Amanda Poppins

Summer is almost officially over here at Crazybananas Headquarters. The first of the summer-ending activities was yesterday, when we had to say goodbye to our summer nanny, Amanda. Otherwise known as, “The Person Who Made My Life More Lovely Than Anyone Else Ever (Minus My Kids and Husband…I Guess).” Amanda joined our crazy little family in May, as she was home in Kansas City for the summer after her sophomore year in college. Everyone warned me that having a nanny was a bad idea. It seemed like every mom I talked to had a nanny horror story. But we felt it was the best option, to keep Tate away from daycare longer and letting him get a bit older before we threw him back in the germ filled daycare pit, and for Lucy to finally have a real summer of her own. One where she could sleep late and stay up to catch fireflies and go to the pool every day and do everything else she’s never been able to since she’s pretty much always been in daycare.

And oh god, it was worth it.

Not only did Amanda take wonderful care of the children, doing activities with them, taking them places, but she also was a godsend for me. She emptied the dishwasher…did you hear that? SOMEONE ELSE BESIDES ME EMPTIED MY DISHWASHER! I know! And she did the kids laundry, kept the house picked up, sprinkled magic fairy dust everywhere and had a flying umbrella. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. But actually, I’m not. She was incredible.

Today she sent me a sweet email along with a bunch of photos she had taken on her iPhone throughout the summer. And I love them. I love that when I was unable to be there, my kids were having fun, loving life. I love how happy they look. I love that she thought to take photos and I love that she sent them to me.

Damn, I miss Amanda already. Someone come wash my dishes. Wah.