Saturday, November 08, 2008

Eli's Babysitter Instructions

Tonight Ben and I actually went out. On a date. Without Eli. (It's been a few months - I realize that's shocking for some people, but we have seriously been so busy since moving that there has been no time) We ate at one of our favorite Italian restaurants in the suburbs (Francesca's North) and wandered around a nearby Crate and Barrel, trying to decide what furniture we would like to eventually put in our empty living room. We found one sofa we think we like - the Cameron. I like couches with three cushions versus two (who wants to sit in the middle on the crack??), we like the sueded microfiber, and that the back is one piece, rather than big pillows because it seems a little more formal. We're still not sure what style of chairs we'll put with it on either side. Let me know if you have any ideas/favorites! (We're not super formal people, so it won't be a living room you can't touch - we just want it to look nice)

We ended our exciting date at the bookstore, where I looked at baby name books and Ben wandered around looking at outdoorsy books. We still have no solid name possibilities for this baby - 11 weeks to go... sorry child! We'll hopefully figure one out soon.

This is a rambling sort of post. But I thought it would be fun to share my obsessive compulsive, oh-so-detailed list of bedtime instructions for Eli at 17 months that we left for our wonderful babysitter - we think she's the best! After reading this, you may think it's over the top, and that's okay. I'm including this mainly for my benefit, because I think it will be fun to look back and see how things are the same/different later on.

Bedtime Routine…

Eli usually goes to bed around 7:30 p.m., depending on how tired he seems. I would start the bedtime process around 7.

  1. Brush teeth – Eli’s yellow toothbrush and paste is on the bathroom sink.
  2. Change his diaper (and he always needs more diaper rash cream because he has a sensitive bum) and put on pj’s (dirty clothes go in the hamper next to the changing table)
  3. Read a few books – he loves picking them out from the bookshelf and bringing them to you (we usually read in the rocking chair or sitting on the floor)
  4. We also say a prayer, so if you’d like, you can say one with him. He knows to fold his arms when you say it’s time for a prayer.
  5. Sing a song (like You Are My Sunshine or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) and put him in the crib with his frog and dog and I usually cover him with the green blanket and say, “Snug as a bug in a rug!”
  6. Please turn on the sound machine (on the bookshelf). Turn off the light and close the door behind you. Please do the latch lock so the door will stay closed (this old door does not stay closed otherwise).
And since this post is all over the place, I have one more funny thing to share - this morning we went to a play (Little Red Riding Hood) with our neighbors and afterwards had lunch together. Our next door neighbor randomly asked me, "Do you go to church all day on Sunday?" I smiled and said no, but it's about three hours long. He said he was curious since we never get our Sunday newspaper off of the lawn until pretty late in the day. I thought that was a funny observation!

8 comments:

DC Diva said...

Reading your bedtime routine I had the following thoughts:

#1. Poor babysitter.

#2. I will probably do the exact same thing!

P.S. Love the couch!

The Yosts said...

I need name suggestions too! 11 weeks! That's so soon! Ahhhhhh....

Love the bedtime routine- we do something similiar except I explain it and don't write it out when we have new sitters. Thankfully Abby can pretty much tell the sitter what's going on.

Heather said...

I wrote a two page note for the babysitter the first time I went back to work. At least yours was organized!

We haven't been out in months either, but bookstores are our most favorite dates.

Cami Severson said...

Haha! I LOVE it, Sarah! It really isn't that bad. In fact I am sure the babysitter appreciated a list like that, probably made her job easier. I don't really do much for evening babysitters (levi is old enough that he knows the rules and can help the babysitter out), but when Joe and I go for a week, I give the babysitter (ie. my mom or Cheryl) a BOOK, called "A grandma's guide to the Severson boys!" It lists everything imaginable A-Z, including dietary habits, personality quirks, tricks to help resolve conflicts, places to go, directions, schedules....and on and on and on. So, I guess I know where you are coming from! (Actually my mom LOVES it!)

Katie and Greg said...

I love the details! I think it just helps the babysitter to know just what to do. Plus kids are creatures of HABIT and the best way to keep things good is to do it all the exact same! Every details matters. I remember babysitting a little one once where he was supposed to get a cup of milk before bed. They didn't tell me he likes it "warm" and it I dealt with a screaming child for like an hour because I couldn't understand what he was saying. I love it.

Jenna{Mommy in Manhattan} said...

This was a great post! I love the babysitter list! Sounds just like me!! Eli is so smart to fold his arms!

Date nights are the best! Glad you got to go out!

Lindsay said...

What a list! :) Eli needs his routine though so it's good you do it for him. What a good boppy.

Kara said...

microfiber is great in theory. cleans up easily with baby wipes. but with the constant presence of spit up, explosive diapers, and toddler shinanigans i highly recommend leather if you can swing it...

now as for the list--did the babysitter follow it? gotta love when they forget to put a new diaper on before bedtime!