The Nanny Diaries

My nanny quit. Yes, the nanny that I hired three months ago. Yes, the nanny that I was raving about how responsible and organized she was. Yes, the nanny that was going to teach the boys baby sign language. So much for that. I will spare you the details, but basically, I am on the brink of going into labor and she has taken another job.

I have prided myself on staying pretty calm throughout this pregnancy, which has surprised everyone, and most of all, myself. But on Thursday, I lost it. I had been so proud of myself for being organized and proactive about getting this nanny arranged way in advance, for meeting and selecting her so carefully, for checking her references, and this was my reward. And frankly, having this nanny lined up has given me such a false sense of security. As all my new mommy friends around me have been complaining about not being able to take a shower until 2:00 a.m. and not leaving the house for days, I have been sitting here smugly thinking, "That won't be me, I will have a nanny starting to help me right away." I think this is karma's way of reminding me that all the good planning in the world doesn't mean squat.

So once the shock wore off, I decided to mobilize the network of friends and acquaintances I have been building for years. I used to think that my dream job would someday be a result of all that careful networking, but now it appears that a nanny is going to be my reward instead. And surprisingly, I got a lot of referrals and ideas! We even managed to set up an interview that very night for a nanny looking for a new family. Unfortunately, she isn't going to work out. She was a tad bit too evangelical for us, although she was a very nice person (she was also inexplicably wearing eyeliner on only one eye). Here is a brief exchange from the interview:

Me: What is your favorite thing about the family you are working for now?
Her: They are good Christians.
Me: Uh huh. And what would you consider to be your best quality?
Her: That I am a good Christian.

Now of course her religion is none of my business, but considering our propensity to take J.C.'s name in vain (usually associated with an expletive) I had a feeling this wasn't a great match.

The good news is that we have some good leads for other nannies. I am really hopeful that we can get something lined up ASAP as I really think I need help as soon as I come home from the hospital. I just don't know that I have the ability to take care of two babies at once, recover from a c-section, and maintain my sanity. But time is definitely running out.

In fact, I was in the hospital on Friday night for a bit of a false alarm. All is well, but I was having some contractions and thought the time had come. After a night of observation, they sent me home to the confines of my couch. It looks like I will be camping out there for at least a few more days. Hopefully enough time to line up a nanny and get my roots done, and then not a second more.