To the families who have shared their lives with me: Thank you!
Thank you for the countless laughs, games, Disney movies, songs and dances, learning experiences, and so much more!
I started babysitting for my first family about eight years ago. They've since become my second family. The mom in this family is like a second mom to me, and the kids are just like my little sisters and brother. Oldest sister A makes my heart happy with her passion for beauty. Her nails are almost always painted, and you can usually find her playing with her hair or makeup. Middle sister A is my mini me, she doesn't care what her hair or outfit looks like as long as she's having fun. Little brother R has a lot of attitude for a seven-year-old. I love it because he and I can go back and forth with one-liners and just laugh at the funny "insults" we come up with for each other. Thank you LaBelles for always providing me with a second home right down the street. To this day, I still babysit this family and I've gained so many "clients" in the past eight years.
My next little friends were brothers ages six and nine the summer after I graduated high school in 2013. I babysat these two day in and day out, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. All summer, we explored anything from science experiments to cooking to marine life. During our screen free week, we REALLY got in touch with nature, literacy, and imaginative play. Summer 2013 family, thank you for introducing me to an almost full-time work week and for getting me submerged in all the fun that nature has to offer.
In the fall of 2013, I met crazy E and his awesome parents. At the time, E was about 18-months-old. For a few short months, he was calm and cuddly. When he turned two, E really started developing a personality! So silly, energetic, and crazy! He was also about to be a big brother! The following summer, in 2014, I met baby brother G. That summer, I took E and G to my parent's house pretty often. My parents love those boys, and the boys love them back. When I was home on college breaks, I'd babysit the boys sometimes. Then, summer 2015 was when I had a regular schedule with this family. Although they moved a half hour away, I was happy to show up every Monday and Friday morning and see what I'd be facing with E and G for the day. Thank you M, K, E, and G for sharing your adorable moments and family members (including your pup).
Around the time I met E and his parents, I met his mom's best friend and her daughters! K and O were such fun girls to babysit! They were always down for some imaginative play, especially O. O would take the imaginative play so far that we'd play restaurant and she'd make me dinner. I have to say, for a 12-year-old, O knew how to cook! Usually, K would just be along for the ride because she looked up to her big sister so much. Whatever O had in mind, K joined with delight. When O was gone at an athletic commitment or a friends house, K would always want to have a fashion show. If we knew of an upcoming day that O was going to be out of the house, I'd bring all of my cute clothes to the house so that K and I could both be fashion models. Thank you S, S, O, and K for sharing your beautiful home, talented chef, fashionista, and adorable little dog with me.
The family I have met most recently is made up of one of my childhood babysitters, her husband, her two sons, her daughter, and their dog. The three energetic kids and their brand new rescue dog were my responsibility Monday-Wednesday from 9 a.m. and 3 p.m during the summer of 2014. The nearly nonstop energy of these kids did not allow for one dull moment! I loved it! The oldest boy is a soccer star, the younger brother presents awesome baseball skills, and their little sister rocks it when it comes to cheerleading. We spent a majority of the summer at the pool or playing one of their favorite sports around the neighborhood. Thank you summer 2014 family for keeping me moving and exhausting me by the end of the day!
To wrap it up, I have a blanket statement for all of you amazing families: Thank you! You've all made me grow in such different ways, you'll never be forgotten, and even though I've settled myself eight hours away from you all, I am just a phone call or a text message away from coming home and babysitting for a well-deserved date night! (With prior notice, of course!)
