My imperfect life has been running a little more smoothly and a little more perfectly for the past 10 months.  That is until today.  Today was our beloved nanny’s last day, and we are all so sad about it. 

About a year ago, Mark and I were at a point where we knew we had to leave the daycare center our kids were at.  Harlow started there when she was 12 weeks old, and we loved them at first.  But as the days, weeks, and months went on, we knew things were starting to go downhill.  We gave them the benefit of the doubt, and Jacek started there when he was 12 weeks old as well.  Soon enough, issue after issue occurred, and we realized that the center seemed to be more about money and growing franchises than taking care of the kids and families.  We toured a few other centers and were trying to figure out what to do, when Jacek’s teacher from the infant room mentioned to us that if we were ever looking for a nanny, she’d love to do that for us.  She knew the issues we were having with the center, and I believe she was having similar issues as an employee of the center.  A nanny?!?!  Isn’t that something that rich people do?  Is that something that parents who don’t have time for their kids do?  We were not “nanny people”.

But, the more Mark and I talked about it, the more it actually seemed like a good idea.  We approached Jacek’s teacher a week or so later and asked if she was serious about her offer.  She said she kind of was, but needed to figure some stuff out on her own first.  After a few weeks, we all met for dinner and she said she would love to do it!  Holy shit! We were getting a nanny!  I started to get really excited about the idea. No more waking the kids up at the crack of dawn to get them ready and out the door so we could get to work.   No more issues with daycare management.  The kids could be kids and sleep in, hang out in their jammies, go to parks and play during the day!  Wow, this was going to be amazing!  Although Mark was a little hesitant about opening our home to an outsider everyday, we already really liked and trusted Annie, and knew that she was going to be a fun, responsible, trusting nanny who would love our kids.  So, Annie the Nanny was born.

Hiring Annie the Nanny was the best decision we ever made.  Our kids have done so many fun things over the past 10 months that they never would have gotten to experience at a daycare center.  They’ve been to fun events at the Mall of America, local beaches, local pools, library activities, pet stores, dozens of parks, etc.  They’ve done fun arts and crafts at home, learned a ton with all of the one on one time Annie spent with them, and they have become really good respectful people.

I was a little worried about the wear and tear my house would go through with the kids being home all the time, but the opposite actually happened.  My house was cleaner!  I cleaned more because I didn’t want Annie to think we lived like slobs, but every day we came home from work, the dishes were put away and dirty dishes were loaded in the dishwasher, the floors had been vacuumed, toys had been straightened up, etc.  Annie took care of all of the little things that working moms appreciate.  I am going to miss that.

I am also going to miss all the “nanny touches” we had around the house.  Like the Fall display she and the kids recently made for the sliding glass door.  I took a picture of it because it’s something that will probably never happen again.  Unfortunately, I am just not the type of mom who has the time and energy to do cutesy stuff like that.  I really wish I was, and I know the kids are really going to miss doing those types of things.  

Annie became part of our family.  The kids talked about her all the time, and Harlow probably called me Annie just as much as she called me Mom.  I was ok with it, though, because I knew that Harlow had such an affection and love for Annie that she was always in her head and heart.   Jacek would run to the window every time she left for the day so he could say one last teary goodbye.  He would even reach for her when he fell down or got her even if Mark and I were standing right there.  They truly had a special bond.

 

At the beginning of September, Annie broke the news that we were dreading to hear.  She was resigning from her nanny duties in order to focus on school.  See?  She’s a totally responsible, smart, and level headed chick.  I cried when she told us, but I totally understood.  While we wished we could hold on to her until the kids were grown, we knew that we might be a temporary stint on her way of becoming everything she’s supposed to become.  We are so grateful for her and what she’s done for our family for the past ten months.  She can never be replaced, and that is why we’ve decided to enroll the kids in a new daycare center instead of hiring another nanny.  Today was her official last day, and I think I’m taking it the hardest!  I’m not sure the kids really comprehend what’s going on, but I’ve been teary most of the day.  I’m going to miss Annie, too!  Not just because she helped calm the craziness of my life, but because she’s a wonderful person whom my kids love and adore.  Monday is going to bring a great deal of change and chaos for our family, but Annie will always be dear to us and in our hearts….and she’s babysitting for us Monday night!