Elly's New Friend

So Elly has a new friend.  Actually a couple new friends.  You may be wondering how the hell does a 9 month old have so many friends?  Well, don't worry.

One is Mickey Mouse.  And not the one you and I grew up on.  This one is a digital CG animated one who sings "Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog!" (The tune is actually pretty catchy.  So much so I googled the words so I could sing it right because there's nothing more annoying than making a fool out of yourself singing a children's song wrong.)

And I mean "Oh boy!" (please read that in your high-pitched Mickey Mouse voice) is the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse one of her favorite shows.  For being so young I'm worried about her watching any kind of TV, yet she seems to really enjoy MMCH so much that I find I give in to it.  That and it's sucked me in.  Disney bastards. (please read that with a gruff, annoyed mom voice.)

Her other new friend is my savior! She's Ms. B and she's Elly's care giver when Stoofy and I are at work.  I knew she was the one when Elly slobbered all over her face upon meeting her.  Not to mention that Ms. B didn't seem to mind one bit! 

Ms. B is a God send for me!  She makes my days easier since I don't have to worry about Elly every single second I'm away from her.  (And let's be honest, of course I'm going to, but the level and brain power that I use to worry is much less because of Ms. B.)

She helps me keep track of what Elly's been eating.  How much she's been sleeping (or rather, not sleeping), and just entertaining me with videos of my daughter having laughing fits at the dog! 

Ms. B even made christmas ornaments with Elly for us!  I couldn't be more pleased! 

And what's crazy about the whole situation, is that originally Elly was going to be watched by another friend of mine.  But after she found new employment (2 weeks before I started my new job), we were back to square one.  I had a minor panic attack (not that I fault my friend, but the timing was pretty fucking scary!  I'm pretty much anti-major change), but Ms. B was there to step up to the plate I like to call Ms. Bakedgood's Wild Ride!

So now she's got a total of nine friends: Mumma, Dadda, Mema, Aunt Abby, Charlie, Moxie, TT, and Mickey and now Ms. B.  I can't wait to meet her 10 month friend!

Back From Jupiter

Well, I'm officially back from my month-long trip to Jupiter and my mini trip to the moon.  Obviously that's where I've been since I haven't been here in FOR-EV-ER (said in the Smalls from Sandlot voice).  And for that I apologize!

A lot has been happening and it's been exciting and overwhelming.  I have about 15 stories, tales, and adventures that are sitting half finished just waiting for the finishing touches. (For some of them I'll just scrape off the mold and call it good, like what you do with old cheese.)  Yet, I seem to keep getting pulled away by a force of nature from them.

It might have to do with Elly constantly yanking my hair and face for attention, or the fact that I just started a new job.  Or maybe that Stoofy also just started a new job.  Anyway, let me get hard to work today on those riviting stories of technicolor poop, working mom's guilt, how I suck at time management, Elly's latest firsts, Elly gets a new friend, and the crem de la crem... meeting the General of my dreams! 

So stay tuned, there's lots to come!  I promise to keep you entertained through the holidays.  And feel free to share my stories with your families this holiday season! ;-) Don't forget, I love shameless promotion!

Nightmares of the Working Mom

I feel like I'm living a nightmare right now.  It's weird, because so many things are positively falling into place as I get out of the Navy and transition into the real world.  Everything except one: daycare for Elly.  Now that we're all moved out of base housing and temporarily settled with Abby, the next hurdle in my life is finding full time daycare.

First of all, watching a marathon of Law and Order: SVU is really not helping my daily panic attacks when it comes to for Elly’s childcare.  (Kids getting murdered and neglected all the time.  Who the hell let me have the remote?)

And it obviously can't be just any daycare.  I have a laundry list of requirements, but when tasked with typing them all out in an ad on Sittercity. I drew a complete blank.  I think I'm actually paralyzed with fear just thinking about leaving her with a stranger.

I'm a psycho new mom.  Like I take crazy to a new level when it comes to Elly.  So I constantly picture wherever I drop her off, the lady will smile and wave, and then as soon as I'm down the street, Elly's left to crawl through glass and cigarette butts, eat the dog food, play with everything dangerous, left in her own filth and the lady that said she spoke English can't actually read any of the instructions I left.  I show up and my daughter is completely traumatized and I collapse in a heap of working-mom guilt.

Just typing this is making me cry. 

Because there isn't going to be anyone in this world that can do what I do.  Not even my own mom, but she's the next best thing! She at least keeps my daughter on a schedule.  I on the other hand have let it all go to shit.  Ok, so maybe there is at least one person in this world that can do what I do... probably because she's already raised my daughter once when she raised me.

But still....

I keep envisioning child neglect and abuse and just plain old craziness in every daycare.  And yet, I'm stuck.  We're a two income family.  It's what works for us.  (Especially in the most expensive place to live in America according to the latest census information.  I also live in the #1 wealthiest county in America.  The median income is around $89,000.  I won't be making that.)  So I have no choice but to find daycare.

I'm also a coupon clipper and deal shopper.  But this isn't exactly one of those things you become a full-on penny pincher.  Because who skimps on their child care?  If there's anything in this world that the saying "you get what you paid for" more closely describes, I'd be shocked.  Honestly.  If you're going to be paying pennies to some secret evil witch, you can't be surprised when you show up at the end of the day to pick up your kid and she's in the oven.  But on the other hand, we can't exactly afford an au pair!  Geez! We're not one of the Real Housewives of DC couples!   

Now, I know I'm making this so much worse in my head than it actually is.  I get that. 

I know I will eventually find the perfect place for Elly and it will become a second home for her.  And maybe that's what scares me just as much (if not more).  What if I find a place that's just so perfect, that she likes the babysitter more than me?  What happens if she loves her more than me because she spends all day with her and not with me?  And now I've come full circle in the working-mom guilt. 

This is why I'm living a nightmare right now.