I heart Elia

Just want to declare it ad nauseum.  She came over for dinner.  We talked about the Upper West Side nanny that murdered her kids.  We ordered spicy pizza that I promised she would like even though she can’t do spicy- as I can’t do spicy either, she agreed it’s some damn good pizza.  We tried to find photos on Instagram of Antoinette and their mom at the White House Christmas party tonight (none posted yet).  We exchanged some Jacket stories and planned some future stalking strategies.  She heard Sandy’s farts and agreed that they sound like gun shots.

Elia is the. best. ever.

That’s all.  :)

I know you’ve heard about this already, but I’m so proud and excited for my first foster care babysitter, Antoinette (standing in the back - she’s Elia’s older sister), who now works at the White House- and will continue to for the next four years!

I know you’ve heard about this already, but I’m so proud and excited for my first foster care babysitter, Antoinette (standing in the back - she’s Elia’s older sister), who now works at the White House- and will continue to for the next four years!

Antoinette is in town and Elia and their mom and I all went to lunch. I seriously would have never survived as a foster parent without this family.  Don’t they just glow?

Antoinette is in town and Elia and their mom and I all went to lunch. I seriously would have never survived as a foster parent without this family.  Don’t they just glow?

Antoinette (Elia’s sister) sent Jacket some White House M&m’s. Jacket’s mom and grandma flipped out - they thought it was so cool. Then, I got a run-down of Obama’s new ‘policies’ according to grandma and Jacket’s mom:   #1. Obama just put in a new law in which people aren’t allowed to speak any other language except for English, anywhere in the United States.  Not on the phone, not at home, not on the street (they gave me all of these examples), no where.  Because otherwise they could be planning terrorist acts in a different language and we wouldn’t know about it. #2. Obama also made a new policy about Groundhog’s Day  (but I don’t know how to describe what they were saying without sounding like a jerk). #3.  Lastly, an older policy from Obama is that Jacket’s juice has to go under the plane.  All metal goes under a plane.  And the TSA (she used another word I can’t remember) go to jail now for stealing your shit.  Apparently, they steal people’s stuff all the time.  In fact, don’t put Jacket’s juice under the plane.  They’ll steal it.  Just buy some in Florida.

Antoinette (Elia’s sister) sent Jacket some White House M&m’s. Jacket’s mom and grandma flipped out - they thought it was so cool.

Then, I got a run-down of Obama’s new ‘policies’ according to grandma and Jacket’s mom:

  #1. Obama just put in a new law in which people aren’t allowed to speak any other language except for English, anywhere in the United States.  Not on the phone, not at home, not on the street (they gave me all of these examples), no where.  Because otherwise they could be planning terrorist acts in a different language and we wouldn’t know about it.

#2. Obama also made a new policy about Groundhog’s Day  (but I don’t know how to describe what they were saying without sounding like a jerk).

#3.  Lastly, an older policy from Obama is that Jacket’s juice has to go under the plane.  All metal goes under a plane.  And the TSA (she used another word I can’t remember) go to jail now for stealing your shit.  Apparently, they steal people’s stuff all the time.  In fact, don’t put Jacket’s juice under the plane.  They’ll steal it.  Just buy some in Florida.

Elia and I took the ipad to a bookstore yesterday and I recorded her reading “I Like Myself” to Jacket- a book they used to read together all the time.  Sooo adorable.  Jacket will be able to watch it again and again.  I want to make many more!

Elia and I took the ipad to a bookstore yesterday and I recorded her reading “I Like Myself” to Jacket- a book they used to read together all the time.  Sooo adorable.  Jacket will be able to watch it again and again.  I want to make many more!

After lunch yesterday, we went over to Elia’s new apartment and I was struck by how her room seemed to be a shrine to Jacket.  So many things jumped out at me,

-The Valentine’s Day card Jacket (and I) made for her the year before last.

-A glitter picture on her door with Jacket’s name on it.

-One of the pony sticker’s from Jacket’s 3rd birthday on her laptop.

-The photo calendar we made for her as a Christmas gift that I had completely forgotten about.

One of my pre-fosterhood fantasies was that a child would connect me more to my community.  This was most definitely the case.  It’s been two years now since I found Antoinette and Elia who babysat for both Eaglet and Jacket.  They saw me at my worst and best.  They met the rounds of guys I dated.  They know that I always leave wet towels on the floor.  They witnessed crushed Cheerios being left under the dining room table for weeks (and then quietly cleaned it up while I was out).  They never judged.  They were willing to be paid below the poverty line.  They are simply awesome blossoms (ha ha, I know that you girls just cringed reading that).  Awesome Blossom Possums.  That’s right.  Sweet little flowers animals that need to hurry up and decide on a spirit animal to make your hippy, homeopathic mom proud.  So, today Antoinette, Elia and their mom and dad took me to lunch (hence, I know their mom wants them to have spirit animals).  Antoinette is in town from her fancy White House job and I learned all about “wranglers” working “movements” and being in “foxholes” or “the foxhole”, whatever it is.

One of my pre-fosterhood fantasies was that a child would connect me more to my community.  This was most definitely the case.  It’s been two years now since I found Antoinette and Elia who babysat for both Eaglet and Jacket.  They saw me at my worst and best.  They met the rounds of guys I dated.  They know that I always leave wet towels on the floor.  They witnessed crushed Cheerios being left under the dining room table for weeks (and then quietly cleaned it up while I was out).  They never judged.  They were willing to be paid below the poverty line.  They are simply awesome blossoms (ha ha, I know that you girls just cringed reading that).  Awesome Blossom Possums.  That’s right.  Sweet little flowers animals that need to hurry up and decide on a spirit animal to make your hippy, homeopathic mom proud. 

So, today Antoinette, Elia and their mom and dad took me to lunch (hence, I know their mom wants them to have spirit animals).  Antoinette is in town from her fancy White House job and I learned all about “wranglers” working “movements” and being in “foxholes” or “the foxhole”, whatever it is.

Dear FBI,

The next time you want to come to my workplace in pairs and interview me because my babysitter got a fancy White House job, could you please say so LOUDLY and CLEARLY beFORE I initiate Operation ‘Smuggle Jacket into Mexico’?

Many thanks! Rebecca

Been meaning to post this New Year’s Eve photo of the Rangel family (and friend Tyler).  I had them over for brunch and it’s fun how a craigslist search for a babysitter almost two years ago has resulted in an extended family.  Antionette started out as the main babysitter for Eaglet and her sister Elia filled-in.   When Antionette went off to law school Elia became Jacket’s full-time childcare for the first month I had her and she’s babysat continuously ever since. Now Antoinette is off to a fancy new job at the White House (!) and Elia is back from Hawaii (thank god).  Their mom is amazing and I’m taking notes as to how she raised such amazing daughters.

Been meaning to post this New Year’s Eve photo of the Rangel family (and friend Tyler).  I had them over for brunch and it’s fun how a craigslist search for a babysitter almost two years ago has resulted in an extended family. 

Antionette started out as the main babysitter for Eaglet and her sister Elia filled-in.   When Antionette went off to law school Elia became Jacket’s full-time childcare for the first month I had her and she’s babysat continuously ever since.

Now Antoinette is off to a fancy new job at the White House (!) and Elia is back from Hawaii (thank god).  Their mom is amazing and I’m taking notes as to how she raised such amazing daughters.