Who's Your Nanny?!

When I was on my mission we had these missionary trading cards that were part of package we used to deliver copies of the Book of Mormon. On your first night in the mission field they had you fill out this paperwork that had a generic, fill-in-the-blank questionaire of "about me." We did this as our last activity of a very long and physically/emotionally/spiritually draining day. One of the questions of the form I chose asked something about what my life's ambition was, or what I had been doing prior to going out to serve the Lord. I was all out of witty things to say, and the only thing that came to mind was what I had been doing just days before-nannying for a neighbor. So that's what I wrote. I didn't fully understand what this was going to look like until I got my trading cards, and it said that I had left my life's passion as a Nanny to come out and serve the Lord. That accompanied by my, er, stellar first day picture made for some awesome trading cards. Needless to say, I wasn't too anxious to hand those out...
Rewind a few years. Jolene and Nic had an adorable bull mastiff named Gimli. Gimli was a good sport and did almost everything with Jolene and Nic, but every now and then he had to stay home. On those rare occasions I would get to watch him. Before long I became known as the dog Nanny. And not long after that I became officially known as Nanny Manda. We always joked that someday when Jolene and Nic had kids I would be their official Nanny, taking care of the kids, dogs, and whatever/whoever else Jolene and Nic threw at me.
Fast forward, back to the mission. In the fall of 2008 I found out that I was a Nanny again-Jolene and Nic had gotten a new english mastiff named Gus. Once again, I was a Nanny! Then again in the spring of 2009 I found out that I was going to be a Nanny once again, this time to an actual person! I was so excited! Even though I woulnd't get to be there when my new charge made his entrance to the world, I would still get to be his Nanny. My little Turkey was born in the fall of 2009, and before he was even born he had his first outfit from his Nanny, just the first of what was to come. For my birthday that year I got a bag from Jolene, Nic, Turkey, Gimli, and Gus that had a pic of baby Turkey wearing a tie and surrounded by scriptures. The caption said "I hope they call me on a mission....so I can be cool like Nanny Manda!" Before Turkey even met me, he wanted to be like me! :)
As I was leaving my mission I handed out my missionary trading cards and at first thought that it was silly that they said that my life's passion is to be a Nanny, but I would soon find out that I had actually written a very true statement.
When I got home in February of 2010 I got to meet my little Turkey for the first time, and it was love at first sight. Even though he was asleep Nic got him out of his car seat and let me hold him. Man, that little boy stole my heart right away! Ever since that moment we have been the best of buds. I don't get to see my Turkey everyday, but when I do get to see him we spend plenty of time together! I've gotten to practice my Nannying skills with my little Turkey, and we have tons of fun! I always used to sing "twinkle twinkle little star" to Turkey when he was upset and I would make my fingers "twinkle." One day when I was singing Turkey started to "twinkle" his fingers too! It was a special moment for me! Other cute Turkey/Nanny moments include:
*First Kisses
*Hugs (he's the best hugger!)
*Hearing him say "Nanny! Nanny! Nanny!"
*The way his face lights up when he sees me.
*Turkey's first sucker (classic cuteness!)
*Turkey's first birthday
*And every other thing he does!

Turkey and I have had some really awesome times together. And now there's going to be another baby! Turkey and I are quite excited! (Well I am, he still isn't sure what's going on. He just pats his belly and says "baby, baby, baby!")
My goal is to be the best Nanny. Ever. How am I going to accomplish this, you ask? Well I'm buying lots of fun stuff, for the kids, of course! So far I've gotten a Cars snuggie, a Toy Story snuggie, a dinosaur shaped sandwhich cutter, and some really cute stuffed animals. I've started buying things in twos, one for each kid. I've also discovered that my little Turkey loves, and I mean loves fruit snacks, so I make sure to have a good supply on hand when he comes around. Turkey came and stayed at our house during spring break, and it was so hard for me to go to work each day and not get to stay home and play with him. It made coming home that much more fun. It seemed like every day when I got home poor little Turkey was upset and crying, but he would smile and crawl right to me as soon as he saw me. A hug and some snuggles usually did the trick to dry the tears, along with a snack! (I got to try out my dinosaur sandwhich cutter, and I promise, it made the PB&J taste even better!) Turkey and I have shared some fun snuggling moments. I love those times. I am looking forward to more special Nanny moments with Little Arliss (what we are calling the baby for the moment) and Turkey, and any other little ones that come my way!
So, who's your Nanny? I am! Nanny Manda to the rescue!