Friday, December 23, 2011

I can't believe...

...that it's been a year. I'm pretty sure that it was a year ago this week that I got officially hired as A's nanny. He was so teeny! He was a little under 4 months old when I met him, and since he was a teeny preemie anyways...yeah. SO SMALL. It is so hard to reconcile this walking, talking, super-smart toddler with that itty bitty baby with no hair who couldn't even sit up or roll over. I remember being *SO* excited when i could get him to sit up by himself for ten seconds. I remember thinking he'd never learn to roll from back to front. i remember when i could hold him forever without getting tired. I remember being able to put him in one spot and leave the room knowing he would be there when i got back! It's crazy. I've had long-term relationships with kiddos before--I have a family in my hometown that I started babysitting for about eight years ago, when the oldest (now 9) was 15 months old and the others weren't around. But it's different with A, because I see him five days a week, 8.5 hours a day. It's mindblowingly awesome to know that I've been an integral part in his development from that infant to this toddler.

No big changes in the last few days, just A getting better and better at the "where's x?" game. As in, where's the snowman? (He turns and points with his hand or, even cuter, he'll squat and point with his entire upper body. it's adorable). Where's the Christmas tree? Where's the telephone? He can do all of these things and maybe 5 or 6 more, no sweat. I'm working on getting him to recognize things that he knows on his body, on something inanimate. Like, where's the *snowman's* hat, nose, feet, etc. He's not so good with the pronouns yet, but he's catching on!

Also, we've been doing the toddler level of the gym class the last few weeks, and this week was the first time I actually got A to do what he was supposed to. In this class they have an obstacle course set up and the kids are supposed to go along in order, one after the other. I kind of had to drag A along, but he did it without a fuss, and even surprised me by knowing how to go down the (foam) stairs! Going to start working on the home stairs with him soon, I think; it would be nice to know he can do it without killing himself!

This is my first year without a proper winter break--I only get the two Mondays off. But I'm pretty much okay with it, because I'd miss my bubba too much if i had a week or two off! Next summer I'm going to have July and August off for sure, and it makes me sad just thinking about it...And I can't even think about when I have to leave him. I know it's gonna happen but...I have at least 6 more months so I am just going to enjoy them as much as possible!

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