Lawrence Thomas

August 31, 2009

Daddy Daycare - Day 1 in the books.

Filed under: The Baby Blog — Lawrence @ 10:10 pm

Well, a certain Depeche Mode song comes to mind right about now. It’s 9:24pm, the house is quite - ‘Enjoy the Silence’.

Seriously though, I could not have asked for a better day. I am absolutely exhausted, but the fact that I was up until 1am this morning didn’t help.

After a I did the dishes (the handful I actually had to do by hand thanks to our relatively new dish washer), I took a few minutes to sit with Emma and watch a bit of a movie. 

Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. The first 20 minutes were good, but that’s about all I caught between head bob’s, so I quickly shook my head, jumped up, and did a little more cleaning.

Tonight was our first interview for childcare since my wife decided to quit her job to be a full-time mom and daycare provider. It’s a friend of the family but still, I had orders to make sure the place was presentable for our first potential client. Well, I think the deal was already done, but none the less, I had my work cut out for me on my first day as Daddy Daycare.

Around the time I figured Abby was going to awake from her nap, I starting prepping lunch. I grabbed the leftover barbecued chicken from the dinner I made the night before, some wraps, and I found some herb & garlic cream cheese for a sread. I like to imporovise. It makes things interesting. My wife and kids don’t always agree.

I let Emma try the spread first before I made her wrap, but she liked it.  I threw some peppers and onions on mine, placed a handful of crackers and carrots (and peas for me and Abby), on the side, made a bottle for the baby, woke her up, and then we had a feast.

After lunch, I decided it was finally time to use the pool the kids hadn’t the chance to use yet, so I dressed them in their suits, grabbed a bucket of water toys, and into the backyard we went .

The kids had an absolute blast! Abby is big enough now, that I really didn’t have to worry about her. I still kept a safe distance and all, but that kid has no fear. Her big sister had her giggling uncontrollably and they played so well together. Emma would go down the slide and splash Abby, and Abby would smile and laugh her little heart out. I have some recordings and photos from the day, but I haven’t the energy. I posted a few on my Facebook. Perhaps I’ll create an album for my week in review.

I don’t recall how long the little fishes plopped around in the pool, but I do know that poor Abby’s little lips were blue when I did take her out. Nice dad I am.

After I dried Abby off, I put her in her stroller with the play-tray I made for her and a handfull of the water toys for her to suck on, while Emma continued to splash and work on some blue lips of her own.

Gracie was being a good little dog the whole while, so I let her into the yard to play in the water too. I put her in the pool, but as soon as Emma started pooring water on her, she was gone. She was still tramatized from her bath the night before I think because she loves getting sprayed with the hose.

Even the stray cat who adopted us, hung out in the yard with us and caught some sun. That is until the dog noticed him and all heck broke loose. Those two have their moments.

I was finally able to get Emma out of the pool so we could get cleaned up for company, so we all headed inside and the kids played around for a bit while I did some more cleaning up from lunch. Dishes and toys, and more dishes and toys. No rest for the wicked.

I attempted to get Abby down for a nap around 4pm, but Eva was home just after 4:30 and Abby was still fussing around.

I managed to get the house all clean, swepted and vaccumed,  before the company arrived. If only Eva had seen the place about a half hour before she arrived. It wasn’t too far off the aftermath of the party on the movie Weird Science.  No rockets in the livingroom though or smelling piles of … well, you know.It was a mess though.

The place was a disaster again after the new daycare child left, but the kids all got along well and had lots of fun. Having a boy Abby’s age is going to be so much fun for her. Now we just have to find a child Emma’s age (which me may have), and we are all set. If spending the day with the kids today wasn’t reminder enough of why it’s so important to have Eva home with the kids, seeing Abby and the new boy play was just more proof.

I give my wife credit. 2 is crazy. I can’t imagine 3 or 4?

We cheated on dinner seeing as though that was the one thing I didn’t have ready when my wife arrived, as by the time our interview was over, the kids were driving us up the wall with hunger so I ran to McDonalds and ruined our healthy eating day.  You really understand why the wives some times just ask for takeout some days. There is no relaxing lunch out under a shady tree or hanging around the watercooler talking about the Tiger-cats.  Rest just means there is more to do when you get the motivation to get back up again.

