Christmas Eve

It's here, Christmas Eve! When I was a little girl, I LIVED for this day. Even in my teen years, Christmas was what I lived for, year-round.
I'm not trying to sound like I was a very spiritual person, but in all honesty, it wasn't about the gifts. I always basked in the overall joy Christmas brings with it. The hustle and bustle, the toy drives, the special, Christ-centered songs (though I enjoy plenty of the more "secular" carols as well!), the family-friendly Christmas movies, the rush on Christmas Eve, the family time, the magical peace on Christmas morning before anyone woke up...I loved it all!
I used to keep a diary of every day of the Christmas season and make a countdown calendar. It was the highlight of my year.
The last couple years have been somehow different. I think I've been too busy to truly just sit down and enjoy it. I've hardly watched any Christmas movies even. This year especially has been rough, with sickness added onto the hectic work schedule.
However, startig yesterday, I felt like I was finally getting it all back. I couldn't even sleep last night, I was so wound up. And I realized what brought it back: giving.
Our pastor has had an emphasis on having a "special" Christmas this year, encouraging the members to not focus on gifts, etc, but to focus on Christ, which is a good message in and of itself. But in his efforts to de-emphasize gifts, I truly feel he skipped over one of the most important aspects of Christmas, which IS giving. There are so many hurting people out there, many of which (for better or worse) DO associate Christmas with mere gifts and giving. We can reach so many people if we give just a little. It doesn't have to be toys or money or gifts even. If we just share ourselves, our love, maybe even our homes, it could make all the difference. As a little girl I always believed Christmas could be the key to restoring faith, even if I didn't think of it in those words. The last few years I think I've doubted that, that I became bogged down with work and life and cynicism.
But this year, I have decided to throw myself into showing God's love to one family in particular. My family has gotten onboard too, even my grandfather. We are mainly reaching out to the children, but hope to touch the adults too. My life verse is Jude 22: And of some have compassion, making a difference. To me that verse is a promise: your compassion makes a difference. It is also a warning: without compassion, you may not make a difference. In so many ways, this verse embodies the Christmas spirit we should have towards others.
I don't say this to brag, merely to encourage others to have faith. I truly believe one day we will find out we DID make a difference, but there have been times I wondered about it. But this Christmas I am choosing to believe that God can use what I do, not because I did it all in my own power, but because He has promised to do it!
Merry Christmas, everybody!

Communication

Communication is something I am not always good at. I do well as far as general communication about day-to-day things, but when it comes to my feelings, I am a very clammed-up person, except at the WRONG times.

We had a small problem this week that basically came down to major differences in communication. I won't go into detail, but her mom said something in an offensive way (even though she didn't mean it entirely the way it sounded, she did admit it may not have been the best way to say it), I reacted wrongly, and we were forced to deal with it. But we're cool now, and even in the middle of everything, there were no hard feelings.

That's the thing with this job: the good news is, you can become like a family. The bad news is, you become like a family. One thing that came up in our discussion is that it seems like we are ALWAYS together. Even when we are separated for most of the day, we remain in close contact and I am dealing with their life, so they are very much present. As such, we get comfortable with each other, take each other for granted, and get sick of the sight of each other's faces. We're all on the same schedule so we all get tired and snappy at the same time.

But, like a family, we work it out. This is a bit of a problem with me since I haven't communicated with my parents until things got out of hand. I tend to do the same thing here. I'm working on it. Otherwise, everything has been good this week. I threw a party for some friends last night, and my girls came (looking cute and completely well-behaved!). Emi walked a full 3 1/2 steps to me last night! I think by Christmas she'll be everywhere!

Emi, me, and Rachel at the party

Their very first viewing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas". Emi wanted to be just like Camila with her popcorn so she has a bowl of Puffs. :)

Best. Santa picture. EVER.

Photos & Update

I don't have a lot of time today, but I know it's been a few weeks since I posted. We have all been busy as usual! We had great (separate) Thanksgivings, and are currently huddled in the house during a cold, rainy day. (It was 80 degrees this morning, down to 50 now, with lots of wind and rain.)

We are still doing well, everybody growing up. Emi is still not walking, but has the control to squat, pick something up, and stand back up! I doubt we'll make it to Christmas before she walks. Camila is becoming a very dramatic storyteller. She saw the beginning of the Disney movie Tarzan yesterday, and as soon as her mom came home, she ran up to tell her about the leopard trying to get the baby, but the gorilla saved him and took him to her family, but then the big gorilla was really loud and scared the baby, but the other gorilla sang to him and he was okay. Her mother, having never seen the movie, just stared at her until I explained it.

I took them to church again Sunday and they both made it through the service, awake this time! Emi made a little noise a couple times, but my church is very laidback in that way. There were 3 or 4 babies under a year in the service, although a couple had to be taken to the nursery. We sat in the very back and she didn't disturb anybody. Camila did AMAZING, looking at the books I had brought and coloring quietly with her crayons.

She finally is getting to where she remembers my parents in between seeing them, so she will talk to them more now, which they LOVE. These people can not wait for grandchildren; neither can my brothers. My 15-year-old brother informed me that he was disappointed: he wanted to be an uncle by 16. I'm NOT going to make the deadline!

Here are a few pictures:

Thanksgiving picture


All dressed up for church


This is the same picture...but I can't figure out how to delete it.


Emi ready for church

Memory Lane

Work is pretty much work this week. Two 11-hour days in a row, but I have to say it's not all that bad except for I come home too tired to do much in my own life. Me and the girls have a good time, though. The one thing that saddens me is that they may not ever remember these days. But I will.
This weekend started me on the subject of memories. Friday night my family received a last-minute invitation to a Harvest Fun Night at the home of some old friends.
When I say "old friends", I mean I was 15 months when we met them. Until we moved when I was 7 years old, we were practically family in many ways. They had 6 children as well (though we only had 4 when we moved), 5 boys and 1 girl. The girl is about 6 years older than me; I played with the boys. They have a large piece of land in the country and as small children we could roam and play in a safe environment. We went to church together, played together, and grew up together for a time. I even had one all picked out to marry when I was 6! (Although supposedly, according to our mothers, he and his brother fought over me. Too bad they never asked me!)
We moved when I was seven, and didn't come back until I was nearly 16. We didn't see each other for a few years after that. Over the passing of time, our families had grown apart. But in the last year or two, things have changed a bit. Our parents have reconnected in a lot of ways, and one of the sons and I have talked at church a few times. (Note: he's not the one I planned to marry; he's older than us, so wasn't interested at that point in time.)
I was so excited when my mom told me we were going. They have been doing Harvest Fun Night since before I was born. Some of my earliest memories consist of bobbing for apples, the hayride (always my favorite), and the bonfire. I even remember sitting in my carseat on the way home, sneaking a pack of Smarties from my goodie bag without my mom hearing me.
In so many ways, it was just the same that night. It was almost magical. It was the perfect fall night, complete with clear sky and twinkling stars. The moon wasn't full, but at just over half, it kept the night from ever being dark. The games were the same ones I remembered playing, the parents treated me as one of their own, just like they always have.
But the differences were astounding in their own way. I had seen them all at church one time months back, but seeing them there, where I remembered them as children, it hit me all over again. We've all grown up. Since none of them read this blog, I feel safe saying I had excellent taste as a child: my designated husband grew into a good looking man. I do have to say I didn't feel half as interested as I did back then. (His natural bossiness isn't a good mix with my personality.) But to see him driving the tractor for the hayride when I remember sitting on that trailer next to him at 3, 4, 5 years old...it was surreal.
His sister and I played together as children, but since she was so much older, she was more like a babysitter. Not so anymore; we chatted and laughed as friends, on an equal level. The baby of the family, only 2 when we left, also drove a tractor for the hayride. Their oldest brother doesn't even live here anymore, he is a missionary in Honduras with his wife and 2 children of his own.
In so many ways, it was a comforting thing. In the midst of all the craziness in the world, here are two families with a combined total of 12 children, together after 14 years of separation, and we are all okay. Have we had rough waters in life? Yes. But the parents have stayed committed to raising their children for God, even when the going gets tough. The children, aged 29 to 11, are all serving God in their lives, and no one has succumbed to drugs or alcohol, or even the simple lure of the world. And most amazingly, after 14 years, we can still all come together and love and support each other and share memories. It was almost like a miniature miracle.

