Peace + Catching Up

There is peace in our house tonight....

After all of our worries about finding the right daycare for Natalie, we had a successful interview on Thursday and committed to a provider for August.  From the moment we walked in, we both loved her.  She was sweet and friendly, and asked immediately to hold Natalie.  She covered her with kisses and told her that she was the cutest baby ever.  She showed us around, all the while talking to us and Natalie, as if our sweet little baby was the one making the decision instead of us.  "Look Natalie, this is where you would play....and this is where you will sleep," she cooed.  Natalie studied her and the surroundings....I smiled knowing that my baby was the one conducting the interview.   

She said things like "rocking babies is heaven on earth" and "I just love holding the little ones!" and "I know that August will be hard for you, sweetie, but we'll get through it together".  She calmed my fears and brought a sense of relief to this crazed mommy.  She and her daughter run the daycare together in their home, so there's a much lower ratio than most of the other in-home daycares that I've researched.  There are two adults, and 6-7 kids....so I have much less worry about Natalie getting enough attention.  I had nightmares about my little girl laying in a playpen or on a blanket all alone while the daycare provider chased the other 6 2-year-olds around the house.  This seems to be a good set-up...the mother takes the littlest ones downstairs - where there are bouncy seats and books and baby toys, and her daughter has the toddlers upstairs - where there is a play kitchen set-up and a craft center in the dining room.

I just had a good feeling about it all.  I felt connected to her, and just wanted to hug her before we left.  So I did. :)  And she smiled and said, "Now you go home and sleep on it, and we'll talk tomorrow.  You want to be 100% sure about who you choose!"  Well, I wanted to choose her right that minute!  But I took her advice and Mark and I gushed about her the whole way home.  I called her the next morning and she told me how thrilled she was and thanked me over and over for choosing to place Natalie in her home.

INSERT SIGH OF RELIEF HERE.  Thank you, God, for answering my prayers.

I hope that we continue to be happy with her once Natalie starts there.  There will be continued worries and tears on my part, I'm sure.  But I am so much more at peace about school starting again - and feel that I can fully enjoy my summer now with my sweet girl without this worry in the back of my mind.

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And here's a quick catch-up on what we've been up to lately...

Lots of time with family  - Uncle Nick, these pictures are for you!!

My dear friend is moving away (boo!), so we got our girls together this week.  Clare is 8 months old - and SO busy!

 She wanted to give Natalie lots of kisses!

 But doesn't quite understand the "gentle" concept yet.  So cute! :)  Her mommy had to snatch her away before she ate Natalie up!  Natalie's expression cracks me up.....Really, Mom?  You are just going to take pictures while this baby slobbers on my face?!



We also celebrated my Momma's 60th birthday!

 (This baby LOVES her Mimi like crazy!  You should see the way she coos and talks and giggles...so precious)

The whole fam went out for dinner to celebrate, then the big girls (plus Natalie!) continued the party with margaritas and desserts on the patio at my sister's house.  It was a beautiful night - we sat outside until way past dark and talked and laughed by candlelight and passed the sleepy baby.

Looking forward to celebrating Father's Day tomorrow with my hubby and our beautiful daughter!  Hope you all are having a great weekend!

P.S. Did you notice the Top Baby Blogs button at the top right of this post?  I linked up my blog with this list of mommy/baby blogs.  I've found lots of great ones on the list - so if you are interested you can click on the button to be taken to the blog directory.  On your way in, vote for me!  This will just move my blog up the list so that it is more accessible to other blogging mommies.  You can vote once a day, so you can click on the button each time you visit my blog!