The best birth control money can't buy...

As you might all know, the arrival of my second nephew came a little unexpected and really threw off Jill's schedule for help. So, everyone chipped in to remake a new schedule. This meant that I would be helping for 8 days instead of 4 and starting a week earlier. So, last Tuesday I started my duties as the "helper" for the week at Jill's house. My biggest concern going into the week was that I was going to be so zonked from chasing after the kids that I wouldn't have the energy to do much else, which is only a concern since I am trying to get in shape for Outward Bound (I promise more on this soon). Boy was I right! It seems like taking care of a 1 year old wouldn't be all that much work, but it wore me out. Fortunately, Jill is more mobile than she thought she would be and is able to handle the kids pretty much on her own for a couple of hours so I can get some other things done. But, by the time I get home in the evening all I want to do is lay on the couch and go to bed. I can't even imagine how exhausting it would be if that was my full time job.

BUT, despite how tiring it is...it is also very fun to spend so much time with my nephews. While Aaron is mostly just sleeping,eating and looking cute, Peter is a crawling, toy playing, mischieve attracting little person. During my first four days, Peter and I played, went for walks, went to the pool, and chased each other around the house. One of my favorite things to do with him is take him to the swing, because he gets the biggest grin on his face. One of Peter' favorite things to do with me, and I'm told pretty much everyone else, is throw his toys/tupperware/balls all over the place and watch me chase them and put them back. At one point, he actually had me sweating from trying to keep up with his mess making! Maybe playing with him all day is enough of a workout in itself. Occasionally I do get a break when Peter gets distracted by Ralph and tries to pull on his ears or pull his hair out, which is his idea of "petting". Another "break" time, which is so cute, is right before naps when Peter gets to watch his Baby Einstein. One day, Ralph came along and let Peter hold his paw through the whole show. This was the cutest thing ever...I only wish I had my camera at the time.

So, while spending time with my nephews is so fun I have decided that my sister has taken on one of the hardest jobs in the world. She asked me several times last week, "Aren't you so jealous of my life?" Maybe someday, my answer will be "yes", but for now spending a few hours a day with my nephews is all I can handle! I'm looking forward to spending some more time with the kids and my sister starting again on Tuesday.