2015 A Day in the Life, #19

Nanny for 2 kids F is a 2.5 (almost three) year old girl and M is a 23 month old boy.

7:00 - Arrive at work. Sometimes I am greeted by MB, DB or both who are eating breakfast, packing their lunches or sometimes still sitting in their pajamas and watching TV. We discuss anything of importance going on with the kids and go over any special instructions for the day. If no one is downstairs when I arrive, they'll catch me in the kid's rooms before they head out to work or leave me a note in my nanny book (a book where i keep track of my hours, when the kids get up in the morning, when and what they eat, when and how long they nap, if they needed any medication and when they took it and when they went down for the night).

7:15 - I go upstairs to F's room and try to peel her out of her bed to get ready for preschool (She and her brother are great sleepers and normally on the weekends will sleep a good 12-13 hrs and get up between 8-9 but preschool doesn't allow for it during the week). She's the worst in the mornings, it takes her a while to wake up and be her normal joyful self. I'm usually greeted by an, "Noooo, I hate preschool" upon entering her room. She actually loves preschool but she hates waking up, I explain to her there is a difference and carry her to the bathroom. She goes potty while i take her pajamas to the laundry room and gather any clean clothes for her and put them away. I go back to the bathroom to find her smiling from ear to ear because she pooped on the potty, a feat that we conquered with regularity about 3 months ago. It's been 3 months without an accident but she's still just as proud of herself and I play in to it and let her know she should be. I help clean her up and assist in helping her wash her hands and brush her teeth before heading back to her bedroom. F assists me in picking out her clothes and I aid in getting her dressed and doing her hair. I tell her she looks beautiful before she runs over to pick out princesses she wants to play with. I remind her she's going to preschool so she can pick out two to take on the car ride but she'll have to leave them in her car seat once she gets there.

7:25 - I head into the laundry room and grab any clean clothes for M before heading into his room. He is already awake (probably heard F and I walking around) and greets me with a smile while asking where F is. I tell him she's in her room picking out princesses and he requests that he wants Ariel and Prince Eric. F runs into M's room holding Hans and Snow White (Her normal choices as of late) and I ask her is M can play with Ariel and Prince Eric. She agrees and runs to her room to find them and tosses them on to the changing table with a, "Here you go M!" and continues to play and dance around in M's room. M yells a, "Thank you, F" back to her as I take off M's pajamas and change his diaper while making silly noise that he cracks up at. I hand F M's pajamas and ask her to to take them to the laundry room and put them in the hamper, she does so willingly. M helps me pick out his clothes and I get him dressed and brush his hair. I ask him who the most handsome boy in the world is and he points to himself and smiles before I kiss him on the forehead and put him on the ground.

7:35 - I head into the laundry room and switch over any laundry that had been started the night before and start a load of kid's laundry if there is enough. If not, I throw their laundry in and fill out the load with MB and DB's laundry. MB and DB's laundry is not part of the job description but I know it's a huge help so I usually try to make the time if possible.

7:40 - We get downstairs to find that MB and DB are ready to head out the door if they haven't already. They kiss F and M goodbye and tell them to have a fun day. I ask F and M what they want for breakfast, to which F replies that she isn't hungry. That is pretty standard so I move on to M and he requests eggs. I tell him we don't have time for eggs but that he can have them for lunch and he agrees and asks for french toast. He loves Eggo frozen cinnamon french toast which i pop in the toaster with a cinnamon waffle for F (she hasn't agreed to eat but she will and waffles are her favorite). I cut up some fruit and split a yogurt between their two plates. The toaster pops and i cut up the waffle and french toast while asking M and F to climb into their seats. I gather their water bottles and bibs while asking what color forks they want, F wants orange and M wants purple. M starts devouring his plate and is usually done in 10 minutes, while F is pokey and tells me she doesn't want yogurt. I tell her to eat as much of her plate as she can and to leave the yogurt if she doesn't want it.

7:50 - I grab shoes, coats (if needed), F's backpack and the diaper bag. I check her backpack to make sure it has a change of clothes and restock the diaper bag with diapers, pull ups, a change of clothes, snacks and full water bottles. M has finished his plate and I clean him and his chair up while asking him to carry his cup and fork to the counter. I follow with his plate and I rinse them and put them in the dishwasher while reminding F that she needs to eat or she will be starving when I pick her up for preschool. She giggles and responds with, "I'm starvinggggg", an imitation she does of me imitating her. I smile at her and point to her plate, she takes a bite of waffle and says, "Mmmmm delicious!", their new favorite saying.

8:00 - F is still picking at her food and I put her shoes on while she continues to eat. M's find his shoes and brings them to be begging for them to be put on too and I insist to him that he's next. I get M's shoes on and run upstairs to switch the laundry from earlier into the dryer and start a new load.

8:10 - I clear F's place and clean her up before starting the dishwasher. I put my wallet and water bottle in the diaper bad and grab F's backpack and head to the garage. I open the door and they kid's get excited when they see my blue car and F asks if we can listen to her CD. I tell her of course and ask her what song she wants to listen to. New Romantics by Taylor Swift, as always, and M asks to listen to Aladdin after. I strap them in their seats even though M insists that he can buckle himself him. I let him try while I buckle in F and put the backpack and diaper bag in the car, open the garage, start the car and put the CD in. By this point he asks for help and I strap him in and head for preschool.

8:30 - We arrive at preschool and I remind F that she needs to leave her Hans and Snow White in the car and we head inside. F is excited and drops her backpack and coat in the middle on the hall, I call after her to please come back and pick them up. I sign F in and talk to her teachers and some of the other kid's moms while F hangs her things up and M plays with the classroom train set. I retrieve M and we say goodbye to F and tell her we will see her in 3 hours.

8:45 - We are back in the car and ready to go, at this point our day changes depending on the day of the week. Mondays are usually set aside for grocery shopping and M doesn't mind, he loves to ride the 1 cent pony at the store and help me shop. Tuesdays are music classes where he sings, dances and plays with instruments, he talks a lot for his age (he's been a chatter box since about 16 months) so he loves this classes. Wednesdays is a free day but in the fall he will start a soccer class, which is going to be a huge hit! Thursdays is also a free day and it's usually spent at the park, the children's museum or at an indoor playground. Fridays are an open gym gymnastics program that will end in a few weeks as soon as the public schools are on summer vacation, more park days for us :)

9:00-11:15 - We do are scheduled activities or run errands and M has a good time. He loves going on car rides and singing a long to all of the songs on their cd. Anything that keeps him out of the house his a plus in his book. At 11:15 we head back to preschool to pick up F.

11:30 - We go inside and M can hardly contain his excitement, he loves his sister and is so excited to see her. I sign F out while he runs to F and gives her a big hug. F comes and sees me to ask if Hans and Snow White are still taking a nap in her car seat, I tell her they are still there and I ask her about her day at school. She tells me all about the book they read, what she played with and the craft that they did, which i pick up off the counter and put in her backpack. We chat with her teachers and the other moms before retrieving M from the train table again and we head home.

11:45 - On the drive home F informs that she is starving, guess how much I'm not surprised... I ask her what she wants for lunch and she tells me chicken nuggets, her favorite food as of late. I ask M is he still wants eggs or if he wants chicken nuggets too, he is set on eggs.

12:00 - We arrive at home and I unload them from the car. We head upstairs and I put away the diaper bag and F's back pack and ask them to take off their coats and shoes. I help M get his shoes off, though he is pretty sure he can do it alone and F asks for my help even though I know that she can do it herself. I put away coats and M's shoes and tell F to try to get her shoes off again. I help M wash his hands, hand him his water and he climbs up into his chair. I throw F's chicken nuggets in the microwave and start cooking M's eggs. F finally got her shoes off and puts them in the closet and I help her to the potty. I take the chicken out of the microwave to cool and cut up some fruit for the two of them and throw some turkey sausage in the microwave to go with M's eggs. F is done in the bathroom and I clean her up and wash our hands before sending her to the table. I plate the eggs and turkey sausage with some fruit and the chicken nuggets with some fruit and a cheese stick before handing it to them. I ask F is she wants water or "sparkle juice" (apple juice watered down with sparkling water) and she picks sparkle juice, of course. I hand her a cup reminding her that when it's gone she's done for the day so try to make it last. It's gone in less than 10 minutes and I give her water.

