Adventures in Babysitting

I haven't blogged in a while- I know- bad mommy. We have lots going on- most of all though is the monogramming! I'm drowning in it! Anyway, I'll try to be a better blogger.

So this weekend, Chris took me out for an early birthday dinner and movie. We went to see "The Blind Side" (which I highly recommend!) and to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner (and peanut butter pie!), Lucky 32's. We went to the movie first and then to dinner so that our baby sitter wouldn't be out too late in Saturday's nasty weather/threat of snow.

After the movie I called Jenna to see how things were going. She didn't answer. I thought maybe she and Emily Grace were off playing and couldn't hear the phone or they were busy and she just didn't get to it in time. We completely trust Jenna with Emily Grace so worry never entered my mind.

Well, as we pulled up to the restaurant, my phone rang and it was Jenna. I happily answered- "hi there! How are things?" (in a sing-song kind of way). I was astonished to hear her shaky, frantic voice on the other end. She was almost crying! The poor thing- what had happened? Well, being the good and thoughtful babysitter that she is, she decided to let the dogs out since they were whining and scratching at the door (most likely to go chase a bunny into the woods, not to actually use the bathroom). As poor, barefoot, Jenna went onto the deck to watch them, the door shut and locked behind her. (We forgot to remind her that it does that- so we're really to blame!) She tried knocking on the door to get Emily Grace to open the door, but the knocking only scared her and made her cry. So, Jenna tried singing and talking to her which calmed her down but could not get her to open the door!

Jenna ran next door to the neighbors (who do not have a key) to see if they had a key. They ALL came to our back deck to try to find a way break in and to keep an eye on EGU, just to make sure she didn't lick an electric socket or something awful like that. Then one of them remembered that the neighbor on the other side had a key. Guess who wasn't home? That's right! The people with the key were gone too! So, the new neighbor across the street (who coincidentally is deaf) has a key to the neighbor's house who wasn't home. So, all of the neighbors went traipsing over to explain to the deaf neighbor that they needed a key to the house that had our spare key. I would have loved to see that, had it not been an emergency. Once they got into that house, past their dogs and to the key there, they were able to get into our house. By this time Jenna is freaking out because she had been following Emily Grace around the house through the open blinds. That kid is into everything so Jenna kept moving from room to room keeping an eye on her via the open blinds! Then she disappeared! Emily Grace went to play in her room and the blinds there were closed. Jenna couldn't hear her or see her and really started to lose it but that's when the neighbors came to the rescue. I have no idea how many people were actually in on everything but it sounds like the whole street was trying to help poor Jenna get to our child! Thank you neighbors!

I think we owe everybody a big plate of cookies! What would we do without good neighbors and such a thoughtful babysitter. And yes, we absolutely will use her again. We'll just have to remember to remind her that the door locks behind you. I am so thankful that everyone was ok!