I can’t wait until tomorrow. So far I am leaning towards “I wish it was me.” I wouldn’t have thought that? Although, that’s just the end of day one. I did have an idea of how to make a business out of this that goes beyond just a daycare. I wish my mind would stop working sometimes. I really need to rest my brain this week. A week off was way beyond over due.My motivation levels at work were bordering on zero by about 3pm Thursday; and I still had just over a day of work to go before my ‘vacation’.

Well, that’s it for today. I am going to bed!

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Daddy Daycare - 11:34am

Filed under: Uncategorized — Lawrence @ 11:52 am

Well, I had planned on getting up early enough to take the dog for a walk before my wife left me alone with these two monsters (I mean, er, cute little girls), but this insomnia kept me awake until almost 1am. Not a good way to start Daddy Daycare week - already tired before I opened my eyes on day 1. In fact, I didn’t even get a shower before my wife plopped the baby beside me, plugged her with a bottle, and said goodbye and good luck.

Here goes nothing.

Well, it’s 30 minutes to lunchtime, and daddy managed to sneak in a quick shower with the kids locked in the living room, made scrambled eggs, pancake hash browns and mini-bagels, had a tea party, got the kids dressed, found a wet spot on the floor, then a wet spot on the baby’s arm, changed the baby again, packed a diaper bag, some snacks, the dog, and the double stroller just in case my three year old grew tired of walking, and we headed out for our first adventure of the week. With the weather we have had this summer, I couldn’t pass up the chance at this sunshine.

We made our way to the Tim Horton’s on Ottawa Street no worse from the wear, other than a sore arm from the dog pulling me. We loaded our buggy with a large regular, double-cupped coffee, and a small pack of Timbits, the baby had a bottle, Emma and the dog had some water, and I took a sip of my coffee, and we were on our way back home.

We found a park on the way back, so I thought it would be nice to find a shady spot for the dog, let the kids run around the playground, and relax for a moment and enjoy my coffee.

Well, Emma had fun, the dog was the benefactor to some loving from all the kids running around, but poor Abby was being attacked by bees. Turns out, honey dipped donuts and the park are not a good idea. Actually, the other mother had also brought Timbits for her bunch, so needless to say memories of my childhood and being chased by a nest full of Yellow Jackets came flooding back.

They were everywhere! On my baby’s hands and face and legs. The dog was trying to eat them and I was trying to figure out what to do to the box.  I tossed a couple donuts on the ground, but I didn’t want to throw them all out after getting the kids all excited for Timbits, so I left the box on the picnic table and ran back every couple of minutes to grab a chocolate one for Emma.

I found some baby wipes and cleaned the baby all up, but then I noticed they were also all over our sticky stroller. The other mother had already wisely packed up her kids and ran for the hills. I was faced with the upset of no Timbits and leaving the park earlier than anticipated.

Luckily for me though, Emma understood that we had to leave (with a little persuasion), and we made our way. Not before how ever, I left my empty donut box in the park after realizing there wasn’t a garbage can in the park area and I had had enough of being attacked by those relentless bees. Believe me, I felt bad about it.

To make matters worse, the big kid was now faced with a few tag along bees that were after my coffee. No sooner had we crossed the road, when I finally lost it and threw my coffee on the street. I wasn’t proud of that moment, but by that point I had had enough. I’ll go to the park later and make up for it I promise.

Okay, now that confession time is over, the rest of the trip was good. A few more moments with the dog pulling my arm off, but other than that, Emma made the whole trip on foot, Abby fell asleep somewhere between the park and home, and now Emma is reading a book, the dog is passed out on the floor, and Emma is reading a book.

Now to just clean up the morning toy playing session. How do two kids make so much mess? Never mind the kids though. Look at the kitchen! How does one adult make so much mess?

Well, I almost survied the first morning. 8 minutes to go. A little water on the floor and on the baby, a few more teeth marks in the kids toys, and a brief run in with some bees. Not a bad day so far.

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Daddy Daycare or Mommy for the week - The Baby Blog

Filed under: The Baby Blog — Lawrence @ 9:02 am

Well, today is my first day of Daddy Daycare for the week.

We are in transission, as my wife enters her last week at her current job, and as we prepare for her new position of Mommy Daycare and we fill this place full of kids.

At weeks end, I will either be (as my mother would say), ready for basket weaving, or, wishing I was the one to stay home and watch these two beautiful girls grow.

Basket weaving, or old pro by weeks end. All I can hope for is at least, a happy medium.

Never mind good luck to me. Good luck to the kids.

I must run before the dog east any more toys.

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