Auntie Daycare

I realized that I haven't yet written about my new escapades as Auntie the Nanny! For the past few weeks, Bodhi and I have been spending our mornings on Oakridge Ave. at Uncle Brett, Aunt Karen, Sophie and Clara's house. Karen has recently gone back to work half-time so I've been taking Sophie to and from school and watching Clara for the mornings. It has been fantastic! First of all, how great is it that Bodhi and I get to spend each morning with two of our favourite people in the world! Bodhi and Clara are getting closer and closer each day (today they spent at good 30 seconds completely wrapped around each other in a big cousin hug - neither of them even moving a muscle). And I feel like I'm getting closer and closer with these sweet girls as well. Here's how our day typically goes....

We arrive at their house at about 8:15 and get all the kiddies all bundled up, then we embark on our 10-20 minute walk to Sophie's school. Bodhi and Clara sit back to back in the double stroller going back and forth between trying to pull each other's hats off and trying to hold hands. Sophie and I spend the walk playing different games like 'I Spy' and 'First one to see [blank] gets a kiss'. After dropping Sophie off at school, we head home to what can only be described as toy mecca. We spend the next hour and a half playing in the basement with the endless toys, dressing up in costumes and trying on hats, reading books, playing with play-doh, and snacking. We try to mix things up with play-doh one day, playing in the backyard the next, etc... At 11 o'clock we head back to the school to pick up Sophie and hear about her morning then back home for lunch. After lunch, Karen gets home and Bodhi and I are off to our house for naps and some Mommy-Son time.

We have been having such a great time together and I can't go on enough about how great this is for Bodhi. Having other kids for him to play with and learn to socialize with, giving him exposure to older kids (he is already learning so much from Clara!) and, of course, giving him the chance to spend so much time with family. The past few mornings when Bodhi has woken up, instead of calling out "Mommy" he has called out "Clara" - testament to how excited he is to see his cuz! Not to mention how great this has been for me, giving me something to fill my days, getting to spend all this time with two of my nieces, and learning what it's like to have more than one child! And guess what? I think I can handle it! News to me!