12:15 - I empty the dishwasher, restock the diaper bag, wash the pans I used and switch the laundry while the kids are eating. If the kids are still eating when I'm finished I'll eat my lunch with them. M loves to try anything that I bring for myself and usually loves it. F on the other hand is a little more apprehensive about it but will try stuff every now and again. I clean the kids up and wipe down the table and their chairs before loading the dishwasher.

12:45 - We head upstairs for nap time and I gather any clean clothes from this morning's laundry and put it away. We go in M's room first and I let him pick out some pajamas and get him changed after a quick diaper change. I give him his pacifier and grab his favorite blanket before sitting down in the rocker and the three of us sing Winnie the Pooh and The Reindeer Song from Frozen. Then I let him pick out a book to read, it's usually Oscar the Grouch or his Nanny book. We read his book and I lay him in his crib and tell him to have a good nap and I'll see him when we wakes up, he's out in less than 10 minutes.

Gertrudes Asplund

1:00 - F and I head to her room and she picks up a pull up and pajamas. I change her and we sit in her rocker and read one of her favorite books. Lately her favorites are Tangled or The Lion King. The Lion King is my least favorite, its 96 pages and takes forever to get through but I've realized I can read every other page and the story stays the same. After we finish her book she asks to sing Winnie the Pooh just the two of us and I comply. I have her climb into her bed and she snuggles with her Rapunzel doll. I tell her to have a good nap and that I'll see her in a little while.

1:15 - I check on the laundry and continue to do finish as much as I can throughout their naps. If it's Monday I leave one load of laundry dirty to throw in with the kids wet swimsuits and towels when we get home. I make sure that the swim bang is stocked with their towels, shampoo, lotions, swim diapers and everything else for swim lessons. Usually this is a pretty free time, besides packing the swim bag and switching laundry, I'll vacuum the kitchen and dining room if I won't be here for dinner. If I'll be here for dinner then I'll wait and vacuum after that. Usually while waiting for the laundry to be done I'll sit on the couch and watch Criminal Minds on my phone and just relax.

3:00 - If it's a Monday I'll wake the kids up at 3 for swim lessons, if not, I let them sleep till 4. M gets woken up first since he is less cranky about having to wake up. I change him into a swim diaper and let him pick out his bathing suit, Sesame Street or Cars usually wins out. I dress him and ask him if he wants his rash guard or not, reminding him he will be inside and doesn't need it. He wants it on and tells me I'm silly for suggesting otherwise. I put any clean clothes from the laundry away, grab his clothes to throw in the swim bag and we go to F's room. F wakes up and is happy it's swim day, I have her go to the bathroom and I put away her clean laundry. I help her clean herself up, wash our hands and let her pick out her bathing suit, Ariel or pink stripes wins lately. I dress F in her bathing suit and put her clothes on over it reminding myself to grab her underwear to put in the swim bag for after swimming.

3:15 - We head downstairs and I throw M's change of clothes and F's underwear in the swim bag along with my wallet. I ask them both what they would like for a snack and remind them that they get to eat it in the car, always exciting for them. They debate on what to have while I put on their shoes. They both agree of yogurt melts and I pack them in no spill containers hoping that they will actually work :)

3:30 - We walk to the garage and go through the process of getting in the car. I put the swim bag in the trunk and let them both climb in while opening the garage and starting the car. I strap F in while M attempts to do it himself. He asks for help and I strap him in and we head to swim class.

3:45 - We arrive at swim class, scan in and get settled at a table. I take off F's shoes and clothes and put them in the swim bag while digging for her goggles. I retrieve them and ask if she needs to go potty before getting in the pool, she replies with, "No, I tell X" and i remind her that she can't tell me and she needs to tell her teacher, she agrees.

4:00 - We head into the pool and walk F over to her lane, she's excited to see her teacher and I tell her to have fun and learn a lot. M and I head out to the lobby and play while F swims. If this wasn't a Monday and we weren't at swim class I would be waking them up from their naps and getting them dressed, situated with a snack before heading the park. We'd play their for 45 minutes or so before heading downtown for an afternoon walk. We usually arrive home from our walks between 5:45-6:00.

4:25 - The deck supervisor come out to tell the parents that they can come and watch what the kids have learned today. I gather M and take his shoes off and hand him his goggles before grabbing F's towel and shampoo. We head over to F's lane and she's excited to show us what she's learned. I grab my phone and catch it on video to send to MB and DB. I tell her what a big girl she is and she is excited she learned so much and tells me all about it. Her teacher tells me all about her lesson and says she's gaining more confidence in the water. I wrap her in her towel and we head over to M's lane. I drop him off and hope that he doesn't scream and cry for me not to leave. We've been talking about going to swimming all day and that usually helps. He doesn't cry and I text MB to let her know that he is staying strong like a champ, she hopes he does the same for her next time she takes them. It seems he likes to scream and cry the entire class if MB takes him but only cries once in a while for me.

4:35 - F and I find an open shower and I wash her hair attempting to get all of the chlorine out of her pretty blonde hair, we really don't want green hair :) I dry her off and we head to a changing room and I get her dressed and have her use the bathroom. Once F is all changed we head to the blow drying station and dry her hair and put in back in a ponytail.

4:45 - We go back to the lobby and check on M who looks like he is still going strong. F and I play at our table and I sneak peeks of M when I can while sending MB updates. I learned from week 1 that if he can see me he starts to cry, better to be out of sight.

4:55 - The deck supervisor comes out again to tell the parents that they can come and watch what the kids have learned. I grab M's towel, the shampoo and F and I head inside. M starts to cry when he sees us and asks to get out of the pool. F insists to M that he is okay and I encourage him to show me what he learned today. He calms a little and I video him blowing bubbles and swimming with his teachers assistance. His teachers insist that he is getting better and only cried at the very end. I pull him out of the pool, wrap him up in a towel and hug him tight, telling him that I'm so proud of him for going to swim class. He assures me next week he won't cry.

5:05 - I sit F down on a bench near the showers and ask her to wait for me to shower M off. I wash M's hair and let him play for a few minutes, I swear this is his favorite part of swimming.

5:10 - I towel M off and we head out to a changing room, I dry M off and change him to a regular diaper and his clothes. I grab everyones wet items and throw them in a plastic grocery bag and toss it in the swim bag. I put away the shampoo and run a comb through M's hair before we head out the door.

5:25 - We head to the car and I let them climb in while putting the swim bag in the truck and starting the car. I strap them both in and we head home for dinner.

5:45 - We are home and upstairs (usually the time we are home from our afternoon walk if not a Monday, so at this point the schedule goes back to normal). We put their shoes and swim bag away and I grab the wet clothes out of the swim bag and head upstairs to start the last load of laundry. At this point I put the kids in their pajamas and throw their clothes from the day in with the last load so their is no laundry in the laundry room, it's a beautiful site and I know that MB feels the same. I change M into his pajamas from his nap and change his diaper if needed. I ask F to grab a pull-up out of her drawer and she debates over Rapunzel or Ariel. Finally she decides on Ariel and I put her in her pajamas from her nap.

6:00 - Usually this is when I would be getting off. I'd tell MB or DB, depending on who was home, that their is one load of laundry that needs to be switched to the dryer and that they can feel free to leave it and I'll fold it in the morning. I let them know what we did that day, how any lessons went, or any funny things that happened throughout the day. I let them know that the kids are ready for dinner and what they had for lunch so they can get some variety. But some days I work till 8 if DB is out of town and if MB has a late shift.

6:00 - I ask F if she needs to use the bathroom and we wash up for dinner. I ask them what they want and they insist on pasta. I cook the pasta while they free play in the living room. M runs into the kitchen every few minutes asking to see the pasta, so I lift him up and he watches it boil. A few minutes before the pasta is done I ask them to clean up their toys and climb in their chairs.

6:20 - Both kids are giggling at me from their seats and asking me for cheese of their pasta. I tell them there is cheese in the pesto sauce and stuffed into the tortellini with the chicken but they don't care so I sprinkle a little bit on top of their plates. While they eat I put the rest in tupperware and text MB to let her know that we made pasta if she wants the leftovers. I run upstairs and throw the load of laundry in the dryer.