Life Goes On

So we are all back from vacation this week, and we've all had some trouble getting back to real life. However, it has been an easier transition than it could have been. I was back at work on Monday but their parents were off all day Monday and their dad was off most of the day Tuesday (their mother only worked half a day) so my days were slightly shorter and the girls got to see them off and on throughout the day.
Camila wasn't happy about going back to "school" on Tuesday, but lucky for both of us, it's closed today for Veteran's Day. We went on a Petsmart/Booksamillion trip this morning.

It's almost scary how quickly they're growing up. Emi has 3 teeth and is desperately trying to cut 2 or 3 more at once. She can stand on her own for probably a good 30 seconds, but is suddenly hesitant to take steps. (She does NOT like to fall.) She tries to sing in the car and waves "hi" more than "goodbye". She even says "Hiiiiii" sometimes, always long and drawn out like that.

Camila's vocabulary continues to explode. She called me on vacation and told me in clear, full sentences all about her trip and what she was seeing and doing. She sounded like an older child, no longer the tiny baby-voice I heard on vacations past.

When we got back we talked about our trips. She told me she fed cows. "Cool." I decided to insert an educational moment. "Did you know milk comes from cows?"

She laughed. "No!" She thought I was joking with her!

"No, it really does, I'm serious."

She laughed and shook her head. "Silly Baba!"

Then we talked about my trip. "Baba, you saw your friend Emily?"

"Yes, I did."

"And your grandma?"

"Yep."

Our new obsession is names: "What's your grandma's name?"

"Oh, I just call her Grandma."

(Sigh) "No. What's your grandma's NAME?"

Too smart for her own good. I think I was 7 or 8 years old before I realized grandmas have names too.

Yesterday we made brownies. She took the box from me and studied the back. "Hmmm. We need one egg!" Sure enough, we needed one egg! She had "read" the picture with the instructions.

Later, I asked if she had to go to the bathroom. She said no. "Are you sure?"

Her annoyed expression said it all, but she added, "I'm positive."

I cracked up. She probably picked it up from her dad, but I had never heard her say it before.
Her mother has slowly loosened up and let my friends be a little more involved with her. (Mainly after she discovered some of them babysit and it may therefore be beneficial for the girls to be familiar with them.) So Rachel came over yesterday because she had a Toy Story poster for them to paint.

They had a BLAST. Camila was hamming it up all over the place, making faces and noises and giggling. They painted the poster, built a puzzle, ate brownies, and Rachel taught her "What does the elephant say? Roll Tide!" Camila has no idea why this is funny but likes the reaction it gets so she has been saying it for people. (I am not a football fan in the least, so I have no preference.)

So overall, we have had a good week so far!

The only time they're both smiling in a picture is when they're looking at each other. It's annoying, but sweet at the same time.

The girl LOVES chocolate!

Blessed with Friends

I am on vacation yet again! I know it seems like I just did that, but remember that I get very few days off in between. This time I am on a Wisconsin-Savannah-Atlanta trip, visiting friends and family.
My girls are all well, though I haven't heard much from them this week. Their mother gets poor reception at their grandparents' house. That's why I'm on vacation; I had a week off work anyway, and I do try to do my traveling when they do theirs.
So far it has turned out to be a good time of year for it, though. Wisconsin wasn't very cold at all, nowhere near the Arctic I was kind of expecting. :) Savannah, though overcast, greeted me with pleasant temperatures as well. At least it feels like fall!
One thing that has been on my mind lately has only been confirmed on this trip. I have some amazing friends! I complain because they all live in different places or don't go to my church, or whatever I feel like complaining about on that day, but I really shouldn't. I am blessed with a wide variety of friends, each playing a different role in my life. I have old friends, young friends, married friends, single friends, mommy friends, Christian friends, Jewish friends, northern friends, southern friends, friends that like to travel, friends that don't, friends that write, friends that don't...the list goes on and on. I have varying degrees of closeness with these friends, but I would count them friends nonetheless.
I'm not trying to brag or be like "look at me, I'm so popular!" But it has been pointed out to me that not everyone has these resources. And that's really what they are: I learn so much from these different people. Even the ones I know that aren't Christians make me think and stay on top of knowing what I believe. And if my parents only knew the stupid arguments a certain friend has talked me out of when I was throwing an attitude. I think God placed her in my life to save me from an early death! (Just kidding by the way...as much as they may want to, my parents would never kill me.)
Thanksgiving is coming up, so thanking God will soon be on everyone's minds. But I think I owe God several years of thanks for all His blessings of friends. And to all my friends, everywhere, THANK YOU! I shall try to be a better friend to many of you!

Whoa that's crazy, dude!

When that exact sentence left Camila's mouth last week, I stared at her. Then I laughed. I have no idea where she picked it up, possibly at school (since her father insists it was not him).

She has been doing all kinds of crazy things lately, but they make me laugh. Last week I laid her down for her nap but a few minutes later heard her calling me. I went to go see what's wrong, only to be solemnly informed, "My toes aren't working."

I repeated it to be sure I heard correctly. "Uh-huh! Baba, you fix it?"

They looked okay to me. "Can you wiggle them?" She did. So she could move them. I inspected each individual toe, wiggling them and feeling for any abnormalities. I found one little spot on her big toe that looked like maybe an ant had bitten her. I pressed it lightly. "Does that hurt?"

She thought a minute. "Yes." I pressed it again. She said "Ow" but it was in a monotone. She was just stalling.

"There, I fixed it. Go ahead and go to sleep." She rolled over and snuggled with her cow, the problem apparently solved.

