Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008 - 5:06 pm

I got to hang out with my two favorite beautiful little nutjob girls today while their parents went to the movies.

I don't babysit. However I don't consider what I did to day babysitting. At 9 and 5, Samantha and Emily are no longer babies and Flea gets really mad at me when I sit on them.

Hey, sometimes they ask for it.

What I did today was hang out with two very fun small people. They are smart, cuddly and hilarious and I adore them.

Before Flea left she told the girls that if they were insane I wouldn't come back and told me to call their grandmother if there was blood. I said I'd call Cindy since she likes that kind of stuff. Througout the day one of us would remind the other two: "NO BLOOD!"

There was no blood.

We played on the computer, we cuddled and watched a movie. We texted Amy (Carlodda) a couple of times. Samantha made lunch for herself and Emily. I asked if she wanted or needed help, but she's an independent young woman and took care of everything on her own. We colored and drew on construction paper until their parents returned.

They were very good girls.

I enjoy watching movies with them because they are still at the age where they like to sit very close and snuggle up. I don't like to pass up those kinds of opportunities with them. I completely understand how limited they really are.

As of last summer, Samantha still liked to hold my hand at the beach when we would walk out into the water. I knew she wouldn't really understand, but I told her I that I was going to enjoy times like that with her while I could. She asked me why and I told her that eventually she would get to an age where she wouldn't want to hold my hand anymore and she looked at me like I was crazy.

But I know it's coming...too soon.

Samantha is getting so big and changing so much every single day. Both girls are but, you know, Samantha is just getting there first.

While Samantha was making lunch Emily was sitting on my lap and we were watching 'Shrek 3'. She was telling me what was going to happen next and she turned around and told me that she always forgets that I wear glasses sometimes. I asked if she could see herself in them and she got real close to look and when she did I kissed her little nose. She asked if she would have to wear glasses and I told her I hoped she wouldn't have to worry about it until she was old like me. She hugged me tight and said "You're not old".

Oh.My.Heart.

Samantha gave me, Amy, the dog and the hamster new middle names with signs to go with them (my sign is taped to the glove compartment in my truck).

Samantha Woo Bananabell dubbed me Heather Enchilada Millshap. The child's spelling alone gave me countless giggles today. My name morphed into Feather Enchilada Mishap by the time Flea and Rob got home.

I'm okay with that.

Where I've Been. - What's Next.