Loose ends

A few updates on some older posts, for those of you who are keeping track...

1. We didn't get picked to be on TLC's Home Made Simple. Although the producer supposedly thought we were "hilarious," apparently we just weren't TV material. Thankfully, my husband hasn't noticed that I have yet to learn how to make duck for dinner. Go here to read about one of the local families that will be on the show.
   
   
2. The babysitting co-op rocks. I've had two friends over to sit for my kids, and I've gone to two other houses to sit for their kids. Loving care and proper supervision were involved, and everyone had a more fiscally-responsible night out. That said, we still love our "original" babysitters -- both the one who is getting married and the one who moved away for grad school (you know who you are).
   
   
3. The pile is gone, thanks to a complete clearing out of all loose items upstairs in preparation for the new carpet that was installed last month. Of course, the living and dining rooms (where we relocated everything) are a total disaster area -- but the upstairs looks lovely. Will see how long that can last.
   
   
4. The Super Dylan Team raised more than $10,000 to support research for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. We surpassed our fundraising goal, but it's not too late to give, if you're interested.
   
   
5. I got 10 comments posted on my shameless solicitation for feedback -- the most comments of any post so far (thank you!!). Also, my unintentionally-possibly-racist-but-not-and-still-think-it's-funny joke does not appear to have offended anyone enough to make them leave a nasty note.

I think that wraps up most of it for now. Thanks for reading -- I'm really have fun doing the writing, but it's even better when I know you're out there enjoying it.

Do babies come with by-laws?

I went to my first babysitting co-op meeting on Sunday -- we met to formalize by-laws for the group, because apparently that's what you're supposed to do when you start a babysitting co-op. Basically, it's a group of neighborhood friends who would like to be able to have date night with their spouses without having to spend additional money on a babysitter. Because trust me, when you find a wonderful babysitter (and we are so fortunate to have one we love), you will pay whatever it takes to keep her. But that's fodder for another post.

At the end of the meeting, one of my clever friends commented that reviewing our six pages of by-laws was like attending a childbirth class.

You know, she went on, the class where they give you pages and pages of information about what to expect when you arrive at the hospital, all the details about your stay, how to install the car seat so you can take the baby home, when to call the pediatrician about concerns, and so on. But they don't even begin to prepare you for how to actually take care of the baby.

Out of 65 items in our list of by-laws -- including items about requesting a sitter, serving as secretary for the group and voting families off the island -- there was just this one item about childcare in section E, number 11:

"Children should be given loving care and proper supervision. Watch other people's children very carefully."

That about covers it. Any questions?