Thank You Amy!

Amy and my mom watched the kids on Monday so that Mckay and I could drive to Las Vegas for a job interview. They are both wonderful and I love that they love and appreciate my kids. Here are Amy's thoughts on the several hours she spent with them. She captures the kids' personalities and the joys of parenthood wonderfully:

A Late Night With My Four Favorite Kiddos

My sister Ashley and her husband McKay had to take
a quick day trip to Vegas for a job interview.
I was lucky enough to stay with the kids from the time I got off work until about 1 am.
The afternoon/evening went something like this:

Carter's swimming lessons
Pizza for dinner
(They wanted spaghetti instead, but I'm not a fan.
Silly kids)
Baths and chores and reading
A movie (Hook!!)
Bed time

Now to elaborate a little bit:
The two younger kids fell asleep early on and I moved them to their beds
(Carter is three and Sammy is one)
We came to the part in Hook where Peter is remembering being a baby.
He remembers his carriage rolling away
and falling out of it in the rain. Then Tink saves him.
It always ripped my heart out when I was little to see that
baby crying and being rained on.
Right at this part, I hear a substantial sniff.
I look over at Gabriel (6) to see big crocodile tears rolling down his cheeks.
He's such a sweet heart. When he saw me look at him,
he wiped his tears and said, "It's just a really sad part."
I agreed. Such a precious little boy.

After the movie Gabe and Madelyn went to bed,
but not before
a drink of milk, a hug and kiss,
and a good old fashion tucking-in.

I settled on the couch, planning on sleeping until 1
when the parentals returned.
Nope.
10pm Boozer (my dog) throws up. I clean it up.
Back to sleep-- not so soundly
11:45pm Sammy cries. I rock him near his crib,
but he knows what I'm trying to do and isn't having it.
I went back to my couch bed and laid him on my chest.
He conks out.
12:15am I wake up and realize I should put Sammy in his bed
(but was sure loving holding him)
12:30am On the phone with Dave, and I see a small shadow standing over me.
Carter.
"Amy, I need my backpack in bed with me."
(Carter has a very special backpack.
It contains priceless items like a plastic dagger,
marbles(his most favorite thing),
books, etc. The zipper on his backpack broke,
so he did the obvious thing:
put that backpack inside of another backpack of course!)
I take the drowsy little one and his backpack to bed.
Carter's asleep before his head hits the pillow.
1:00 am Ashley and McKay return
1:45am home sweet home
2:15 am sleep sweet sleep

Am I tired today? That's a big, fat yes.
Would I do it over and over and over again?
That's a bigger, fatter yes.