The end of the daycare problem :)

I couldn't get over the last incident at daycare. I'm very nonconfrotational. My dad suggested I calmly sit down and talk to them about my concerns. I get flustered and easily talked out of how I feel so I know they would be able to calm me down with no action. Then, he said he could go with me. That's nice but I'm a grown up so this is really something AJ and I should handle as her parents. Lastly, he said write a letter. Having things written down really makes it official. I'm not spouting off out of anger. I thought about it and laid it all out for them. It was a page and a half long. I put it in business terms also throwing the things they said to me back at them. Like if she were handling your books would you just say oh someone would catch her mistakes eventually, and so on.

This got their attention. They transferred her to the older toddler room which doesn't affect either of my children. I'm satisfied with this decision. I was so afraid we would be kicked out or she would be fired. I don't think I could have handled that guilt. I love both of Charleigh's teachers now. :)

I'm looking for a new book also. Suggestions?

The Book

Well, I finished Water for Elephants. It was such a good book. I completely fell in love with Rosie. She is an elephant. Some of Rosie's experiences were based directly off of events that happened to a few other elephants in the 1900s.

Every time I finish a book I wish it would go on. I really wish that J. K. Rowling would keep on with Harry Potter. I could read about those characters forever. Since it has ended all I can do is reread the series so I do.

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An update about daycare. Everything has been going so well (as far as I know) for weeks now. Wednesday I was in the room (granted it was a chaotic day because the infant room flooded from the rain Tuesday and we were moved to the young toddler room) and that woman mistook another child (Catherine) for Charleigh again. I was giving Charleigh a bottle and talking to another teacher on the other side of the room and this woman has Catherine in Charleigh's bed, with Charleigh's pacifier, and Charleigh's blanket. I realize this because she is patting "Charleigh's" back and telling her, "It's ok Charleigh." I stood there thinking this is not happening. I am watching this delusional woman truly believe that that baby is mine. I told the teacher I was talking to to please let her know that that is not Charleigh and remove the pacifier and wash it well. I told the owner... again. She told them to really pay attention to names blah blah blah. WTF! When I called back and she told me this, I corrected her. She didn't misread anything. She picked up another human being and thought it was someone else. I told her that I guess that would have gone on all day. What else is she not paying attention to? My Dad suggested that I ask the daycare if they would trust her with their books. I doubt they would let her handle their money so why do they allow her to handle completely dependent human lives? Although I know this isn't a reading problem, I did all that I feel like I can. I ordered 3 bibs with her name of them, 4 bottle labels (the little bracelets for bottles), 1 tag for her diaper bag, and had 8 onesies monogrammed. This is a fabulous Child Care Center, except for this woman. The way they are handling the situation is causing me to lose faith in them. I don't know where I'm going to go from her, but I want to strangle her.

Time

I can't believe Charleigh is almost three months old. Time goes by so quickly. I have started planning Cavan's fourth birthday party. He wants to go bowling. I'm also looking for someone to make us a cupcake cake. I love this concept. Pretty like a cake, but no mess like cupcakes. Perfect. My Dad and I had a deep conversation about how important time is. He was telling me that he used to tell his mom that he wanted to be a fireman, an astronaut, a scientist, a policeman, and so on when he grew up. She would tell him that he would have to live a thousand lives to do all of that. Then he told me that he wished he could have lived a lifetime in each of his children's stages in their lives separately. I completely understand what he means. I wish I could have lived a whole life with Cavan as a baby. Then Cavan as a toddler. And just recently he isn't even a toddler anymore and he's just a little boy. Heartbreaking. I'm sure that will continue. It seems like Charleigh's babyness is flying by. I wouldn't wish my pregnancy with Charleigh would hurry up and be over because that was me also wishing away my time with Cavan. Time is precious. I wish I could stay with my little ones forever and always. This makes me cry. The more time goes by the more I realize the pure truth in my parents comments like, "I remember just yesterday..." and it is something we did when we were like five. Life is so short. The older I get, the younger I realize I am.

:(

Special Days with a Special Boy

"You're the best Mommy ever."

Every mother has probably heard their child say this before. Today was my first time. He was sitting next to me at dinner. Then he stood up, put his arm around me, and said those sweet words. He started playing with my hair and I asked him what he was doing. He said, "I'm just lovin' on you."

I love the weekends so so much. I get to spend the entire day with my little loves. Sundays are my true favorite, though. I don't know why they feel so much different than Saturdays. He has asked me all day if we are going to church or school. This is an everyday question, anyway, but he never remembers that we get one off day. He always begs for us to go to church. If only he keeps that up his whole life. At age three, I doubt he's getting much of anything out of it other than the habit of going to church.