6:30 - I do the dishes as the kids finish their plates and I ask them if they want anything else. M wants a mango applesauce pouch and F wants fruit snacks. I give M his applesauce and tell F that she can have fruit snacks if she eats a fruit or veggie first. She agrees on celery but only with peanut butter and I comply. She finishes her celery and M his pouch and they are both full. They carry their plates to me and I load them in the dishwasher after cleaning M and F's faces and hands.

6:45 - I wipe the table down and vacuum the dining room and kitchen while the kids decide on what movie to watch before bed. I let them know that they can also watch an episode of Sesame Street instead of a movie but they want to watch Ariel, again.

7:00 - I set up the movie and turn the lights down in order to get them settled. F sits in her chair and M waits for me to finish cleaning up so he can sit with me on the couch.

7:30 - M asks for his blanket so we venture upstairs and check on the laundry while were up their. It's dry so i turn off the dryer and M pulls everything out onto the floor and hands it to me. We fold everything and put the their things away before grabbing his blanket and heading back downstairs.

7:45 - F hasn't moved, she loves this movie. M and I settle in on the couch and he starts to drift to sleep. I try to keep him awake until MB comes home because I know she will want to see him for a little while before he goes to sleep. M falls asleep in my arms and I keep him downstairs knowing he'll wake up when MB walks in.

8:00 - MB comes home and F is so excited. She tells her all about her day and MB tells her she saw the video from swimming and what a great job she did. MB asks me about their day and I tell her everything went smoothly, the laundry is done and that the kids are ready for bed when she's ready to put them down. She asks if M is out and I tell her that he is and that I can put him to bed if she wants but she want to hold him for a few minutes and I can't blame her but he wakes up on the transfer. He is happy to see mom and they talk about his day until she is ready to take them both upstairs. I hug and kiss them both before saying I love you. F gives be a hug back and tell me "see you tomorrow" while putting in a request for me to paint her nails. M gives we about a hundred kisses and says "love you" before I give hand him a pacifier and give him back to mom and they head upstairs for bed. I write my hours and anything else I haven't written down yet in my nanny book, gather my things and head home.

2015 A Day in the Life, #18

Full time live-out nanny for three little girls, M(2), K(4), and B(7).

7:15-7:25 Get to work and am greeted by MB and DB who are in the kitchen grabbing breakfast before work. MB goes over the schedule for the day and pours me a cup of coffee. DB leaves for work.

7:25-8:00 MB goes upstairs to wake B while I make breakfast and pack B's lunch for school. B comes downstairs and eats breakfast, I put lunch in B's backpack, quickly french braid her hair, and sit down with her until it is time to leave for school.

8:00-8:15 B leaves with MB to go to school, I give her hugs and kisses and tell her to have a great day.

8:15-9:00 Go upstairs and wake up K and M, get them dressed, and go potty. Take them downstairs to eat breakfast, then pack K's backpack for preschool. Load them up in the car, arrive at K's school, and walk K to her classroom. Give her hugs and kisses and tell her to have a great day.

9:00-10:00 Go to music class with M and talk with the other nannies/moms. M has a great time dancing and playing with all the different instruments. We say goodbye to our friends and head home.

10:00-11:30 Change M's diaper and count all her fingers and toes. She can count to 5 now! I sense her starting to get cranky and put her down for naptime. Give her kisses, rub her back for a few minutes, and she is out. Turn the light out and tip toe downstairs to clean up breakfast dishes and tidy up around the house. Read a book, watch Gossip Girl on Netflix, or call my boyfriend.

11:30-12:00 Wake M up if she isn't up already and load her in the car to go pick sissy up from school. Arrive at K's school and go to her classroom to pick her up. K runs over to us, gives me a huge hug, and shows me the painting she did. I ooh and ahh over it and tell her how pretty it will look on the fridge. We say goodbye to our friends and the teacher then head home for lunch.

12:00-1:30 I make sandwiches for lunch and we pack them up to go have a picnic at the park because it is such a nice day outside. We walk to the park, eat our sandwiches, and play on the playground for a little. We play in the sandbox and K starts to get restless and throws sand out of the sandbox which is a big no no. I tell her that if she does it again, she'll be sitting in time-out. She listens to me and doesn't do it again. She hates time-out. We play for a little longer and I take turns pushing them on the swing. K shows me how well she can do the monkey bars (she can make it all the way across!) and M and I clap.

1:30-3:00 Arrive back home and play with My Little Ponies. The girls get bored with that after 40 minutes or so, so we switch over to coloring pictures for MB. We clean up the My Little Ponies and I throw in a load of laundry while they are coloring. I tell M to name the color of every crayon she picks up, and she gets them all right! I am a proud nanny. :) They start to get hungry for a snack so I give them half an apple and Animal Crackers.

3:00-3:30 We head outside to meet big sister B at the bus stop and go back inside. I fix B a snack and I ask her about her day. She tells me how she got a 100% on her spelling test and I give her a high five and a big hug and kiss. All that studying we did really paid off! I let B, K, and M watch one episode of Jessie before we start homework/ go down for naptime.

3:30-4:15 Go potty/diaper change before naptime (or quiet play) for K and M. I finally get B to sit down and do homework. She knows the longer she fights it, the longer it will take so she's gotten pretty good about sitting down and doing it. After all of it is done, I give her a high five and tell her how proud I am of her. We go upstairs together to get K and M and go downstairs to play with Barbies.

4:15-4:20 K and M fight over the Princess Elsa doll and I tell them we can each have her for 10 minutes and then switch. I give the doll to M first, and K hits M and grabs it out of her hands. M starts to cry and I immediately take the doll, give it to M, and take K by the hand and lead her to the steps. It is time for a time-out.

4:20-4:25 I put K on the bottom step and tell her she is going to sit in time-out for hitting her little sister. She starts to argue with me and throw a tantrum. She knows that the timer doesn't start until she is being quiet in time-out, so it doesn't take long for her to calm down. I set the timer for four minutes and walk away to check on M and B.

4:25-4:30 The timer goes off and I go back over to K. I ask her to tell me why she had to sit in time-out, and she tells me it's because she hit M. I tell her it's also because she wasn't listening when I said we were going to take turns playing with Elsa and that she needs to apologize to me for not listening and then apologize for M for hitting. She apologizes to me and I say thank you and give her a hug/kiss/I love you/etc. I let her off time-out, she goes over to M, says she's sorry, and gives her a big hug.

4:30-5:30 The girls continue to play dress up until dinner is ready.

5:30-6:30 I feed them dinner, then we take baths and put our jammies on. MB and DB come home, I tell them about the day, say goodbye to the girls/ hugs & kisses, I love you's, Please be good x3 then go home.

Send your #dayinthelife to isynblog@gmail.com.

