Am I Ready For This?

I would have blogged yesterday. In fact, I fully intended to. But sometimes life simply gets in the way. That's what happened to me. Wednesday evening I got a call from the male half of a couple we are friends with. He started the conversation with, "You know how we were talking about trading babysitting favors...?" It went downhill from there. Their daycare provider had some sort of medical situation and was going to be closed Thursday. Neither he or his wife could take the day off of work and they couldn't find anyone else able to keep their 5 year old daughter. What do you say to that? Of course I said yes.
Now I have to say that my main concern was keeping her occupied. She's an active 5 year old who is used to having a million exciting things to do...ride her pony, drive her go cart, play on her ridiculously nice playground, etc. Here I have sidewalk chalk, toddler toys, and an 87 pound dog. I was thinking that didn't much compare. It turns out I was right.
The poor girl...She started asking if it was time for lunch at 8:30. She was (by her own admission) bored. It seemed as if the time crept by. I am certain that she was immensely relieved when her mother came at 2:30 to get her. I felt so bad for her because I couldn't figure out how to entertain her and she seemed to need continual attention. I'm just not used to that. Of course, I've not spent much time around a 5 year old before either...
By the time she left I was exhausted. Lets face it, I had chased around a toddler and kindergartner for 8 hours by then. I don't care how fit you may be, that's tough. Aside from that, half of my energy is going to running my factory. Lets face it, I'm a one woman assembly line. I'm building a baby-from scratch! That takes some hard work. And at the end of the day I began to wonder if I really had any idea whatsoever what I am getting into. I've been told that two children are much more than twice the work of one. But honestly, I don't care. I want another child, but more than that, I don't want the one I have to be an only child. So I will store up my patience and remind myself that I will love this alien in my belly as much as I love my daughter and all the inconveniences and hardships will be well worth it.