Showing posts with label nanny day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nanny day. Show all posts

Monday

The Nanny's Monday #1

What does your Monday look like? Email isynblog@gmail.com with your pictures.
Lots of coffee in SF

They never use the diaper genie right. 
When the kids are dressed for the park when you get there at 8AM.

Most of these are for me.

83 degrees at 9 AM. Not complaining. This is my office.

This is not how I leave the kitchen at the end of the day.
Monday

When the laundry room runs into the playroom.

Mom was going to take them Sunday afternoon but her salon appointment went long, so this was the first order of business today.
I'm never late. I called my boss and told her I was running late. I got there, she was understanding and had run out to get me coffee and and egg bagel! Good Monday morning to you!

Saturday

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.


Monday

HEROOFTHEDAY
This is a slice of what I do. Everyday is different. That is why I enjoy being a nanny. My job is never boring.

7:11 I kiss my boyfriend and head to work flipping stations. I pause long enough to sing along with "I'm a believer," by SmashMouth and "You are Holy," by Michael W. Smith.

8:04 I arrive late as usual cursing myself in my head to get my tardiness under control. I am greeted by a happy five year old. I unload dishwasher and praise myself for getting the top unloaded.

8:19 MB leaves to drop off the two older children at school while two year old Obadiah* blows kisses and waves calling "Dwive safe!" though the front dining room window.

8:28 As I slice cucumbers, strawberries, and apples, Obbie* does his new trick on his blue rocking horse. "Wook! Wook at me!" he calls as he stands on the back of the horse and rocks at gravity defying angles. I give him a thumbs up not choosing this battle because he is only four inches off the ground.

8:39 We read four books. Two of them matched our Holiday theme. One matched our letter M theme, and the last was a classic "Three Little Pigs."

9:02 I ask Obbie* if he needs to potty before we go out. He says, "no." I encourage him to at least try.

9:16 I strap Obbie* in his car seat reminding him to pull the top restraint up to his nipples. "Why?" he asks. "Where is my complete sentence?" I ask patiently. "Why I need to my nippows?" he asks. I inform him he needs to be strapped in safe. We listen to Laurie Berkner on Pandora before arriving at the mall.

9:49 I unstrap Obbie* and grab our Star Wars lunch box holding hands as we walk into the mall. Obbie* goes straight to the train table as I gently remind him him "In ten minutes, we will go to listen to a story."

9:56 The intercom reminds us story time will start in five minutes. I remind Obbie* and ask him how many five is. He holds up two hands. "Nope, try again," I encourage. He holds up one hand, and I smile and nod.

10:04 Obbie* finds a green chair up front while I sit on a wood bench off to the side six feet away where we still see each other, but I am not taking a seat away from another child.

10:31 After two books and some coloring, we return to the train table. When he starts to wander and look disinterested, I suggest we go downstairs to the Play Place. His eyes glaze over, and I remind him to use his words."One more minute?" he asks holding up two fingers. I smile and nod.

10:51 We skip to our Lou through the middle of the mall to the play place. Some laugh; some smile. I don't care. I am 28, and the children keep me young.

11:43 We potty and wash hands before lunch. I order chicken and fries while unpacking the Star Wars lunch box. Obbie* asks for his apple juice, but I tell him to eat a few bites of actual food before I can give him his cup. He finishes all of his strawberries and pokes holes in his cucumber slices. I offer him some chicken bites and he gladly gobbles them in one bite each.

12:18 We walk hand in hand to my car. Obbie* asks if a black Toyota is mine. I say, "No, but it does look like my green Honda doesn't it?" I hand Obbie* an ABC book as I drive back to his home. He comments as I drive. "Is dis a Q?" "I found T! I found dah letter T!" "Dat a wed wight, Manna." "Thank you for reminding me," I respond reminding myself not to skirt through yellow lights.

12:46 I arrive at his home, unlock the door and remind Obbie* to potty and find a diaper for nap. He sings, "Life is a Highway," from his favorite movie.

12:59 We both climb into a twin sized bed and cuddle listening to Deepak Chopra on Pandora.

1:21 I ask if Obbie* if he is asleep. He nods gently with his eyes closed. If he smiled huge and squinted his eyes, that means he is not really sleep yet. Even though he is unconscious, I tell him I will go downstairs to do dishes in ten minutes.

1:32 Obbie* is good and asleep. I kiss his forehead, and walk downstairs to finish unloading the dishwasher. Then, I load it as I listen to "Braking Dawn" by Stephanie Meyer.