She has also discovered what is is to LOVE something. We're reading a book and mention chocolate cake: "Yum yum, I LOVE chocolate cake!" We're walking and we see some clouds: "CLOUDS! I LOVE clouds!" We're in the store and we walk by the balloons. "Oooh I LOVE balloons!"

Her imagination cracks me up. Monday on the way home from the grocery store, she was cradling her Clifford cup of juice and saying, "Aw, it's okay!"

"Is Clifford scared?"

She nodded, then tacked on an emphatic "YES."

"What's Clifford scared of?"

She sighed. "CATS."

I laughed. Where does she come up with this stuff? "Doesn't Clifford know he's a big red dog and the cats are probably afraid of him?"

She laughed too, and shook her head. "Silly Clifford!"

Such a mess, but so cute!

Emi will be 8 months on Monday and has not only figured out how to crawl on all fours (as opposed to her lunge/scoot method), but is trying to take steps! It seems so unfair that she be walking for her first Christmas, but I'm pretty sure it will be that way. We have to drop the crib down a few pegs today. I heard a noise when she was supposed to be taking a nap, so I tried to peek in the door. I came face to face with her, standing at the end of the bed and grinning ear to ear. I don't think I'm ready for this!

Swinging in the backyard with a friend last month.

One of our first cool mornings! We had a cardigan and tights!

Fall is here!

WE NEEDED JACKETS TODAY! Seriously, do you know how nice that was? By the afternoon it warmed up to high 70s, maybe 80, but this morning was windy and a little nippy! Maybe fall is coming after all.
October and I have a love/hate relationship. It seems like everything goes wrong in October, and traditionally it has not been a good month in my family. It often feels like the air is heavy and depression runs high. I hate October 31 and I know a lot of people will think I'm crazy, but I feel like a lot of the emotional issues are more due to spiritual oppression. It has been documented that there is increased demonic activity around that day.
Yet...I love October. I love the way the air finally cools, the fair comes to town, we are rapidly moving toward the holiday season. It was October when I quit the daycare and started being a nanny, so it now brings memories of going on my interviews on cool fall days with my windows open. I remember meeting Camila for the first time when she was 6 weeks old. I remember getting the call that I got the job. There are a lot of good memories in October too!
I have had a very busy couple of weeks, but not all bad. I got to go to the beach for a whole weekend with girlfriends a couple weeks ago, and apparently I have needed a tan all summer. So many people have commented on how flattering a little color is on me. This past week was WILD, a lot of hours, but we had fun! However, I am trying to find ways to get my own life a little more under control. Saturday I had agreed to babysit for a friend who had to cancel, so instead I got my car under control. I got the oil changed (it was only 2000 miles overdue), went to the car wash, vaccuumed it out. It was like a whole new car!
I still want to get my room cleaned and rearranged, and would like to have it done before my vacation at the end of the month. Can I do it? Maybe. I'm going to try. It would be reallllly nice to have a cozy little living space to come home to, even if I just fall into bed and go to sleep. It would lower my stress levels, that's for sure.
We shall see!

They Make Me Smile

We have made it through another week! This one was somewhat traumatic at times. The dog was on the brink of death for a couple days. This dog has been a part of the family since even before Mommy met Daddy; he was the first child. He is now the cantankerous fixture of the house that both girls ADORE. Everyone's heart broke to think of him going.

When they found out he had a bowel obstruction (second time this has happened, by the way), they opted to have surgery and while he is not home yet, he IS recovering nicely.

Monday was our first day trying the "big girl" gymnastics class. I am probably bragging but I was SO proud of how well Camila did. She is behind in skill level, obviously since she has only been taking it six weeks and in the baby class they don't do a lot of actual tumbling. The teacher had to remind her to sit down and wait her turn a couple times since she is used to more free play than "class", but she obeyed well and paid attention. She listened better than some of the children that were close to four! Since she liked it and the teacher voted to keep her in it, we are officially signed up for that class.

Mom's Day Out is going quite a bit better. She insists on wearing these hideous bright orange sunglasses that came in a pack of swimmy diapers forever ago. They SAY "Little Swimmers" on the bridge of the nose. But for two weeks now she has to find them before we leave and she wears them all the way into the classroom. She also takes Pluto along as a comfort object and now we are down to barely-there tears at drop off. (More than I would like, but I just have to deal with it.) She is bonding with her teachers more, which is helping, and I am also getting to know them better which helps my comfort level. They seem very hands-on and kind, and the older one assured me that she (unlike a LOT of daycare providers) would tell me if Camila was not adjusting and should maybe wait a little longer because she doesn't like to see the kids unhappy. But she said that Camila is opening up a lot and actually playing with the other kids and participating in music classes and not crying during the day. The last three times they said she has done very well.

Emi is still determined to learn to walk, but has not quite made it yet. I dreamed last night that she just got up off the floor and walked past me before I knew what was happening. There is a scary-real chance that it just might happen that way! She is talking more and more...there are a few times I was certain she said "yeah" and "hi" this week, as well as continuing her "Baba baba" practices. She babbles constantly and is in love with her sippy cup/the water inside the sippy cup.

I heard a song during Camila's gymnastics class (there was a radio playing softly in the background). I don't know anything really about the song or the artist, so I can't promote it, but a few phrases caught my ear. It sounded like more of a love song but was talking about "you make me smile", and all the crazy things the guy would do for this girl, but it reminded me more of children and how they make us smile and all the crazy things we do for them (dance like a fool, for instance). They really do. I'd do more for those girls than probably anyone else in the world. Even on the roughest of rough days, they do silly, funny, cute little things to make me smile.

And other times, they don't have to do anything. Yesterday after MDO I gave Camila a shower and dressed her in comfy clothes for nap then the three of us settled on the couch with a book. I read story after story and in between Camila would just snuggle in my lap. I'd ask her, "Ready to lay down?" She snuggled closer and would say, "No! One more?" Emi alternated between cuddling on the other side of me and playing happily on the floor. We read for over half an hour, the perfect quiet time. It was the very definition of contentment. (I did finally force myself to put them to bed but it was hard. I miss her SOOO much when she's gone all morning.)

I can't wait till I have my own kids that I don't have to send away for 8 hours a week at such a young age! I know I wouldn't be able to stand it. (Although I manage to keep Camila down closer to 6 hours a week by dropping her off a little later and picking her up a little early.)

Here are a few good pictures I got this week:

One of my favorite sister pictures yet. I just wish you could see a little more of Camila's face.

Camila is getting better at smiling on demand. It's a little "grimace-y" still but coming along.

A spontaneous hug from Camila. I think Emi was worried something was up!

Munchkin News

Okay, wow, we've had a big couple weeks!

