It's Quitting Time
The GB has quit her job. My job requires so much travel that I just didn't enjoy spending all that time away from my budding family. I mean whats the point of having a family that you never get to see. Cletus didn't seem to understand why I would disappear on him and then reappear 4-5 days later. And I thought it sucked.
What next? I HAVE NO IDEA. This is the scariest part of quitting one's job. In truth, child care in sunny so cal is a million dollars per child. We could handle it with Cletus, but add DC and well one of us would be working full time just to send the kids to preschool. We decided it wasn't worth it. As of now, the GB will be a full time caretaker. (Yes, we are all worried for the children.)
I love my kids, but no I don't have any idea what I am doing. I do know how to make my own job. I know kids like schedules, but don't always adhere to them well (they do often adhere to them better than the GB). I know that for at least a year the kids can't do the same things. Sun & Moon is worried for me. If the shoes were reversed, I would be worried for her too. Schedules. That is all I know. So bring on the suggestions. Stay at home Moms - What Do You Do All Day? This Stay at home Bear needs some ideas.
Long Beach aquarium!!! (bold, underlined, this-has-been-a-sanity-saver, for me, anyway!) DC can stare at the fishies and kids while Cletus pets moon jellies and soaks himself on that boat outside. Even in the rain. (Cause, for some reason, it's better at 30 degrees...)
ReplyDeleteParks are nice with the little one in a sling, Bjorn, or stroller... watching the big brother and getting some fresh air could be enough to keep DC happy. Pretty much anything Cletus wants to do works for a really young DC-in-sling...
Once DC is about 6 months old (can sit up alone, at any rate) letting them take baths together can be hours of entertainment. Cletus can "help" you, they can both splash, etc., and in the end the clean-up is easy. Pruny babies are happy babies, at least at my house.
I think beaches are a hassle (but maybe you have more patience for trekking miles through the sand and then finding it in their diapers for... well, forever, than I do). Gymnastics/gymboree type things are also tough with a medium-sized little one since they'll really, really, REALLY want to be in the middle of the action, but just sticking DC in a sling while you play with Cletus should work for the first couple months, even WITH that temptation.
I'm sure you already know all of this... but I just felt like sending the "it's not just you" message, anyway. Hang in there; I don't think anyone believes you'll break the baby. ;)