2015 Day in the Life, #16

6:00-6:30 Up with baby first feed of the morning.
6:30-7:15 Lay back down, sleep.
7:15-7:30 Shower and dress
7:30 Wake up 10 year old, help him pick out clothing, put toothpaste on his toothbrush, soap on a washrag, set out his comb. Leave him alone.
7:35 Making breakfast for the whole family. Usually bacon and eggs or sausage and eggs. The parents usually leave the house with it on a roll or bagel.
7:55 Pack lunch and snack in bakpack. Make sure homework is there. Watch out window for bus. Send child out as bus is approaching.
7:55-8:30 The parents usually leave by 8, but sometimes, not until 8:30. At 8:30, the baby usually wakes back up. Until then, I sit and read the paper and eat breakfast and drink coffee.
8:40 The baby is up and the parents are definitely gone. Alternate playing with baby, giving baby cereal, starting both child's laundry, cleaning kitchen, baby in swing, singing to baby, mopping floor, etc.
9:45 Voice, "Is the coast clear" from the basement. I answer in the affirmative. My best friend Ellie has been staying with me for three weeks since getting fired from her job. She probably would have a job by now if the firing hadn't totally trashed her self esteem. She comes in the kitchen in my sweatpants and Notre Dame shirt. I ask her to make me a frozen coffee. She knows her way around the Espresso machine and the kitchen in general and in no time, I am sipping a frothy energizing beverage. "What's on today's agenda?" She asks, I respond, "fruit shopping, party supplies for Hubby's 40th,  going to Pool Store to get floats and toys for the pool, same old. She smiles and says, "Let me get dressed, Today could be the day".
10:30 The baby, Ellie and I are out running errands. Ellie is great with children and coos and plays with her while I select masculine decorations and sporty pooltoys.  I spy a giant metallic double raft and suggest to Ellie that I get this so we can tan during the afternoons. She agrees. I finish errands with my trunk loaded. I ask Ellie if she is coming home with me. "No, she says, I've got my binder". She's looking for a job, but she doesn't want to nanny again. She can't stand the horror of being owned by another and kicked out of their home. "Where should I drop you?" I ask. We agree that I will drop her at the Train Station. "Text me later and let me know," I say.
12:30 I am home unloaded the car with the baby. The baby is growing sleepy, but I want to stay up through her afternoon feeding and get good and full and get a good nap in. If she doesn't she will be cranky all afternoon. I've taken care of a lot of babies and she's easily one of the best.
1:00 I finish laundry and run the sweeper through the downstairs.I empty the garbage cans throughout the house and carry out the garbage. I put a pork loin in the over with new potatos and slices onions. I make a tossed salad and seal it in an airtight container. I decide to do a desert of German chocolate brownies. I make the 8 x 8 size and a tiny tray for Ellie. She doesn't ask for anything, but it's easy to feed her from leftovers and family supplies. Since she's in the city now, she'll probably grab a late lunch. Still, I make her a ham and cheese sandwich on 7 grain bread with Belgian mustard and put it in a ziploc. I through a clementine, a granola bar and a can of pepsi in a bag and carry it downstairs to my mini refrigerator.
2:40 The baby has slept so long that when the bus pulls up, she is still down. I always go with the rules of the parents. Some parents sleep train so the day schedule is regulated. This mother wants her down after first feeding in the morning and lunch and doesn't want her woken unless it's necessary.
It's a beautiful, sunny day outside. I stand in front of the front door and wave to the bus driver. 10 year old comes running up to the house. He always wants to know what day it is. "Is today Hockey? Is today soccer?" No today is free day. He double fist pumps and bounds in the house. "Homework first" I call. A rocket scientist in the making, he quickly and accurately plows through four sheets of homework and files it away in it's designated pocket. He shouts, "I'm going to Max's" I ask, "eat something first". He shakes his head, "Not hungry" and runs out the door. I'm sure he is hungry, but this is his one truly free day and he's not about to let snack detract from that.
3:10 The baby is up. I play with the baby on the floor. We listen to cute songs. We play with big balls. I make funny noises.
3:30 10 Year old has missed his first check in. I pick up baby, put her in the umbrella stroller and stroll down the street to Max's. I see 10 year old with a group of boys and a boomerang. Max sees me and runs toward me. "I was just coming, I swear". He says. "Okay, now you have a 20 minute window", if you miss the next check in, you're coming in. He sighs in agreement. These kids are good. He won't miss his next check in. He doesn't he checks in in twelve minutes. "How was that" he asks. "Very good, early. We'll restart the clock for 1/2 hour" I say as he backs out the front door.
4:15 I am outside swinging the baby in the her little swing on the swingset. I take a snapshot of her and text it to her Mom.  She immediately texts back, "I love it! Not feeling well, home by 5". I text Ellie and let her know. She informs me she won't be back by five. I tell her to take the train and walk to the Grill and we'll have dinner there.
5:05 The mom is home. She says she feels terrible. I offer her to stay. I am no hurry, I say. She asks how far dinner is and I let her know everything is ready to go. The table is set. She says, "no need to stay, I just want to lay down with "baby". I let her k now 10 year old is at Max's. I also let her know I will stop and let Max know that the clock is reset and he needs to check in with his mom by 5:35. She thanks me. I tell her I am going out for dinner and ask if she needs anything. She doesn't. I leave.
5:45 Ellie and I are having Daquiries and calamari.The bar side of the restaurant starts to fill up with lonely thirtysomethings and 40 and 50 year olds with shrill wives. How do I know? I've heard. Yes, truth. These men do not talk well of their wives. We are invited to join a group for a round. We thank them and leave. We decide to go see a movie.
9:50 I pull into the nanny spot in the three car garage. The garage is dark. I get out and walk to the mudroom which is just inside the garage door entrance. It's dark. Both cars are in. I indicate Ellie should come now. She comes in.. I check inside once again and send her down to the dark basement where my nanny suite is.
10:00 I lay in bed and watch TV. Ellie uses my computer to look for jobs. In the distance, a fire truck wails.
:) Nanny for 11 months in White Plains, NY.

Send your #dayinthelife submissions to isynblog@gmail.com.

2015 ISYN A Day in the Life, #13

I work an unorthodox schedule, and just about every day is different for us. Believe it or not, this is a pretty typical day. I have 11 year old twin girls. This is really two days, but when we travel they run together like this.

6:00- Wake up. Dress, make myself look presentable. At 6:20 I hear Twin 1's alarm clock go off on the baby monitor I have in my room. She turns her music on.

6:30- Leave my apartment and go to the main house. Go into Twin 2s room and turn on her music. They each get to listen to two songs before they get up to get ready.

6:55- Both girls are dressed and I've done their hair for school. I remind twin 2 *again* that she needs to put her glasses in her backpack. She's complaining about having a cramp so I make a few jokes about their periods starting (they yell at me but they're smiling). We go downstairs for breakfast. The other nanny (L) meets us in the dining room.

7:00-7:30- We eat breakfast; it's french toast today which is one of their (and my) favorites. At 7:30 we go to the car which is waiting outside, and ride to school.

8:30- Arrive home from taking the girls to school. Sometimes while they're at school we have nothing to do and we can just relax, but today we leave for a trip so I have to make sure everything is packed.

9:00-13:00- Pack, pack, and more pack. For the four of us (two nannies and two kids) we have 11 bags. We're heading to a colder climate so the clothes are bigger, and we need to bring everything for school in three languages since they'll be missing lessons while we're gone.

13:00- Eat lunch with the other nannies and teachers. There are times during the year when the family and staff is spread out over the world, so we really take advantage of the times when we're all together.

13:30- Make sure my bags are completely packed, and bring all of the luggage to the front door so it can be taken to the airport in advance.

14:30- Get a snack for the girls to eat in the car and travel to pick them up. Head straight to the airport from school. In the car the girls are excited about the upcoming trip.

15:30- Arrive at the airplane. Greet the pilots and flight attendants, and then relax. We have to wait for the girls' younger brother to arrive so we can leave. The girls have something to drink and get themselves settled. They start working on the stuff that their teachers sent with them so they won't have as much to do on the trip.

16:30- Everyone is on board so we buckle up and take off. The kids play and goof off for a bit and then start a movie.

18:00- They pause the movie for dinner. The kids know that there aren't really any rules on the plane, so they choose to sit on the floor to eat while the adults eat at the table. There aren't any parents on the plane so it's very relaxing and fun for just the nannies together. We all eat dessert and then the kids start their movie again.

20:00- The movie ends and everyone gets ready for bed. Children and adults change into sleeping clothes and brush teeth, and everyone goes to their usual sleeping places, aka bedrooms or couches. The flight attendants make the couches into beds and I end up on the L shaped couch with twin 2. They fight over who I will sleep with.

2:00, or 8:00 in our new time zone- Wake up for landing. We all brush our teeth, change clothes, and eat something chocolate croissants for "breakfast". Dress the children in layers for the cold weather.

9:00- We've landed and been cleared by customs, and we get into the cars that are waiting for us. We take the short drive to our favorite hotel.

9:30- The girls are anxious to see our rooms. We don't have the same ones as last year but they're great anyway. We have 3 suites and 2 bedrooms all in a row for them and their brother.

10:00- The luggage arrives and I unpack while the girls play on their iPads. They want me to hurry up so I tell them it will go faster if they help. They do, and have fun and are proud of themselves for taking some responsibility for their own things.

11:00- I order tea to the room. We drink tea and have a snack, then get into our ski clothes. We head down to the shop to get fitted for skis and snowboards and meet the children's instructors for the week. We see some of our favorite staff from years past and are happy to be with them. Once we're ready we get into the van to take us to the mountain.

12:00-16:00- We ski! We're all out of practice and completely exhausted, but very happy. We take the train down and the van back to the hotel, and relax for a few minutes.

17:00- DB has arrived at the hotel so we go to the lobby to greet him. He tells us the plan for the evening which includes a cocktail reception and formal dinner. We go back to the room to prepare.

