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Upstate NY Babies
What to do - Babysitting related
So this weekend, we are driving down to Maryland for a wedding that DH is in (very good college friends of both of ours). In previous convos with the bride and groom, it was definitely mentioned that O was welcome, and sort of alluded to that childcare would be offered at the wedding. Well, when DH emailed the bride about it today, she said that of course O is invited to all wedding events, but that if we wanted to hire a sitter, she linked to the sittercity website.
Friday night is the rehearsal, and I have no problem bringing Owen there - I also have no problem with bringing him to the ceremony at 6pm... but the reception starts at 7:30 and lasts until 11:30pm...According to the timeline proivided by the bride, dinner/toasts/first dances/etc will last until 9:30, with general merriment following from 9:30-11:30. Owen will usually nurse to sleep at 9:30 or so...
So here are my options:
1. Hire a sitter I have never met before and let them watch O in our hotel room (NOT at the same location as ceremony/reception) - this worries me a bit.
2. Bring O to the reception but leave after dinner - then I miss out on the dancing :-(
3, Bring O to reception, nurse him to sleep while there, and let him sleep in his carrier while I hang out/dance with friends... - this makes people give me the side eye and be judgy?
4. Any other ideas?
The elephant in the room is what DH will want to do if we choose scenarios 2 or 3..I have a feeling that he will want to stay with our friends, while I go back to the hotel room alone with O. Seems sort of unfair in my book - but I dont want to start a fight...
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Re: What to do - Babysitting related
Hm, I don't like #1.
Is there anyone you can bring with you as a sitter? Maybe they can stay in the room with you and have only an extra food cost? Maybe a teen who will be at the wedding who would go back with you? You could nurse O to sleep and then head back to the reception?
If he would sleep in his carrier for a couple hours I think that would be fine, the side eye givers should have another drink!
personally, I would not want to hire a sitter I didn't know. You won't even have time to interview them or anything. Does the bride or groom have anyone they know or could recommend? Like maybe one of their local friends or family have a sitter they trust?
Do you know anyone else in the area? Or would someone be willing to come w/ you and watch him? (like one of your parents or siblings)
If it were me, I would probably leave him home w/ my parents (we had to leave Evan overnight for the first time when DH was in a wedding... he was almost 3 months) It was tough, but would have been much more stressful to have him w/ me. We ended up having a really good time too!
But, if you can't leave him w/ family, then I would choose to bring him and leave after dinner. But that doesn't sound like much fun! If you nurse him to sleep and leave him in the carrier while you dance, where would he be? Just hanging out at the table? I wouldn't leave him there out of reach. I guess I'm not understanding that scenario.
Yeah I wouldnt hire someone I dont know...but like PP I would either leave him with someone I trust or see if they would come with you or bring him to the reception.
I wouldnt give you the side eye for bringing O to the reception and letting him sleep in the carrier- while you visited or danced...hell, I would probably offer to hold him or sit with him...
How does he do in a carrier? I know its not the most fasionable look but could you put a moby or baby bjorn on and carry him after you nursed him?
Yea - Im pretty much thinking 1 is out - the bride said she could check with her mom to see if her mom knows anyone that would watch O - but, I dont really feel comfortable with that...
I guess I could play it by ear with 2 and 3 and see how Owen handles the wedding/reception. Ill def have my ring sling at the ready to plop him in if he stays awake .... if he sleeps, and I put him in the carrier, well, we'll have lots of college friends there that Im sure will watch him while I dance a song or two!
This is what I would do probably. It's only a couple of hours and he's still so young I would assume he would just sleep on you. Either that or I would leave him here with a family member.
Charlie 11.01.07 ~ Paul 05.07.10 ~ Annaliese 02.24.12