Happy Birthday Miss Moo.


The girl on the left changed my life and I have a pretty good feeling, one day, she will change yours. I am hoping for president or biochemist, but I have a feeling she'll be causing a ruckus in a much different way.

When Alyssa was 3, and quite a force to be reckond with, she would see me out at the end of my day, thumb in mouth, red faced with either excitement or anger, strapped to her mothers leg she would casually say "don't forget me" amongst her giggles and screams. She still says it for the sake of nostalgia, and I reply as I always have - "Never, little miss, never".

At the all knowing age of ten (!), Alyssa surmounts most adults in her ability feel, reason, and learn. If I could extrapolate every bit of love I have for her and turn it into glitter, it might be enough to cover the entire world twice with a little extra to sprinkle at her feet.

The older Alyssa gets the more I see her parents in her. She is determined and sensitive; bright and creative. Its odd to see someone grow up- and to know that the few moments we had together (really that is what they are in retrospect) will inevitably shape her as a adult. There will be stories she tells of her nanny Amanda and how we crafted and cuddled and made believe. How together we learned that life is not always fair, and you should ALWAYS wear clean underwear and chew with your mouth closed. Maybe she'll tell her college friends that broken hearts heal because she has seen it happen. I am hoping she will pick her girlfriends wisely because she will know that in midst of all the chaos they will make her giggle. She'll know that her heart is the most important thing to protect and what shoes to wear with her Capri Pants. The world is so so different from her point of view. I do my very best to see it her way as much as I can.


I sometimes forget how that little decision to become a nanny has changed my life. Beyond all the measurable things (college, cars, career, travel) I learned about a love that I never knew existed. I learned that it is indeed possible to love someone else as much as you love your own family, unconditional and with out expectations. And in turn the love that is received back, smells sweeter and shines brighter. The kind of love you think about bottling up and saving for a day when you don't think it's all worth it.