Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The Day I Retired My Cape

     I have had a running joke with a good friend of mine for years about being "supermoms". It started ages ago when she called me one day and asked how she was going to accomplish all the things she had to do in a short period of time. My response: "I'll tell you how, by going into your phone booth and putting on your cape". From then on whenever one of us found ourselves in one of those crazy working mom moments we would text each other things like "my cape is on tight" or "I have a snag in my cape" or "I can feel my cape billowing behind me" and so on. I used to find it hilarious! I am SO over that joke.
     My babysitter of 10 years told me on New Years eve that she was quitting. She had been with me since I had one little newborn baby and a two bedroom apartment. I now have four kids, one with special needs, and a four bedroom house. I get it. She was tired and looking for something different and easier. I totally understood. After a moment of panic, I did what I always do and put on my cape. She agreed to stay with me until I found someone or to give me two weeks notice if she found something else first and I began interviewing new people. I could not believe my luck when I found someone who fit the bill on my second interview. Young, energetic, undaunted by the job, experience with kids with special needs and by her own admission "OCD about cleaning". What more could I ask for. We decided she would start on Monday of this week and I even helped my old babysitter find a new job.
     Yesterday was her first day and it went off with out a hitch! Or so I thought. It seemed like everything went swimmingly well. That is until today when she didn't show up. No call, no text, nothing. Just a no show. When I finally reached her 2 hours after she was supposed to have been in my house she informed me that the commute was too long and she would not be returning, umm thanks, I kind of figured it out by then. Really appreciate your thoughtfulness!
     And so today I donned my cloak yet again. I cleaned my house; made all the beds, did all of the dishes, took care of my baby, made dinner, took my son to his playdate (due to the never ending winter break from Maimonides) worked all day, collected my son from the bus, dealt with his massive meltdown because of the disruption to his routine, managed a carpool, interviewed four potential new babysitters and called everyone I know to tell them I am looking again. I even managed a swim (granted that was at 7 am before this entire debacle began). You are probably tired just reading this paragraph so you can only imagine how I feel right now and my night is not even close to over. 
     And so, after today, I have decided to retire my cape. I figure that if I stop appearing to be so damn capable I might not actually have to be. Maybe then I will catch a break, because I could sure use one. Or at least maybe I'll be a little less tired. Either of those sound grand right about now. 
     *funnily enough when I thought of writing this post in my mind it seemed like it might be funny. Pretty sure in reality, not so much.
     **if you know an amazing babysitter please let me know!
  

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