17:30-19:30- The girls shower and put on the dresses and tights that I've laid out. I used to get a lot of resistance about dressing up, but they've gotten so much better and don't have any problem putting on the fancy clothes. I shower after them while they blow dry their own hair. When they're finished they play on their iPads and I dress and do my makeup as fast as I can. Then I do something to each of their hair.

19:40- We go down to the lobby with their brother to wait for DB. Once he comes he greets everyone and we all go to the cocktail reception together. The guests are mostly people we see often, so we walk around talking and meeting anyone new.

20:30- Dinner begins. Nannies, teachers, and children are at one table together, and as always it's always the fun table. We all joke and laugh and have a great time.

21:30- The children start to get tired so we take them back to the room. They get ready quickly and get into bed. I'm sleeping in the same room with twin 1, but I'm not ready to go to sleep so I say goodnight to both of them, leave them with the other nanny, and go back down to the party.

22:30- DB has gone to bed but there are still quite a few people there including some of my friends, so I drink some champagne and eat dessert. There is singing entertainment which is fun. The drinking and singing lead to dancing, and before I know it it's after midnight.

00:30- One of the other staff walks me up to my room because I'm a bit tipsy and I sneak in and brush my teeth before crawling into bed without waking twin 1. Just day one in a long line of days like that.

*We spend 2 weeks at this location and have the best time. Skiing all day and fancy parties at night :)

2015 A Day in the Life, #12

7:00 AM: Arrive at work. Start making breakfast for the 2 children(5&3yrs). Oldest is newly diagnosed as diabetic so weigh out the food.

7:15-7:30 AM: children and parents come downstairs. I say good morning, check 5yr olds BG level and give them their breakfast while parents grab coffee and food for the day. I start unloading and reloading one or both dishwashers while talking with the parents about anything needed for the day etc.

7:30-7:40 AM: Children finish breakfast, clean up dishes and I give the oldest her insulin shot.

7:40-8:00 AM: Bring children upstairs get them dressed, they use the potty, brush teeth, I brush their hair and head back downstairs.

8:00-8:10 AM : Get shoes/coats on, put lunch in child's back pack/ diabetic bag with meter etc in it.

8:15-8:30 AM: Drive to school and wait for teachers to take children inside. Walk back to car and get 3yr old buckled in.

8:45 AM: Arrive home, Grab library books and use potty

8:55 AM: back In the car and drive to music class

9:00-10:00 AM: Sing, dance, play instruments with all the other children and parents/nannies.

10:00-10:20 AM: Say goodbye to friends and back in the car to head to story time.

10:20 - 11:30 AM: Arrive at the library. Return books, listen to stories, do an art project then play with toys and other children. We then help clean up the toys and go pick out new books to check out.

11:30-11:45 AM: Drive home

11:45-12:45PM: Wash hands, use the potty, eat lunch, clean up our dishes and go play a quick game together.

12:45-1:00 PM :Shoes on then drive to school to get oldest.

1:00-1:15 PM: Load kids in the car and drive home.

1:15-1:45 PM: Check Oldest child's BG level, use the potty, brush teeth, listen to stories then down for nap.

1:45-3:20 PM: I do the families laundry, organize the children's toys, pack lunch for the next day for the oldest making sure to label and weigh everything out. I also take a quick break then will check in on items I am selling for the family and see if anyone wants to pick up or meet me on my off time for them.( I do get a small percentage on anything I sell for them. I however don't take most of the time this way I have more "kids cash" to use on outings or whatever we need or want.

3:20-3:55 PM: Wake the children and get oldest ready for dance. Check BG level. Give insulin if to high or juice if to low. If the number is fine we use the potty and get shoes on and out the door we go.

3:55-4:15 PM: Drive to Dance class and get changed into dance shoes.

4:15-5:00PM: Play with youngest while waiting for dance class to be over.

5:00-5:15 PM: Check child's BG level after class, Get shoes back on and back in the car.

5:15-5:30 PM: Drive back home

5:30-6:00 PM: Wash hands, use the potty, have a snack and I start the dishwasher.

6:00-6:30 PM: Play games with the children

6:30-7:00 PM: Showtime for kids. I will go switch laundry over to dryer If needed or fold clothes.

7:00 PM: Parents arrive home. Show gets turned off and I tell them about the day and anything important. I say goodbye to the children and head home.

Live out Nanny in Massachusetts,I work 52 hours a week and make $800 before taxes. I also use my own car for all transportation of the children and am Not given money for gas or repairs on my vehicle.

ISYN Day in the Life 2015, #11

7:15 Set table for kid's breakfast. Wake up kids if they are not already watching tv in family room (which they normally are). Wrangle three half awake kids to the table. Help them get their breakfasts ready -- cereal, toast, Nutella, waffles and on some special mornings eggs and bacon, which the kids like to help make.

7:30 Unload dishwasher from previous night and lay out lunch boxes. Ask if anyone wants to buy lunch at school today (they are allowed once per week) and prepare lunches. Usually they have sandwiches or leftover pasta. Make everyone a healthy morning snack for school as well. Mom and dad are either still getting ready upstairs or are on their way out the door.

7:50 Finish making lunches as kids finish breakfast. Remind at least one child to clear their plate. Head upstairs to get clothes on. Youngest and oldest usually pick out their own outfits, and mom or I pick out middle child's (he just isn't picky about what he wears).

8:10 Youngest and oldest are dressed and brushing teeth and hair and washing faces. I'm helping slow poke middle child get his clothes on still, because he was doing god knows what (staring out the window/laying in his brother's bed) while the others were getting dressed.

8:15 Oldest is downstairs with shoes and coat on ready to go to school. Middle child is finally dressed and brushing his teeth. I do the youngest's hair in the chosen style of the day (or a pony tail if we are running late).

8:20 Everyone is downstairs and are hopefully putting shoes and coats on. I send them outside to play soccer for a few minutes to get some energy out.

8:25 Walk, bike, drive to school (depending on weather, how early or late we are, and after school activities).

8:40 The latest we can arrive at school before they are considered late. Remind everyone to have a good day and I will see them after school. They run off to their collective doors and are ready for another day at school.

8:50 Arrive home from school drop off. Clean kitchen from breakfast explosion and reload dishwasher. Wipe down table and any visible crumbs/messes. Give cats food and fresh water.

9:00 Make myself breakfast and watch Kelly & Michael while I sit for the first time in 2 hours. Catch up on Instagram and Twitter and any tv shows I missed the night before.

10:00 Head upstairs to start the daily laundry loads and clean up kids rooms and bathroom.

10:30-12 Go to Zumba or Yoga some days and other days take a nap.

12:00 Head out to do errands (grocery store, family errands, personal errands, shopping) or go to the gym.

2:00 Return home to have lunch and switch loads of laundry. Vacuum the downstairs about 3x a week. Straighten up downstairs and prepare any afternoon activity bags and snacks.

3:00 Head to school to pick up kids.

3:30 Play dates, activities (soccer, gymnastics, Dutch school, more soccer), carpools, arts and crafts at home.

5:30- 6:00 Return home with some or all of kids. Set them up to do homework while I cook dinner. Send them up for showers or join them upstairs for a bath.

7:00 All kids are home and showered, in pajamas, with homework finished. Kids watch a bit of tv while I am finishing dinner.

7:15-7:30 Set the table and call kids for dinner. We eat and talk about their days.

7:30 One or both of the parents usually arrive home at this time. (Some days they will not arrive home until after 8, so I put kids to bed myself. They are pretty good about sending texts when they will be late, so it isn't a huge deal) They will join in for dinner if they are home at this time.

7:45 Finish dinner. Kids are allowed a bit more TV or some iPad time. I clean up kitchen with parents help if they are home. Load dishwasher and turn it on.

8:00 Head upstairs with kids. If parents are not home I do whole routine with kids. Brush teeth, go to the bathroom, fill water bottles, tuck in bed. If parents are home I help assist because the kids can get a little crazy!

8:30 Everyone is tucked in and youngest and middle are most likely sleeping. Sometimes the middle and oldest have trouble settling down and I have to go up and give a warning about losing iPad time for the next day. This usually silences the chatter and giggles.

8:45 Finish cleaning up kitchen from dinner and do quick pick up of downstairs.

