Notes to the Babysitter

My best friend and Elliot's godmama, Erin, will be watching the children tonight while I attend an Oak Street Association meeting. Here's my email to her this morning:

They really are very good children--(-;

Thanks for helping out.

Things to know-

• The kids love being outside. Spend as much time as you care to outdoors before and after dinner. Elliot will crawl to the street, if you let him. Eagle eye on him. He MUST wear pants and shoes or he will tear his skin. He insists on crawling on the cement. Ana may climb on the crepe myrtles next door. She is pretty skillful, and checks herself when climbing too high, or standing on a weak branch.
  
• Dinner: Red beans and brown rice. Sorry, I'm not trying to commit a sacrilege here. We were out of white. Elliot will be a complete mess afterwards (even his hair). Since our bathtub is out, feel free to give him a washdown in any sink you choose. Ana can go bathless tonight. Lately, she's been like a stray cat at the car wash at bath time. I *can't wait* until our tub is operational.
  
• I'll leave out pjs. If you need spare set of clothes, root through their drawers. Elliot's diapers are in the bedside table, as are the wipes with the diaper cream in the container.
  
• Ana's favorite pasttime is collecting random toys and presenting them as gifts, covering them with blankets, putting them in boxes, carting them in strollers, etc.
  
• Elliot likes to play in the toilet(-; The bathroom door stays closed with good reason. However, Ana's 9-1-1 potty emergencies will have her screaming, "The door is closed! The door is closed!" You might want to wear tennis shoes.
  
• The kids both LOVE books. However, story time with the two of them is near-impossible, as Elliot will climb on top of Ana repeatedly, which annoys her to no end. It's best to read her a story, and give him a board book, then it's hid turn...or vice versa.
  
• Please know that I am writing so much because three sentences into this I realized it was blog worthy.

Also, feel free to turn on American Idol. I don't expect them to be in bed at that time. In fact, I'll want a full recap from you when I get home. Ana knows that Simon is a meanie--buffer her from his cruelty if need be.

Thanks again,

Emmy