulate and speaks so clearly that I have to remind myself that she's only 4. I felt like I was hanging out with a 7 year old, that is until we played the "oops I swallowed my gum" game where I hide my gum in the back of my mouth and pretend to gulp loud, swallow, and open my mouth wide to show her it's gone. She freaked out every time and when she was thoroughly convinced that it was gone, I would stick my tongue out with the gum magically sitting on the end of it. We played this for about 20 minutes, each time with increased awe. It is at this time, that I remember with all her big verbose words she uses, that she's cute and only 4 and everything is magic. I'm going to work on my dislocated thumb trick for bigger reviews next time.

It makes me sad to think that she'll have no recollection of this. (My earliest memory is of being 4, then I jump ahead a few years.) That's ok though, I'll remember and be sure to remind her of all the funny things she did when she's 16 and more easily embarrassed.