Nanny Lesson #2: T minus 30 minutes

I've finally figured it out.

If we ever need to be anywhere at a specific time (which is fairly often, considering the summer program, cello lessons, and dance camps!) the girls need to start getting ready to leave about THREE HOURS before it's actually time to leave.

Okay, so I'm exaggerating. But seriously, 30 minutes, minimum. This leaves enough time for going to the bathroom, gathering all necessary items, becoming distracted and forgetting the task at hand, finding shoes... and going to the bathroom again.

(Hmm. After re-reading that last paragrah, I have to wonder: Am I talking about the two girls... or myself?!)

To you, Dad

Happy Father's Day to a man who loves his family more than words could ever say. The same man who completely and truly follows his heart and his dreams.

And inspires other people to do the same.

I love you, Dad!

Nanny Lesson #1: The Purse

I'm 3 days into my full-time summer nannying position and here's what I already know for sure:

I need a bigger purse.

My tiny purse doesn't fit snacks, bottled water, camera, sunscreen, anti-bacterial wipes, and sweaters (just in case). And we can't forget all the non-essentials like money, keys, and my drivers license!

I've started watching all the savvy moms at the libraries and parks to see how they handle the logistics of life with children. So far, all I can say for sure is that they all have really big purses.

"Cody will NEVER sleep with us!"

You may have heard that very sentence come out of either Jonathan's mouth or my own.

And we did SO WELL! Really, we did. I think we waited almost a whole year before inviting that dirty, furry, 75 pound heater into our bed.

But that's all over now. =) We're hooked. It's just so darn cute the way he waits at the bedroom door and bats his eyelashes at us when the clock hits 10 or so. How can we say no?

Yes, we spoil him. And we love every minute of it! If we can't even hold our resolve with a dog, imagine what kind of parents we're going to be!! Oh boy.

Blogs, bookmarks, and babies... (oh my!)

Like anybody who frequents Blogland, I have quite a few blogs bookmarked on my browser. To help myself remember what sort of blog each one is, I add a little reminder to the front of the title. Example: (Prospective adoptive parents) "Our Adoption Journey" or (First Mom) "Chronicles from Munchkin Land" or (Adoptive parents) "Belly Laughs & Crocodile Tears."

Lately, I have been able to change the labels of several of these blogs from PROSPECTIVE adoptive parents to adoptive parents! It's been amazing to follow these strangers' stories from (anxious!) waiting to suddenly being parents! And that's exactly what it seems to be, too... sudden. Like, BOOM, you're a mom now! When things really start happening, I get excited and check their blog a couple times a day (that's not stalking, is it? Is it...?!). But when the time comes and I erase that big word "prospective"... I'm a little sad. Don't know why, really. I think it's kind of like someone's graduating out of a club that I'm still stuck in.

The fun of seeing the beautiful baby pictures and the feeling of "wow, it really DOES happen!" overpowers that little twinge of sadness pretty quickly. But, I do feel it. And it does surprise me. So there you go.