So sometimes my job equals

AWESOMNESS!

*coughcough* only sometimes.

But there are days I leave the family I babysit for really happy (and not just happy to leave). Today is one of those days. You see, I believe I mentioned a few posts ago that the mom was a producer. Hence Producer Lady. I may have failed to mention that the father/the husband is a cinematographer. *waves* Hey Daddy Camera. Daddy Camera is very good at what he does- which is why he's never really around. But we shall get to that later.

So when I picked March up from school, I had a busy day at my internship. And it was gooey out. Foggy, misty, monsooning you name it. I was really ready to go back to the den and hang out with March, perhaps try baking those cookies I royally f***ed up two days ago by putting far too much baking power. Bleh. Anyways, March saw me and started to grin. "Aw he's happy to see me!" was not the response I should've had (though he actually WAS, he was more excited about what comes next). I get to him and he tells me he wants to visit his dad on set. Me being who I am, I never trust those kids as far as I can throw 'em. So I checked in with Producer Lady and she thought it was a swell idea.

Let me now mention that Daddy Camera is the director for the USA show White Collar. Yes-you may take a pause, cause I know I did when I found out. *moment of omg sanctioned*

So March and I walked our way over to the set. March was excited about seeing papa bear. I was quietly thanking all my baby Jesuses that this could happen. Now let me come correct- this isn't the first time I've brought the little man to a film set, and I tend not to be starstruck. But have you SEEN the man who plays Neil Caffrey aka Matt Bomer? Holy craaaap. If not...that's him. Down there. Yes...scroll to the bottom of the page. I can wait. {Waits} All I can really say is that meeting him...was almost like watching some serious HD tv. I think I might have kept going cross-eyed. I know I didn't look at him very much. But damn is he pretty. And as my sister Le Leo told me "that man has some SWAG!" Definition of swag for those of you who don't know is the following courtesy of urbandictionary.com- yes I quantify UD as a legitamate source- (my favorite definition attempt):

Swag adj: the way one carries thyself, especially in sexual appeal or "go get 'em" style. (I added the last part which I'm so adding to UD)
Favorite example:
.....
"I'm digging that strut son, I like your swag"
"Thanks Dad"
.....

Either way, Neil Caffrey touched me, looked deep into my eyes, I forgot I got a college degree, and internally woofed at how awesome my day was. Yup. Just another typical day...

Legos My...Legos.

So I spend a lot of my time with March. By a lot I mean probably 15+ hours a week, give or take a weekday or few hours (note: I don't do the babysitting on the weekends. It's called I need time with "grown ups").

So what does this mean?

This means I spend a lot of time getting in touch with my inner 7 year old boy.  Usually, I have to figure out a way keep the little guy occupado- meaning I bust out my array of awesome quasi athletic abilities (he saw me finally throw a football full out across a blacktop at the park and he was enamored!), artsy-craftsy type ingenuity and most of all, my completely lack of architectural genius when it comes to building legos.

Now the thing about legos is that they're small. Yes we all know this D.Babysitter, why are you talking about it? Well...my hands are rather large in comparison to a six year old's, SO- those little f**king legos are and have been my worst enemy. Until recently. Now you see, I have to somehow be bury this growing animosity for legos like the lost city of Pompeii (this means violently and rapidly). But after about 8 months of being forced to play with legos, I've learned a few things:

1) March is kind of an architectural genius...for his age. The things he thinks about building are pretty awesome, and besides they're mostly Star Wars related and EVERYONE loves Star Wars. It would also explain a great deal about his being socially awkward...the artist soul young one has [Yoda voice].

2) That legos are actually pretty damn cool and so is the stuff people build with them. Especially this guy here...

3) Lego building...is REALLY cathartic. Seriously.

Now...I'm no pro, and don't really do the whole architecture thing, but alas, I'm starting to find that I have a good time. And I built this. Don't ask me what it is...cause I don't know. -shrug-

So THIS is what I do????

I had a dawning moment yesterday.

While I was at the kids media company that I work for, I sometimes Google. Mainly work for them...but like the devil it is...I google stuff that tickles my fancy. ANYWAYS. I was googling for a holiday we're doing, and lo and behold I came across an article for moms, about what a nanny is.

Now being the delightfully charming skeptic I am, I only thought "what's the difference?!" So I looked with gusto. I almost wish I hadn't. Now, I tend to post a lot of articles which I KNOW most of you won't read. Not that you can't. But really why, you're already reading, that's an extra click yaddyyaddaya....I'll paraphrase the article from eHow.com (now whether I trust the validity of eHow, but they taught me how to make a delicious macchiato so I'll run with it)

They defined the difference between a nanny and a babysitter as follows.
Nanny: "A nanny usually is more involved with children for a major part of the day on a regular basis. The Nanny Network website says the responsibility of a nanny is to “partner with the parents to help raise their charges to be responsible, competent young men and women."

Babysitter: "Sitters are typically more focused on child care rather than home management, and you can run into problems when you try to make your baby sitter perform duties outside of her normal routine."

Now...what dawned on me is that I have somewhere over the last few months, especially the last 4, have straddled the line between nanny and babysitter. Which is kind of difficult especially if there are "roadblocks" as to what I can and can't do with June and March. So does that make me a nannitter? or a banny? Oh whatever....*insert grumpy face*

Ooooo...A Sick Day????!!!

Clearly not for me! :-(

But unfortunately June came down with a serious a** cold. Like...stay home from school. I was asked to come in around 11am today to stick around and hang out with June. Now granted...today was the one day where my work day starts at 3pm when I pick March up from school. And seeing as how I work crazy hours, all day everyday, I was a bit miffed. That meant that I had to wake up early...again.

But I have to say...sometimes sick days are kinda awesome. I'm hanging out with June and realized that I don't actually get to hang out with her that much from the occasional UES school pickup. Which is interesting considering I'm also technically her babysitter and not just March's.  So we spent the morning and early afternoon watching really awful ABC Family movies, mainly Teen Spirit- though I have no shame in admitting that I thoroughly enjoyed Princess Protection Program. Mostly cause I like Demi Lovato for no reason.

But hanging out with June made me realize something...she just really wants to be a ten year old who has quasi-bad tastes in movies and to just chill for a little bit. Which I get. If I were on the move as much as she, I'd want a break too! Her mom (June's) wants her to have this structured life so she's constantly on the go- gymnastics, lacrosse, viola, and a whole bunch of other mess that I didn't really start till I was 14. (This is me in COMPLETE denial about how much I work and do and blahblahblahblah) So how do you deal with this- a child who wants to be a child and still work within a parents system of what works in their house? Well...I let her go "rogue" sometimes. Let her watch more movies. And laugh. And joke with around. So while I'm laughing at her and her Rusty Spoons voice, I'm having more fun than I thought. Granted, she's ten and probably had a lot of tv time for being sick (as for me my parents always worked so I was stuck in front of the idiot box ALL the time)- so when her mom, Producer Lady got home from her meeting today, she was fuming about the tv. (which is ironic seeing as how Producer Lady produces well...movies)

Now, PL and I have had to have a conversation. Once upon a time I was too strict, asking June if she finished her homework constantly, teaching them discipline through timeouts and such, etc., and PL did not like it. It was explained to me that there is already enough discipline between her, school and sports stuff- and that June is a super mature kid who can get her act together about what she needs to do, so I can leave her be and really focus on March. Therefy, that means that I am meant to be...wait for it...the FUN babysitter who gets to laugh and play with the kids! So now I have no boundary of what to do with this kid. Being with her is different than March...there is a different tactic involved.

I just...haven't figured it out yet....