Nursery Duty

So I realize that my last 2 posts have been about the children in my life but apparently this is what my unemployed life has led me to. (as I sit here typing from my phone at Andrews!)

Several weeks ago I filled in at a nursery for a moms group at the church I used at attend. As a one time gig, it wasn't all bad! It gave me a reason to be showered before 10:00, gave me the social interaction I long for as a nonworking citizen and gave me a few extra bucks in my pocket! Can't complain! It wasn't long after that I was asked if I could come every week because there was another mom joining them with many more children. I'm broke, I have the time, why not? My first week of this went fine, I was in the nursery with three babies. Yeah, when they weren't being all quiet and calm they were all crying at the same time but that wasn't anything I couldn't handle on my own. However, this week was a different story. I had the toddlers. All seven of them, all three years and under. Minus the fact that one girl (we'll call her Maria) was crying for her mama the second she was dropped off, the rest were happily occupied with the Veggie Tales DVD for the first 30 minutes. It was after those 30 minutes that everything went downhill and very quickly. while playing with a little girl, I was holding Maria who was (still) crying and all of a sudden felt something warm on my leg. Apparently, there was a diaper malfunction. No worries, we'll just go get mom to find your diapers...quick fix. But as I was about to go get her mom, two other children needed to use the bathroom. I learned (the hard way) early on in my babysitting experiences that when a child this age says they need to use the bathroom, you let them use the bathroom NOW, so off we went. But then while we were in the bathroom I hear crying coming from the nursery. Remember, Maria is still crying in my arms and pee is still wet on her bottom and my leg. Pee is no longer warm but instead just wet and cold. So while both children are in the bathroom, I head back to the nursery with wet and crying Maria across the hall to find 2 boys crying (no idea why since I wasn't there but if I had to guess, one pushed the other and started a pushing war which I had previously sent one to "time-out" for) As I'm trying to mediate the boys (Maria still crying and wet in my arms) I hear wailing coming from the bathroom I just left. I go into the bathroom to find a very sweet little girl who couldn't get her pants down in time and peed all over herself, her pants and the floor. In all honesty, I don't even remember what happened next. I was either in shock or fight or flight mode, both of which my memory stopped working.

All ended fine, the tears subsided, pants and diapers were changed, hugs were given, apologies to fighting children were said and empty stomachs were filled but I'm pretty sure that day has bought me several more years before I start wanting children of my own. That was enough excitement for years to come!