Gushing With Love

My daughter woke up this morning very perky and happy because she knew one of her favorite babysitters was coming over to spend the day with her. I truly feel like this babysitter was a gem I discovered - she has boundless energy and is never without activities, games and crafts for she and my daughter to enjoy! Even today's swimming pool time was not just spent swimming - but they "pretended" they were teenagers laying by the pool waiting for Hannah Montana, Drake & Josh, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad and all the people from iCarly to go swimming with them - and as they were lounging they were ordering food and drinks from the world's best waiter (our dog Pluto) and having a "fabulous" time by the pool, just as Sharpay does!! This babysitter has been with us for the last 4 years - this year she is going to be a Senior in high school and I know it is the beginning of the end as babysitting for little girls will long be forgotten when she enters college next year and starts on the next phase of her journey.

But, I digress as to why I was gushing with love. . .

When the babysitter showed up this morning, she had a large bag full of "stuff". She told Allie that she cleaned out her room and she found lots of special toys & books that she was too old for, but that didn't want to get rid of because they were special "things" and she wanted someone special like Allie to have them. It was at this point that I left for the day - Allie's babysitter told me the rest of the story when I came home later today. . .

After Allie oohed and aahed over everything that her babysitter gave her, she told her babysitter that she also had a surprise for her, but that she needed to go in the other room. Apparently Allie found a gift bag and started "shopping" in her bedroom for "stuff". When Allie finally came out of the room, a full 25 minutes later she was carrying a big bag of "stuff" that was bigger then she was, but her babysitter said, nothing was bigger then the smile on Allie's face. Allie went over to her babysitter and told her that she put some special presents in a bag for her because she was so special to Allie and that way she won't forget Allie when she isn't with her. And then she told her babysitter that she gets to keep a little Anissa at our house and so Anissa should keep a little Allie at her house.

As Moms, we always wonder if we are doing the right things and teaching our kids those important life values - to be kind, honest, warm, empathetic. Its little moments like these that comfort me, because whether Allie is simply wired this way or whether she has learned this behavior, its clear to me that she has a big heart and is full of love and making someone feel good is high on her list. When her babysitter shared this story with me, I felt a huge gush of love for Allie because I could sense how touched Anissa was that this little 5 1/2 year old wanted nothing more than to make Anissa feel just as special as Allie felt when Anissa gave her her bag of "stuff" this morning.