A Real Job

I started my new job. It's a good fit. The part that got me thinking was that this is the first job that I've started with the intention of it being long-term. It's not just for a semester or two at school, it's not just a summer job. This is a job I could be at for years. That's a little daunting...

Dachshunds

We have two beautiful doxie puppies. Baron is chocolate standard smooth coat. He's 11 months and he is a little guard dog or so he thinks. He is very protective of us and of his sister. Duchess is our little princess. She is a black and tan mini smooth coat and almost 9 months old. She was a fierce little bark but nothing to follow it up. She is Dad's little angel. She just adores him and loves to shower him with kisses.

We love them very much and probably spoil them a bit. The past three weekends we have had doggy play dates. The first was Pawty Gras and included musical mats and a costume contest for the pooches. Last week was the Suburban Chicago Luck of the Irish. It benefited All American Dachshund Rescue. We won a raffle basket and they love all the new toys and treats. This weekend was the Milwaukee Luck of the Irish play date. The Milwaukee group is much smaller but so much closer and easier to get to. There also seemed to be some younger dogs and younger couples and definitely more men for Mike to talk with. The play dates are great, especially in cold weather. Both dogs are snoozing on my lap right now. They get to run and chase their friends and it really wears them out. 

Baron's new favorite activity is eating dust. He loves to sit near a window where there a stream of light and catch the dust particles he sees floating in the air. At first I couldn't figure out what he was watching and trying to eat but when I changed my view I saw it. It's pretty hilarious to watch.

I don't know if there was a purpose to this post, I guess it's just about how much I love my doxies. 

Books...

So I just finished reading "A Wedding in December" by Anita Shreve. This is the type of book that I would have loved just a few short months ago. Now, I hated it. I love romances but now that I'm married so many of the books I once loved seem horrible. They contain romantic love affairs. I used to love "Bridges of Madison County" but all that book does is romanticize an affair.  The idea of an affair seems horrible and disgusting. I can't cheer on the main couple if it is leading to an affair. How could I once view that as romantic? I feel disgusted that I once found such books to be so sweet and romantic. I think I need to find a new genre since affairs are so common in romance novels...

Married Life...

So people keep asking me "How is married life?" or "How's married life treating you?" I usually respond with "Great" or "It's not that different except you live together."

In truth, though, it is very different. One of the biggest differences for me is that when you fight you can't just retreat to your own place or even to your own bedroom. All of your space is common space, the best you can do is lock yourself in a bathroom. Now, don't get me wrong, we haven't been in tons of fights. It's just one of the main "issues" that has come up in "married life."

I think it's harder for me too since I'm in a new town. I haven't made many friends, none that I could run to in a fight. I also don't know my way around yet. I haven't found that "safe spot." In college, I would sit on the amphitheatre at Krannert to collect my thoughts. I could take a walk and people watch. 

There are things that I didn't expect too. I didn't know we would have to file our taxes jointly to claim our tuition (I don't understand this but even a tax consultant told us it's true). We both have been very private with our finances and this forced us to open up about them. I didn't feel ready for that, I don't really like it, and I'm still not very comfortable with it. But, it is was it is.

There's also the little things. Clearly, when there are two of you, if you didn't do it, you know who did. I am driven crazy by the clutter on the counter. Mike hates that I have a tendency to leave glasses out. I've never had a TV in the bedroom and now we do and I still don't think it's a good thing. There are little differences in our routines and figuring out how we can both settle into new morning and nighttime routines has been interesting. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Mike and I love married life but it is a change. I love waking up next to him every morning and cooking meals together. I love our late night conversations. 

Working as a Nanny

Working as a nanny is a difficult job. It requires a bond with the child and as all mothers now, caring for a child is not always easy but can be very rewarding. I've learned that the correct fit with a family can make all the difference in the world. When you are with the right family there is a bond with the parents and the child, open communication and respect.

 I think respect is a big issue, yes a nanny is technically an employee, but that's not a good attitude. A nanny is an employee responsible for the care of your child. She has a huge impact on your child's development. It is important that the nanny feel her time is valued. Be home when you say you will be, do not expect her to be on call for you anytime. It is also important that her opinions and concerns are addressed and her personal privacy respected. 

I know that most nannies don't like nanny cams but I actually think they are a good idea. Any good nanny should not mind a nanny cam and if you have a good nanny the camera won;t find anything concerning. However, if you allow your nanny to use your computer when the child naps than respect that and don't monitor what sites she visits. 

I also think it's important to honor your promises. You trust her to care for your child so be respectful and do as you say you would. 

I feel that I am a good nanny, going above and beyond. I made a care book with a form for Emergency Contact Info for the Children, Daily Care Forms with information about the child's appetite, sleep patterns, activities and mood. (If you are interested in these forms I can e-mail them to you).  I also included information about local activities and museums for children, activities to do at home with the kids and product recall information. It is important that the parents appreciate when nannies go above and beyond. They need praise and to feel the effort is valued.

Those are my random thoughts about childcare. It has been a frustrating few weeks with a family that was not a good fit and I felt the need to release all those thoughts into the world.

First Post

Well, for awhile I've had all these thoughts and I've wished I had a place to record them or discuss them. My livejournal from high school didn't seem like the right place to post.  I've created this blog to post my interesting thoughts, funny stories and maybe some stuff about my daily life. We'll see how/where this goes.