My new job

I mentioned in my last entry that I had been busy and couldn't update my blog, but didn't explain why I was busy. Well here it is.

I am now watching three children, not including Mason-man.

It's kind of interesting how it happened. I started getting panicky about our financial situation because I had had to pull way too much money from savings last paycheck, and spent most of the week (two weeks ago) on the computer trying to find sources of work at home income. I wasn't finding much, but I was determined to get something.

The second day of my search, a girl from our ward (Heidi) called me. She has a little girl who is about a month younger than Mason, and her daycare providers (family and friends) were all falling through at once. Someone had told her that I was home with Mason now, and she didn't know if I was interested, but could I help her out? She'd pay $20 a day.

Yes, I think I can help her out!

I was really excited, and glad to get some money coming in, especially because the online stuff was mostly nickel and dime stuff, and wouldn't amount to much. She set it up for me to start watching her the day after Labor Day.

This wouldn't be enough to complete dissolve my concerns though, so I kept looking for things online. A couple of days later, my uncle Bruce called me.

Bruce and Liz live in the same town as I do, Liz watched Mason for us once a week when I was working and I lived with them when I moved out here. They are awesome! Anyway, Bruce told me his neighbor (Wendy) had two small children, a girl about 2 1/2 and a 3 month old and that they were looking for someone to watch their kids, and how much did I charge?

I was a little concerned about taking a child that young, I didn't want to neglect Mason, but I figured it was worth a try. So I told him, $20 per kid per day for full time (which turned out to be less than their old set-up) and a couple of days later I went by Liz' and Bruce's one evening and met them. We seemed to hit it off, and she said she'd call me to verify whether or not they wanted me. But then she didn't call, and I wondered, although Liz and Bruce both said she told them she was going to call.

A day or so later, another young mother in my ward (Julie) contacted me and said that if she starts working her new job full-time, she may need me to watch her little girl a couple days a week, and would I be willing to do so? Her little girl is also a month younger than Mason and they like each other a lot, so I told her of course.

So I was ready to start watching one little girl this week, and figured it would be a breeze. She came by for a part day Friday as kind of a test run, and she and Mason got on great, in fact he cried when she left. Then Monday, as I was in the car getting ready to go to the petting zoo (see previous post) Wendy called me, apologized for not getting back to me earlier, and asked if I could watch her kids this week!

I was a little surprised, and started to feel a bit overwhelmed, I hadn't prepared myself mentally for three kids, but I told her sure, gave her the address, and went on with my day.

Tuesday was CRAZY!

Norman (the three month old) was a bit clingy all day, I was relearning the things kids that young do, I was having to adjust to bottle-feeding, and Mason was NOT happy at all about having to share his mother. The two year old (Riley) was getting in to everything too, I wasn't used to what she could reach. At one point, Mason was screaming, and Norman was screaming, and I felt like I couldn't handle it. I almost told his mother that I couldn't do it, but decided to give it a couple of days. So that evening when everyone had left, I cleaned house, and rearranged a lot of things I didn't want Riley to get into.

The next day wasn't as bad, although at one point all three babies were screaming and the two year old found it hilarious, but it was only for a couple of minutes, and Norman wasn't as clingy, and he is actually pretty darn cute. Mason seems to be adjusting as well, although he tends to climb in my lap while I am bottle-feeding Norman. But Jalia (the one Mason's age) is usually gone by 4, so when she left yesterday, I got Riley and Mason to pick up the toys, and then we all went outside and the two kids played while Norman laughed in the bouncy chair. The "worst" thing that happened was that Norman blew out his diaper in the bouncy chair, so I had to wash the cover. But Mason did that all the time when he was that age, so no big!

I am learning a lot though. Having one kid is a piece of cake, when it comes to being a SAHM. Chores are easy when you have one kid who entertains himself most of the time. But when you have four, one or the other almost always needs something. I am almost always busy now, because when a kid doesn't need me, I have dishes or laundry or something of the sort. The only reason I'm able to write this, is I managed to get them all asleep at the same time, but Mason has been asleep for two hours, so I expect him to wake up any minute, which means that Jalia and Riley will wake up, and possibly Norman as well. Oh well, they are fun!

It looks like this will be somewhat irregular; Wendy's husband is a landscaper, so he doesn't always have work, and if he doesn't, neither do I. Tomorrow I'll only have Jalia. But it's better than nothing, and it gives me a chance to rest a bit in between, I don't think I am ready to have four kids to take care of all the time just yet. Also, Jalia's mom is trying to move to California in October, so that might not last long, but if I've learned anything from this experience, it's that the Lord blesses you when you work hard, and if I really try to bring in some money, something will work out one way or another.