2:26 I pause my book to take out the trash and recycling. I press resume as I take down eight pieces of artwork hung and displayed over the last month. I label each piece with the month, year, child's name, and child's age. Then, I place each piece in a save box for MB.

3:29 I rub Obbie's* back telling him it is time to awake. He scowls at me red faced blond hair a sweaty mess and shoves his arms high in the air. "Words?" I ask. "Cawy me, pwease," he huffs.

3:41 After a snack of peanut butter and wheat crackers, DB arrives with the nine year old and five year old from school. I argue with the nine year old about his homework before threatening to take away his Lego privileges.

3:57 I practice math facts with the nine year old. Then, I tell DB about Obbie's* day before leaving.

4:04 I start "Braking Dawn" again as I pull away from the curb and drive home.

4:56 I exit my car, make a couple calls and organize supper plans.

*Obadiah is a name change.

Thank you for reading, "Nannytastic"
What's your Nanny Day Like? Email isynblog@gmail.com

Tuesday

A Typical Tuesday

a day in the life
8:14—MB gives me my semi-weekly reminder to water down Lucy’s orange juice because she believes that her diaper rash is actually an allergic reaction to something, probably citrus. Unfortunately we cannot check the journal I have been keeping for patterns as MB has lost it.

8:19—MB closes the office door in Lucy’s face, saying she has to work. Lucy cries at the door for several minutes.

8:22—Lucy whines alternately at the back and garage doors, wanting to go play in the wet grass or with the leaf blower (a new obsession).

8:25—MB comes out of the office just long enough to remind Lucy that she is still here, then goes upstairs, where Lucy tries to follow her. I spend the next few minutes pulling her off the stairs, screaming.

8:32—Lucy runs around the house, only getting into the things she knows she is not supposed to. Just goes to one after the next, me telling her no each time.

8:48—MB calls me to the stairs, where she is standing on the balcony in a bra and a thong. She then throws a load of laundry over the edge for me to do. This reminds Lucy that her mom is still here, so I hold her screaming in one arm while I do the laundry with the other.

8:52—I tell Lucy we need to go change her diaper, MB immediately comes out of her room and meets us at the top of the stairs, where she takes her and changes her (because she still thinks her occasional diaper rash is somehow my fault).

8:53-9:20—MB tells Lucy that she can play in her room while she gets ready, so I spend this time constantly telling her not to play with the razors, get in the tub, try to plug in the straightener, etc. I also receive my daily chores—clean MB’s bathroom and do the laundry. I get to clean the bathroom “because she doesn’t want to waste her time doing it.”

9:22—She pulls together some things in her office, Lucy runs back and forth between the office (where she plays with her dad’s super expensive electric guitar and amp) and the kitchen (where she wants a bite of graham cracker).

9:26—She tells me to take Lucy upstairs to look for her phone “because it will be fun for her.”

9:28—She yells up the stairs to tell me her phone is actually downstairs.

9:30—She asks Lucy if she wants to walk her out to the garage (where the leaf blower is), she screams in my ear because she wants the leaf blower, she yells over her screams to add toilet paper stocking in all 3 bathrooms to my chore list.

9:35-9:50—She plays with something for 30 seconds, comes to table for graham cracker, plays for 30 seconds, comes to table for graham cracker, over and over (this is the only way she will eat.. Won’t eat anything if she is forced to sit and eat. She has to be moving around). This results in a disaster in the entire house.

9:55—She pulls out all of the pots and pans, drinks, and kitchen appliances she is able to access from “her cabinet” (which just has aprons and baby friendly things, but is under the island so is open to the rest of the locked cabinets under the island).

10:07—Lucy stops in her tracks, cries for no reason, looks at me, I raise my eyebrows a little, she stops and moves on to another toy.

10:18—I am sitting on a chair, Lucy is standing on my lap. She tries to climb over the back, I pull her down and tell her no. She does it again, I tell her no. She does it again, I tell her no and say that if I have to do it again I’ll make her get down. She does it again, I put her down. Immediately starts whining. After I don’t let her back up, she head butts the glass table because she is mad at me.

10:23—She has been out of the room for 10 seconds, so I follow into the other room. She is in the closet with the vacuum cord wrapped around her neck. I harshly tell her no and pull her out of the closet. She runs into another room and picks up the candlestick that is on the table at her level. I grab it and yell at her to stop.