9:00 I'm off duty and retreat to my room to watch tv and prepare to do it all again tomorrow!
*Live in Nanny in Greenwich, CT and have been with this family for 8 months. I take care of three really great children, ages 6,8,10. 

Send your submissions to isynblog@gmail.com.

ISYN Day in the Life 2015, #10

7:00 Wake up, having slept in workout clothes, I wake up and start working out. Quick lunges and sit ups and then I run outside. I live where it's fairly cold in the winter, but I run in every temperature.
7:50  In shower, Dress, Head Upstairs.
8:00 Simultaneously start toasting waffles and pancakes, select yogurt, slice bananas and brew a pot of strong coffee. 8:105-8:15, Dad comes downstairs, grabs coffee and heads out the door. Mom has already left. She goes in early to be home by 6, he goes in late and works until 8.
8:20-8:35  Feed up and clean up after the twin 3 year olds.
8:45 Kids are both dressed and playing on the floor in the playroom.
9:00 Physical therapist arrives for Twin #2.
9:10 Leave with Twin #1 for his Pre K group. Put him in the jog stroller, bundle him, get my gator on and start running, Try not to get frustrated with the pedestrians and stoplights.
9:25 At preschool, make small chat with some of the nannies. Talk about the weather. We wonder where Spring is. I'm draining my bottle of Poland Springs.
9:30 Twin #1 is in the classroom, backpack in his cubby. I leave the stroller tucked in a special closet and run home. The physical therapist leaves by 10:15. I go three blocks further South than I need to to make the loop longer. The air stings my lungs.
10:10 I'm home and catching up with the physical therapist who demonstrates some activities that will help with hamstring flexibility. After she leaves I wash my face in the kitchen sink with soap and cold water, then I drink a cup of black coffee and a cup of hot lemon water.
10:25 I get out the trainset and set the tracks on course. I attempt to get #2 interested in playing. I put the different trees and train parts in his chubby hand. He laughs and watches me with wonder. It's too quiet so I put a CD on. Mazzy Starr.
11:00 Morning snack for #1. Cheese and a cut up apple with peanut butter. I let him take his time and encourage him, but I don't help him any more. I've learned that I was giving him too much help and I need to let him do everything he can for himself. The apple pieces are in tiny bites with no skin, even his jaw muscles are weak.
11:20 I take him with me down to the laundry room in the building. He loves riding in the cart. If the laundry room is empty, I can spin him around and chase him between the machines. He's the sweetest and easiest kid ever. After getting the clothes from the washer to the dryer, I head upstairs and we dress to go out to pick up brother from preschool.
12:20 We arrive at the school in the double jogging stroller. I get brother, load him up with his artwork for the day and we head home. #1 asks to go to Dinosaur park, his favorite, but it's too cold.
12:40 We are home and I am making lunch for the two. They are fighting over a cookie monster toy that neither of them really likes. I put in a swing CD and crank it up on high volume while I make grilled cheese and slice tomatoes.
1:00 The boys sit at the counter in their big boy stools at the counter. I drink a cup of coffee and nibble on some cheddar cheese and tofu. #1 will fall asleep in his jello if I don't watch him. I scoop them both up and carry them back to the bathroom. #1 is diapered, #2 uses the toilet. Both lay down on their beds in an L Shaped formation and I read them one story. It's so cold outside and so warm and comfortable there, I am tempted to fall asleep. I don't, but I do stay until they are sleeping and then quietly sneak out the door.
1:10 With the baby monitor I run downstairs and get the load of laundry from the dryer and bring it upstairs to fold it.
1:30 On my IPAD, emailing friends, checking FB, sharing status updates about my little charges. Mom is a FB friend. I never share too much and I never share pictures of their faces. Nina, who lives two floors up rings the bell and brings the single stroller back from this morning. She uses it on the return trip for her daughter, who is usually tired after school. She comes in to chat for awhile, holding her baby monitor, of course. She declines tea today.
3:00 I wake the boys if they are not already awake. Today both have to be woken and so they are grumpy upon rising. I ask them if they want to go play. #1 leaps up off his bed and rushes in my arms, "Dinosaur, Dinosaur". I tell him again, it is too cold out today but suggest we go to our favorite indoor playground. They cheer unanimously, "yeahhhhhyy".
3:15 We handle bathroom functions, pack snacks and head off, again in the double stroller. This ride is short though and they chomp cheerfully on Cheezits the whole way. At our favorite indoor play spot I run in to Bindi. Bindi is a  busy body who visited my employers on a Saturday morning to tell them that I favored one child and wouldn't let the other out of the stroller. She smiles at me now, I look through her. These boys are differently abled, I love them the same but things are not the same for each of them.
5:30 We are home. The boys show no sign of tiredness. I was thinking maybe a movie to wind down before dinner, but they want to do something. I get out some of my home made dough (I have all kinds) and set them up at the kitchen table while I bread chicken breasts to make what I hope will pass as chicken nuggets for dinner. I mash some sweet potato and give each a scoop of greek yogurt on their personalized plastic dinner plates. #2 drinks from a sippy cup still but #1 uses a regular cup. They sit like little men across the table from each other and grunt conversation to each other. The nuggets are acceptable but only when dunked in ketchup.
6:05 Mom comes home and throws her stuff down on the entry table. "I'm so tired, I'm late, do I have time to change" "Of course", I say, "Do  you want me to do baths tonight?". She insists she will do them. I hang back in the kitchen cleaning up as the boys finish up to give her some time to wind down. I carry the boys to the bathroom where she is sitting on the side testing the water. "Anything to report" she asks.  "Same ole, same ole" I say.
6:15 I am out the door and off work for the night. Tonight I will hit an SAA meeting at Times Square Art Center and an NA meeting at St Francis. I'm sure I could find closer spots, but I'd prefer not to run into any neighbors or acquaintances. Some days I wonder if I'll still be sober when I wake up in the morning. It's a fear that never leaves you, as committed as I am to my complete recovery.

"K" has worked as a live in nanny on the for this UWS family for 10 months. She does not wish to disclose her salary.

Send your Day in the Life Submission to isynblog@gmail.com.

A Day in the Life 2015, #9

6:30 AM: I make it to work and am bombarded by 6 little arms wrapping around my legs and waist. After a quick greeting, I usher the kids back to the table to finish their cereal. Dad usually has them at the table when I get there and has making his coffee. He gives them all a quick goodbye and is out the door. I turn the t.v. from cartoons to music.

6:45 AM: I remind big sister that she needs to hurry with breakfast so she can brush teeth and do hair. She almost always already dressed so she’s 75% ready for school when I arrive. I put together her lunch, make sure all needed items are in her backpack and zip it up and throw it on the floor - next to the door. I then grab her shoes and jacket and throw it next to her backpack. I grab the little kids’ (twins) shoes and jacket so that they can accompany us to the bus stop.

7:00 AM: Big sister finishes up with her teeth and I start to get her hair brush, spray, and hair ties ready. I create a fun and fancy little do for her hair and ask her to get her shoes and coat on. I also ask the little kids to get ready for the bus stop.

7:15 AM: We walk a few houses down to the stop, greet the parents and other children. The bus quickly arrives and I give big sister a smooch and remind her to have a great day.

7:20 AM: Little kids and I walk home, get inside and they finish up with their breakfast, clean up, and brush teeth. I head upstairs, make everyone’s bed (even Mom and Dad), get together a load of laundry, and straighten up rooms. I throw the twins’ clothes over the railing and into the living room and ask them to get dressed.

7:50 AM I put together little kids’ snacks for school, make sure their backpacks are ready to go, pull out their shoes and jackets again, and throw it all by the door.

8:00 AM Little kids and I load up in the car. I am so happy that we have big kid booster seats now AND they can even strap themselves in. I do a double check to make sure they’re fastened safely and then we are off. I always smile and giggle at their cute little twin conversations. Twin #2 asks if we can play at the park after school and I happily say yes.

8:10 AM We head inside to school (I remind them that we use walking feet), twins hang up their backpacks, and we walk down the hall to their classroom. I sign them in, check their cubbies, and place their snack bags in the container. They usually go in without saying goodbye but I never leave without hugging them and telling them to have a good morning. I then head back to their home.

8:20 AM I’m back at the house and I unload and reload the dishwasher, sweep the kitchen floor, wipe the breakfast table, wipe kitchen counters, and swiffer the kitchen floor. I head back upstairs and fold whatever load Mom has left in the dryer, move clothes from the washer to dryer, and start another load. I lay out jammies for the night, and on Mondays I lay out their soccer clothes.

