The Nanny…

I love the movie because the children in the movie absolutely adore that practically perfect in every single way care provider. And who wouldn’t adore her. She’s delightful. She has the very right tune for every occasion. She takes them on adventures. She is never harried, she is able to have a good time while wearing rather formal clothing and if we’re painting a real picture…she’s hard as balls. She makes cleaning fun. She crushes every song that pours out of her mouth. And she has that silly friend, Bert, who is always up for shenanigans.  

I have to imagine Ms. Mary gives most real-life nannies a rough life. 

But not ours. 

Before I go any further, I have to be honest… I do not love the word nanny. The word nanny seems a bit uptight and fancy-pancy. Two things of which, I am not. I get it, there’s a difference between a babysitter and a nanny for sure, but if I had to call the young woman who spends time with our children in our absence anything, I’d choose something more like Captain of Fun or Rock Star. Mostly, B just calls her, Livi {and honestly, that’s not even her name}.

Just before the New Year of 2013, I got a great opportunity. An opportunity to go back to work with for a former employer, a team that I love and a cause that I believe in. And the big, red bow, wrapped around that offer… I could do it part-time. Now, if you have ever attempted to find a part-time gig in your wheelhouse, with great hours and pay that will cover the costs of childcare, then perhaps you know that they don’t just fall out of the sky. This was certainly luck on my part. Had I said no, I knew, for sure, I would have been kicking myself for the years to come. But the biggest wildcard was childcare.

When I went to work part-time after Barrett, we found an awesome daycare center to send him to. But now, we had two boys. A Barrett, who’d already done a year and a half in the same pre-school and who absolutely adored his teacher. And a Jonah, who was just going to be going through screening for delays and behavior and who I wanted to make sure didn’t get lost in the shuffle. So we determined I would take the job and we would look for in-home care. Generally, this would be something that would  send me into hysterics. The idea of not knowing the outcome would have ruled my universe. But, call it mother’s intuition, I just knew it would all work out.

And work out it did. We first searched on Care.com because one of our very close friends found the very best of the best through the site and we were up for the search. We met some really great candidates but the scheduling needs just did not match up. And then I got a Facebook message from Livi. A young woman I had mad respect for. And who I knew had a heart for children. And all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. For the last, almost year now, two days a week, Livi graces our doorstep with a smile and a warm spirit.

And she. is. awesome. Because she loves our boys. And really, as a mom and dad, that’s everything you want out of a care provider. But it’s the beyond loving our boys that makes her extra amazeballs.

It’s the things she does that are truly extraordinary… like the day that these little ditties appeared, made from scratch, because this was the Thanksgiving portion of the day in which they celebrated every single Holiday.

Or bringing over Shaving Cream and Shower Caps to play Cheeto Heads.

Or creating lovelies for special days.

And touching our hearts with her unwavering faith.

The forts. Upon forts. Upon awesome forts.

Visits from Ghosts and Goblins. And Spooky specialness. All out of sheets and towels.

Sharing our ideals. And teaching gratitude.

And making us feel like even if we’re away, they’re in good hands.

Who bake really awesome, deliciousness.

So the word nanny, just doesn’t cover it. Because that assumes that this person, who comes into our home, and who loves on our boys, is just an employee. Who we pay to entertain our kids. And well, Livi, she’s so much more. To us. And to our boys. She is not only lovely. And smart. And an absolute answer to our prayers on so many occasions. She is just what we needed. And for this, I thank my lucky lucky shiny stars.

I have friends who are just as lucky. Are you one of them? Who have people who they trust with their children day in and day out. Who truly feel like part of the family. And who are practically perfect in every. single. way? If so, I hope you, too, thank your lucky lucky shiny stars.