A Long Flight
It had been hours of worry and panic, but the plane finally landed, and she could switch on her phone again. The distinct beep she's been waiting to hear finally came through as a small preview of an image flashed onto her screen.
At first, she didn't think much of it- she was just happy that she got a response- but then she looked again, and the sight knotted her stomach. What she had seen in the picture was enough to triple the panic she'd felt for all the hours she was on the plane.
Ups And Downs Of Having Kids
Every parent knows how crucial it is to find the right babysitter. It has to be someone capable who can be trusted. But parents also know that there is a lot of stress when last-minute plans pop up or fall through because their go-to sitters could end up being unavailable.
It's usually a very stressful time that no one enjoys, especially not when their plans can't get cancelled. Single mom Claudia Sorhaindo luckily never experienced that, but that changed on one very important day.
Getting Promoted
It all started with Claudia getting a job promotion. It was an amazing opportunity that would help her grow in her career and allow her to give her daughter, Ava, a better future.
Claudia was looking forward to all her new position had to offer but she didn't know they would be starting so soon. She got a phone call and the information she received instantly had her in a panic.
Finding A Babysitter
Being a single parent wasn't easy, but it got even harder when she found out that she'd not only have to fly out but that she'd have to spend the entire weekend away from home. She'd have to leave her baby girl back- something she had never done before.
She tried calling all her usual babysitters, but luck wasn't on her side. All of her go to sitters were busy so she tried the family members she trusted most. She had no luck until her phone beeped again.
No Other Choice
The message she received from her sister had her frowning at the phone. It said, “J’Ann says she can do it,” but that was not what Claudia wanted to hear. Her niece was only 15 years old, and she had certain habits that Claudia wasn't very fond of.
J'Ann might have been an option for a few hours one evening but the idea of her watching the baby for an entire weekend had Claudia's stomach in knots. She glanced over at her itinerary. She didn't have much of a choice, did she?
An Overprotective Mom
Claudia's family understood that she was an overprotective mom, and they could imagine how she felt. She did lose 3-month-old, Jenelle, due to a medication mix-up at the hospital, after all.
Those were some of the darkest days of her life. So they understood why J'Ann wasn't her number one choice, but her sister promised that everything would be fine. Her precious baby would be in good hands.
Accepting The Offer
“Alright,” Claudia replied before she ran to pack. Throughout it all, she was holding her daughter close. She wasn't even out the door yet, but she was already missing her little angel terribly. The next day her niece arrived looking bright and excited.
She gave her aunt a swift kiss on the cheek and went straight to the baby. She squealed as she hugged her and so far, things were going well. But they weren't even on the to-do list yet and J'Ann was already on her phone snapping photos.
The Long List Of Instructions
Claudia took the girl's phone away and said, “Let’s start with feeding.” She then went through the list of instructions she had drawn up and through all the necessary emergency phone numbers.
J'Ann listened with a big smile and then said, “Don’t worry. I’ll give you lots of updates.” Claudia couldn't begin to imagine that one of those updates would shake her to the core.
Time To Leave
Even though Claudia wasn't ready to leave, she couldn't stall any longer. She kissed her daughter on the cheek and tried to hold back the tears that were welling in her eyes. She had never been away from Ava like this before and it was already hurting.
All through her taxi ride and her wait in the airport lounge she kept texting her niece to make sure everything was fine. J'Ann was keeping her in the loop until her last message- which went unanswered.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Claudia's knuckles went white with the iron grip she had on her phone. She was hoping to see new updates before she boarded, but nothing had come in yet. Once on the plane, she ignored the recording to turn off all devices, hoping for one final text.
But then the flight attendant came directly to her and asked her to switch it off. With a heavy heart she pressed the button. Her flight would only last a few hours. What could possibly go wrong in that time?
An Agonizing Flight
No amount of deep breathing, in-flight entertainment, or positive thinking helped the mom get through the agonizing flight. The worst part was the landing and moving towards the gate so they could get off.
“I’m not waiting anymore,” Claudia thought and turned on her phone. A new message – finally! It was a picture. Claudia squinted at the fuzzy pink mass.
She’s Making A Sandwich
The caption read, “I was making a sandwich,” but it was the photo that sent her into a frantic spin. The tiny thumbnail showed her daughter covered in a pink blanket, but her legs looked deformed and swollen to twice their size.
“What happened?!” Claudia texted back in all caps. She had to force herself to rewrite the message in a normal case. She called J’Ann’s cell. No answer.
Her Calls Aren’t Going Through
Claudia dialed again. Nothing. Her heart beat through her chest, and terrifying images flew through her mind. For a person who was always on her phone, how could her niece not answer her call now?
She was hundreds of miles away and helpless. She could call only one number and pray they got there in time. Claudia hit 911. She frantically gave the details through her tears.
Give Her Space
Others on the plane noticed something was happening. Claudia cried. She needed to get off the plane quickly. The passengers parted, and she ran off the plane.
