Curve Ball

We moved to Florida from Arizona in July. I knew absolutely no one within hundreds of miles. Having a full time job, going to school full time, and having a 6-week-old baby meant I needed to find trusted daycare for Miss Tennessee. We started with the FCC list the base provided to find someone nearby that we could trust. Someone who was licensed and held to high (seriously, extremely high) standards. There were several providers in our area, so I started calling. I met several really nice women, but none that could help me. The problem was, no one out here watches infants, and those that do either lived way too far from me, or don't watch children during school breaks and summer. My job is extremely unflexible, so if hubby is deployed, I would be up a creek.

I finally found one person, not connected with the base, who could watch Tennessee for a price I could afford. At first it was good, but as time went on there were more and more things that made me uncomfortable leaving my child with her for any length of time. There were several times I contemplated quitting my job and finding something, like local stores or restaurants where I could work in the evening when David was home.

I felt like Tennessee was safe with this woman, but she was extremely unreliable, so I kept looking for another provider. Low and behold, I found one. One through the base, one I loved. Her family is really sweet, the other kids are great, I was HAPPY. Fast forward a few weeks, to Friday night, and I get a call saying the provider is giving me notice because all of the other kids she watches are older, and she can't do the activities with them she wants to if she's busy taking care of an infant. So I have the next couple of weeks to find what took me months to find before.

To be fair, I understand infants are a lot of work. Mine happens to be very independent, but she is definitely more needy than a toddler. More diapers, more meals, etc. More than anything, I am sad because, for once, I though I had it all figured out. But I guess that's life.

When I told my parents my dad said he wished he had retired last month when he was offered an early out so they could move to FL to help out. Now, the earliest he could retire is May. Aren't my parents the greatest? Willing to move cross-country just to get me out of a child-care bind. I have to admit, right about now I'm wishing it were a viable option.

Wish me luck in finding someone else I trust to watch my sweet little girl.