A few summers ago at the Nirvana things were a bit different. Holly had just two boys to wrangle. She had a three year old and a baby.
These were tough times because the three year old had
no interest in baby things and the baby was a
baby.
Holly has a smile on her face because she very smartly sat down with her regular babysitter (babysitter #1) before college dismissed to schedule some summer hours of peace.
Well, not really peace, more like a mommy-and-me swimming class with the three year old for which she had to
pre-pay.
Holly was at the window watching for babysitter #1:
Holly was still at the window watching for babysitter #1 one hour after babysitter #1 was supposed to arrive and 20 minutes after the
pre-paid swimming lessons had started.
Babysitter #1 never showed up that day.
Babysitter #1 never showed up any other day of that entire summer.
Holly was dumped by babysitter #1.
Enter babysitter #2.
Babysitter #2 was very sweet and showed up on day one. Babysitter #2 was there a little early so that Holly could run some errands before
pre-paid swimming lessons.
Babysitter #2 called Holly on her cell phone 15 minutes after Holly left to tell her that her son was bleeding.
A lot.
Holly called 911.
Holly turned the car around.
Holly met the ambulance at her home (
Holly may have exceeded the speed limit on the way home…shhhhh).
The EMT’s assured Holly that her son had just bumped his lip and although there was a lot of blood, there was very little injury.
Holly thanked the EMTs.
Babysitter #2 thanked Holly for the work opportunity, but related that it might be a little “too stressful for her”.
Babysitter #2 dumped Holly.
Enter babysitter #3.
Quite honestly Holly can’t even remember what happened with babysitter #3. But shortly after she started, she quit.
Babysitter #3 dumped Holly.
Holly dumped the
pre-paid swimming lessons.
Holly was pretty much in the
dumps.
And then the phone rang…
It was Holly’s dentist!
Holly responded as any rational person would…
well, maybe not any person…
well, maybe just like Holly would…
Yes, Holly started crying.
And then Holly started unloading on the poor person from the dentist’s office.
Yes, Holly actually said, “
And if I could find a sitter I certainly wouldn’t waste it on a trip to the dentist“.
Oh no she didn’t!
Oh yes she did.
After Holly said it, she
regretted it…
Until 30 minutes later…
the phone rang.
It was Holly’s dentist!
Yes, Holly’s dentist found her a babysitter.
Enter babysitter #4.
Babysitter #4 arrived right on time for the first time so that
Holly could go to the dentist.
The end.
Except,
for the record babysitter #4 regularly worked for Holly’s family over the next 3 years and is considered a part of the family…
Katie, thanks for not dumping Holly.
*This episode of Holly’s Animated Life was originally posted on August 27, 2008.*
I have a rotary phone at work. Seriously. We call it the “telephonasaurus.”
I totally need a telephonasaurus now that it is branded in that manner…
Hurrah for dentists who find babysitters so you can go to the dentist!
What a weird and wacky sequence of events…
The website idea about matching nannies with families is great. Here’s another idea of matching dentists with families: http://localdentist4less.com
Hi, Holly,
Babysitter #4 is my daughter. When they (my first 3 kids) were all little I would have loved a babysitter like her as I sat in the bathroom with the door closed (the only solitary place in the house)with 3 kids under 3 1/2 calling my name, well mommy, and crying. My name is no longer “mommy”. That name has gone through many renditions over the past 25 years, some not so great and some completely adorable. The good news is they still call me.
I am so happy Babysitter #4 had the opportunity to know and love your family.
She is very lovable and very organized!
KT’s MOM
HAHA! Yes, babysitter #4 loves Holly’s family! (and she thanks them for paying her way through college!)
Holly – I was sad but uninstalled my comment box. The comments were going to the right place, but friends told me that they could only post if they were using IE and not if they were using Firefox or anything else. If you finally found a way to make this work, please email me because I would love to reinstall it!
Nicole
I love your drawings. You should compile and publish them. Do you draw with markers and scan? Charming!!
I hope you ha da great Labor Day
I dont think I have been fired by sitters yet. Pretty darn amazing! You crack me up btw.
this was great! i haven’t needed babysitters much and am so thankful that my kids are old enough to not need them anymore. very happy about that!