Looking back on babysitting

This week my Your gonna miss this is very easy. Yesterday was my last day to babysit for my nieces. I never dreamed it would be as emotional as it was for me. We didn't do much during the day, just had a go with the flow kinda day. The older niece ~ Alyvia, Elianna, and I made snow men, and I just let them play and have fun. I was fine all day. I gathered up the baby stuff for my sister to take with her. My sister came that evening to pick them up, I was in a good, happy mood. We were laughing about some things the girls had done, I even felt a little bad because I felt good about it being my last day. As I helped my sister load the baby stuff into her van, my mood suddenly changed but i do not know why, suddenly I felt really sad. Then my sister tells me she got the OK to go into work late on Monday and told me about her boss asking her if she was going to cry all day on Monday. As soon as she said that I started crying, total surprise to me, but I did. I tried to not let her see me. I got myself together, then out of nowhere I would start crying again. When they finally went to leave I asked Alyvia, the oldest, for a hug and then I really started crying and couldn't keep it hidden from my sister any longer. I look at her and she starts crying too. She leaves with the girls and I cry off and on for the rest of the evening. Then today I was perfectly fine, had thought about the girls many times, had thought about starting college on Monday and I was fine, didn't feel sad about it at all. That is until my sister-in-law called, I was telling her how hard it had been and I started crying again and have continued every time I think about the girls since then. I am so going to miss them! I know I will see them at least once a week but it just won't be the same. I have babysat them since they were each 6 weeks old. As crazy as babysitting made me feel I was going at times, I will really miss it, and especially the kids, I love them all.

I first started babysitting when Elianna was about 7 months old. I started off just babysitting my cousin's little girl, Alyssa, who is 2 months older than Elianna. It was difficult at times having 2 babies but it was also fun.

(Elianna and Alyssa)

I continued to babysit her and then in April 2006, Alyvia was born. About 6 weeks after she was born my sister went back to work and I started babysitting her as well. During the summer it was just my girls and Alyvia because my cousin was out of school.

Come late summer I hear that a close friend of the family was looking for a babysitter. She had 2 girls, Katricia who was 3, and Abby who is 2 months younger than Elianna (1 1/2 at that time). I decided I would do it. So for the rest of the summer I had Bethanie~ 6, Katricia~3, Elianna and Abby~1 1/2, and Alyvia~ 4-5 months. After school started Bethanie went to Kindergarten and I started babysitting Alyssa again who was now almost 2 ~ 4 babies under 2 what was I thinking!! They sure kept me busy but it was also alot of fun.

(Bethanie, Katricia, Elianna, Abby, and Alyvia)

(Katricia, Abby, Alyvia, Alyssa, and Elianna)

(Alyvia, Katricia, Abby, Elianna, and the turtle we found in the yard)

Early the next summer my cousin had a little boy, Ethan. And once school started back up the next year I babysat for him as well. At that point I had Katricia ~ now 4, Elianna, Alyssa, and Abby~2 1/2, Alyvia~ 1, and now the first boy who was about 4 months.

(Elianna and baby Ethan)

The following February, my sister had her second little girl, Bailey. About 6 weeks after she was born, I started babysitting her as well. Katricia has now started preschool and would only come sometimes on Fridays.


Summer came and again I didn't have to babysit Alyssa and Ethan. Abby and Katricia would sometimes stay with their papaw who had just retired, so I had them less and less that summer. Then this school year started. Bethanie went into 2nd grade, Katricia to kindergarten, Alyssa and Elianna to preschool (not the same one). I only kept Alyssa a couple times at the beginning of the year, and Ethan started staying with his papaw (his best buddy). Abby came less and less. So most of this school year I have spent with just Alyvia and Bailey.





I will miss ALL the kids but Alyvia and Bailey I will miss the most. They have both been here since only weeks after they were born. I saw them do many things for the very first time. Alyvia called me mommy for the longest time, both of them are happy to see me every morning, I have a closeness with them most aunts don't get to experience with their nieces. I love these 2 girls as if they were my own.


I'm gonna miss the things they do that make me laugh

(Bailey drinking water from the sprinkler)

(Alyvia putting on MY makeup)

(Here's that picture again :) still making me laugh every time I see it)

(Alyvia playing dress-up)

I'm gonna miss seeing them sleep and especially having Baily fall asleep in my arms







I'm gonna miss the closeness, almost sister like closeness, that my girls have formed with Alyvia







I'm gonna miss the fun things we use to do like go to the park and paint or just play out in the yard

(Alyvia)

(Alyvia, the other kids painted rocks, Alyvia painted herself)

(Alyvia)

(Bailey)

I am going to miss their smiley faces and seeing them everyday.

(Alyvia, 9 months)

(Alyvia, 2 years)

(Bailey, 5 months)

(Bailey, 8 months)

I love you girls!!!! I'm gonna miss you terribly!!

To see more You're Gonna Miss This Moments visit Pam's blog.