He was really striving to impress me today. He gave Olive, our dog, water. I learned about that when he started screaming for me. I found him standing in water in the backyard. The hose is still gushing and he explains that he tried to turn it off, but it just did this. (This reminds me of those people that drive into buildings and swear their car messed up because the harder they pressed the brake the faster it went. Ha!) I turned off the water and he started crying because he ground was getting muddy. He's a clean freak like me. I said that that happens every time it rains too. It's perfectly fine for mud to be outside. We fed her after all of the water drama was over.

He also took the trash out of the trash can and replaced it with a new bag! This is a big deal. Those things are hard to open. Hetold me that he was able to do it because it wasn't too heavy. He was completely successful too. I have such a handy little man.

I'm blessed.

Book List

I have a list of books to read. It's really difficult for me to read while in taking classes. My list is getting really long because I'm always in school. Snuggling up with coffee and a book makes me happy. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is on my book list. This book has been turned into a movie and that is coming out this April. I started reading it as soon as I saw the trailer because I want to finish it before April. Books are always way better than the movie, in my opinion, so I want to read it first. The book was recommended by a friend and we plan to see the movie together. I love doing that sort of thing because then we compare thoughts on the book and the movie.

One of my favorite things from mine and my fiance's past is when we used read each other books. We had so much fun. That was when we were young and had very few responsibilities. Oh to be carefree again... Time is an issue also. Ha! All we do is work, school, and kids. Our weekends consist of cleaning and playing with the kiddos we missed during the week. I reminded him a few weeks ago that he used to get me books on the smaller holidays and we would read them together before bedtime. We need to bring that back!
(Update) The daycare situation is going much much better. There is a new teacher in the room with the woman I don't trust very much. The staff knows that I am upset and has really stepped up and made sure that someone else is in the room at all times.

Trust

Parents must have trust when it comes to their children's care. We have to trust their doctors, teachers, and caregivers. Since I returned to work, we placed Charleigh (8 weeks old) in daycare at the same preschool Cavan goes to. When Cavan was an infant I had a hard time being satisfied with the care and we moved him around until he was 15 months old. I love the school he's at now. He has had curriculum since he started there. He has learned so much.

Six babies to one adult is a ridiculous ratio. State regulations allow twelve babies to two adults. Obviously, all childcare facilities are going to maximize this. Even parents with sextuplets get outside help so it only makes sense to bring the baby adult ration down some. I have been really struggling with letting her go to daycare so young. I hadn't planned for her to go until she was six months to a year old. That didn't work out. Nevertheless, here we are.

One of the caregivers is having a difficult time differentiating between Charleigh and Catherine. We keep getting Catherine's stuff sent home in our bag. What really set me off was when I picked her up on Thursday she had Catherine's pacifier. I went straight to the owner and she agreed that this is a major deal and spoke with both of the teachers. The next morning, the one that keeps getting everything mixed up snapped at me.

I pulled Charleigh's pacifier out of her cubbie and someone else's initials were put on the bottom of it in white out. I said, “Catherine's initials are on Charleigh's pacifier.” She fired back, "That's why we need everything to be mark." In the same tone she used with me, I said, "Her name is in black sharpie above where the white out is." I left the room crying and shaking and spoke to the owner again.

First, my concern was that she couldn't pay enough attention to keep them straight. I began to wonder if she was even getting her own bottles since we share diapers, clothes, and pacifiers. This disgusts me. Sharing mothers' breast milk. Now, my concern is that she will ignore Charleigh because she is upset with me. It makes me sick to my stomach. They are well aware that I am upset. My dad suggested I spot check the videos everyday for a while. That’s the plan.

It also infuriates me that she dares to have an attitude with me because I'm not ok with sharing germs. I think my complaint is completely legitimate.

I have been a complete basket case this week. Yesterday, after I left school I cried at Wal-Mart when someone else's child fell out of the buggy. It was terrible.

I hope all of this gets worked out soon because I cannot continue to allow my little girl to be in this situation. It is so hard to trust anyone except family to care for my children. I have never worried since Cavan started here two years ago.

Neighbors

People are interesting. My neighbor of 19 years (if I still lived at my parents) has always been kind and helpful to anyone in the neighborhood that would allow it. She cares for everyone. When I was little her son and I tried for a really long time to catch an injured squirrel. He finally did and they nursed him back to health and kept him a few years. Being one of the most kindhearted people I know, it’s strange to me that in her time of need she won’t allow anyone to be there for her.

It bothers me, because she had a bladder surgery and since then she hasn’t been at work. She has family visit everyday. We talked to her son and he said that she is having a hard time dealing with some things mentally and emotionally. All I can figure is that they found something bad. It is upsetting because she is literally like my second mom. When I had my first wreck I called her so she could let my mom down easy. Her and her son came and helped me with everything because I didn’t know what to do. I have lived next to her since I was 4. This is what is on my mind lately. I pray that she is ok.