Kate Visits the Neighbors

So I figured it would take something good for me to make a second post. Well let me describe my morning because I think it fits the bill... I typically keep Kate on Monday nights while the wife is working and then drop Kate off very early at Nana's house so she can play with the dogs, cats, ponies, and her great-grandparents while her mother catches up on her sleep. This morning we had a little variation to the routine because Nana is backpacking in the Holy Land, yes Israel (she is also hiking the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail in June so she is a rather remarkable and active woman). To try something a little more convenient we decide to try having her play at our neighbor's house for the morning instead. We have never tried this as she has only stayed with family, Audra, and Aunt Lizzy. Luckily we have very kind neighbors who don't mind looking after our little bundle of joy! I packed her bag last night and got everything she would need to visit our neighbor Amanda (not a misprint, same name) and her little girl Ellie so that I wouldn't get flustered this morning. I have to briefly mention that we have been instituting the Kate going to sleep on her own project and I finally saw the fruits of the labor when she slept from 8 last night to 7 this morning without waking up for more than 10 seconds at a time. So around 7:45 I have Kate up and dressed and head over to Amanda's house. I knock on the door and Amanda answers the door in her pajamas. She says,"hold on, let me go put on a robe." Although this is odd, I figured that she just expected my wife to drop off Kate. So I take Kate inside and Amanda starts finding some toys for Kate to play with, ones that Ellie has grown too big for. I explain Kate's schedule to her and that Amanda will be up there around noon. While I'm reading the schedule I notice that it says that "Kate can eat when Luke eats" where it should say "when Ellie eats", leading me to comment,"Crazy woman, this is why she needs the sleep!" Kate is a lot more clingy than usual so I sit down and try to acclimate her a little. Ellie, being the gracious host, begins setting up a wonderful tea party for the four of us while saying "Mom, I babysit, I babysit." Kate is starting to get a little distracted and so Amanda turns on cartoons which immediately gains Kate's attention. After making sure she is looking away and promising to return the favor I slide out the door when Kate isn't looking. I then drop back by our house to pick up my books and say bye to the wife. She asks if Kate is happy to which I reply,"Yes, her and Ellie are having a tea party." The wife responds with a look of shock and says "Ellie? Who is Ellie? Did you take her to Amanda's house?!" I said yes, like I was supposed to, and she is doing good, enjoying the tea party that I've been sitting at for the last 20 minutes. She begins to laugh hysterically through the look of shock and says that I was supposed to drop her off with our other neighbor, Heather and her son Luke (now you see the confusion) who was born the same day Kate was. I beat my head against the bed realizing this is why Amanda was in pajamas and was having to run around to find things for Kate to do. Much to her credit she never made me feel awkward and was very welcoming, especially for someone who just answered the door to find an unexpected little girl being dropped off at her house. That is when you know you have good neighbors...I even got to start my day with a tea party! So I asked the wife if I really had to go pick her back up and she said,"Yes, Heather is probably wondering where she is!" So I return to explain the mixup to Amanda who I am sure is wondering what just happened and she just laughs and says "Guess daddy needs a little more sleep as well." I am sure she will never feel comfortable dropping off her child at our house after this little incident. I successfully got Kate dropped off at Heather's and made it to class in the nick of time. Kate had a good day playing with Heather and Luke so that is all that matter's but Dad was very embarrassed and has been the laughing stock around our neighborhood today.

New Year's

We spent New Year's Eve at home with some very dear friends, The Harvilles and The Roberts. The Cute Boy cooked delicious steaks, and we had a wonderful time just hanging out! The champagne was yummy, and the fondue for dessert was good too. Kate went to bed before midnight, but us party animals actually made it to the New Year. Last year, I was asleep on the Harvilles couch before the ball dropped. Oops! We have also had several snow storms during the month of January! I love how pretty it is, but after Valentine's Day, I am ready for SPRING!!!

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” John Ruskins