Love in a Wee Little Package

Meet Zac. This is my little man. He's not mine, but he has been a huge part of my life this year. I have been his nanny since March when he was 7 weeks old. I had my last shift with him tonight. His parents have been relocated back to Australia and are obviously taking him with them. I am sad, so very sad to see him go. I haven't been able to hold back the tears since I found out a couple of weeks ago that they are leaving.

If you have your own kids or have kids in your life who are close to you, I am sure you will get this...my heart has gotten bigger since he has been in my life. I keep picturing The Grinch and how his heart swelled 3 sizes larger at the end of the movie. Not saying I had a heart 2 sizes to small to begin with, but that the love I have felt (and still feel) for him is something I haven't experienced a huge amount of before. (I do have 2 beautiful nieces, and my love from them is HUGE, HUGE, HUGE as well!). For me, babies are a space for love and intimacy. That's it. They want nothing else from people and they call for that love and intimacy from others as well. At least that is what my experience is. I think that is true for many people though. Have you ever watched someone's mood shift in the presence of a baby?? They could appear to be in such a crabby mood and then they see a baby and their whole energy shifts. They smile, their eyes brighten, their voice changes, their body loosens and they are engaged fully with the baby. My whole being shifted when I saw him. I could have had the worst day, been so tired and feeling ill and just wanted to curl up in bed and never come out, but as soon as I saw him...oh man...all of that disappeared. I melted when I saw him. My heart expanded everytime I was with him. That is the magic of Zac. That is the magic of babies. That is who they are for me...pure magic, love, joy and innocence. And I have had the pleasure of being around a sweet baby boy for 3-4 nights a week for months. No wonder my heart has grown 3 sizes larger!

Thank you to my little man. Thank you for letting me take care of you and love you. Thank you for bringing out the best of me. Thank you for being the space of love in my life. My heart will never be the same again.