Mostly they are with their nanny, Cathleen. She is outstanding and is probably the only reason any of this is even doable. The kids bonded with her faster than I would have hoped in my wildest dreams. She is sweet and nurturing and dependable and organized and goes above and beyond on a regular basis. She is the QUEEN of the care square.
My in laws are also pitching in big time. Liam is spending two afternoons per week with Carol (and therefore also Sydney and Ryan). One evening per week Ron takes him to soccer. Also, each week there’s a big family dinner at Tim and Carol’s, where I meet the kids when I get home. My parents are doing their part if anything comes up in the evenings and to fill in when Cathleen can’t be here. One of Cathleen’s sisters has subbed in a couple of times as well. And then, Liam is also in school for half the day. He started at a new Pre-K and we are all slowly getting to know the teachers there. It took them a while to get the various people in Liam’s life straight. There was even confusion as to who is mother was (Cathleen? Angela? That lady who came to orientation and then never showed up again?). Now that the basics (like that the lady who came to orientation was, in fact, me aka Liam’s mom) are settled, I’ve also opened up the lines of email communication with the teachers since I don’t do pick up and drop off and can’t talk to them then. Even though Cathleen and Liam report back as much as they can – what happens during Liam’s school day is still largely a mystery I am trying desperately to solve. Goodbye Rita Gold with those awesome two way mirrors!
But really things are not as chaotic as they seem. And both kids are very well taken care of, very busy, and very happy. During the week, the schedule is tight. But most evenings I am home in time to do bath, books, and bed. And in the mornings I get a chunk of time with the kids as well because they wake up so early.
Like other working people, I now have to fit laundry, cleaning, food shopping, and errands in on the weekends. But between all that mandatory stuff we have managed to squeeze in quite a bit of fun each weekend as well. Soccer games, a birthday party, a wedding, a high school friends reunion brunch, a little music festival, etc.
I’m a little exhausted and always a little on edge, hoping that one of the gears in this well-oiled care square machine doesn’t pop out. Or that I don’t massively drop the ball and forget something crucial. Or that I don't forget to gas the car up or pack Liam's lunch. I also have times during the week where my heart literally aches because I miss being with my kids. And I think Jason is feeling the same way since he is so far away from them so often. And there are many things I really miss about New York. But I do love our new apartment, I love living near family, I love having better access to the outdoors, I love watching the kids thrive in their new setting, and I really love my fellowship position (so far). Generally, I love having a full life, being busy, and feeling productive. So, lets hope the honeymoon doesn't wear off too soon and we can all keep this up for a while!
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