9:00 AM I pull out the vacuum and vacuum under the breakfast table and in the family room. I straighten the living room. I do a quick walk through on the main floor just to make sure it’s not messy.

9:30 AM If I have some more time, I straighten up the mudroom, pantry, and coat closet. I’ll then sit down for a cup of coffee and some downtime.

9:50 AM I head back to pick up the little kids from school.

10:00 AM I wait in the hallway for the twins and they soon emerge and attack me with the best hugs ever. I remind them that we can play on the playgroup for a little while and their little faces light up with big smiles. We talk a quick potty break and then head outside. We play for about an hour, they usually play with some of their classmates and I keep a watchful eye and chat a little bit with the moms. I am happy to report that all of the moms are so easy to talk to and respect me and my job. Sometimes, they’ll ask if I am available to sit for them on certain dates and if I am, I happily accept the gig.

10:50 AM I give the twins a “we leave in ten minutes” reminder. I gather our things and soon gather the twins and head home.

11:00 AM I turn music on, let the twins freeplay while I fold laundry and put it away.

11:30 AM I start to put together lunch: PB&J, apples, yogurt, and popcorn. I’m more than welcome to eat whatever is at the nanny house so I find something and join the twins for lunch. We talk about their day at school, what they want to do for the rest of the day, etc.

12:00 PM Clean up from lunch, load the dishwasher, wipe the tables and counters (if needed). Twins do more freeplay and I usually put together a craft or activity for us to do together. We’ve been prepping a lot for Kindergarten so I put out some shaving cream, spray it on the table, and let them draw letters and pictures in it. They would do this until the end of time if I let them.

12:45 PM We head outside to play in the backyard. Twin #1 rocks at swinging herself but we are still working on it with Twin #2, so we practice. They also love to head into the near back park of the backyard and find acorns and throw them into the woods.

1:45 PM We head inside and I put together some water and a small snack. I set up ABC Mouse for them on their own iPads and they enjoy their snack and get their gaming on. I use this time to unpack their backpacks, empty snack bags, and set forms on the counter. I run outside and grab the mail and also lay that on the counter.

2:05 PM I give the twins a “ten minute left on iPad” warning and head upstairs switch over the laundry.

2:15 PM Twins put away their iPads and free play for a bit. I’ll either engage with them if they want me to or I’ll have a few minutes of downtime.

2:30 PM I ask the twins to get their shoes and jacket so we can go get big sister from the bus. If we have time, we’ll also do a quick run-through of the house (together) to pick up toys and any messes.

2:40 PM We always head to the bus to get big sister a little early so twins can run and play. Once the bus comes, big sister comes off of the bus. She tells me about her day as we head home.

3:00 PM We head inside, and I ask all kids to put away their shoes and hang their jackets. Each kid picks out a snack and heads to the table. I empty big sisters backpack and lunch bag and lay her homework out on the counter.

3:10 PM Mom usually arrives home around this time. Kids and I greet her, I tell her about the day, and she gives me a few reminders. I give each kid a hug and a kiss and head out the door.

I am a full-time, live-out nanny in Virginia for a 6 year- old big sister and her 4 year old twin siblings. I've been employed by this family for a little over 4 years, they’re a great family to work for and pay very nicely

A Day in the Life 2015, #8

7:15 Enter the kitchen, first one in. Select my coffee pod of choice and drop it in for a nice Colombian dark brew. Look in medicine cabinet, fish around for whatever looks abundant. Settle at a bar-stool and start reading the Daily News.
7:30 The family starts to drift down the steps. I ask each boy,"teeth brushed?" one starts to shake his head the other argues that he'll brush after. I point back upstairs. They look at me and shuffle back upstairs.
7:48 Usually both parents are gone by now. They say good morning. They don't offer any guidance. If there is an appointment or something out of ordinary, it is on the white board over the built in desk. Nothing's there this morning except the drawing of a pepperoni pizza with the caption "please Mom, please".
8:00 Breakfast is being served. Both boys have ADHD. I make one an egg and cheese sandwich on one of the deli bagels we keep stored in the freezer. The other refuses to eat. Finally, he agrees to eat a piece of American cheese and six cherries. It's something. I check their back packs and make sure what needs to come out is out and what needs to go in is in. I give the oldest a cup of coffee to replace the Adderall that I picked from his bottle today. I give him a B12, a multi and his anxiety medicine. The youngest is usually off the rails so I give him his Concerta and Straterra,Don't rage against me now, Mom and Dad don't give it to him consistently either, mostly because they don't think he needs to focus weekends and holidays.
By 8:25 both kids are on the bus. I go upstairs to make their beds and clean their rooms. Monday is sheet day but I am armed with my Febreeze which I spray liberally on their sheets before pulling the covers tight and adoring them with their designer masculine pillows.
It's unavoidable that I'll have to do a wash. I reach in the colored, the whites and the towels, grab what looks like a load and throw it all in a super large with double the soap and triple the fabric softener.
9:00 I am back upstairs on my second cup of coffee reading through the weekend's mail wondering who Aunt April is and why I have never heard of her before. Is she really coming for a visit this summer? What will that be like? The American Express Bill is 22 thousand three hundred and some dollars this month. What's mine on there this month? Anything irregular? The groceries from Trader Joes were mostly for me, they prefer Whole Foods. But I'm a live-in. I skim down the list to the drugstore we use. Oh yes, some of that's mine. I'm always in there for foot powder and athlete's food cream and deodorant and shampoo, so I throw in some hairspray, a fragrance, maybe a box of chocolates, but I'm a live-in. I leave the receipts always in the cookie jar. They've never complained. Magazines though. I notice my magazine habit is out of control and looking at a specific date on the statement remember that I went there only for ice cream to go with birthday cake but ended up spendings seventy dollars. That wans't cool. I vow immediately to do something special to show my appreciation.
11:30 I wake up from a nap I didn't intend to take and have to speed to make my tanning appointment. I get home and realize the clothes from this morning are still in the washer. I pour some more fabric softener in and restart the rinse cycle.
12:45 I realize that I've spent an hour on Facebook and I'm hungry. I go to the refrigerator to get out something to eat. Nothing looks great. I forgot to pull out something for dinner. I decide to run to the market now. What should I make? In five minutes, I'm selecting some stuffed chicken breasts from behind the deli counter. I go to the salad bar and throw together a giant salad. I grab a pint of strawberries. I see some twiced bake potatos in the prepared food case. Nice and fresh. I take five. And some sushi. For lunch. I pay and within 40 minutes it is spread out on the kitchen counter. I'm on my IPAD eating sushi dreading the 3 o clock hour.
2:25 I run to the laundry room and throw the clothes from the washer to the dryer. I come back upstairs and set the table for dinner. I put the chicken breasts in a pan and slop some salad dressing on it. Wrap the potatos in tin foil and put them in another pan. I throw the salad in a big wooden bowl and then handslice strawberries on top of the salad. The strawberries are so sweet, I eat half of them as I slice.
3:10 As the first child comes in the door, I putting wrap across the salad. He asks for a snack. I whip out a donut from the store. He's happy. I'm thrilled. I tell him he can do his homework now or in the car while "X" has soccer. He chooses to do it now. He plops down in front of the TV with his notebook. I remind him he isn't supposed to do his homework in front of the TV.
3:25 As the second child bee bops in the door I am coming around the corner from the laundry room carrying a giant basket of laundry, no doubt with a bead of sweat on my forehead. I sigh heavily and tell him, "Jelly donut and apple on the counter, eat it and get dressed, we can't be late today".
4:05 We're late for soccer again. It wasn't my fault. The younger kid asks to go play on the playground. I okay it and he scoots out the door, "stay where I can see you" I say looking up from my phone. Soccer practice last 90 grueling minutes. No matter how many times I tell X to fill up his water bottle, he doesn't. We always stop at the deli for Gatorade on the way home. A grape Gatorade for one, a watermelon for the other and a monster for me. That will help. I am so hungry. Did I eat? I suggest we stop and stock up on fresh bagels. While in the shop I grab a tuna on whole wheat and toss it in my bag.
6:00 We are back home and I am straightening up the house. I pack up the trash and carry it all the way downstairs. I sweep the kitchen with the electric broom. I refill the dogs water. I refill the Keurig's water container. I bag up the fresh bagels in individual baggies and put them in the freezer. I go through the backpacks and pull out completed work.  I grab the mail from the mailbox and organize it on the counter in to his, hers and junk piles. I put the food in the oven and the salad on the table with dressing. I put a pitcher full of ice water on the table with four glasses.
6:50 Usually she comes home first, but today it is he. He marvels at the smell. "Something smells incredible" he says. I answer "Thanks, I hope you enjoy it, do you need anything else or can I be off...it's been a long day". "Of course, be off. Thanks, see you in the morning" he calls after me as I beat a path down the basement steps to my (well appointed and stocked) nanny dungeon.

