Fin

Gigi goes to a David Cook concert

At the earliest of ages, G loved music so I would play my ipod for her and naturally this included David Cook among other artists. At some point after she learned how to talk she asked his name and soon would instantly recognized his voice. By the time Cook's album was released this summer, G had renamed a book about a boy named David "David Cook no no" which he found very funny. She's a fan so I thought why not take her to meet him?

Today Lauren and I did just that and boy did we have fun! She and David danced and wave to each other while he took meet and greet breaks, she gave him coffee (because she insisted she buy him a present) and best of all G sang "reindeer" (Rudolf) with David and the band. We then went to soundtrack where he performed three songs. All G did was smile and clap. She later called this the concert which I guess it was.

After she went home Lauren and I went to the real concert and it was his best yet. He performed beatles songs and brought out special guests that included Steven Van Zant of the E street band. All and all it was a great day, we all had a blast and David and his brother Andrew (who was assisting or tour managing and G kept cuting it up for) loved her.

Sent from my Samsung smartphone on AT&T

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”

Going into 2008 my plans were clear...
*Manage to not let my nerves get the best of me until I graduated SUNY Purchase
*As a reward for being a hard working student since the age of 4, I would take the summer off
*Fall 2008 get first Journalism related job and proceed to work until either I die, or leave to raise children

It was simple, realistic, and all and all a rather solid life plan. Sure there were flights of fantasy that I hoped would come up as a result of this path but the path itself was doable. Because, remember this was 2008, it was a different world. Newspapers made money, the economy hadn't collapsed yet, and David Cook was just a bartender in Oklahoma.


Going into 2009, it was beginning to look like a full year off before starting a job, which I didn't quite mind because I was having a rather fun time being "Fun-employed" and the new President promised change so I was sure my perfect job was waiting around the corner. I was to be fulfilled in my job, content with my small dent on the world, somehow enriching at least one life in some little way or another. Which brings me to two years ago today; my first day as GiGi's nanny.


I never thought, entering 2012 that this is where I would be but the last two years has brought me much more than just a job, I feel like I gained new family. GiGi and her parents make me feel like I am valued and everyday that I come to work I feel loved. It might not be exposing the world to earth shattering news or helping a celebrity share the intimate details of whatever it is will get them a headline but, then again, chasing politicians on campaign trails and asking about Justin Bieber's love child would never have provided the fulfillment I feel seeing GiGi growing up into the wonderful little lady she is becoming and knowing, however miniscule my part is, that I might have somehow helped her become that.


I love my job and in the end, isn't that the most important thing there is?

GiGi and Graham finally meet

After over a year of sending each other love and gifts, my two favorite smile-makers finally met in person and became best friends.



Kisses were plentiful

Happy Birthday: GiGi is 2!!!!!

On GiGi’s first birthday I described her as follows:

When I met G she was mere week old but already she had signs of greatness; though she couldn't move much she was very alert and beautiful. The job officially started in November and it wasn't long before the little lovely had permanently implanted herself in my heart. Every smile made me smile and every giggle reminded me how lucky I was to be doing this for a living.

Since those early days GiGi has learned a lot, as anyone who knows me is well aware because I tend to gush about her. It quickly became habit for my mother to ask me on the phone, "So what new things has GiGi done today?” It sounds odd but watching her do the simplest things is amazing. She can now recognize her body parts on command (nose, head, belly, mouth) can clap, communicate through sign language and an assortment of words, she can crawl like a maniac (and walk but she likes to pretend she can't) dances, and best of all gives hugs and kisses all day long.

It is hard to imagine that in just 365 days, GiGi has become a tiny woman. She continues to amaze me with how smart she is, it seems every day she has even more wisdom to share and everyday she gets more beautiful. But above all of her attributes, the thing that is most wonderful about GiGi is her kindness. She is constantly sharing with random other children, even when they are trying to take and grab and loves to tell us how she enjoys playing and helping out with her younger cousins who are only 10 and 4 or 5 months each. Sometimes she will just walk over to me and say, “Yissa, love you,” and hug and kiss me; she is such a loving person with such a beautiful soul.

There is certainly a lesson to be learned from this little girl. I have never seen GiGi hold a grudge or express misplace anger, something I am quite guilty of from time to time, as I am sure a lot of adults are. When G is mad, you know exactly why she is and who her anger is addressed to. If Lauren tells her she can’t do something she wants to do, she will ignore Lauren or hit Lauren, the same if I was the offender. If she does something to get time out, the whole incident is forgiven after “sorry,” and she doesn’t go off and take it out on Elmo.

It’s taking time, but I think, thanks to G, I am improving in this area. So thank you Gigi for spending another year making me smile, laugh, and play and for teaching me there is a lot to learn from someone who only comes up to my knee. Thank you also, to Gigi’s parents, I know how lucky and blessed that out of all the people in this world, you chose Lauren and I to take care of your most precious possession.

I feel a bit jipped

Ever since I was a little girl in Ruby Red shoes there has always been a strange curiosity about tornadoes. I know they are destructive but they are a bit mythical too, at least for a little girl from New York City. I can imagine in the Midwest they can become a bit tiresome. Apparently, when I was a baby, I was on a plane that was being trailed by one but other than that, my tornadoes have been limited to L. Frank Baum and Michael Crichton (author of Twister.)

So yesterday, there I was on my way home from Jamba Juice when what happened but I was caught in my very first Tornado and do you know what? I thought it was just a thunder storm until the news reported it was actually a tornado. The winds picked up and it began to rain a bit and then the sky ripped in two and I got soaked but I didn’t see any funnel cloud ( I know because Lauren said, “it looks like a tornado or something,” and I began to watch the sky.)

