Happy Birthday Brittany!

[caption id="attachment_2301" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The love between Brittany and Ellie"][/caption]

I know I know I keep talking about Brittany.  Brittany Brittany Brittany.  Last year we had the pleasure of meeting Brittany while she was Ellie's special education student teacher.  As soon as the school year was over, I asked if she could babysit.  Because you see, Brittany has the unique quality of being both a "Ben" and an "Ellie".  In my brief stint being a mother to both Ben and Ellie it has come to my attention that it seems as if some people are more "Ben" people and gravitate towards him and others are more "Ellie" people and gravitate towards her.  That makes finding a babysitter for two such different children challenging.  Plus, Ben is fairly particular about who he wants to hang with.  Now that we have Brittany as our babysitter, the children beg us to go out so that they can have any evening with their friend. 

I know I have mentioned how when we were in the hospital, Brittany came to visit every day (with the exception of a coupla sick days.)  She did this even though she was working 2 jobs at one point.  And almost every time she would come she would come bearing food or crayons or books. 

One of the things I like most about Brittany is that she is one of the most self-assured, confident people I know (and the amazing thing is she is only 23).  When I mentioned where Ellie's seizure medications were before one of her babysitting stints, Brittany told me not to worry because one of her childhood friends had had seizures.  So different than the panicked look I would get from other sitters when I would mention where the medication had to go (and I am quite sure I would have had the same panicked look if I had been in their shoes.)  Another extraordinary quality is how Brittany just would not take any of the sadness from the hospital on.  Sometimes, I could tell when a friend would come to visit they would leave sadder than when they arrived.  Brittany on the other hand seemed to leave us happier than when she arrived.  And she never ever looks at us with pity in her eyes because she sees the strength instead.  One evening while Ellie slept Brittany and I just talked and talked, it was as if we had an impromptu slumber party right then and there. 

What a joy it has been getting to know Brittany better and not only having someone we feel so confident caring for our children, but someone whom our children love.