nanny diaries pt. 1

"i feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance." - pablo casals

so for the past two and a half weeks i've been nannying for my niece in hillsboro, oregon (right outside portland). she is the cutest, happiest, funniest baby i have ever seen, though i'm probably a bit biased. :) for a six-month-old, she is real smart, very attentive, and pretty advanced--sitting up on her own, scooting across the room, learning to drink out of sippy cups. she rarely has meltdowns (though she is teething and tends to get cranky from time to time) and thinks pretty much everything is hilarious, especially when you dance and act crazy. and though it's not always easy constantly being responsible for another human being and being so far from home, i've learned a lot of things...
1) when the parents say you need to carry a burp rag around everywhere, they mean everywhere. it never fails--the one time you don't grab it, the baby will barf everywhere and you'll be left scrambling trying to figure out what to mop it up with until you can get back to the burp rag.
2) bodily fluids and excrements really aren't as gross when you're dealing with them compared to just thinking about them. they sounds worse than they are. it's pretty simple to change a diaper, use a wet-wipe or two and be on your merry way.
3) everyone in the world should really wash their hands more. after dealing with a baby who puts everything in her mouth, i cringe to think where most of those things have been and how dirty they are. although she's fine and doesn't get sick, the thought of it is still kind of gross and i've taken to washing my hands much, much more than i used to.
4) it's amazing how quickly a little human can be integrated into your life. you just learn to adjust and assimilate them into your routine and it's not as difficult as i thought it would be. they're pretty self-sufficient when you keep them entertained and keep an eye on them so they don't hurt themselves.
5) nap time for baby does not always mean nap time for adult. though i've been lucky and have been able to sleep mostly when ellie does, that's not always the case. chores and homework and responsibilities still have to be taken care of and sometimes the ONLY time you have to do these things is during nap time. and though that means i'm tired a lot, it's still a lot more fun to play with a happy, well-rested baby instead of a crabby one. :)
6) baby cheeks are the most kissable things in the world.
7) finally, though i don't want to have kids for a long, long time, taking care of el has made me realize i'll probably be a pretty good mom one day. i love her and take care of her like she's my own and i'm always so proud of her when she makes new developments. i get so excited when she recognizes me and smiles when i walk into the room now and i love being able to play with her and watch her grow. she's a peach and i can only hope that one day my children are as awesome as she is. :)