10:32—She goes into the partially constructed wine cellar and opens the wine fridge, which is working and has bottles of wine in it (again, at her level on the tile floor). I tell her to close it, she closes and immediately opens again. I tell her to leave it closed, she shakes her head no.

10:39—Lucy starts whining and screaming because she is mad that my feet are on the ottoman instead of the floor.

10:49—MB decides to drop in to take some measurements for the living room remodel. Measurements that I have seen her take 3 times and that she has called and had me do twice. She leaves 20 minutes later, Lucy is pissed.
ISYN - A Day in the Life

11:34—Get to the library because I can’t handle it anymore. Find out that library doesn’t open until 12:30 today.

11:52—We go to lunch.

12:32—Put her down for her nap, she screams.

12:35—Empty dishwasher and reload with the dirty dishes that are filling the sink.

12:42—Pick up around the house.

12:50—Lucy falls asleep (in record time!)

12:52—Head upstairs to clean bathroom.

1:08—Go to the garage and get giant bag of toilet paper to carry around to restock the 3 bathrooms.

1:19—Take dog out to poop, clean up her poop.

1:23—Fold the laundry I have been doing throughout the day.

1:32—Do my daily chores of washing the high chair, scrubbing the grime off the table, and wiping down the counters.

1:39—Time for a break!

2:22—Lucy wakes up, crying frantically.

2:28—MB calles and I accidentally hit ‘reject’ on my phone. I call back immediately but get her voicemail. I wait less than a minute and try calling back again—she answers and is very concerned about me not answering the phone and makes a comment about me possibly talking on my phone. I then tell her about my plans for the afternoon for us to go to the library again and she says to hold off on that until another day because the gardener is coming today and she wants Lucy to be able to watch him. Even if the gardener is just across the street, she spelled out that she would like us to walk across the street and watch the gardener.

2:42—Get Lucy out of bed and change her diaper.

2:54—Lucy whines because she can’t reach her balloon.

3:01—Lucy is mad because she is sitting on the ottoman and her balloon is on the ground next to the ottoman.

3:04—Lucy wanders into other room and picks off part of the armoire and hands it to me with a smile and heads over to the other area of house with extensive non-babyproofed items on low tables.

3:08—She won’t stop pulling on the shutters and I manage to redirect her by having her go and find her juice.

3:09—She runs to the stairs and starts going up on her own. I tell her no, we have a stare-down until she finally says ‘mama?’

3:14—We sit down to color. I let her have 1 marker at a time, she tries to color without taking the cap off, I tell her to take it off, she scribbles a little, puts cap back on, and wants a different color.

3:17—MB calls and wants me to measure the current couches because she is at the store right now and needs to know. I measure, turn back around, and Lucy has colored all over herself, the table, and her high chair. I had tried to take the marker away before I walked to other side of the room, but she started screaming and her mom would have been highly concerned if she continued.

3:28—Another poopy diaper.

3:30—Lucy cries because she doesn’t want me to put another diaper on her, I once again explain that she has to wear them until she decides to potty train. She shakes her head no to this.

3:32—Lucy opens the drawer and pulls out the peeler.

3:34—Lucy opens the cupboard and starts pulling all of the food out of it.

3:35—I put her in her high chair and give her some crackers.

3:37—She has eaten all of the peanut butter out of them, wants more, I tell her no, not until she finishes what she has.

3:39—She wants down, I reach over to get her, she frantically grabs her remaining crackers to stuff into her mouth. So I leave her there and give her more.

3:45—Whines because she wants the tape measure, I make her say please, she goes and tries to measure the furniture.

3:48—Play with balloon on couch.

3:51—Lucy fake cries because she threw the balloon over the couch on purpose and the dog started smelling it.

3:53—She measures my body parts.

3:57—Teach Lucy the word “you.”

4:03—Head out to the backyard.

4:15—Sticks her arm in a puddle.

4:18—I accidentally peg her in the shoulder with a plastic baseball, she is so shocked that she doesn’t react, so I start to laugh and she does too. Then we run pretend bases together.

4:20—She starts to turn on the hose.

4:24—Started to pick a lime off the tree, I said no, picked it, I got mad, she tried to put it back, then gave up. Then picked another one.

4:37—Lucy listens the third time I tell her not to destroy the palm tree. Breakthrough!

4:40—I continue to attempt to teach her not to run while holding a stick.

4:58—Head home.

How does this compare to your day? Email isynblog@gmail.com or message us on Facebook to share your story.