The unsung heroine

As much as I adore my kidlets, there are times when it's easier to get things done without them around.  For example, it's impossible to clean the house with Lottie and Dallas dogging my every step and pulling out everything I just put away.  It's almost always easier to do the grocery shopping without the kids...or Trevor.

We were insanely lucky in the summer of 2008 that one of our neighbors moved to Colorado.  Before she packed up her family and left, she handed me a small piece of paper with a name and phone number written on it.  Little did I know that it was a gold mine: Nicole.  A babysitter named Nicole.  At the time, Lottie was 18 months old and I was 7 months pregnant with Dallas.  No one had watched Lottie other than her grandparents, so I was a little nervous about using anyone else.  However, I knew that I was going to need help with two kids under the age of two.  I remember being a little nervous the first time I called Nicole.  When she answered, it was loud and she told me she was at Kings' Island with her friends.  I had some reservations, but we scheduled a time to meet.  She came to the house, and I liked her right away.  She was sweet, funny, honest, and great with Lottie.  

We started slowly by having Nicole come over a few times.  Lottie was hesitant at first, and I didn't blame her.  She was still so little, not even 2 years old, and didn't know Nicole very well.  The first couple of times, Lottie cried when I left and it was really hard to enjoy whatever I was doing.  Soon, though, Lottie really started to enjoy her time with Nicole, especially after Dallas was born.  As Dal got older, we started having specific days every week for Nicole to watch both kids so I could clean or run errands or just sit in silence.  

Before I knew it, Nicole had really become a part of our lives.  She is beyond incredible with the kids; she treats them like I do.  She makes them mind their manners, she teaches them yoga, she reads book after book to them, and she really loves them.  She takes care of our house and Judy when we're on vacation, and I never have to worry if everything is okay.  When she and Dallas play trains in the basement, Nicole tidies up all the toys strewn around.  I mean, the girl cleans!! Both Lottie and Dallas are crazy about her.  At breakfast, they often ask if it's a "Nicole day."  She vacationed with us at Disney World.  She texts me funny, random things all the time.  She's always available to help at the last minute, and she even VOLUNTEERS to sit so that Trevor and I can have a night out.  Who does that???  I refuse to even use her first name when I gush about her to my friends because I don't want anyone to steal her away.  I don't think she would ever jump ship for another family, but I'm not taking any chances.  

Nicole is like my younger sister; she's really family.  I honestly don't know what we would do without her chez Wells.