Busy Philipps: I Tell My Nanny Every Day ‘How Much I Appreciate Her’
Even though her two daughters Birdie Leigh, 6½, and Cricket Pearl, 2 next month, have a strong sisterly bond, Busy Philipps quickly realized their five-year age difference has some challenges.
“I thought that my children were going to share a bedroom and it turns out that they’re too far apart in age,” the Cougar Town alum told PEOPLE at the Jenni Kayne + Pottery Barn Kids Collection Launch with Baby2Baby in West Hollywood on Saturday.
“It’s just a disaster because the baby goes to bed so early and so, we’ve had this crazy makeshift thing going on in our house for the past year-and-a-half.”
She adds, “Now, we’re doing an addition — we’re going to build a new bedroom — and Birdie has declared that she gets the new bedroom. Which, I get it, you’re the older sister, but I’m going to have to get all new stuff.”
Michael Simon/Startraks
And even though her daughters won’t be sharing the same sleep space, the proud mama admits the two do have a similar personality trait: They’re both “highly verbal.”
“[Cricket’s] talking in full sentences now and she’s saying hilarious things,” Philipps says. “Cricket talked a little bit later than Birdie, but now it’s just gangbusters and she says the funniest, funniest things so we’re really enjoying our lovely little 2 year old.”
And Philipps admits she feels “lucky” Cricket is set to follow in her older sister’s footsteps and skip over the terrible twos.
“You know everybody asks about terrible two’s — I skipped it with Birdie and I feel like Cricket’s going to skip it as well. When your kids are verbal very early, they’re able to communicate so much better and so the frustration level for them is less,” she explains.
“With Birdie, I feel like her most difficult age was four because that was when she was really becoming independent and there was a lot of push-pull, but two was not hard for her. So I’m hopeful right now because Cricket seems to be the same way.”
As for how the busy mom balances it all? Now that the girls “have their own schedules,” Philipps is realizing it takes a village.
“I feel like you have to get used to asking for help and being okay with having help,” Philipps admits. “I know that’s hard for some people and it was really hard for me — especially, when I just had one kid — but now it’s a lot easier because it’s a non-starter.”
She adds, “You can’t do everything without help and I’m very blessed. I really do feel incredibly blessed to have the help of an amazing nanny who I trust implicitly and who takes such great care of my kids when I’m working, and when I’m traveling, and when I have to come to charity events to help kids.”
And the actress — who also has the support of husband Marc Silverstein — says that even though “there’s the two of [them],” the added help of a nanny really makes her life possible.
“I just wouldn’t be able to work and have the kind of life that I have without having that extra help,” she explains. “I tell [my nanny] every day how much I appreciate her and that’s a big deal.”
— Mariah Haas