Conspiracy
I think there is a conspiracy to keep me from ever leaving my kids. Tonight I hired a babysitter so that I could attend a preschool meeting. I'm the Parent Chair of the Board so I generally need to be at the monthly meetings. However, Greg is away on business, thus the hiring of the neighbor girl Dana.

As I began to leave the house, Cate started wailing about me leaving her. Amidst the weeping and tugging on my leg, I literally pried her from my body and assured Dana that things will be fine in a few minutes after Cate calms down but that I have to leave. I am about to jump in the car, when I hear Christopher yell out, "Mom come back! Cate is sick!" I run back to the house to discover Cate vomiting up the Halloween chocolate bar I let her have for dessert.

We may have completely freaked out the babysitter forever at this point -- we moms are used to puke and other ungodly things coming from all orifices of our children, but only the most experienced teenage babysitters treat these things with aplomb. Of course, Cate selected the stairs to vomit on, as well -- the only spot in the entire house with carpet. Good bye babysitter and preschool meeting -- hello another night at home.

I truly don't think that she's sick -- I think she just didn't want me to leave and the vomit was from the intensity of her cries. But it is beginning to feel like a conspiracy considering the last two times I've tried to leave the kids with a sitter I've had to send the babysitter home early with sick kids. I am beginning I may never leave the house without kids again until they turn 18!