adventures with baby

OK, the title of this video clip is “Sneezing Panda.”  I guess that must be what is happening here.  When I first saw it, I thought the mama was telling her baby to stay put.  

Well, I’m going back to work next week.  I’m very sad to leave my baby.  He’ll be four months old in a week.  I had hoped to stay home until he was six months old, but that didn’t work out.  I have a babysitter for him, who will watch him in her house.  However, money is really tight and I need to find ways to make it stretch.  My work offers a pre-tax flexible spending account for dependent care.  I don’t think I’m able to pay a babysitter with that money.  I could do the regular tax deduction, but I will save a lot more money doing the pre-tax FSA.  So, the plan is to use a babysitter for the rest of 2008.  Then we’ll start Thomas in childcare in January.  So, this week I’m taking tours at local childcare centers.  I called around to get pricing.  There is a difference of about $100 among all of them.  They don’t all take infants.  The only one that offered a tour on the phone was also the most expensive.  So, that’s where I started yesterday.  When I first walked in the room, I almost started to cry.  I just got so sad thinking about my baby being in there without me.  Then I looked at the little babies (this was the infant room) and they were all so happy.  The ratio is 4:1 and all the babies were being cared for.  Some were being fed in a cute table with cut-out seats.  Another was being fed a bottle in a rocking chair.  One was sleeping in a swing.  Others were playing in exersaucers and jumperoos.  Only one was crying, and they said she was up next to eat.  It was so organized and they showed me how they clean all the toys after each baby plays with something.  I felt a lot better after visiting.  I still cannot imagine someone else caring for my baby, but it helps to know that he will be OK.  Tomorrow I’ll visit another center, and hopefully get a good feeling there, too.