March 28, 2006

I think we’re gonna take backsies on daycare. Yup, Hayes at daycare’s days may be numbered. It’s just too hard — and for the month and a half Hayes has been there he’s been sick too much.

Let me paint the latest picture for you: Jen goes to California on business last Tuesday. Thursday morning I get a call from her, she’s got the flu. Thursday evening, I get a call from Hayes’ daycare — he’s got a fever. I leave work at 3:30 to pick him up. I call Jen — I can’t miss work on Friday, as we have a VC coming in and the CEO wants me there. Jen changes her plan — she gets a red eye Thursday night, arrives Friday morning — and is so sick she needs to be wheeled to baggage claim (I wish that were a joke, but it’s not). She arrives home around 8am. I tell her to sleep. At 11 she wakes up and I go to work. Her and Hayes spend a sleepy day together.

On Saturday, Jen sleeps for most of the day. Hayes sleeps a lot too. I try my best to do what I’m worst at — taking care of the house. On Sunday, Jen conjures up some strength and helps out with Hayes. I get out to do some breif grocery shopping while they both sleep.

Ok, here’s the kicker — Jen has to leave for NYC yesterday on another business trip. She’s still sick. Hayes is still sick. Jen calls the woman we had been talking to about a possible — now very real — nanny position. She’s free, so she comes over to watch Hayes. I work out of my office at home for the day. Phew. Jen gets back today, and last night she said she was feeling better. Today, Hayes is at daycare again. Hopefully, that’ll last the day.

End game? Nanny. I think. Stay tuned.

March 20, 2006

We’re getting an early taste of the “terrible twos” here in More Diapers land. Hayes has been on a tear recently, doing everything he’s not supposed to do. He even smiles and laughs when told “no.” It’s good times. His favorite activity is climbing up on his rocking horse or a chair and recklessly bouncing up and down. He’s also taken to dancing in the tub. Take it from a guy (as a kid) who has cracked his chin open more than once thanks to a tub, tubs and dancing don’t mix.

Hayes doesn’t care. He’s a disobeying machine. He’s got “Uh-oh” down and plans to use it. We’re wondering when our first trip to the hospital is going to be — and hoping it’s not a head injury. We’ve had enough of that. Let’s also hope those last couple sentences aren’t prophetic… this is phase, right?

March 13, 2006

Someone told us that Hayes would have a cold all winter once he went to daycare. And, so far, they would be right. Last night the boy had a few coughing fits, but not enough to keep him from sleeping throught the night (thank god).

For those who are squeemish, you may want to stop reading now — consider yourselves warned.

This morning, however, I went in to find a big black hunk of something firmly entrenched in his hair. At first I thought it might be poop, but couldn’t find any where it could have or would have come from. Then I realized it was mucous. Lots of it. I ended up cutting it out of his hair, thereby giving him his first of what is sure to be many “dad” cuts to rid his hair of a foreign stuck substance. For everyone’s sake, I hope the next dad cut is the work of bubble gum. Man, it was gross.

March 9, 2006

Our pediatricain was right. Hayes was made for daycare. He LOVES it. When he gets there I can’t get his jacket off fast enough. Fact is, the only way I can get my kiss in is to hold onto his blanket until I’ve put all his food away and his stuff in his cubby. He loves it. And to me, that’s awesome.

However, we still miss the nanny component. We were very lucky to have two GREAT nannies for Hayes’ first year. Jen especially, missed coming home and getting the lowdown on Hayes’ day directly from the only person who spent time with him. Now we get a small colored peice of paper with check marks next to what he did and diaper changes and feedings hand written in.

Yesterday for instance, he painted. Yes, painted. It’s a fantastic painting. The kid has talent. It’s of, as far as I can tell, a smushed strawberry. Best smushed strawberry painting I’ve ever seen.

So, the move to Worcester has finally started to pay dividens. It’s great. It’s really great.

March 6, 2006

Hayes has a new interest in all children around him. I’m guessing this has something to do with his daycare experience. We took him out a lot this weekend and everytime he’d see a kid under the age of about 6, he’d yell “Gahck, Gahk Gog!” or something like that to the kid, while making eye contact. Mostly this just seemed to scare the shit out of the other kid. Even when the kid would avert his eyes, Hayes would continue, making all efforts to keep eye contat, even trying to push me out of the way once. Man, it was funny.

On a related note, suddenly Hayes LOVES daycare. I usually put him down and he grabs my leg, whines and put his hands up so I’ll pick him up. Today, I put him down and I couldn’t get his jacket off fast enough. I litterally had to restrain him to get it off, then he flew toward the first toy he saw, looked back at me, as if to say goodbye, and started playing.

Oh, and he slept until 6:45. Things are good in the Sagalyn household. Things are real good.