Nanny Thursday.
Written by Annie on February 27th, 2009It’s a good thing I spent time with God yesterday morning. Cause Nanny McAnnie got tested to the extreme.
When I arrived at the house, the kitchen was a bit of a mess. [Not a problem, part of the deal, Mom and Dad are both working their tailfeathers off.] So while I was waiting on Sister to wake up and Brother was happily watching Nick Jr., I got started cleaning up. Sister wakes up, now both are on the couch and it is literally a ticking time bomb to breakfast. Can I get the dishwasher started before someone cries for Cheerios? I’m loading as quickly as one hand can pass to the other. I showed those dishes who was boss and emerged victorious.
Dear Super WHY!, I appreciate you and your full 30 minutes of entertainment.
Breakfast comes and goes. We do the diaper dance [both are still in them] and get dressed for the day. We are walking out the door to play and Sister does this to her pants. [If you have a strong gag reflex, scroll over this quickly.]
We do the diaper dance again, twice in 5 minutes- which you know means more than just a diaper change. It means bringing everyone inside, turning the TV back on for Brother, helping him crawl on the couch, going upstairs and changing said diaper, finding new pants, and then stain spraying the pants because Eeew.
So I guess you could call it a process.
We finally get outside and I’m exhausted, wondering if it’s almost lunch [NAP!] time. It’s 10:22am. Yikes.
Brother gets leveled when the wind blows over the plastic basketball goal while Sister is happily in her walker. I’m checking on Brother when I hear her little wheels pick up speed. Ole Nanny McAnnie has to SPRINT down the driveway’s steep hill to save Sister from rolling straight into the road. Yes, it was one of my finer moments and not exactly the introduction I expected with the neighbors.
I found this to be the correct time to end outside play. Because I couldn’t breathe.
Lunchtime was upon us and the dishwasher needed to be emptied and reloaded and Sister was starving but Brother wasn’t hungry yet. And I? I still couldn’t breathe.
Lightning McQueen Spaghettios for lunch. Brother uses his fork. Sister doesn’t.
Annndd….. that got some stain spray as well.
The highlight of the day was nap time. [Duh.] Sister didn’t want to sleep [Sister needed to sleep], so I rocked with her for a minute. The snuggly warm little 18 month old body draped across my torso, our breathing in sync, her heartbeat slowing down to snoozle zone- I’m pretty sure my uterus applauded. The whole thing was that sweet.
Then, from the next room, Brother says, “Annie, are you going to be here when I wake up?”
“Yeah, dude. I will.”
“Good. I always want Annie here when I wake up.”
No amount of diapers or dishwashers or spaghettios can ruin moments like those.
I respect you Mommies. I truly don’t know how you do it day in and day out.
But I think I know why you do.
27
AM
Great day Nanny McAnnie, what about us Dads, do you respect us too?
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27
AM
sooo good. i love that your uterus applauded…i think mine does that too when i hold a baby
)
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27
AM
We don’t know how we do it either, to be honest.
But you’ve definitely gotten a peak into the salary. Best one on the planet.
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27
AM
“my uterus applauded.” what a great line. wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. settled on a bit of both.
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27
AM
Haha I loved this — your posts are always just so well-written and enjoyable to read
thanks for that — oh and for acknowledging just how dag-gon HARD being a mom can be sometimes! 
haha
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27
AM
there is this great mommy song by caedomn’s call “sacred” you’ll appreciate this one line “my cup runneth over, i worry bout the stain, teach me to run to you, like they run to me for every little thing..cause everything is sacred, and all this time , everything i’ve dreamed of has been right before my eyes.”
it’s because of those “sacred” moments in the stain filled day we do it! God su-stains!
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27
PM
Ditto on what Kelly @ Love Well said. I can’t add much to that!
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27
PM
Totally laughed at the baby in the walker rolling down the drive-way part. I haven’t “nannied” now for 10 year — well not unless you cound the chruch nursery 3-4 years ago. I think the thing that helps me is my short attention span and ability to come up with all sorts of games.
Love the snuggle story too. A friend of mine used to hand me her babies while she played in praise band – - all of them would fall asleep while I sang – - that is the best feeling.
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28
AM
I’m not sure why, but the whole Nannie McAnnie thing reminds me of a kids story I wrote called “Flora McFiggle and the Tickle Pickle.” I’ll send it to you if you want.
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28
PM
LOVE this post! I know exactly how you feel…there’s a “Mommy Button” in all of us ladies, even if we’re not mothers, and snuggling with babies and being told things like “I want you here all the time when I wake up” pushes that button.
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2
PM
you make me smile.
yeah, we don’t do the diaper dance anymore. wait until potty training. ; )
i agree, the salary can’t be beat.
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2
PM
annie – what a wonderfully perfect day you had! I’d give just about anything for one day with my girls at that age again.
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3
AM
What Debs says is true. So true.
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9
AM
The life of a nanny is non-stop work. But it is so very rewarding. Sounds like you had another busy, but perfect, day!
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