Camila celebrated her 2nd birthday. She's so grown-up, even for 2. Today at gymnastics they did evaluations and we were recommended to move up to the 3 year old group. She takes instruction very well and can almost execute her flips by herself. She can swing over the foam pit by herself, "swing like a monkey" on the bars, and walk across the balance beam like it's nothing. She is the youngest recommended for advancement so I'm pretty proud of her. :)
The other day she went in her playhouse (that she got for her birthday) and I heard, "Where's the knife? Oh, there it is. KNIFE!" HAHA she had gotten a birthday cake 3D puzzle thing for her birthday with a cake server that she calls her knife. I think she's delighted to have a knife she is actually ALLOWED to have. But it was kind of scary!
Then I pretended to eat the whole "cake" and remembered she had gotten a doctor's kit for her birthday. "Dr. Camila, can you make my tummy feel better?"
Her compassionate reply? "No, watch Dr. Phil."
I have NEVER watched Dr. Phil or let her watch it and supposedly no one else has either. But I made that ONE passing joke, and she still remembers it over a month later. (I was turning on Mickey and when I turned the tv on, it was on a local channel and Dr. Phil was playing. "You wanna watch Dr. Phil?" It was a joke. But she said, "yeah!" and for 3 days begged to watch Dr. Phil, even though she has no clue what it is.)
Mom's Day Out is going somewhat better. She doesn't cry until I actually leave, and actually on Tuesday she didn't really cry, just whined a little bit. Her mom dropped her off Tuesday and said she cried some, but we sent Ricky (her stuffed chinchilla) and her teachers said it's the first day she actually seemed to enjoy it. (Which tells me she HASN'T been enjoying it this whole time, which is what I was TRYING to get through to certain parents who have been determined to make her go...but I'm not bitter.) Her parents have said the end of this month will be the final decision.

Emi has been growing like crazy as well. She now has two teeth and another coming in. She is scooting around the floor but is determined to walk. She managed to pull up twice now, but can't catch her balance to stand on her own. She will take steps holding fingers though...it will be soon!
She has also learned to shake her head "no" and most of the time means it! If I lay her down to change her diaper she shakes her head. If I get her ready for bed she shakes her head (and sometimes tries to throw a little fit). If you ask her any kind of question she grins and shakes her head no. So in that case, she doesn't know the difference between no and yes, but she knows it's an answer to a question.
She has also learned to say my "name", her first word! Yesterday she screamed it at me when she got mad ("BABA BABA!"), but then today, she's been saying it over and over to me, in a more conversational tone. Yesterday, whileI was talking to the cleaning lady, I looked over and her eyes were fixated on my mouth and she was moving her jaw up and down. It looked almost like she was mocking me! It was sooo funny but I'm also excited she's so interested in talking now.
My babies are so big. :( At gymnastics today, one of the moms finally asked if she was mine. I told her I was a nanny and she was floored. Then I told her I LIKED it and she about passed out. It sounds mean, but I honestly don't think she even likes her own little girl. She is definitely NOT the nanny type. (And not particularly the employer type either, although that little girl could use a nanny in her corner.)
They keep me busy, but I had a day off at the beginning of the week and came back totally refreshed. Overall, we've had a good week!

Tip #3: Commitment

This is more for anyone thinking of being a nanny than anyone who already is. Anyone who has the job now knows from experience: it's a HUGE commitment.
You are in charge of someone's child. You commit to teach good behavior both by actual teaching but also modeling it. For however many hours a week, you are basically a parent. And just like a parent, you will reap the consequences of any mistakes you make. (Only there are also two "other" parents that have to approve this parenting style!) You have to be consistent, patient, flexible, observant, and did I mention patient? Not having children of my own, I can't say if it's more frustrating to deal with other people's children or your own. But as far as I can see, there are pros and cons to both. You have total freedom with your own, and there maybe isn't as much at stake if you do mess up. But with other people's kids, you can give them back most times and if nothing else, look forward to quitting time! :)
You are also committing your time. It depends on what the parents do as to how big of a commitment is required. I work for two doctors. That means I don't have even one parent with a consistent schedule, so it can be VERY hard to make plans. In a lot of ways I got lucky that they had a second child. With the mom being off work for nine months (she took a leave of absence when she experienced problems), I was able to take two vacations and work slightly better hours (40-45). Now she is back at work. Life is awful for all of us, except maybe the kids. :)
Example: I am in day 10 of a 12-day stretch. They asked me at 6:40 Friday morning if I could go out of town with them for the weekend. I said yes; probably shouldn't have. I had casual plans with a friend and canceled, hurting her feelings, and I feel very bad about it. (When I learn how to balance commitments, I'll let you know.) But I went. So I was working alllllll weekend, till Sunday afternoon. It was nice just to get out of town, and we went to the beach. It rained most of the weekend, but we were in a condo and could look at the waves from the balcony.
But I didn't get even one tiny break to go take a walk on my own. Should I have asked for one? Probably. There is a different between total commitment and getting walked on. But going back to being positive, I didn't and I'm going to enjoy pretty much what I got. They did take us all to dinner. (A late, dressy one, and the girls did FANTASTIC! Go me!)
Then we came back and yesterday, I worked 7:15-6:40. It was a long day. But...they're doctors. They got stuck and there was no way around it. I almost didn't make visitation at church, but I ran straight there after work. I was close enough that I was only 10 minutes late, and had called to let them know. I didn't make it home till almost 9 pm because my mom needed me to stop at the store. It can be hard to run a life on the side.
So just a friendly warning...think about what you're about to do. Make sure you can handle what you're about to take on.

Personal Update

In case anyone is wondering about my life outside of work, I figured I'd give you a rundown.

I had a birthday (meaning I am now 21). It was low key for the most part, but a few friends threw me the most AWESOME surprise party EVER. (My only surprise party actually...they were trying last year but I ruined it.)

Lucky for them, I am working a lot. My average M-F week is topping 48 hours, so I have cut back on weekend work for my own sanity's sake.

I got several books for my birthday and have made time to read them, especially on those weekends I am taking off. Recently I read:

Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist--LOVED it! She's so detailed and accurate, but writes such an interesting story. I wish I could afford to go to her getaway at Biltmore, where the book is set and where you can see the actual furnishings.

Sweetwater Run and Still House Pond by Jan Watson--follow-ups to the first three Copper Brown books. For anyone that doesn't know, she was an Operation First Novel winner and her books are different from a lot of historical fiction, in a very good way.

This Fine Life by Eva Marie Everson--still working on it, so I'll have to get back to you. She was my mentor for the Journeyman course and I had promised her I would read it.

Overall I have been doing well emotionally and planned to write this yesterday, but never got a chance. Then I realized I was in a bad mood yesterday. The reason that came to mind was that this weekend, my parents wanted to marry me off to a visiting single man. Long story, but I ended up feeling pressured to like him and/or get him to like me, and rebelled and refused to talk to him at all (except for one "Good Morning"). So obviously nothing came of that one!

But I think the whole thing put me in a "down" mood. I have actually come to a place where I don't like being single, but I can live with it. It doesn't weigh on me like it used to. Then people push thoughts into my head and act like I should throw myself at single guys when they come along so I can be saved from my life of singledom and it ends up making me feel bad. I guess I almost feel like I let people down when I DON'T click with somebody, and it reminds me that I am still waiting.

