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Giveaway: Lily Jade Diaper Bag

People always ask me why our nanny is never present in the photos on my blog, like it’s some covert operation akin to Angelina Jolie’s pack of caregivers always hovering just out of frame. But the truth is, Ruth is not in my photos because she is usually not there when Mike and I are with the girls. She comes at 8am just as I am leaving to take Mazzy to school and leaves at 6pm when I get home.

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Mazzy is in school the majority of the day but sometimes, I’ll meet Ruth and Harlow for lunch or give Ruth some time off while I take Harlow to a class. My schedule is flexible so I am almost always available for doctor’s appointments and class field trips. Depending on timing, I might come home to get Harlow or Ruth will drop Harlow off at my office, which is in walking distance from our apartment.

But it’s not often we all go on an outing together.

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Over the course of the day, Ruth and I text each other playdate times and pertinent info, but we are far beyond instructions and schedules. After five years, Ruth knows my kids naptimes and eating quirks almost better than I do.

She sends Mike and I photos and videos of the girls throughout the day and sometimes we’ll send them to her over the weekend too. If Harlow or Mazzy do something particularly amusing, Ruth is usually the first person I want to tell because I know she will get it better than anybody else. Ruth is also the person I text if I can’t locate Mazzy’s Boo or Harlow’s favorite pair of sunglasses— she almost always knows where I can find them.

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I know being a nanny is a job, but Ruth is exceptionally close with my kids and I really think of her as family.

She has been our trusted caregiver since Mazzy was six months old.

She has known Harlow since the day she was born.

She has watched my blog grow from something I was doing after work to something I am doing full-time.

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Mike and I have always known that as the kids get older, our arrangement with Ruth would need to change, but the change is happening about a year earlier than we expected.

You see, Ruth is expecting a baby of her own.

I swear, I almost burst into tears writing that. Partly because I am so happy for her. Partly because change is hard. But mostly because I know Ruth is going to make the absolute best mom.

Before you get weepy too, Ruth is not leaving us for good. She is taking time off to have her baby over the summer. Her last day is June 30th and she will be returning October 1st. When she comes back, she will be working part time in the afternoons. We have enrolled Harlow in a preschool Monday through Friday morning, so Ruth’s hours will start when she picks up Harlow after school.

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Part of being our nanny has been having firsthand experience with all the baby products and gear I have received through the blog over the years. We share a stroller and a diaper bag after all, and Ruth never hesitates to tell me what is and isn’t working for her.

Ruth and I both have a lot of experience with the Lily Jade diaper bags since I have been working with them for the past year and have more than one that we alternate between us. The removable baby organizer comes standard in all Lily Jade diaper bags, which makes it super easy for us to transfer Harlow and Mazzy’s necessities (snacks, cups, diapers, wipes, etc.) from bag to bag, regardless of who is carrying it.

When I asked Ruth what she wanted for her baby shower, she asked for a Lily Jade of her own. She picked the Madeline in red canvas because she likes the option to convert her bag into a backpack when necessary.

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We have Ruth’s real baby shower this weekend, but we staged a little baby shower of our own earlier this week.

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I can’t wait to see how she stocks the bag when all the choices are her own.

I won’t reveal the name of her baby yet, because it’s not my place, but I will tell you it’s unique and beautiful. I will also tell you that at 6pm when Ruth leaves for the day, Mazzy and Harlow say goodbye to both her and her unborn baby by name, which is just the sweetest thing.

As emotional as I am about Ruth leaving for three months, Harlow and Mazzy are not going to know what hit them. Especially Harlow. She is very attached.

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So, I think it’s safe to say, in the remaining days of June, I will be taking TONS of photos of Ruth. I will need them to show my girls, when they tell me they miss her over the summer.

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Congratulations, Ruth. You are going to be the most amazing mom! I know better than anybody.

And I can’t wait to meet your new baby girl.

GIVEAWAY:

1) Visit Lily Jade on Facebook (feel free to “follow” while you’re there!) and leave a comment below talking about your the caregiver you could not live without. It could be your spouse, your mom, your sitter, yourself, etc.

2) For a second entry, follow Lily Jade on Instagram and leave a second comment saying you did so.

3) For a third entry, follow Lily Jade on Twitter, tweet the following and leave a third comment saying you did so.

I just entered to win a @lilyjadeco diaper bag from @mommyshorts! http://bit.ly/1I9hT2l

IF YOU’D LIKE TO PURCHASE NOW, ALL LILY JADE BAGS ARE CURRENTLY ON SALE!

One winner will be announced on June 26th.

Good luck!

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WINNER UPDATE:

And the winner is… Sandy Chiang, who can’t live without her mom.

Congrats! Please contact abby@mommyshorts.com to claim your prize.

 

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This post was sponsored by Lily Jade, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.