One time, Scott and I watched his brother's kids. This was before we were married. Their little girl J was still a baby, and was a terror to babysit. Both sets of grandparents got to the point where they'd only do it in emergencies, because she could/sometimes did scream the entire time. S-i-l had her work Christmas party, which was being held at the Museum of Fine Arts, and was just fantastic. They needed a break, and the chance to go someplace grown up and nice.

It worked out that J was asleep before they left. If she woke and acted up, I can't even remember. All I remember is my nephew M. He was about 2.5. When s-i-l was going out the door, he ran over, hugged her leg, and pleaded in the sweetest voice I'd ever heard, "Mommy, please don't go. Don't go, please. Please. Stay home with me." Oof.

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I only babysat a toddler once, and he was totally fine with it. I sort of stealth-babysat my niece and nephew - I'd come over and start playing with them, and at some point my sister would slip away and not return for a few hours. So I haven't had the baby/toddler experience from either side.

Most of the kids I babysat were a bit older, and were all "Yeah see ya" to their parents.

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I was wondering if this was what it was. The fact that babycenter just told me that babies can't remember for longer than 3 days made me think it couldn't be this, but the look he gives me when I give him over to her! Heartbreaking.

I think that's might be true about certain things, but is probably, largely nonsense. They remember differently than we do, because so much of our memory involves language. But I'm pretty sure their memories are better than that.

She says it usually takes about 10-15 minutes to calm him down, but he gets upset again if he naps, and wakes up, and sees her.

That's not too bad, as long as the post-nap upset is also brief, and he'll get happy.

The saddest baby I ever babysat for was when I was in college. He was the son of a local doctor and his wife. Both the doctor and wife had kids from previous marriages. At least one of those kids (his) was only in the home part time. The baby was adopted, but I don't think he was adopted right at birth. I think he was a couple of months old. He would cry the whole time.

I think he had some serious separation anxieties between the change in homes, to one sister only being there part time, and then the parents going out A LOT. I always felt so sorry for him. The only thing that sometimes consoled him was holding him and walking. It was a very hard gig. If I had that gig now, I'd lose it, because I'd have to tell the mom she needed to be home with him more--that he was a baby who needed more stability.

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A few years ago, I had a job babysitting for a two-year-old and a six-year-old several afternoons a week. The two-year-old was going through some major separation anxiety, and would sob for about 15 minutes after his mother left, and then at least a once or twice during the afternoon, in the middle of playing or whatever, his eyes would just well up and he'd look around and ask, "Mommy?" This was going on pretty much every time I sat for them, for an entire summer.

His older brother was usually pretty good with distracting him when he was crying, but then one time, the little one knocked over a block tower that the older one had been building, and the older one screamed at him, "Mommy's never coming home. NEVER EVER!" I have never seen hysterics in a little kid like what the little one went into then.

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Totally unrelated to anything, this is the afghan square I just finished crocheting: [link] I absolutely love it. I think it's just gorgeous and a perfect mix of the colors we're using in the afghan.

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Purdy!

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vw -- that's really pretty!

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Oh, that's gorgeous.

His older brother was usually pretty good with distracting him when he was crying, but then one time, the little one knocked over a block tower that the older one had been building, and the older one screamed at him, "Mommy's never coming home. NEVER EVER!" I have never seen hysterics in a little kid like what the little one went into then.

YIKES! Oh, I would have wanted to muzzle the big kid. Sheesh.

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I'm trying to decide how many more of that style to make. I'll probably make three more, so there's an even number. I'm going to take a break from it for a bit, though, and try another fun style.

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Oh dear. Remember a while back when we were posting pics of fugly boots? Weren't one of them sort of horrible tan suede elf boots? I swear my boss is wearing them right now. With jeans tucked in. And a long black sweater wrap thingy.

ETA: Kinda like these [link] only tan

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