But I don't want to be expecting it when it happens, not exactly. I want something natural, a friendship, an interest to develop. I don't want to lie in wait to ambush someone. Certain people (like my BROTHERS that want my room) don't seem to understand this. But like my job, it's something I'm just going to have to work hard at not letting myself be influenced easily. While I'm not really "happily single" I think I have managed to come to a place of being okay with where I'm at, of waiting more patiently than I once was at least. Now if everyone else could be just as okay with that...

Here are a couple pictures from my AMAZING party:

My very sweet friends

My new pet. I named him Ryan.

Six Months Now!

All the pictures the other day were of Camila, but Emiliana is now 6 months old and I have some GREAT pictures! More and more she loves for us to sing-song her name to her instead of simply "Emi". I wonder if she's going to insists on her full name as she gets older. Weird how early personalities come out!

For anyone wondering, the Moms Day Out saga continued today. Their mother couldn't take her, so I was stuck dropping Camila off, which really I had to do anyway because soon I will have to do it and she needs to know I'll come back. (We decided give it 4 tries and reconvene at that time.) It was SOOOO hard! As soon as I turned onto the street she started sniffling and tearing up and asking, "Baba, you come back?"

"Yes, baby, I will ALWAYS come back. You're just going to play for a little while."

We did that probably 10 times in the 2 minutes it took to get there. I turned off the car and turned around. Her face was PITIFUL. Her lip naturally pops out when she's upset (it was the CUTEST thing as a baby), and her eyes were shiny. She tried to be brave but started crying. I felt like a HORRIBLE person. I picked her up and gave her a hug and reminded her I would be back, but she was just going to play for a little while, it would be okay. She stopped crying but kept sniffling as we walked in. I got her to her classroom then she started crying again. I had to practice all my old daycare advice about giving "a quick, cheerful goodbye before they sense you're upset too", and made it out to the car.

I had told her mom I would check on her after an hour, but knew if I didn't leave the premises it would be every 10 minutes. I got a smoothie then returned to the parking lot to read and drink my smoothie.

Just as the hour was almost up, a buzzer started sounding and children and adults poured from the building. Fire drill--on the second day! I know it's necessary, but could we not give these poor kids a week to get used to things before traumatizing them??? On the bright side, the teachers did great telling the kids that this time, everything was okay but they were going to do it sometimes so if anything ever did happen, everyone would know what to do.

I heard all this loud and clear because when children started coming out I leaped into the back of my van and laid on the floor so if Camila came out she wouldn't see me. I was already in trouble if she saw the car but if she saw me it was over with. Thankfully her classroom is toward the back of the building so they used another exit and meeting area. I felt like a freak crouching on the floor of the van, though, with teachers walking back and forth. I was just waiting for someone to call the cops about the stalker in the parking lot.

Anyway, I gave her 10 minutes to calm down then peeked through her (door) window without letting her see me. She didn't look happy at all, but she wasn't crying. Just chewing her fingers and watching everybody. I wanted to take her home, but for the sake of sticking to our trial period, left her there.

When I picked her up, I could tell she had cried several times, but the teacher said she did better than she did the first day and is still using the potty like a big girl. Her teacher seems very nice and from what I can see is a good fit for her personality. She's approachable, but doesn't seem like she pushes herself on the kids before they're ready. Camila's first words was "Baba came back!" She repeated it all the way home. :( It breaks my heart that she has to reassure herself like that. So we'll see....

She LOVES mirrors!

I am SO proud of this picture. It's just adorable!

She is very proud of her ability to sit up by herself and is drawing her knees up under her so crawling will follow soon!

Growing Up

Obviously the past few weeks have been very busy, hence I have not had much time to write! I had WAY too much time this morning but was waiting so I could put up pictures.
Camila started her Mom's Day Out program this morning and I have been sick with dread. I really didn't feel like it was the right thing to do, and I still don't. But I worried she would panic (even though she HAS stayed in my church nursery a couple times with no issues), that she wouldn't use the potty, that the whole thing would be a traumatic experience. On the bright side, I figured they would pull her out and we could put the whole ordeal behind us till next year.

Well I forgot to factor in that for the most part, she truly is a well-adjusted, adaptable child with fairly advanced cognitive abilities. Her mother took her today and just stayed on the premises, so before she left her she stressed that "Mama is coming right back, you're just going to stay and play and have lunch."

She did cry. But she stopped. She played and listened and was nice to other kids. She even ate her lunch and used the potty not once, but MULTIPLE times. I am proud, yet disappointed. I really thought we weren't going to have to go through with this. Now I face 8 empty hours a week (I do have Emi, whom I love, but she is still an infant that takes naps often, and I just miss my girl!), not to mention all my aforementioned reasons about behaviors and sicknesses. Maybe today was a fluke...

I'm a bad nanny.

Anyway, here are some pictures from today and her new gymnastics class which she LOVES!

Dressed up and ready to go in our favorite color, purple!

We picked out a lunchbox Friday. In spite of having never seen Scooby Doo in her life, she chose him over Dora, Hello Kitty, a puppy, and an elephant!

I drew a lot of criticism from her mom for not being excited about it, but I think she was suprised when I got her a cake. I dug through all the cakes to find one with PURPLE on it, then had them write her name on it and put Toy Story rings on it since they had no Mickey Mouse.

Outside before gymnastics in her new leotard that she picked out herself. Told you she LOVES purple!

Power Pole or Princess Castle?

Camila is cracking me up every day now.

Today she begged to go to Petsmart again, so we packed up and went, having nothing better to do. She usually gets obsessed with one section of the store. Forever it was gerbils, then cats, then snakes, then we spent 10 minutes wandering the aisle of dog food...now it's kitty litter! Don't ask me why, but she will spend 5-10 minutes walking up and down and looking at the pictures on the bags and boxes of "kitty potties".

Then she asked to go to Booksamillion (which she can actually say now), which is just down the sidewalk, so we walked there. A boy of about 7 or 8 was standing on the sidewalk, waiting for his mom to get out of the car. Camila walked around him. "Scuse me, boy! Nice shoes!" A lady walked past us carrying a dog. "Aw, a dog! How sweet!" (Lately everything has been, "Aw, how sweet!")

Probably my favorite thing she has done lately is pat the big wooden pole outside (I guess it's a power pole) and say, "Princess castle!" I guess to her, it resembles the big round towers princesses are always getting themselves locked in. It's certainly a nicer way to look at it than "big ugly wooden pole".

Awesome Weekend

This is not particularly nanny-related but I think it does tie in a little. I'll explain later.

When I was a member of the Christian Writers Guild, I picked up a critique partner in Wisconsin. I honestly don't remember who started whose novel first, but I want to say she started mine then I started hers. We began to talk about things outside of writing and became friends. We exchanged emails and eventually phone numbers and have even mailed packages to each other. However, we never talked on the phone or video called on Skype. I think in a weird way, it was like it would ruin the magic.

Well this weekend, 2 1/2 years later, I actually got to meet her and her husband in person! They were down this way and came to see me. We were both a little nervous, I think, although I was bouncing-off-the-walls-excited. My summer has been soooo lame and this was the one thing I have looked forward to all season.

