I think I officially have that nanny look going for me now. Random children approach me daily… I must look safe. My aura is nanny-colored because their parents obviously do not care if they talk to this stranger. I’ll be walking in the park and a child will just wander over to say hi. Or at a restaurant, waiting for my take away food…
Ben [age: maybe 4?]: Hi.
Me: Hi there.
Ben: I’m Ben.
Me: Hey Ben. I’m Rachel.
Ben: My family’s over there that’s my little sister I’m done eating we’re on vacation. [all one sentence.]
Me: Cool. Where are you from Ben?
Ben: I came from the hotel. [then just walks off.]
Me: Oh… Okay, well nice meeting you Ben!
And I look over to his parents and they just wave at me! Don’t get me wrong… I love this kinda stuff… I live for these interactions… But if I had a kid, I’m not sure I’d just let them wander around and talk to strangers. I must look nanny-like. After I talk to kids, their parents always give me the, “Hey, thanks for talking to our kid” nod/wave. Hey, no prob. I guess it all makes sense…
wull hay. 
I think you should carry a Polaroid camera and do the arm-out-self-portrait with you and the Stranger Children that approach you. And make a coffee table book. Nanny Rachel & The Stranger Children. I’d buy it.
ugh. While I appreciate your photoshop skillz you did just force me to remember that Fran Drescher even existed. So thank you for that.
whales: yeah, cuz THAT wouldn’t be creepy. “hey ben! get back here and lemme take a picture of ya,” said the freakishly tall woman sitting by herself.
dan long: [picture this.] i’m sitting here this morning, eating my biscuit and drinking my coffee, and i go to read the comments on my blahg… i read yours right after i take a bite of biscuit and start laughing SO hard that i’m afraid i’m going to choke with my mouth full. so then i start to try to control my laughter and that just makes me sound so ridiculous that i lose it and all the sudden i’m choking and crying from laughing.
– hahammhmhmhmhohohohohmmmhahahaHAHAhackhackackhack… cough! cough! cough! [gasping for air.]
so thank you for that.
p.s. I think for your birthday, you should make all your friends posters with their head superimposed on someone appropriate for their personalities. Nic and Dan already have one in front of El Cap. … Happy Birthday to you/ presents for us!
p.p.s. ben came up to YOU. Maybe he wanted his picture taken with the tall caffeinated lady! And you denied him. Poor ben.