Ugh-teenagers and a jail break

Last semester I had classes two nights a week, one online and one on Saturdays that met once a month on Saturdays.  My friend Stacy would bring her girls over and watch Isabella during the week for an hour until J.T. got home and J.T. watched her on Saturdays.

This semester was tricker because I have three classes that meet during the week and Stacy could only commit to one evening.  I was able to get our weekend sitter to do a night as well.  For the last night I went to the neighborhood Facebook page.  A high school student volunteered.  We met and I checked her references including a home daycare where she works after school.  We were good to go...until the first night.  She called about an hour before I was supposed to leave and said her car had broken down and she was not going to be able to make it.  She was very apologetic and these things do happen.  J.T. was fortunately working from home so he took an extended break so I could get to class on time...or so I thought.  Somehow I missed the memo that the class started 30 minutes before the regular start time for evening classes.  So I walked in all proud of myself for getting there at 5:28 only to find out I was STILL quite late.

Last Wednesday there was snow, so no class.  I texted the girl last week and let her know about the time change and she agreed she could come at 4:30s instead.   So 4:30 comes yesterday...no sitter.  4:35 I call her and she answers totally casual.  I remind her that she was supposed to be here at 4:30.  Her response "Oh, you're right".  FUMING!  Using what I can only guess was my principal voice I let her know that unfortunately our arrangement was not going to work out.  J.T. was working at the office.  Fortunately, Stacy had let me know I could call her if I got stuck.  Just as she was about to come down J.T. got home and said he could watch her.  I called Stacy back only to find out that the change in their evening plans caused a meltdown for her 8 year old.  I felt so bad:(.  I am also still without a Wednesday night sitter.   Ugh....teenagers, man!

The only upside to last night's cluster was that J.T. got to witness Isabella's long awaited and hard fought jail break from the playroom.  Our playroom is in a sunken living room, so while there are gates at the two entrances we usually just close them when the 18 year old is at our house.  Isabella has been trying for WEEKS now to pull herself over the step and bottom of the gate and finally succeeded.  When J.T. came out of the downstairs bathroom he was greeted with...

This little girl may never look like me, but darn if she doesn't have my what I like to call determination...others call stubbornness.   It will serve her well, though may make life interesting for her parents!