Saturday, January 03, 2009

Eight Months with Nikki Dee

Yesterday was more difficult than joyous as we said goodbye to our 8+ month babysitting job. Thesha will be home until she delivers and then for the rest of the year. While it will be nice to enjoy lazier mornings and have a little more time for other pursuits, I already miss the munchkin. We'll see her often (very often), but it's still a passage, and passages can bring a lump to the throat and salt water to the eyes.

Inspired by some bloggers who did this for New Years, I have gone through my blogs since April and picked a photo per month.

April: We had a warm spell late in the month and took this photo in the park on our second day of babysitting.



May: In the beginning we took our computers over, but we soon gave it up because She just wanted to play with the machines or us.



June: We took her to the playground. She enjoyed it so much that she never wanted to leave. Consequently, she didn't get there as often as she might have.



July: At the park (as opposed to the playground, above), she'd insist on going to the dock and splashing with her feet. As the water level lowered, this became more problematic. So, if we took her to the park, we had to go the other way from the dock most of the time.




August: Partly due to preoccupation with the wedding, Nikki Dee didn't get too much blog exposure in August. This one didn't get posted at the time, but here she is at the wedding quite thrilled by the bubbles from the machine.


September: It's not like she never got back to the playground again. Here she enjoys a little push in the swings.


October: She tries to pick up a pumpkin at the grocery store.


November: I'm beginning to feel a little better about my blogging as I hunt for photos that I have used. Sometimes, I think all I do is post photos of my Nikki Dee and worry about how bored you must be, but there weren't too many in November, and not as many as I had thought in many months. Here she is on her stool in the bathroom. She had been spending quality time looking in the big mirror. She can hardly pass a mirror by without stopping to stare in fascination.


December: Since you've just seen many Christmas pics, let's go back a little. Do you remember this one: ND eating from a big spoon? She still tries that on sometimes — yesterday for instance.


January 02 2009: Yesterday was our last day on the job, but we took lots of pictures to commemorate the occasion. Here she is grabbing my Christmas hat. The hat went from my head to hers a few times before it was set aside for other fun.

Thanks for memories, Nikki Dee.

15 comments:

Dale said...

Sleepless in Mimico. Oh well. At least I have the honour of being first to comment today.

You sure do love that little girl, don't you? And so it should be!

Paul said...

Me thinks Nikki Dee has done an excellent job of making you a wonderful grandfather.

ChrisB said...

Grandparents play such an important role and you have some lovely memories of these past few months. My guess is you will still be helping out quite often!

Mary said...

AC,

Beautiful photos of Nikki Dee. I never get bored of seeing them and hearing news of her.

I've watched the grandsons since they were born and have experienced several rites of passage. I think the toughest was when Brandon started Kindergarten. I had had him with me every day for four years and it was hard to see him advance into the world of school.

Take care and enjoy ND. Before you know it, she will be heading out to her first day of school.

Blessings,
Mary

Judy said...

Thanks for sharing her with us.

I am excited to meet her sibling!

PBS said...

I always LOVE seeing photos of Nikki Dee and it was a special treat to see the lineup of one for each month!

Kila said...

Aww, gosh, you'll make me tear up here!

No doubt she'll miss you, too. Hopefully you can still get together often.

You can come babysit my boys after school! ;)

Amanda said...

You can really see how much Nikki Dee has grown in those pictures. She is just beautiful and you need not worry about how many pictures you post!
It's been nice looking back and remembering what you guys got up to this year together.

Mara said...

Lovely to see those pictures again, I especially love the one where she's on the swing, such a happy little girl. I hope we will see lots more of her and soon to be her little brother or sister!

Anonymous said...

Such a wonderful time for both you, Cuppa and her. Such wonderful memories. I, for one, never tire of your Nikki Dee tales. :-)

JunieRose2005 said...

AC,

You will still be needed...this I can promise you! (lol- from my own experience!) Also- you will have another little one soon to be needed by!

I have enjoyed all your adventures with Nikki Dee and look forward to more in the future!

Junie

Ginnie said...

Nikki Dee will never forget all those wonderful hours spent with you (and vice versa.)
I loved the November picture...and I wish you all the best for 2009.

Lorna said...

I thought there was nothing as rewarding as being a daughter to people I adored, then a wife, then a mother---maybe because nostalgia is so tied to it, grandmothering seems equally rewarding.

I love Nikki Dee in her wedding outfit. And i bet she looked pretty cute in that arctic-fit hat.

Woman in a Window said...

Boy, she's grown a lot in one year! Enjoy your year off 'cause it will fly and then won't you have two to enjoy at that point?

Jane said...

What a lucky girls she is to have such wonderful grandparents. Enjoy your break. Change is always hard, but it brings its own rewards.