I don't know, maybe there was a SLIGHT initial awkwardness but it was barely there, and within minutes we were laughing and talking and I felt like I had known them for years. (Technically I have known her, but I had never met her husband, and we had never "hung out" in person.) We did some house museums, stopped for smoothies and looked at their vacation pictures, had dinner, went bowling, went to yet ANOTHER restaurant although after we got there we weren't that hungry, just hung out. Originally we were only going to see each other Saturday but they decided to come to church with me Sunday. I am SO glad because I would have been pretty much brokenhearted if I only got to see them that one day.

Church went well even though I wanted to deck somebody that made fun of Wisconsin accents when they hadn't even opened their mouth (and he sounded NOTHING like them!). They said they weren't offended, but I was embarassed that someone treated them like that. Anyway, we did lunch and an art museum and they had to leave. I got in my car and almost cried. I hadn't expected to feel like that considering she has ALWAYS lived far away and I KNEW she was only visiting, but we had SUCH a good time together. Two days later I am giggling at random times remembering some of our conversations and things we laughed about. (I would venture to say on our own we all have a good sense of humor and can be nutty, but altogether we were downright hilarious!) I have not had an entire weekend of fun pretty much since vacation.

I came into the week with such a clear head. In spite of being busy all weekend, I felt unbelievably rested and--I guess not mentally exhausted for a change. But I didn't work from the time I got off Friday night till I went to work on Monday morning and that is so rare. I even had a slower day on Sunday than I usually do in that I wasn't working with the bus kids. It was actually a FULL weekend of fun. So maybe there is a nanny lesson in that taking some time off can do you a WORLD of good if you get stressed.

Trouble in Paradise

Obviously in this job, we are not going to agree on everything. Most of the time, I just shrug it off and do things their way because nothing has been a big deal. Camila is growing into a well-behaved, well-rounded child, so I guess we're doing all right. But right now we are having the biggest disagreement I think we have ever had.
She is going to a Mom's Day Out program two days a week this fall. That means for 8 hours of the week, she will be with people we don't know and children we don't know, in situations she has never been in before. She will be doing arts and crafts and making friends and playing outside, I know. But we do that together.
Obviously, I am not really for this idea. When her mom signed her up, she was pregnant and freaking out about how we would make it with two such young children. I figured a back up plan would ease her mind and let her do it, assuming she wouldn't really go through with it once A) she saw how well we could handle two, and B) she realized how young Camila really is. She is potty trained, yes, but she isn't even two yet!
Her mom is still determined to go through with it, even though she is nervous and not sure it is the right thing to do either. She is getting frustrated that I am not coaching her through like I do most things (for example, potty training!). I finally had to confess to her how I was feeling and why I hadn't spoken up before. She was surprised at first, I think, but then interpreted it as Camila is just still my baby and I can't stand the thought of her growing up. But she now isn't expecting my support as much, so I will say open communication is the best route to take.
It's just that kids change a lot between two and three. She is going to be facing changing behaviors in other kids and won't know how to handle them. When we are with her, we can tell her the right way to react the first time. For instance she was playing with an older girl that had a toy she wanted. I could tell she wanted the toy, but wouldn't do anything about it. I finally asked her about it and suggested she ask the girl if she could have a turn with it, because I could tell the other girl didn't care that much, she just didn't know that she wanted it. Camila walked up to her and said, "My turn, please?" The girl gave her the toy and everyone was happy.
When she is by herself, she doesn't know what to do. She may get frustrated and just try to grab it away, not knowing what else to do, and then she will get in trouble for it. (As she should, because she needs to know that's not right.) If a child is picking on her, I'm afraid she'll have had enough and bite them for it. When she is four or even three, we can tell her at home, "When so-and-so does this, go tell a teacher, etc.". At two, she can't think ahead and later remember things like that. She only knows here and now.
And when she sees other kids misbehaving, I tell her "That's ugly, huh? We don't do that because we're going to be nice." At school she will not have that interference run and may decide some of this stuff would be cool to try! She is only a baby!
I also don't think she's ready mentally and emotionally. We've worked for almost two years on a trust basis, of how she could try anything because we would be right there with her. Now we're going to just dump her off with strangers? (In daycare, the 2 year old rooms were the absolute worst rooms to have new kids because they had no clue what was going on.) She won't use the potty anywhere but home, so who knows how the potty training thing is going to go there. (She's completely trained now; even in public, if she has to go, she holds it till we get home.)
It's one of those situations where I have done so much "co-parenting" that it's frustrating that no one is listening to me. They insist if she hates it they'll pull her out after a few weeks and try again later. (I still maintain she might love it, but pick up a lot of bad behaviors that we can better avoid when she is older.) For her sake, I hope she doesn't hate it, but I also want to be right. Isn't that terrible? But one more thing...Mom's Day Out was designed for poor frazzled mothers that want a couple hours for doctor's appointments and grocery shopping, not children with nannies that don't want a break from the child anyway. If we pull out, someone that really needs the spot may get it. Sooooo it's not totally selfish, right?
If anyone has anything to say that might make me feel better, I am ready to listen!

Pictures

Finally, some pictures! With potty training and Camila's anti-camera mode, it's been harder to take some and even harder to remember to upload and post them, but I think we have gotten some cuties. :)

I LOVE these colors on her!

She was having a tea party with the Wiggles.

Whereas Camila has been anti-camera, Emi has been a total ham.

I had another good one of Emi grinning but Camila looking clueless. I need to use Photoshop and transpose the heads so it LOOKS like they're both smiling...but that's dishonest.

Haha little stinker, all of 5 months old now! ( When I was little if I said "we should buy this" or "we need to" do something, my dad would ask me, "Got a mouse in your pocket?" So this outfit amuses me.)

Stinker #2 (or technically, #1). She was grinning because I pretended to flip out when she asked me something and she thought it was hilarious. She's big into the "action-reaction" concept right now.

I LOVE this! Poor baby doesn't get read to as much as Camila did but I try to tell myself Camila helps make up for it because she talks to her and interacts with her, teaching her words.

Haha her "Oh, paparazzi, how surprising you have caught me here!" face. To me it looks straight off of a tabloid. But it's cute.

