What a wonderful friend!

Drew, Katie and Janinne

As a mom, it is a wonderful feeling to see someone who truly loves your kids. Someone who thinks your kids are just as great as you do.  I am so lucky that I have an entire family and close group of friends who I can see that they feel this way about my children. One of these people is one of my best friends from college, Janinne, who recently came to visit us for a few days from Boston.  Janinne is about to become a mother herself and is glowing and beautiful at 25 weeks pregnant.

I loved seeing Janinne pregnant! Doesn't she look great?

My children must have sensed something special about Janinne as well because they instantly responded to her warmth and kindness and her genuine interest in everything about them. They wanted to cuddle, read books, hold hands, and play with her.  They loved saying her name and asking her to do something with them. She fit right into our life here and they were happy to have her be a part of it for a few days.  There was one moment when Janinne was playing trains with Drew and Katie in their room and I overheard Drew say to her "I am really glad that you are here." That sums it up.

Drew loved Janinne's gift of paint-your-own dinosaurs.

Drew made Janinne play all of his favorite games....

and go on all of his crazy adventures!

Playing with a fountain.

Janinne loved watching Drew and Katie play together!

One of the only quiet moments of the day.

We took Janinne to a really cute puppet show at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park. 

Now that I am at the stage of my life where I am busy with my young family, it is obvious to me how much my close friends mean to me.   I am so glad that Janinne was able to get to know Drew and Katie  and give me much-needed girlfriend time where I am not "Mom", but just a girl hanging out with a great friend. That she took the time out of her busy life to come to NYC  means so much to me. I cannot wait for Janinne to become a mom and to meet her little peanut. I know that she is going to absolutely love every moment of it!

A picture from sophomore year at college of our room group.  Wow, do we look different!