Nanny's last day

This is my first time hiring a nanny. Due to urgency, I didn't do in-depth research, and we didn't take referrals. There was one lady who we interviewed was referred by the parents' mailing list I am on. She was an experienced candidate though she bargained with us on salary and job requirement. Many others called also had similar tones, except this one, who without me telling her what the job requirement is, she said she want the job, period. It was a tough call between her and another lady whom my mom knows well and had just stopped serving one of our neighbors. I decided on her by instinct.

5.5 months past, I'm grateful that I chose her. We panicked in the first month when we started to learn more about her. She had rather unusual background ;) After day and day interaction, the way she carried herself, the fact that she was always early and anticipate our need and our inquiry, the way she interact with River, numerous tricks she taught River, we grew quite fond of her. Not to mention, the dumpling, Chinese pancake she made for us and the fresh noodle she made for River. Making dough from flour was never an easy task to me, but it's almost like boiling water for someone who came from northern China, or maybe just her.

We enjoyed listening to her shopping adventure and amazed at all the discount she could remember from Great Mall. The gossip between her housemates, her observation on the train (everyday she took 1 hour train ride, with transit, and walked 45 mins to our house) and many other stories of her, it feels like I read another novel! But the most I will miss is her daily report on River's progress. Her keen observation of River's every little movement, expression and gesture combined with her northern slang, made her narration quite pleasing to my ears. I am quite sure she will miss River if not a lot, when she's back to China.

Grandma and everyone in the household will have a tougher job this coming month. We won't know until past mid December whether the Chinese home daycare nearby will take River, fingers crossed.