New jobs/daycare

The last month has brought about a lot of changes in the Simpson house. I got a job, Sean found two shops to work at and Caroline started daycare.

I have been working for Head Start (click here) as a Data Entry Clerk (what can I say, I'm a poster child for higher education!). **I had originally taken another job, but this is a permanent job with slightly better pay. Basically, if you don't want to work, can't speak English or are raising your 8 grandchildren under the age of 5 that all have different fathers you come to Head Start to sign your kids up to get them out of your house for six hours a day. Oh, I mean, so that they can learn something so they will be ahead when they go to Kindergarten. I thought that working with the public since the age of 16 that I had pretty much seen and heard it all, I was sooooooo wrong!! This place takes the prize!! Geez!! These are some pictures of my place of employment.

Since Sean and I are once again part of the workforce, Caroline had to go daycare. Sean and I visited several in town and decided on Kids, Incorporated. She is in the Infant 1 room with kids ages 6 weeks until they can walk. Pretty much all of the kids except one are Caroline's age or younger. Sean and I took Caroline the first day. I cried in the parking lot, on the way to work, at work, at lunch... well, you get the idea. I have cried every morning that I have had to leave her. The funny part of this story- Caroline loves it!!! The director told me when we went to visit the daycare the first time that it isn't the children that have the problem it's the mommies. So true!! She loves watching the other children and playing with all of the toys. Miss Crystal is her primary caregiver while she is there. Caroline loves Miss Crystal and Miss Crystal loves Caroline (who wouldn't!!). I have to say that even though the situation isn't ideal, I could not have asked for it to go any smoother. Plus, I can sit at my desk at work and see her on their webcam. The problem is that I don't want to do any work, I just want to sit and watch her.

Oh, and just to update you all on Caroline's vocabulary- she can say "bye-bye," "da-da," and "uh-oh."

A new adventure

At our last checkup the nurse told me to start trying to get Caroline to drink out of a sippy cup. She said the easiest way was to take the spill-proof part out so that the juice would flow freely and Caroline would know what is in it. This was when I put the spill-proof thingy back in Caroline would suck on it to try to get the juice out. I thought that this seemed like it might be kind of a mess, but decided that she is a nurse and I'm just a first time mom that knows nothing about how to raise a baby. So, I went to Walmart, bought a sippy cup, came home and put it in the dishwasher to make sure that it was nice and clean for my little one. I put juice in it and showed her how to use it. Well, after she about drowned from the large stream of apple juice pouring out of the cup she turned it upside down and soaked her clothes, her highschair, me and my floor. It's amazing how far a couple ounces of juice can spread. So I changed our clothes, filled it back up and tried again, this time with the spill-proof thingy back in. This time Caroline decided the traditional way of using it wasn't much fun and that it was much more fun to bang it against the side of the highchair a few times and throw it on the floor while laughing hysterically and waiting on me to pick it up. This was followed by me sticking it in my mouth to "clean" it and then giving it back to her. After about a half dozen times the sippy cup exploded and apple juice splattered all over my kitchen and me. I have a permanent sticky spot on my kitchen floor. I think I might give up for now and just let her drink juice out of a bottle! And I thought life was interesting before I had a baby!!

Bye-Bye Baby

Another milestone was set in the life of Caroline Lois Simpson. Today she said her first word! She said "bye-bye." She was staying with Mindy and Evan while I was at work and when Evan waived to her and told her bye-bye she said it back to him. Isn't that cute?! It is clear as day that she is saying bye-bye, no mumbling or whispering for this little girl. She says it loud and proud!! She is going to be a loud mouth like her daddy (ha, ha, ha, ha... ok, I couldn't resist!- you all know that she gets the loud mouth part from me). She has said it several times since then except when I was on the phone with my mom and dad and wanted them to hear it. I can't believe my baby is starting to talk. She is almost able to sit up by herself and is trying to get up so she can crawl! My baby is growing up!! Before I know it we are going to be sending her off to college.