The babysitter of my kids - the only one I ever trusted ever, the one I met 16 yrs ago through the newspaper, the one who married the man of her dreams one year ago ( and he is indeed dreamy ) and whom my kids stood up in their wedding -  had their first child yesterday - Baby Jack is here!!

To back track....it's 1991, my daughter is one, my son is four. My husband at the time started his own business, in addition to working a full time job.  I was not supportive of this additional business opportunity and found myself pulling my hair out with his lack of availabilty for his family.  I decided the additional income ( what additional income? ) could provide me with a babysitter on Saturday's. All I knew is I needed a break.  Not being networked like the way we seemingly are in current times,  I reached out the old fashioned way and put an ad in the newspaper.

Note:  my son was four and we hadn't used a babysitter yet.

I received 43 calls in response to this newspaper ad. ( 43!!!!! ) 16 were asked to stop by, 3 of them horrified me.
 
I found I could not hire a single one.

Of the 3 that horrified me, one had no teeth, one smelled as if she had completely dipped herself in rosewater
(do you know what that smells like?), and one carried an album 4 inches thick of all the kids she babysat and would not leave. When I say she wouldn't leave I seriously mean that I had to ask her to take her album and go, she kept trying to hug my son.

Can you say stranger danger, can you say no way will I let ANY of you near my kids, can you say wow this really creeped me out.  

I thought to myself ... I know that I am particular, but does everyone go through this to find a sitter?

I resigned to being babysitter-less, or at least babysitter-less from the weirdo's who answer ads in the newspaper, until I could think how I'd go about finding someone I could trust.   

A week later the phone rang and a young girl said "I am calling about the ad in the paper" and I somehow knew in that moment - even on the telephone,  that she was the one.

I was really looking for someone who would be an extension of me. I admit my ideas were so adamant  that whoever that might be I'd know it in my gut.

Since this is ions ago now, I can't actually recall all the details, yet my Michelle can - it's one of the things I love about her, she remembers everything.

I personally trained her, I wanted her to know what snacks I approved of ( I listed them on an index card which years later she gave back to me!) how to bathe my kids, what books were their favorite, how we do the bedtime routine. It never occurred to me over the years that she would ever strain from my determined parenting, and yet later on I found out how much fun they had along the way - in their very own way - things they did while mommy was away.

Once she wrote a poem titled "things only the babysitter knows"  To this day that poem warms my heart, if there was ever a fly on the wall looking from the outside in on my world - she was it. 

Fast forward to 2 years ago, Michelle was going to be turning 30 soon, of all the younger folks I know I never knew anyone who dated as much as she. Dated in the way that said I want to get married and have kids kindof way and yet somehow she wasn't finding her mate. When she re-connected with Steve, they had actually worked retail together,  thanks to match.com ( I love these stories ) I had this feeling she had met someone very special. My daughter and I once went out with them at the restraunt my son worked at and what I remember most is he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Next thing we all know they are engaged to be married. The entire thing happened VERY fast!

If you can't tell Michelle became an extension of our family. While I am not the mother of the bride, I had maternal feelings for her and when the wedding was behind all of us I felt like when all was said and done I really didn't know who Steve was. I knew that they got married and that both of them found what they were looking for in each other, yet I didn't KNOW them as a couple.

We were invited to dinner, and ended up playing some board game, either scrabble or pictionary and looking at all the wedding cards. I was struck by how endearing they were with each other, lots of "hand me this babe" or "sure thing sweetheart", but even more so I was struck by the sheer pleasure both of them had in each other's company. I hadn't been a part of that before. Sometimes the two of them were so on the exact same page it was positively uncanny, but most of all I was struck by joy - my michelle was really really happy.  Her Steve made her world complete.

With Jack here now I feel as if Michelle has a new understanding of all that I have strived for as a mom. She and I talked about childbirth and she of course now could relate to my fierce determination to deliver naturally.  One  can tell that to someone, but until they experience childbirth themselves it really doesn't mean much. The same with things like nursing, cloth vs disposable and all the endless things that come up when you are new to parenting. Steve hugged us harder than he's ever hugged us before and all of us cried with great joy. Steve was so awe struck by the courage and the utter miracle of childbirth, his beautiful bride just blew him away.  I am deeply touched by this expression from a new father.

Their baby Jack Gregory is just BEAUTIFUL. At a glance he's got her mouth, his nose and cheeks, his face is  round, lovely and sweet.  Nothing beats baby hands and feet. Nothing. The softness of the hair on a newborn's ir head.  It's Indescribable.

Jack we are sooo happy to know you.

The circle completes as my Kate will now get to be their babysitter - she can hardly wait!!

Isn't the universe grand?


vrmmmmmm vrmmmmm tonka wooden truck flickr image credit

Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Author
708.482.0678 ~ Websites: Nutrition Weight Loss, and Green Clean as seen on Oprah

Member of BNI - West Suburban BNI: "Chapter Mentor"
Member, Board Member and Programming Chair of West Suburban Women Entrepreneurs