I didn’t get to say, “GiGi I don’t think we’re in Chelsea anymore!” You would think at the very least, when I got back indoors a “Wicked” poster would’ve flown passed the window but that didn’t happen either. When it was all over, I was still on the New York side of the rainbow; there was no big green city; or color changing horses (or dogs for that matter); I had not befriended any wild beasts, straw men, or a tin fellow; and nobody traveling via bubble gave me as a pair of shoes that look amazing and are comfortable on long walks!

Gosh, it’s like you can’t believe everything you read or something. Now if you’ll excuse me, Graham and I will be in the closet trying to figure out which way it is to Narnia.

A Little Friday Fun

I haven't been blogging much lately because I don't want to be a downer and I've been in a bit of a funk. Summer is over and I have no dog which leads me to be a bit Depressed whimpery. I feel a bit like King Arthur in Spamalot "All my knights have fled and I'm lost in this dark and very expensive forest."

And speaking of Spamalot, I've been watching as much Monty Python as possible so that I can laugh hard and long to forget about the less than perfect Summer which leads to, not a lot of things to write about.

Then there is David Cook. It's been a year since I saw him live, last and there is nothing new to report on his new record except that there is nothing to report. He is in New York but there is no (announced) show to attend so I have convinced myself out of desperation that there will be a last minute or secret show announce. At this point I will drop whatever I am doing and go to the show. Think I'm kidding? Tonight, coming home on the Subway, I was checking Twitter for any announcement and had David said, "Surprise I'm going on stage tonight," I would've gotten off the uptown train and gone right back down town (or come home to change depending on how late the show would be.)

If this sounds needy, it isn't. It's desperate because, when I reached the stop where I get service I realized that I had no battery power so I took my friend's battery (which doesn't fit in my phone) and physically held the smaller battery in place by jaming my knuckle in the gap (yes really.) So, it is clear I have gone insane but there is still one shining joy that hasn't changed and that is the little girl I nanny. I find her fascinating!


Feeding me her leftovers



Finding her Dinosaur


Hair clip? No this is a duck!

Happy Birthday Ms. Baby

One year ago today, though I was blissfully unaware, one of the greatest people to ever enter my life was entering this world. Today little GiGi, the amazing girl that I have had the pleasure of nannying for the last nine months, turns one year old.

When I met G she was mere week old but already she had signs of greatness; though she couldn't move much she was very alert and beautiful. The job officially started in November and it wasn't long before the little lovely had permanently implanted herself in my heart. Every smile made me smile and every giggle reminded me how lucky i was to be doing this for a living.

Since those early days GiGi has learned a lot, as anyone who knows me is well aware because I tend to gush about her. It quickly became habit for my mother to ask me on the phone, "So what new things has GiGi done today?” It sounds odd but watching her do the simplest things is amazing. She can now recognize her body parts on command (nose, head, belly, mouth) can clap, communicate through sign language and an assortment of words, she can crawl like a maniac (and walk but she likes to pretend she can't) dances, and best of all gives hugs and kisses all day long.

I suppose that, since we spend such a lot of time with her you could argue that Lauren (who works along side me everyday) and I are her second most influential teachers after her wonderful parents. But while that may be true, what she has taught me is far greater.

Babies have the greatest grip on life. When something bad happens (they trip or need a diaper) they cry and when something amuses them they laugh. GiGi never holds a grudge or decides if it is an appropriate time to laugh, something is funny she is going to laugh and doesn't care who knows it. She lives for the moment because it's the only way she knows but it is how we all should. Because of her, I have relearned how to laugh with wild abandonment and I think I’m better because of it. Also, due to my constant need for her to smile, I have danced while walking down the street or sung to her (off key) while stranger walk by and it has helped me greatly with my issues with seeming likable. I realize I might look crazy but you know what, there is no way to make everyone like you but I like me and that just might be good enough.

So thank you G (and her parents whom treat Lauren and I like family) I love you all and hope that i can help you as much as you've helped me.

Friday Fun with Ms Baby Part One

Work days usually run from 9 o’clock in the morning to around 6 at night. However yesterday morning, Ms. Baby’s mother left a message asking if Lauren and I could stay a few hours extra so that she and her hubby to get together with an old friend. Of course we said yes, the baby is wonderful and a few more hours of playing with her is a piece of cake. Along with our usual park visits, playing, naps, diapers, and walks; Ms. Baby and we had a few extra adventures.

AFTERNOON

Normally for lunch we grab sandwiches, pizza, Hale and Harty or whatever cheap eats but I had a hankering for pasta so we decided to try Intermezzo, a few blocks away from the house.

I had Minestrone Soup and linguini in a Bolognese sauce. There was also a bread basket with some of the most delicious Italian breads I’ve ever tasted. The meal was delightful with the only exception being that the pasta was so sticky that it was hard to remove from the plate! Lauren had a butternut squash soup (she didn’t care for) and penne a la vodka, both of which I had to taste. The squash wasn’t the worst thing I have ever tasted but I don’t think I would order it and the penne was amazing.

After a few calls where I eased Ms. Mommy’s guilt about her night out without the baby, we decided to go to Penn Station for free Krispy Kreme donuts in celebration of National Donut Day.

For those that don’t know, Penn Station is located on 34^th street and 7^th Ave. which is about a 16 block walk from Ms. Baby’s house- as I’ve said before I’m a walker so this doesn’t me. However, we were sad to find out that all of the donuts were gone and there wouldn’t be another delivery for another hour. Oh well, good exercise and as a consolation we replaced our daily coffee with lattes (which Ms. Baby got very excited about and tried to steal.)