We’ve now lost a nanny in a weird way and have interviewed/read about a number of others. In respect for our sanity, we’ve compiled the following list of direct quotes from our recent experience.

Quotes from Interviews

I only watch art films. (Insert look of complete disdain.)

 

Your son is so big! What is he – a year old?

 

You boil water for your kids right? And sanitize the bottles? (From multiple sources. We are terrible parents.)

 

The fluoride in tap water will rot Tess’ brain and teeth.

 

I’m going to Vegas.

 

I’m moving to France soon.

 

My —– came over. I hope you don’t mind!

 

The stroller’s too heavy for me.

 

I can bring your children to Christ.

 

I’m amazed you always manage to speak to Tess in a quiet tone of voice.

 

I’d love to nanny! But I don’t really have any free time.

 

I was a French elementary education major, but then I realized I’d need to be able to get a job eventually. (My fave – I had the same thought!)

We could go on. Perspective and experience are so different at each stage of life. In hindsight, I’m shocked anyone ever let me babysit their children considering my opinions and attitudes as a teenager/college student. I can’t imagine I sounded any different!

Picking someone to raise your kids during most of their waking hours makes the hair on your arms stand on end and your sense of wellbeing take a permanent vacation. Still, this week we’re breaking in a new sitter and she’s wonderful. I wondered if anyone could live up to Brittney, and fortunately the answer is yes. Hopefully the other two newbies (can you say chaos?) will be equally great. And let’s just say I’ve never been a player. Mommy craves stability. Who knows? Maybe my kids will continue to crush that out of me.

When you date, you don’t invest a lot at the get-go. The relationship grows as trust develops. (See where I’m going here??) Starting a nanny relationship does not feel like that. Instead, you say,

Here’s my heart. Please don’t smash it while my back is turned.

Then you smile brightly and walk out the door for 8-10 hours. I suppose it’s more like theatre, because you then suspend fear for the course of your workday in order to be productive. (In theater, you suspend disbelief: when, for example, Juliet is really 40 years old instead of 17 – or vice versa.) As you return home, park and walk up to your front door, the unease floods back in – until you see your happy, healthy kids enjoying the company of that lovely person you suddenly remember really liking. Go figure. I tell myself this will get easier as the kids get older, but I doubt it. Parents of older kids are suspiciously quiet on that front, so I’m pretty sure I’m missing a key point. I’ll let you know when we figure that one out.

In the meantime, we decided that going back to work, renovating the house, and interviewing/trying out nannies was too boring; so as of this morning I’m going to spend the next two weeks becoming a usability expert in Chicago, taking the 6:15am train and getting home just before 7 at night. Hmm. Normal people do this regularly, but I am a sleep junkie doing 3am feedings every night. That should tell you how much I want this.

New nannies are now starting with longer days. Mom is coming to the rescue (because of course this first week lines up with the one week Brittney has ever asked to take off) on days without coverage, and Dave is taking on therapy again. If we survive this without too much bother, I will be delighted and quite surprised.

Usability fascinates me, and is in a way very similar to building a functioning home universe. The goal is to find the easiest way to get people where they want to go (on a site/in software), and give them what they’re looking for when they get there in an idiot-proof fashion. While in normal people’s minds, this has nothing to do with the rest of my work, to me it comes down to this: present information clearly and creatively. This will help me and hopefully my whole team and sales force accomplish that. Can you say lofty goals? I am so grateful that my manager runs as fast as I do when she sees a chance to overhaul an obstinate problem. Right this second, I am loving my job and in awe of the opportunities I’m getting. Sorry for the gushing, but she got this approved in 2 hours so I could go to this session! Amazing.

So the kids are great! We also had checkups this week, and Tess is apparently medium tall and thin, while Remy is short and fat. (Is it weird that this delights me??!) All I could think of was the movie Twins. Howling with laughter in my head! Tess impressed the doctor with her development, and both kids thrilled the nurse when they didn’t howl for hours after getting shots. May the crazy continue! As I told my mentor (yep! Met with her today too.), my first priority in work and life is not to be bored. I think we’re doing okay on that front!

Added bonus? Remy laughed tonight for the first time. 🙂