Here comes date night!

Our last date night around the New Year!
It would be great to replicate the fun!

Since Ryan has been born around seven months ago now, Dave and I have only been out on “date night” maybe three or four times. The last time was probably right around the New Year when we went bowling and needless to say, we really, really need some alone, non-parenting time together. So tonight, we’ve secured our first ever babysitter who is not family and we’re going to go out!

I’m both excited and nervous because it’s going to be weird to leave him with someone in our house we’re not related to for an extended period of time. Sure, we take him to day care during the week at KinderCare, but that’s a bit different from having someone come into our home. I think the babysitter we chose it totally capable, especially since she’s watched him before at the YMCA when we drop him off at Kid’s Corner. Everyone there does a great job and whenever we pick him up, he’s always smiling and happy. Plus, they always are sad to see him go when we pick him up after working out and I’m assuming that must mean he’s easy to take care of, right? Well, I'm hoping anyway!

I know that I’m being a bit overprotective at this point, yet, that’s what mommies do and I just want to make sure that he’s well happy and well taken care of. I think what’ s going to help me get through it is knowing that the person we hired is very excited to babysit for us, loves kids, and has a good personality. On top of that, I can always call or text and check up on how he’s doing. If things aren’t going well, then we can always call it a night and head home. 

If all goes well though, then there is a good possibility that more nights out on the town are in our future! We’ve been promising some friends, you know who you are and we haven’t forgotten :0), for a while now that we’re going to get-together and I’m totally looking forward to that too just like having an evening kid-free with my husband. It would be really great that it all’s going to work out and that all of us, Dave, Ryan, myself, and the babysitter, will have a good time! My fingers are crossed that it does!

OMG, I go back to work next week!

I'm going to miss this little guy when I go back to work.

I can’t believe it! Next week Wednesday, I go back to work and this chic is completely freaking out about it! No longer do I get to sit at home and chill with my little baby boy. Nope, no more spending the whole day together because now I have to reenter the real world and I have no idea how this whole thing is going to pan out.

For starters, I’m a little apprehensive about taking Ryan to day care. Sure, he’s been to kid’s corner at the YMCA a few times and has handled it beautifully, but that still doesn’t ease my concerns. Oh, side note here, the ladies who work at the kid’s corner at the East Side YMCA are totally awesome and Ryan just loves going there! They hold and oogle over him, so, when I pick him up after my work-outs, he’s nothing but happy! Thanks ladies! With that said, back to my concerns about day care. I’m not sure why I’m so freaked out about it since the place, KinderCare on the east side, we’re going to take him is clean while the staff is very, very friendly. When I stopped in this week to get his paperwork, everyone was on the ball and the kids in the infant room looked happy. Basically, I don’t know why I’m freaking out so much given that I know he’s going to get great care. I think what’s bothering me about it, is that I feel like they’re not going to be able to take care of him as good as Dave and I have. It’s rather annoying to be honest and I think it’s just my motherly instinct kicking in. I hope that my overprotectiveness goes away.  In time, I think that it will.  One thing that’s easing my concerns is that my mom is going to watch him one day a week and he just loves Grandma! :o)

Something else that I’m worried about is actually returning to work and being able to get back into the groove of everything. I think the first hurdle that I’m going to have to overcome is being able to work eight hours straight. Plus, there’s all that grown up thinking that’s going to need to be done and I hope my brain can handle it. Seriously, going from talking and playing with Ryan along with watching Teen Mom on MTV back to handling customer questions and complaints is going to a shocking daily shift in activities. At first, I have a feeling that it’s all going to be overwhelming and I’m sure there might be some tears. Ughh, tears??? I’m such a girl. However, when I’m able to get into a routine, I’m praying that it will all be fine and that I’ll be able to handle it. Fingers crossed! One thing that I do have going for me is that I did do some fall preview stories for the De Pere Journal while I was on maternity leave. It was a bit of a challenge since I had to squeeze the work in between Ryan’s nap, yet, I was able to get it done. That gives me a little bit of hope that going back to work won’t be super horrible. We’ll just have to see I suppose.

Now, probably the biggest thing that I’m concerned about when it’s time for me to go back to work next week is that I won’t be with my little man all day. I’ve gotten used to his company and to not have him by my side is going to be super strange. I’m going to miss him so much, but that’s a good thing due to the fact that it means that we both bonded a bunch like a mom and a child should. And yes, I’m trying to be positive about having to leave him because if I don’t look at the positives right now, I get a little sad. So, happy thoughts, happy thoughts, HAPPY THOUGHTS! One happy thought I’m going to always come up with when I think of him is his little grin, he’s such a happy baby, even when he wakes up. Not sure where he got that from though, neither Dave nor myself is a morning person! LOL!

Anyway, as I look back on my 10 or so weeks with Ryan at home, I realize how special our time was together. This Tomboy learned how to become a mother and whoever thought that would happen? Not me at first, but with Dave’s help, I was able to do it. Thanks dear! Something else I realized during my maternity leave was that family is most important. Ryan brought our family closer together and the relationship that I have with Dave and his kids has only grown stronger, especially my relationship with Emily who still lives at home. She’s been so awesome and cares so much about Ryan that seeing them together brings a smile to my face! 

Right now, the future looks bright for us and I can’t wait for what’s to come. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be a fun adventure and I’m ready for it. I hope that you are too since I’m going to write about it all as much as I can! :)

Checking into daycare places…

Yesterday, my husband, Dave, and I went to visit the place where we’re thinking we’re going to take little Billy Bubba for daycare.

It might seem like we’re jumping the gun a bit on finding him a spot somewhere. However, in all honestly it isn’t because I’ve heard nothing but horror stories from moms about doing it too late only to be on pins and needles when they do find where they want to take their child, only to end up being put on a waiting list. That doesn’t sound like very much fun at all.

So, this is one of those things on our to-do list that I wanted to cross off as soon as we could and I think we found where we’re going to take him. We went on a tour yesterday at KinderCare located in Green Bay on the Eastside. We met with the center director who was very nice and received a tour of the infant room. There are four infants to one adult. The ladies seemed to like what they were doing and all of the babies were doing quite well when we saw them. One was being fed, two were playing, which doesn’t consist of much since they’re super little, another one was about to be fed, and the others were sleeping. Everything this was clean, nothing smelled, each infant had their own personal crib and storage area, and all in all, I thought it was a good place. Dave also has had personal experience with the location since his grandson was watched there and seemed to like it. He mentioned that the staff was always friendly and very attentive to his grandson’s needs. Before we make our final decision, I’m probably going to look into one or two more spots, but as for right now, I think we found our day care provider. Once I make the call and actually reserve his spot, I have a feeling that I’m going to totally relieved to get this big decision taken care of. Let’s keep our fingers cross that, that actually happens! :)

Along with taking BB to an actual day care, my mom, Nancy, said that she would be able to take care of him one day a week when my dad, Don, and her are not wintering in Florida. She took care of my brother’s kids when they were little too and to have her offer the same thing to us is really special. She really, really, really loves children, and yes, my Dad does too, so it will be good for BB to be with family and I think it will be good for my parents too. Thanks Mom and Dad, you’re the best!

Well, I think that’s enough talk about day care for one day, until next time, this is Carla the pregnant tomboy signing off.