what I know for certain

One thing I know for certain is that I would make a great mom.  You know how sometimes you just know something?  Well, for me, this is one of those things.  But I also have evidence.  My evidence?  I worked with kids through my city's park system during and after college (I had preschool - 6th grade), I was a nanny after college (2nd - 7th graders), I volunteered as a math tutor (6th - 7th graders) through a program that was available (but is no longer available) via my current employer, I am best buddies with my 3-year old nephew, and I just spent an entire weekend doing fun, totally girly stuff with DH's two nieces (4th and 6th graders).

That last part really strengthened my argument for mommy-hood.  I always felt I was better with younger kids (like preschool age) than I was with older kids (grade school and Jr. high age).  But during a "camping" trip with DH's family at his parents' house about a week and a half ago, his youngest niece kept telling me how she wanted to go shopping with me at a particularly large mall in the area.  I started thinking that maybe this wasn't such a bad idea so on the drive home from our camping trip, I brought it up to DH that we could have his nieces stay with us the weekend after camping (which was last weekend, August 25 - 26).  He agreed it was a fun idea and later gave his brother a call to see what he and his wife thought.

Naturally, they were all in.  DH made arrangements with his brother and his wife to come down to our house Friday night (August 24) with the girls for a bonfire and hot dog and marshmallow roasting.  The parents left our house around 11 pm after watching a football game with DH (I am so NOT into football but I stuck around to socialize) and tucking the girls into their new bed for the weekend.

The next morning, DH and I woke up bright and early for the big day ahead.  I showered then helped him make breakfast (scrambled eggs and toast).  He woke the girls up while I was in the shower and he managed to spill the beans on the surprise I had planned for them that morning:  a trip to a fancy, girly hair salon for a wash and style.  Oh well, it wasn't that big of a deal.  And the girls' excitement more than made up for it.

DH's youngest niece, we'll call her A, was so excited that she didn't put up a fight when DH said she needed to shower before our big day (you know how it is, kids that age would rather play than waste their time showering).  So she got her shower out of the way before breakfast and by the time the dishes were cleaned up and everyone's teeth were brushed, it was time to go to the salon.

The entire drive there (about 20 minutes), all I heard was clapping and squealing and "I'm so excited!" and "I can't wait!"  I saw nothing but big, excited grins.  I thought they would think it was fun, but I really underestimated how much fun they thought it would be.  They smiled all through getting their hair washed, all through combing out the tangles, and especially through the blow dryer and hair brushing and hair curling.  A was pleased to hear a compliment from her hair stylist that "a lot of people would pay a lot of money to have her natural blond hair color."  I took a couple photos on my phone and texted them to DH and his brother.  His brother responded with "A let someone touch her hair?!"  Yep.  I rock.  And she loved it.

After the hair appointments, we drove to the mall.  The whole drive there (about 35 minutes), the girls talked about their hair.  DH's older niece, we'll call her R, kept saying "The boys are really going to notice me at school now with my shiny, soft hair!"  A echoed that exclamation with "I love my hair!  It's so soft and shiny!  No tangles!"  I'm pretty sure she talked about the boys noticing her too.  Both girls talked about how grown up they felt.  What a great start to our day.

We arrived at the mall and the girls were in awe looking everywhere, trying to decide where they wanted to go.  R said "I watch America's Next Design Star and I've always wanted to go to Macy's and H&M."  A was determined to make a stop at Justice, a fun, bright clothing store for young girls.  We didn't have any luck at H&M but R and A both found new sandals on clearance at Macy's.  They even paid for the shoes themselves and I could see how proud they were.  They both said their old shoes were going in the garbage and they put their new shoes on right away.  Then they made plans to tell all their friends at school that their shoes were from Macy's.

After Macy's, we went straight to Justice, where we spent most of our time.  I had planned to buy them both a new outfit for school but instead, they picked out pajamas.  R picked out a more grown up night gown (as grown up as you can get at Justice) and A picked out long pants and a t-shirt in her favorite color:  pink.  A also found a pair of fuzzy pink slippers but R didn't have any luck.  The slippers were too small for her.  We needed to go somewhere that sold adult size slippers.  I also bought them fun, bejeweled hair brushes with the initial of their first name on the back of the brush.  R commented, with much excitement, that she wouldn't have to use her dad's brush anymore!

Next was lunch.  Actually, it was past time for lunch but they were having too much fun at Justice.  We eventually stopped at a hamburger and malt shop - I had a bacon cheese burger and a chocolate shake; R had a mushroom and Swiss burger (and ended up taking all the onions off), fries, and a vanilla shake; and A had the kid's chicken tenders with a kid's vanilla shake and small fries.  I ended up eating most of their fries because they were too full from the other food.  By the time we were done with lunch, DH had met us at the mall so he finished off A's chicken fingers, my chocolate shake, and a few more fries.

The girls' next request was a stop at the American Girl store.  I'm sure DH really wanted to go there too.  ; )  A picked out a doll that looked like her and made plans to tell her parents about it for her upcoming birthday.

After the American Girl store, I had to leave for a little me time.  I had scheduled a facial for myself for that same afternoon months ago.  So DH spent the next 2+ hours with the girls at the mall while I had some pampering of my own.  They went to a candy store and bought giant lolly pops and sparkly key chains with their names, and to Build a Bear where R picked out a puppy and A picked out a bear.  They each bought some cute clothes for their new pet.

When DH, R, and A finished at the mall, they gave me a call to let me know they were on their way home.  I was glad they called because I had stopped at a beauty supply store after my facial to pick up a few more surprises for the girls:  portable compact hair brushes with mirrors for their school backpacks/lockers, nail clippers, nail files, nail polish, nail brushes, flavored lip gloss, shampoo and conditioner, vanilla cake scented body wash and lotion, scrubbers for their body wash, and small plastic tote bags (one had yellow and blue butterflies and the other had pink and purple flowers) for them to carry their loot.

I arrived home before DH and the girls so I put their new surprises on their bed and waited for them to find their goodies.  When they returned from renting a couple movies with DH and found their bags on their bed, they were so excited!  R said "I have a nail clipper of my own!"  Who knew one could get so excited about a nail clipper, but I loved hearing their responses.  They had a little show and tell for DH with their new bath kits, and for me with their Build a Bear purchases.  We made pizza and watched movies the rest of the night.  And of course the girls had to wear their new pjs!  After movie #2 was over and teeth were brushed, we all said goodnight.

Sunday morning, the girls woke up just as DH and I were making pancakes from scratch for breakfast (blueberry and chocolate chip - but not together in the same pancake, although that might be worth a try!).  Then the girls had their showers and I showed them how to clip and file their fingernails.  They had the best time.  I never would have guessed how much fun they would have learning to clip and file their nails!  I had my shower before we moved onto their toes.  When I helped them clip and file their toes, they loved that too.  R asked me "How often should I clip my nails?  How do I know when I need a new nail file?"  This was too much girl stuff for DH so he went outside to do some man work.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time and were not able to get to the nail painting part before R's and A's parents came to pick them up.  Maybe next time.  As they said goodbye, the girls told me and DH thank you about a thousand times and gave us about a thousand more hugs.  Oh, they even picked up a thank you card for me when they were at the mall with DH.  So sweet.  : )

Overall, the weekend went far better than I expected!  I had so much fun just seeing how excited the girls were to do these things with me (and with DH).  I'm confident that this was a weekend that they won't soon forget.  Hmm...maybe we can make this a regular thing and do it again next year before school starts.  I have a feeling R and A wouldn't object.  ; )

So this I know for certain:  I would make a good mom.  And DH would make a good dad.  You can't argue with the evidence!