Mission: Babysitter (Follow-up)

Last week I went on three babysitting "blind dates". The first one Brayden and I were going solo, meeting the 19-year-old candidate in the little park beside Justin's ice rink. Her picture online was very cute. She had blonde hair, and just looked like a pretty average teenager....so that is what I was looking for when I got to the park.

Brayden and I were the only people there, except for one girl that was sitting at the far end of the park engrossed in her iPhone. I was thinking it didn't look like her since this girl had "Kool-Aid Red" dyed hair with multiple face and body piercing along with some "not-so-baby-friendly tattoos". However, we walked by her anyway, slowing down to see if she even looked up from her phone to acknowledge us...nope she didn't. So, we go and sit at the little kid part of the park and wait for her. I then receive a text saying that she was at the park and wondering if she was at the right spot. I told her we were there as well...sure enough the girl that we walked past was the girl that we were to meet.

Now I am not one to judge the book by it's cover, but when it comes to my own baby, different story. I immediately started sweating as I wasn't sure how to let her down softly. We met, and had a short chat...she didn't really seem that into children or Brayden for that matter as she seemed scared to even touch him. Brayden thought she was amazing though as he kept reaching to pull on her piercings, and trying to scratch at her tattoos...

I told her I had walked by her but wasn't sure that was her since she really didn't look like her online photo...she told me that it wasn't a recent picture...

First Attempt = Fail

After this first meeting, I had sworn off this website as a total bust, but I felt like I owed it to this other woman to at least meet her as planned. This time we were meeting the potential babysitter at Starbucks in the mall, and Justin was able to come along as well. Since the mall is a much more crowded space, and the woman has no idea what I look like (and now I know I couldn't rely on their online photo at all either), I texted her when we arrived letting her know that we were there and what I was wearing. I was in line for a coffee when she immediately came up to me and introduced herself to Brayden and I, and offered to take Brayden over to the table so I could finish paying and wait for my drink.

SCORE! Some people just have a way with children, and she is one of them. She had tons of experience with children, and interacted so well with Brayden. He just lit up when he saw her, and it seemed like a perfect match.

Bonus: she even wore an American flag scarf to our meeting...it's the little added touches :)

We booked her for my Birthday, so Justin and I could go see the Lipizzano horses at the Spanish Riding School.  (Post soon to follow)

I met with the third candidate the next day. She also seemed very nice, and we would potentially use her in the future if the other sitter has prior engagements.

All-in-all after an awkward first experience, the rest of the woman were great and I would use and recommend the babysitting website again.