It wasn’t until she reached the security line did she look at her phone again. This time the image was loaded and clear. She slumped against the wall.
Seeing It Clearly
“You’ve got to be joking,” she muttered, staring at the truth. There was no deformity and no swelling. There sat Ava, happy and content within J’Ann’s pink stretch pants like a baby kangaroo in a momma’s pouch.
“What’s going on?” Claudia typed. Her mind couldn’t place what she was looking at and what she thought she had seen earlier.
She Answers
The answer made Claudia turn red with embarrassment. The young girl had wanted to make a sandwich but didn’t want to leave the baby alone even for a second.
She also couldn’t find the baby holster, so she improvised. The photo was just proof to show how the 2-month-old was perfectly safe. The story then took another interesting turn.
The Truth
Claudia took to social media. “So… I asked my niece to babysit Baby Ava… later, I received a text saying that J’Ann wanted to make a sandwich but didn’t want to let baby Ava out of her sight.
Lord, send help because this was her solution-creativity at its finest.” She detailed her niece’s ingenuity, not knowing the post would explode.
Going Viral
It was shared more than 300,000 times and received just as many likes and comments. People chimed in on how they wished they had thought of that with their own babies.
“Brilliant! I carried my babies around on my hip in the ’70s. I wish I had thought of this!” It also gave J’Ann a potentially lucrative idea.
The Idea
The new business idea would be called J’Pants. There were even ideas on being able to convert maternity pants for extended use.
Everyone loved the idea, and J’Ann already had a huge supporter – Claudia. The grateful mom went as far as starting a Go Fund Me page so the business idea could get a boost.
Bringing The Family Closer
Pledges have slowly trickled in. However, regardless of the financial outcome, the family has something more valuable – Claudia has another trusted babysitter, the family is closer than ever, and they have an amusing story to tell for years to come.
But Claudia’s story isn’t the only one of its kind. In Boston, Massachusetts, a similar incident occurred, leaving a poor momma in tears as she helplessly watched what the babysitter was doing to her son.
Marie Jackson
Marie Jackson was your average single mom living in Boston with the apple of her eye, one-year-old Cameron. Marie loved her son to the moon and back and would do anything for him.
But although she wanted to spend each hour of her day with him, the realities of being a grown-up soon caught up with her.
Her Job
Marie worked a personal assistant job for a high-profile acquisitions editor in her city. The job was perfect for her as it rarely took her away from her little angel.
Marie had been clocking in at 9 AM and working through the day before leaving at 4 PM. But this changed after she had her baby boy.
Maternity Leave
With Cameron's birth came a paid maternity leave for Marie–a period where she could enjoy her time with her son as any mom should.
But as Cameron turned one, Marie knew she needed to return to work or end up with no means of providing for her boy. She had no clue what she was about to step into.
Finding A Nanny
Marie geared up to return to work, finding an affordable nanny for her little angel. With everything set, she showed the nanny her baby's day-to-day routine, kissed Cameron goodbye, and drove to work.
But she wasn't even gone for half the morning when her phone beeped. She quickly snagged it off her desk. What she saw shriveled her insides.
Everything's Okay
While preparing for her dreaded return to work, Marie had gone to extents to ensure she'd know everything Cameron was going through while she was at work.
She'd installed discrete baby cams all over the house, connecting them straight to her cellphone. What those cameras would show her would be too much for her to handle.
A Notification
It was midmorning when Marie's phone pinged with a notification. The baby cameras had picked up something she needed to see. But the message came at the worst moment.
Marie was in the middle of a briefing between her boss and a few higher-ups from their agency. The meeting was important, but so was Cameron.
Leaving The Meeting
Excusing herself, Marie whispered to her boss that she had an emergency at home. Her boss gave her a quick nod, telling the rest of the attendees that something had come up and her assistant needed to tend to it.
Marie wasn't even out of the office when she clicked the notification. What she saw beat all air from her lungs.
Unsavory Individuals
Marie had always heard about nannies who didn't treat kids right. She'd watched several news bulletins about such unsavory individuals facing jail time after parents pressed charges.
Would Marie fall under that number? She loved Cameron with everything within her and wouldn't let a single soul on heaven, hell, or earth harm him. Not knowing what to expect, she logged into the beeping camera.
What Is She Doing?
The feed showed the nanny, Ursula, dressed in bright colors, in the living room with baby Cameron lying on the couch. Music was playing on the tv, and she had laid Cameron's snacks on the table.
Marie's heart began thumping as she realized what was happening. Ursula started dancing, and out of nowhere, the unexpected happened.
Watch It Live
Cameron giggled where he lay. He came up and started bouncing to the music's tune, and seeing his reaction, Ursula picked him up.
They began dancing all over the living room, with Cameron laughing in the cutest way possible. Marie had never seen him embody such prolonged joy. She shook and shed tears as she watched, knowing one thing: she'd made the right decision when choosing Ursula.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.