Tip #2: Identity

One thing about this job that really took me by surprise: it can change your whole identity. When I was in daycare, there was still a professional air to things. I was just a person that worked in a place of childcare. I had set hours, a boss, a set paycheck, co-workers (and co-worker issues), my "class" changed constantly, so that while I got attached to kids, they were soon taken away from me. But especially after I went to an 8-hour schedule, it was a job. Nannying can become a lifestyle.
If you've read this blog much you see how much I love these girls and how involved we are in each other's lives. Tonight I'm keeping them overnight again, and it's not a big deal for any of us (except maybe thier mother, but it's more of a guilt thing than a worry thing). Most of the town thinks I have two kids. People at Petsmart, Booksamillion, grocery stores, ice cream joints, and Blockbuster often look at me strangely when I come in alone and exclaim, "Where are the kids?" Our recent potty training experience caused some of my friends to complain, "Can you talk about ANYTHING else?" I know more about breastfeeding than I ever really wanted to know. I drive a minivan. I sometimes go to bed by 8 or 9. And honestly there are a lot of times where I have no social life outside of playdates and walks with a neighborhood mom.
Whether this change is positive or negative is up to you. Some people poke fun at me (most just in sport, but some are derisive), while others think it's great. Sometimes I myself even get a little upset that I'm not having more fun. Particularly when I'm going home with the party crowd, but only because I was watching kids while parents partied. And even if I tried, I probably wouldn't have stayed awake. But later, when I've slept and am in a more rational mood, I have to laugh. Because I'm not a partier. A big night out for me is bowling, or watching a movie at Rachel's house. And if I had my way, I would be married with two kids of my own right now, not out running wild. So in a roundabout way, I'm doing what I really want to do, so what am I complaining about?
What I'm trying to say, just can't seem to condense, is that you have to make the choice to embrace these changes or not. If you can't, I would advise a different job. While I fought it and complained, I found I wasn't happpy, and my employer DID pick up on it a little, just wasn't sure what was wrong with me. Once I realized it was okay to have "no life" according to some people, I felt much better. I still do.
So while friends get frustrated when I can't go do anything fun on a weekday (or even some weekends), I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing until it's not right anymore. In a lot of ways, I hope more people can manage to find happiness like that. A lot of my employers' friends have nanny troubles,and while some people are just hard to work for, I think it's because a lot of people are unprepared for what the job requires and never learn to love it.
But if you think you can handle all the time, attention, attachment, and flexibility that goes into it, give it a shot! It's a great job.

Big Girl

Someone suggested I do a weekly post about cute things Camila says or does. I like this idea, but am not sure what to call it. Does anyone have a suggestion?

This past week we potty trained and it seems to be sticking. She is not accident free all the time, but there is usually an explanation for the accident, such as she was asleep (her cough isn't helping things) or we didn't get to her in time.

When she went potty, we would give her a small candy. Apparently one evening last week her mom asked her during a discussion of her day, "And did the potty give you candy?"
She stared at her mom with disgust. "NO. BABA candy." I have to admit, I wouldn't be crazy about the idea that my candy came from the potty either!

When she used the potty with dry panties, we made phone calls, at least the first few times. Friday, her mother called her. Emi was crying for a bottle, so I just picked up the handset and handed it to Camila. She got very excited and walked off, cradling the phone to her ear. "Hi, Mama!" I got Emi settled and sat in the living room with her. After a few minutes, Camila suddenly said, "Bye, Mama!" and threw the phone to me. I told her mother she was done and hung it up.
As I was washing Emi's bottle, Camila brought the phone back. "Call Gaga?" (Gaga is her name for her paternal grandmother.)
"Sure. Or we can go see if she's on Skype." She eyed me skeptically, so I decided maybe she wasn't thrilled with that. "Do you want to use the phone or Skype?"
"Phone."
I dialed the number for her and when her grandmother picked up, explained that "Camila wanted to call and talk to you." I handed her the phone and she flounced out of the kitchen, away from me, as if to say, "I've got this." I followed her anyway and watched as she laid back on a mat on the floor, legs kicked up in the air. She looked so big, almost like a mini teenager. She laid there a full five minutes, chatting with her grandma about the whereabouts of various family members and the escapades of Mickey Mouse. It was so cute!

Then yesterday, since we have done so well pottying, we decided to venture out to Booksamillion. We found a book her mother had asked me to pick up, as well as a Dora book and the CUTEST Dr. Seuss book ("The Digging-est Dog") and headed for the register. Suddenly she froze. "MICKEY! MINNIE!"
She picked up two pens, with the characters on the top. "I buy it!" Before I could stop her, she marched up to an empty register, plopped them on the counter, and announced again, "I buy it."
The cashier smiled at her (this store is one of our favorite hangouts, so people vaguely know us). "You're going to buy these?"
"Camila, where's your money?" I asked.
She looked down at her pocketless dress and held it out. She lifted both hands in a shrug. "Money all gone!" Her face was so crestfallen we had to laugh.
"I guess your mommy will just have to buy it for you then, huh?" The cashier explained to me that she has a 2 1/2 year old daughter. "Just wait till she turns two!"
I didn't tell her we're already there in entirely too many ways. But she minds her manners well out in public (and mostly in private, we're just dealing with a little temper here and there), and most people are utterly charmed. In addition, her mother is teaching her some words, such as "bald" in Portuguese so if she chooses to comment on anything in public, no one will be able to understand her!

Tip #1: Positivity Is Key

Okay well I'm still taking suggestions if anyone has them. I do think I had a comment issue over the weekend, so if you tried making a suggestion it just didn't work, I apologize.


So anyway, it recently occurred to me that being a nanny is almost like being some kind of life coach. For me personally, I have to encourage the mother almost as much as the kids. My employer was never around children and knew very little about them. She's picked it up pretty as much as she goes along and is doing fairly well.


A prime example of this entire concept is what I am doing right now: potty training. (Squeamish readers may want to exit at this time.) Camila just finished day 3. Since we got the plan for "3-Day Potty Training", her mother assumed we would be completely done and fancy-free at this time. We're not.


Don't get me wrong, Camila is doing very well in that from the very first accident, she knew to go to the potty and has even asked to sit and try. Today she made #2 for the first time since we started, IN the potty with dry panties! The main problem is that she doesn't recognize when she has to go #1 until she is already going. It starts, she yells "Pee-pee in the potty!" and tries to run. If I pick her up and run her to the toilet she can stop it but she can't stop it while running so the poor baby just kind of waddles. She manages to stop it and finishes in the potty. But I seriously have never seen a child so motivated and mentally invested in it. She WANTS to do this, she just can't get the feel of the controls. I vote we stick with it until she gets it because mentally, she is already there, she's just trying to catch up on the physical side.


As some of you know, this is a good start. Some kids utterly refuse, some sneak off and hide to wet themselves, some just aren't interested. We are blessed!


But still, every night, I've had to give her mom a pep talk via text. I assure her she's doing well, point out the areas that have improved, and remind her we can do it. (And discourage her from even CONSIDERING bringing the diapers back out!) She calms down and says she'll trust me on it, admitting that she does see improvement. Let me state that she was the one that wanted to do it, I just said I would support her and be up for it whenever she decided to do it. I did not push her into it and am not having to push her to support my idea.


This is true of pretty much every situation. A lot of nannies work for new parents, and a lot of them are new to children in general from what I hear. They need encouragement.

One more thing: it takes a lot of work to stay positive yourself. For instance, there is a very snide part of me that wonders why her mother gets so overwhelmed after two hours on her own when I am working 9 hour days this week, with her home only for short breaks. How do I end up giving HER pep talks? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

But I have the experience to encourage me, I know that we can do this. She doesn't. It's entirely new territory to her. So sometimes even if I don't feel positive, I have to BE positive.

