annoyed

I am annoyed tonight. About a week and a half ago, this little six year old girl Charlene started playing at our house in the evenings. Our neighbors across the street have a basement apartment and I thought she'd moved in there, but Michelle says she doesn't live there but just visits a lot. (And Michelle probably knows what she's talking about.) Anyway, about a week ago, Michelle's two wheel bike vanished and Michelle said this Charlene took it. I told her to tell me the next time she saw the girl and I would talk to her and get it back. Well, a few days ago (Saturday, I think) she came running and said Charlene was there. I went outside to talk to her and Charlene was pulling Michelle's bike out of her car! That made me a little upset, but she gave Michelle the bike back and I let it go.

Then Monday I came home from work and Charlene was playing at our house. No big deal. The kids were in the back yard and I was in the kitchen doing dishes, watching out the window. Charlene's mom came over (who I'd never met) and I could hear her talking loudly. So I went outside to see what was happening. She complained that she needed to leave and that Charlene didn't want to come. Then she asked me if I could watch her daughter for about 3 hours. It was a little after six, and I said no, my kids needed to be in bed in less than 3 hours. Then she said she could be back in two hours and would I please let Charlene just stay and play until then. I said yes. It wasn't that big of a deal, really. I don't mind having other kids over to play, but I barely know this little girl and I don't know the mom at all. I thought it was awfully strange that she would willingly leave her daughter with a stranger. I mean letting her play at my house when she's just across the street is one thing, but to just leave and not know my name or phone number or anything about me seemed odd. I also felt like telling her that she was the mom and if they needed to go, then she should just tell her daughter it was time to go and make her go. I mean, I know it's not always that easy, but who's the parent here? Plus, I had worked all day and was tired and I'm a week away (about) from having a baby. It seemed all together odd and not very polite to expect a stranger to watch her child. I should probably have said no, and did try, but she was pretty insistent and I am not that great at saying no.

Then today when we got home after work, Michelle's bike was across the street. Now Michelle isn't always great at putting her bikes/trikes away after using them, but her bike was up on our carport when I left for work this morning. Michelle went and got it and brought it home. Then about half an hour ago, I was in the living room and happened to glance out the window. Charlene was wheeling Michelle's bike down our driveway and about to cross the street. I opened the window and told her that is Michelle's bike. I told her that she can play with Michelle's toys when Michelle is outside playing with her but that she can't just come and take Michelle's bike or other things or play in our yard if we aren't home or aren't outside. Then I happened to notice that her mom was sitting there in the yard, watching her. I'm annoyed with the little girl but even more annoyed with the mother. Who lets their child take someone else's bike home with them for several days? My next door neighbor's daughter will occassionally ride Michelle's trike when we aren't outside, but we know them really well AND they always put it back.

I'm going to be more conscientious about making sure Michelle puts her stuff away, but since we don't have a garage, being put away just entails putting them at the top of our carport behind our cars. So during the day when we're gone, they are still visible. We've never had any problems EVER with things being taken before. Arggh!