Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

We all have our personality quirks. I am a creature of habit. I do not like change. I like routine, predictability and habit. Even when I was young, I did not adjust easily to new things.

In early elementary school, if I was faced with a substitute teacher, I would panic a bit because things were not going to be done the way I expected them to be done. In much the same way, the start of every new school year brought excitement coupled with anxiety. I had to learn a new routine and new procedures. (My early school years were a nightmare for my parents, and especially my mother, who had to try to anticipate things that might occur so as to prepare me for them...but I'll not be writing about all that since it would take up weeks of blogging entries if I wanted to delve into all that...suffice it to say, I have overcome an almost paralyzing shyness)

Being that I don't like change, I like to keep Bobby on somewhat of a schedule and routine for my own benefit. I was thrown a curveball on Monday when I received an e-mail at work from his sitter indicating that her family schedule/needs were changing and she probably wouldn't be available to regularly watch him. I was very upset and started crying in my office, and really cried that night as I finally had the words to respond to the email...I spent 45 minutes with her yesterday morning as I dropped Bobby off--it's a hard pill to swallow.

To back up a bit...I found out I was pregnant in September 2006. I always intended to take maternity leave and return to work. I knew my mom would help out some with watching the baby but I didn't want her to do 100%. I also knew I didn't want him in a daycare, but rather in a home setting. So, just 3 months into my pregnancy I began the search for part-time childcare. I posted on Craigslist, I checked out websites. I checked community bulletin boards, I asked co-workers...Around Dec. 2006 I was contacted by Heather--who responded to my craigslist posting. She was a teacher who quit to stay home with her kids and was looking for 1 child to watch. She lived in my town, about 10 minutes away. I made arrangements to meet her with my mom. I was impressed with her, her home environment and the way her kids were being raised. This was a good match. I had an agreement with her to watch Bobby after I returned to work, and he wasn't even born yet!!

Bobby arrived May 21, 2007 and I sent her pictures and shared my joy with her. We took him over in the summer to visit and let her meet him. He started going to Heather 3 days a week beginning in August 2007. She's a loving, energetic and wonderful caregiver. She taught him baby sign language. She helped me figure out what kind of sippy cup he liked. She took him to the library for storytime. For his 1st birthday she made me a scrapbook of pictures of him through the year at her house. When I take him in the morning, he is anxious to go inside and happy to be there to play with the girls. Rob and I were pleased with how she cared for him, what he learned there and his development. She "knows" Bobby and appreciates his personality. She's seen his development from a 3mo. old to a 17 mo. toddler...

Now I find myself about to begin another search...and to change the routine...