And YES! Her mother texted me as I was writing this and said that Camila tried to go before bed and couldn't. She asked to go again as they laid her down and didn't. She called out shortly after and this time she went, dry panties and all! THEN she just texted me again and said she WOKE UP and called for them to come get her (she's still in a crib) and take her potty. It took them a minute to get in there so she dribbled a little but HOW AWESOME is that???? YAY!

See? Positivity works!!!!

Any Ideas?

So I'm thinking of trying to organize this blog a little better...any suggestions? I was thinking maybe once a week some sort of tip of being a nanny, but I'm not sure what else. I can't post EVERY day, but maybe just two or three days could be spoken for.

Meanwhile, here are a couple pictures!

Emi all dressed up for church.

I found that $48 dress on sale for $7. Go me!

Emi went to Camila's play class with us yesterday and even got to sit in the circle (in a bumbo).

We are on a no-smiling-for-the-camera kick again.

Which makes this picture of them BOTH smiling at the SAME time a momentous occasion.

She's been such a comedian lately. I love 4 months. It's the perfect age!

Two Homes

I fully intended to do another post last week, but got sick around Tuesday and was pretty much down for the count. (I only missed two days of work but Wednesday was ROUGH.)
Backtracking, I must say I am very impressed, yet saddened, by how grown-up Camila is becoming. I toted both of them to church with me again Sunday and she didn't do as well in the service this time but she made it through the song time and the offering.
At offering time my brother gave her a dollar. I whispered in her ear, "Are you going to give that to Jesus?" (I've been trying to work on her concept of God lately.)
She turned to the elderly man seated next to us and held out the dollar. "Here you go!" Apparently our concept needs more work.
She was squirmy through the singing so before the sermon started I said, "How about we go to the nursery?"
She clapped her hands. "Yay! Nursery!"
Emi was content in my mother's arms so I walked Camila back. There were only two other children so after giving her a minute, I told her I was going to go listen in church then I'd be back for her in a little bit. She wasn't concerned so I left her there.
When I came back she was happily playing. They said she had only gotten teary eyed once!
Tuesday we went to play at a local play area and she played extremely well, both with a little boy with Downs Syndrome and with a very pushy older girl. I'm so proud of how well she gets along with others.
Then later this week, I got sick and a babysitter came in to help while I was out (bronchitis, I think). She did well Thursday but Friday she was so hard to deal with that her mom let the babysitter go early. That night her mom asked if she liked the babysitter. She said she grew serious and said, "Baba [her name for me]? Baba coming home?"
She thought maybe I had left her and the other girl was my replacement. She thinks her home is MY home too. Her mom explained that I was sick, so she promptly fetched the Vicks for me! I felt like a horrible person for being sick. :(
But I go back to her tomorrow, and hopefully she will be happy that I am "home".

Ricky's Birthday

I apologize to Ricky and his little gerbil cousins for taking so long to post pictures. It has been a busy week. Another working weekend (this time my girls Saturday and Sunday and another job tonight, which is Saturday...sometimes I wonder what I'm thinking) which means more scrambling in the evenings to have everything else in place. Lucky me, it's not only Father's Day but it's my turn to bring Sunday school breakfast. But being the awesome person I am, everything is all set. ;)

So anyway, yes, last Friday, we celebrated the birthdays of Ricky, Sydney, Salem, and KJ. I had to stay home with my parents' dogs so Rachel and I could not go anywhere. We couldn't decide what to do until I realized it had been almost a year since we bought our pets. They were 6-8 weeks old when we got them therefore their birthday is likely in early June! We went all out but had a great time!

The party table

The proud mommies!




Possibly my favorite picture EVER. He looks like he wants to KILL me.




His cupcake! He didn't really get to eat it but it's a cute picture.



Sydney, Salem, and KJ: the gerbil cousins

More Fun Days

Things have been very busy, but we are all enjoying ourselves. The girls' grandfather is here visiting all the way from Brazil. He's a sweet man and dotes on them, even if he sometimes forgets that Camila doesn't want to be treated like a baby. He tries to feed her when she can use a spoon and fork by herself very well, does the airplane trick, etc, and all she wants to do is eat her lunch. I've gotten her to let him do it anyway since no one can seem to explain to him that she doesn't like it. He enjoys it and he's only here a few more days.

Although Camila just turned 21 months recently, she is already very much two. She thinks she can do everything grownups do, which in some cases is a good thing (for example, we are potty training very soon). But in others, it's becoming dangerous. She wants to let the dog in, sterilize bottles, cook dinner, and it's only a matter of time before she tries to pick up Emi. She takes care of "Baby Goofy" very well, giving him his bottle, burping him, changing his diaper, putting him down for a nap, and taking him for walks (which she also wanted to do on the road like we do one time). It's definitely one of those don't-take-your-eyes-off-her-for-a-second phases.

But thankfully, except for occasional showings of toddler attitude, she isn't doing things to be bad. She is just trying to help. For some kids the terrible 2s are much more extreme, so we are blessed.
Emi is still growing quickly and I'm pretty sure she's discovering her will. She fought sleep several times this week, growing very angry when we tried to put her down, but we knew she was tired. She just didn't WANT to go to bed. Then she went on a hunger strike when she decided she didn't want a bottle, she wanted to nurse. She usually does when her mom is home, which is why she didn't want the bottle. For a long time she got one bottle a day (which is actually recommended if you plan to use bottles we found), but the last week or so, she has mostly nursed. Considering I have them all weekend next weekend, we decided that had to be fixed so we kept trying and yesterday she was taking a bottle well. And she isn't even 4 months old! Thinking of her at 2 is kind of scaring me.

But still, she is a sweet baby overall, it's much easier to make her smile than it was Camila, and her baby giggle is so sweet. She's always happy to see me and this week I have taught her to give me "kisses". I love her even when she's bad. :)

This was a spontaneous moment, not posed, but it turned out PRECIOUS.

In the car on the way to the park, the poster child for Toddlerhood.

The outfit is not her fault actually; I dressed her, then let her pick the bow because there are many colors in the skirt. She picked the biggest one we had but I was like "Okay." Then her mother put the socks on her. Then we put her sneakers on. Then to top it off, the sunglasses her mom had bought because they reminded her of the big sunglasses I always wear and Camila likes to wear sunglasses like me. Altogether it looked bizarre, yet adorable. Especially with Goofy tagging along.

Camila recently saw my Disney pictures where Rachel and I are making scared faces on the Dinosaur ride and she thought it was hysterical. So when we met Rachel for lunch, she kept saying, "Rachel, dinosaur! Rah! Dinosaur scary?" So for a picture, I said, "Camila, can you be a dinosaur and scare Ms. Rachel?" She giggled and said "Raaah!" and Rachel made the face and she thought it was GREAT. She thinks we are probably the coolest people ever for having met Mickey Mouse and the gang in person.

For anyone who hasn't seen Finding Nemo, you may need to watch it to get it. She has found this very funny for a couple days, starting at the park when we were feeding ducks and seagulls, and I did it for her. It was all I had to do to get her to smile for a picture yesterday. I love it when she does it!