New York Nanny Center » daughter

Daycare Drama

Lindsay Bell — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 18:17:17 +0000

I have had the amazing privilege of being able to take an entire year off of work to spend it with my daughter. I am a teacher and I gave birth to my daughter at the beginning of August. It was right about this time a year ago that my school and I came to the mutual decision that I would return to the classroom for the 2014 school year. During my pregnancy, over the summer months, I had lots of time to think and I absolutely had my concerns and doubts about being home with her for an entire year. How would I fill my days, what would we do every day, would I be pulling my hair out? Well here I am, 7 months in and time is flying! And worse, the time has come to start thinking about where my daughter will be when school starts for me in the fall.

So far, I have looked at 2 day care centers and I on my drive back home, I cried the entire time! I know that it will have to happen, I know that she will be fine, but it is all of a sudden hitting me that someone else will be spending all day every day with my daughter, watching her grow, watching her change and it just breaks my heart. I also feel very naive and inexperienced when it comes to the day care search process. I want to make sure I am asking the right questions and looking for all the qualities that make for an ideal place to send my daughter. My first choice would ideally be a nanny or at least a nanny share with another mom but unfortunately, from a financial standpoint I do not think that will work for us. My second choice is to send her to an at home day care center, a place that to me is the next best thing to having her home with me. I have not found a place yet – I am still searching. I also, despite my husbands best wishes, may just decide to never go back to work

-Samantha is a former LLD sitter, event planner, and elementary school teacher. She and her husband live in New York and are first-time parents!

Grandma’s NYC Escape

Alison Gore — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 18:38:27 +0000

My daughter and her family had Father’s days plans with his family so I had a chance to escape to visit my daughter in NYC. Bright and early, 6:15 to be exact my son-in-law dropped me off at my daughter’s apartment on his way to work. I arrived earlier than expected due to no traffic and had to text, call twice, and buzz twice to wake up my daughter so I could get in. Sorry for the wake-up call but it was a free ride! I waited until she got the sand from her eyes and we went to the favorite bagel place for a quick breakfast. Feeling revived, we were on our way for a day of shopping fun in the West Village. Since that is the area of the so called celebrity sightings I kept my eyes wide open, but with no luck. We had dinner plans at a place in SOHO, another star gazing area of the city, where I talked my daughter out of ordering rabbit as it made me think of the backyard bunny. On to the Highline, something I’ve wanted to do for awhile and never had a chance. But after a day of walking the streets of NYC our feet and legs were having trouble with their normal right-left-right pattern. Giving in to exhaustion, our walk was cut short as the thought of a bed sounded better. Sunday we walked through Central Park, had a great brunch outside and went to the bus station for my trip back. As soon as I left my daughter for the daunting bus ride she ran into Julia Roberts on the sidewalk. It’s okay though, because I got to see these little faces when i got home.

Happy 4 months to my favorite lil’ darlings!

-Mama Bell

Grandma’s Back

Alison Gore — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 17:03:08 +0000

I came back to help out with the babies as my daughter was going back to work. I thought it would be nice to make her transition easier knowing I was here with the kids. Being away for a month makes you forget what hard work it is. Back to juggling two energetic grandbabies and trying to fix a bottle while holding a contortionist. I think my blood pressure rises at least 10 points with each feeding. My twelve hour day begins at 7 am. It’s up and down the stairs it seems a hundred times, tummy time on the floor with time for exercising. Stroller rides for some fresh air take up part of the day. You should see me trying to push a double stroller with humans up a 60 degree hill. What a workout. If I don’t lose a few pounds there is no justice in this world. The hectic nature of the day is forgotten when I look into their big blue eyes and they are looking back. They are smiling at me or talking to me, in baby talk of course, the aches and pains of the day seem to disappear.

All the cares of the day disappear when I see these lil’ faces!

With a good night’s sleep I’ll be ready for another day.

-Mama Bell

Summer is Here!

Alison Gore — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:09:35 +0000

After many long and cold winter months, summer seems to have arrived! I truly believe parenting gets easier in the summer time. Kids can play for hours outside without ever getting bored and then pass out at bed time because they are so worn out. Only real negative to parenting in the summer is the dreaded process of applying sunscreen multiple times a day. No one enjoys that…parent or kid!

Never forget the sunscreen!

The many sounds, sights, and smells of summer that I have always loved and anxiously await all winter long are here. This time along with the sound of birds chirping and the ice cream truck, I hear Avery’s amazing laugh as she goes down the slide and says “One more time Mommy…please?”

One more time!

This time along with the sight of the beautiful flowers blooming and the sun shining all day long, I see Avery’s beautiful smile as she picks flowers for me in the backyard. This time along with the smell of dinner on the grill and fresh cut grass, I smell Avery after a long day outside playing and in desperate need of a bath. But I have grown to love that scent because I know it is a sign of a fun day in the great outdoors!

-Mindy is a former LLD sitter and lives in Chicago with her daughter and husband.

Young at Heart

Alison Gore — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:11:50 +0000

I left some of my loved ones in New Jersey and hooked up with another loved one, daughter #4 in Philadelphia where she lives, for the ride home. So off we went on the yellow brick road (aka 76) to Ohio. She is getting married soon and wanted to work on some wedding necessities for the week. After 7 hours of fast driving on curvy Pennsylvania roads with my constant nagging to slow down we arrived safely. Thank you to the highway god.

Thankful for daughters who keep me busy!

After unpacking three suitcases and trying to organize the house as best I could I thought I was ready for a week of wedding frenzy: bridal registry, invitations to buy and print, shower list to put together, bridal fitting, visit with the priest, check out shower venue, paint sticks for centerpieces,and shopping for shoes and mother of the bride dress. I don’t know when I was more tired, taking care of babies or running wedding errands! It was also both of our birthdays during the week, so we celebrated them in our spare time. Even though life can be exhausting, it’s a good exhausting, and it’s nice to have daughters around to keep me young.

Well, young at heart.

-Mama Bell

Bright Lights, Big City

Alison Gore — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:04:59 +0000

I’m Leaving in a Ford 150

All my bags are packed. I’m ready to go

I’m sitting here inside my house

I hate to wake up to my alarm clock humming

But the dawn is breaking, it’s early morn

The F150′s waiting. It’s blowing its horn

Already I’m so excited I could cry.

So excited to spend the next couple of months with my daughter and grandkids!

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you’ll be waiting for me

Hug me when I’m standing at your door

I’m leaving in a Ford 150

I don’t know when I’ll be home again

Oh Babe, I need to go.

I can’t wait to hold you tight,

Smile at you through the sleepless nights

So many mouths to feed and diapers to change

I’ll tell you it’s such a different thing

Every bag I pack, every box I bring

Every thought I have

I think of you.

Oh daughter and babies I’m on my way.

With love,

Peter, Paul and Mama Bell