Eloise's First Sleepover & Why I'm REALLY Not Ready To Be A Mum!

Look at that angelic little face...

The first time my little niece came to my new house was her first sleepover. She dropped her bags, ran a lap around the place and then came running up to me shouting 'Bop Bop, this is amaaaaazing!' What a little sweetheart.

Moving into somewhere that wasn't shared housing for the first time since she was a year old has meant that babysitting duties soon kicked in. Not that I was complaining though, I love spending quality time with my Little Star, and it was the first time I'd had her overnight solo.

I'll tell you what, being responsible for a tiny human, even just overnight is a bit of an eye-opener. And, even though I already knew it, I realised I am in no way ready to be a parent yet.

Don't get me wrong, she was good as gold. She went to bed when we asked her to, she went straight to sleep and slept all the way through the night. There were no strops, no temper tantrums and I came out of the whole experience with my sanity still in tact. Winner, right?

But oh my goodness, was it chaotic.

Eloise might have slept the through the night, but Aunty Bop Bop certainly didn't. After being told she sometimes gets up once or twice in the night, I couldn't sleep because I was so worried she'd wake up and I wouldn't hear her. I was then running through every possible scenario in my head. What if she gets up, forgets where she is and walks into the bedroom door? Or falls down the stairs? What if she finds her way to the bathroom for a wee but falls down the toilet? (All unlikely, but stressful nonetheless!) Is this just a parent's life, constantly worrying about the child injuring themselves?!

The next morning, we had to be up and out of the door to get the little one to her Nativity play on time. She was Mary, so obviously integral to the plot of the production and not being late was essential. 

Ha. Ha ha ha.

Bath time was interesting. The first part was fun. We splashed, we sang songs, I eventually got round to washing her. I then realised the time and told her it was time to get out. Now, Eloise is only three, but she can already negotiate. 'No Bop Bop, two more minutes. I'm being a mermaid!' All whilst proceeding to slide up and down the bath on her tummy, being a mermaid. Five minutes later, and I'm still trying to negotiate getting her out of the bath while she continues, 'pllleeeeeeaaaaaassssseeee, two more minutes, pppplllllllleeeeeeeeaaaaaasssssseeeeeee?' I don't get how her mum and dad ever say no to those big blue eyes and that cheeky grin, to be honest.

I made the fatal mistake of putting Paw Patrol on for her to eat her breakfast in front of, thinking it would give me chance to get sorted. Rookie error. A spoonful of Weetabix went in per half an episode, I reckon. And trying to explain to a three year old the reasons why you need them to eat faster... Well, you work out how that one went down.

Meanwhile, I'm running around getting her costume for the play together, having a three second long shower, shouting at Dan, putting on as much concealer on my under-eye bags as possible, and trying to throw a coffee down my throat... How do parents do this every day?!

We did eventually get out of the door. And she got to her Nativity on time. And I grinned like an idiot as she clung onto baby Jesus as if her life depended on it. But I got an insight into the chaos of having children, and I am not ready. Nope. Nada.

I like taking a good couple of hours to get ready in a morning, doing my hair and carefully applying a full face of make up. I like taking my time with my morning cup of tea. I like getting a full night's sleep.

I love spending time with Eloise though, so I suppose I'll babysit again.

Love,
Sian xo