Artemis

I love this guy. Another I post to come since I did have one planned until I saw this... this one is better anyway!

HAPPY I saw Greysen today, which makes me happy. I haven't spent more than an hour or two with him in the past 2 weeks because his family has been traveling a lot. HERETIC Apparently I'm a bit of a heretic. The definition is "anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle." It mostly has to do with religious topics, so it's particularly fitting right now. It don't see anything at all wrong with Muslims building a mosque near Ground Zero. Muslims died on 9/11 too, and not just the "bad guys." When I lived in Minneapolis, I took care of several Muslim children and they and their families were good people. Just as with any religion, there are good and bad. You can't let one small group that take things too far represent how most others in that religion are. In fact, Christians have started most wars and done a lot of bad things themselves in "the name of Jesus/God." And if it is disrespectful for Muslims to...

GREYSEN I saved the best G for last, the best G of my life (besides my dad, GARLAND). Greysen is a joy to be around. I know I'm biased because he is my nephew, but I have no doubt that even if he wasn't, he would still be my current favorite child (in about 5 months he will be tied as my favorite). For being the youngest of the nanny crew, you would think he'd be the hardest just because young babies typically demand more attention and time. Not this boy. He still gets tons of attention, but he is also perfectly content to sit in the Bumbo or lay on the floor for an hour watching all the other children. He takes it all in, smiles when it applies, talks when he has something to tell them and just sits happily. I don't think I've ever loved anyone more. And I can't wait to have another nephew or niece to love just as much as I love this little guy: Need I say more?

GIGI Gigi is the only girl in my nannying bunch, at least for 4 more days. Let me tell you, that girl is way smarter than any 20 month old should be. She doesn't talk much, but the things she knows is crazy. She understands words you wouldn't expect her to know (scared), even when you spell them out (outside). She knows what things will drive me nuts, so she does them (refusing to eat any of her food with a smirk on her face). She knows what her parents will let her get away with that I won't let her get away with, so she'll do those things the second her mom walks in the door (won't try to touch my cell phone all day, but grab it and refuse to give it back when her mom walks in the door). She's also very sweet, she loves her little friends and likes to take care of the babies. She is very obedient for her age, which makes my life easier. She says my name quite often and recently doesn't want to leave when her mom comes to get her. Which is sad, because I on...

FRIDAY I know, this seems like such an obvious choice for F. I tried to be more creative, but this Friday really couldn't come quickly enough or be more needed. I don't know why either because this was only a 4 day work week. I think I was expecting my 4 day weekend away in California to be more relaxing than it was and that I would think about work less than I did. I thought I would come back refreshed and ready to get back into my life. But I wasn't. I felt like I could have used 10 more days off. Not just from work, away from everything. And not away from the people in my life, that's not what I mean, but I just need more time away. I live by the schedule on my cell phone calendar, it dictates everything I do. If I shut off my phone for 2 seconds, I may miss someone needing to schedule something. When my friends ask me to do something or go with them somewhere for a weekend or to come visit them somewhere, I have to check my schedule and "squeeze" them in s...

EMERSON First off, let me say I love Emerson. I've been taking care of him since he was 2 months old and next week he'll be 8 months. He is getting cuter all the time and has the perfect little cue ball head. He's started clapping today when I say "YAY!", which I love. He has the cutest little personality... when he's happy. That's the thing, Emerson is, as his own mother says, high maintenance. Actually, I think particular is a good word for him. He wants things when he wants them only in the way he wants them. And if his wishes aren't met, he well, cries. Sometimes a lot of the day and that really hard cry like someone just pinched him (no, I didn't pinch him, I swear). To be honest, he's kind of like me in that sense. I cry when I'm sad, happy, mad, frustrated, excited, surprised... for every emotion really. Emerson is like that too. Lately, it's been because he's frustrated. He's decided that he wants to learn to crawl, sit ...