Meet Joel Miller, III.
I had the opportunity to "borrow" this young man for a day in an attempt to see what it is like to be a parent. He is such a wonderful child. He is a little over 2 years old and is full of energy and quite the hand full. I was very nervous going into it because granted I have a niece and nephew, I truly have very little experience with small children. When my nephew was little, I was around 11 or 12 so of course I treated him like baby doll and there was only so much I was allowed to do. My niece came along while I was in college so I really wasn't around her much either. Granted I know how to change diapers and all that good stuff, I'm just really nervous when it comes to little ones. I actually left him home with Kevin for about 2 hours. During that time Kevin allowed Joel to eat a bunch of grapes which resulted in Kevin having to change his very first diaper! I only wish I was there to witness all of this.
Joel and I had a wonderful time hanging out all day. He really kept me busy and I was able to learn a lot about being a parent and all of the responsibilities that come along with it. I think the biggest lesson learned was the effect a child has on your ability to get up and go! It really blew my mind seeing how long it took me to get out of the door with Joel. Having to remember to fill up a sippy cup, pack a diaper bag, make sure he has a fresh diaper, pack his favorite toy and properly secure him in the car seat really takes time! I was also able to see how it could be with Kevin being at work on most weekends and me being home as the primary caregiver. It is challenging but I'm glad that I'm having the opportunity to "test drive" parenthood before we head down the path for real!
** This is an old entry that just got around to finishing! I have actually "borrowed" Joel several times since this date. (March 3, 2009)
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