Please say only that I am a live- nanny in the US. No salary or other details. It'd be cool if you could disable the comments, I don't need to be razzed for being honest. Even though I left out the part about jamming to Ne-Yo and AfroJack on the way to soccer with the bass on max. 

Day in the Life 2015, #6

8:15am-I arrive at host family's house. Parents are usually clattering around the kitchen getting their lunches together and fill me in on the morning. T's diapers, and ask about today's activities. T is sitting in her high chair eating her rice krispies. Shes awesome at feeding herself with a spoon! This is when I eat my breakfast, a muffin or whatever I bring from home. Parents leave and it's just the two of us. T is soon to be 18 months. She's so sweet and loves cuddles, kisses, and hugs! She has no problem saying "bye! Bye! Bye!" to her parents.

8:20am- Other baby comes and the parent goes over her morning. Unless there's anything that needs discussing (an on coming illness, clarification about an activity or a babysitting request) parent usually quickly. L.J. is a loving and happy child at 16 months. She likes hugs and getting loved on but in her own time :)

8:30am- I clean up T's breakfast, fill snack cups with goldfish and make sure they each have their water cups. I check diapers and then we play. I usually sit on the floor in the living room witand play with the girls. They just go to the play room and bring out what they want to play with. I find this works best because they actually play with what they bring out. When we'd try to play in the playroom they would just pull out all their toys and were quickly bored. Now they bring out their doll stroller, toy shipping chart or duplos. We'll play until they start fighting or throw them (both of which are automatic game overs).

9:00am- If diapers were empty before chances are they've filled them up now. After a quick change I usually watch them play. They come to me for hugs and kisses or need me to referee but they usally just play with each other. I'll sing and make up games but the parents want them to play on their own, too.

9:30am- usually we have a something at the library, toddler class or music class at 10:30. I watch the clock and prepare to leave. I pack the backpack with water cups, diapers, wipes... "hmm the water cups are gone... Oh the girls have them ok I'll let them have them for now." Socks are found, shoes go on. I go out side and put L.J's car seat in my car. The parents installed a large gate on their front porch (so convenient! I love it!) The girls wave bye to me from the top of the steps. They're happy when I come back although they don't have their water cups. *Sigh*

10:00am- I scramble trying to find the water cups... "under the entertainment center? No. In the toy bin? Nope. Dog bowl? Under the couch. Oh yeah the trash can. Yep...here they are." Ok a quick wash and time to go. I then smell poop... Ok a quick inspection, one more change. I look around the house.. Ugh it's a wreck but I'll clean at 4:30pm. "Bye boy! bye Jo-Jo!" I always say good bye to the dog and cat.

10:30am- We arrive at said activitie. As always L.J. is always right in the middle of everything! Doesn't matter what we're doing. She's so social and adventurous. T sticks close by me. She is social as well and is adventurous but just in her own time. She doesn't seem to be scared but likes to stick close for a few minutes. Sits in my lap and looks up at me for reassurance. Before I know it they're both up and playing!

11:30am- after fun with friends I strap two sleepy and hungry toddlers back into their car seats. If it's music class we hang out with one of my nanny friends at the church's park for 20 minutes or so.

11:40am- (they live just minutes from everything) We get home and change diapers. The girls sign and ask "eat? eat? eat?". I prepare lunch while trying to make sure they don't hit each other in their hungry fits.

12:00pm- Finally it's time for lunch. Each girl gets a different lunch. L.J. used to get so mad and would go hungry when she didn't get to have what T was having. She'd just cry and cry but after a few days she realized it was either what was in her lunch box or nothing. L.J. usually has pb&j and cottage cheese (hey she likes it!). T has whatever her parents made the night before. I usually wait to eat. I put the local news on so I can be up to date on the town/world outside this house - parents don't mind.

12:30pm- This is where I wait for poop. Poop needs to happen before they go down for a nap. If not they'll wake up in the middle of their nap, poop, and then that's it for naps. While we wait we play quietly and read books. Usually around 1pm they "go". T goes to hide now and L.J. will just stare at you and make weird faces.

1:00pm- After diaper changes I pick up while the girls play. I usually put them down around 1:15pm. T sleeps in her crib and L.J. sleeps in the next room, they share a wall. Usually T will play and that's perfectly fine but sometimes she'll turn sideways and kick the bars making quite a racket. I pull up the monitor on my phone "T, it's sleepy time". T looks around and repositions herself. L.J. falls alseep quickly and usually without issue. Both girls have video monitors, which I've found I can't live without!

1:30pm- Sometime T is still taking her time settling but she's asleep by 1:40. When they're asleep I usally eat lunch, study or just relax. If we're planning on going somewhere right after nap and plan to be out close to the end of the day I'll do all the chores. Usually it's just clean up what we used or played with. Then I check the backpack and see if I have everything.

3:00pm- If we're not going anywhere I'll let them sleep as long as they need to. L.J. can sleep 2+ hours. T's mom likes her to not sleep past 2 hours. They both sleep 11 or 12 hours a night so they don't need a 3+ hour nap. Usually if we went somewhere in the morning we'll be home for the afternoon. Maybe a walk to the nearby cafe.

3:15-3:30pm- Both girls wake up on their own. We change diapers. T asks "pee pee?" haha. L.J. may need some wake up cuddles but T is happy to go off and continue her day. L.J is again happy to play with T.

4:00pm- The girls give their sign and say "eat? Eat?". I cut up some stawberries, bananas and unwrap a string cheese for each girl. Sometimes if there's really nothing good we'll do nurtigrain bars but that's rare really.

4:30pm- Time to start cleaning. My duties consist of washing the dishes we used- they have a dishwasher but the girl's plates and bowls are few in number so I just wash them and then I just wash my dishes cause why not? I wipe down girls trays and booster seat/high chair. I scrub the counters and make sure there's I no food or crumbs. Then i pick up all the toys, books, games, small duplo pieces, put them away. The girls play well while I perform my tasks but sometimes they just don't get along. When this happens I hand each girl their milk cup, and sit them down in their own space. I tell them in a happy but serious tone (if that makes sense), "this is not time out. I love you very much *kiss and a hug*. Here's your milk cups. Just take some space". They talk and laugh to each other in their toddler language from their little spaces. That's great! Hopefully they'll be ready to play together soon. I bring the girls together and say "let's try playing again". 99% of the time they are back to having a blast. Sometimes T just needs her space and sometimes L.J. gets really clingy. She'll just want me to hold her. That's hard. Sweet but hard when you see them crying and reaching for you. I try to sing little songs and dance but i just have have to get things done. she holds on to my legs na d puts her head between them! Ugh my heart just melts! i just try to be fast but do a good job.

5:00- 5:45- AHHH end of the day. The house is back in shape, girls get one more change so they're fresh and ready for their mom and dad. I think back and man, I was really busy but I did it! L.J.'s mom comes and you'd think a 16 month old would run to her with a big smile and a great big hug!...no she's happy she's there but eh. Let's not get crazy Haha. It's a joke with her mom and me. Her mom loves that L.J. so happy to be there. T's mom gets the goods though.. Hugs and kisses! The moms and I talk about the day, transistion that they're working on or waiting for. Planninh lunch dates for us. We wrap up, say our "see you in the mornings", I leave out the back to take the bag of diapers out and head home around 5:45pm

*Nanny share in North Carolina; 2 toddlers, M-F, 8:15-5:30pm **I love these families and feel so appreciated. I've been with them for a year since the girls were tiny babies. They listen when I have concerns and make be feel like family. I couldn't be happier!*

What's your day like? Email isynblog@gmail.com.