Nanny Returns

The title of my blog today is a clever play on words for it has 2 meanings: I returned to work today from having the weekend off, and I just started reading "Nanny Returns" today, the sequel to "The Nanny Diaries". More on that later...

I was 20 minutes early to pick up W from school today! Go me! I was too embarrassed to pull out "Nanny Returns" in the school line with lots of other mothers, because seriously, what's more stereotypical than that? Instead I received 4 texts back to back from the mother (dun dun dun) about today's schedule. She was reminding me that W had to meet with her tutor after school today and that M should have her bath before dinner but do her homework between the bath and dinner. There may not be time for me to read to her tonight (shucks) because she would probably have too much homework. I get kind of insulted when the mother doesn't let me figure these things out on my own. I KNEW that W had tutoring after school and I know when M needs to take her bath, so why "remind" me of every detail? It's my job to know these things and be on top of timing...grrr.

We walked in the wrong direction towards 7-11 (my bad, I was wrong about where it was) and I didn't feel like walking back there in the cold, so I took her to one of those small, Asian convenience stores on the corner. Eh. She got a snapple (which she literally took ONE sip of) and a frosted flakes cereal to go. I would make her get healthy snacks if it were up to me, but the mom has already ruined that by giving her sweets for snacks everyday. There's no way I can say to her, "your mom wouldn't let you have that" because her mom WOULD! This is the mom that gives them chocolate eclairs and pumpkin pie for SNACKS! I got a water, sun chips for the immediate time being, and goldfish for later for my dinner. I ended up leaving my goldfish in the waiting room of the tutor so no dinner for me...

I loved today because I got to spend an hour and a half reading in the waiting room at the tutor's. Both of the girls meet with her on Mondays, back to back, so I took W for her 45 minute lesson, and Mercy brought M for her lesson. Then Mercy took W home with her and I waited for M to be done with her 45 minute lesson and then I took her home. I didn't get to give W her bath which is fine, but I was kind of sad when I saw Mercy blow drying her hair. I thought that was my job and it was one of my favorite parts of the day.

I did break out "Nanny Returns" in the lobby which was funny because I'm sure the other mommies and nannies who were waiting for their children to come out being brilliant saw me reading it and smiled a little. It really is just too stereotypical. I almost gasped out loud while reading the book. They talk about the school that the girls go to! I guess some of the characters went to the school where my girls go now. I didn't realize it was such a large school. Also, I went to see my friend in a children's musical Off-Broadway last night and there was a group of kids from the drama department at their school! I very audibly gasped when I heard they were there because I thought my girls were there and I was about to freak. I just need 2 days away. Just 2 and then I miss them.

I've only taken the girls to their tutor's twice but I recognized faces from last week today. What if I develop relationships with the mothers and nannies from the waiting room from seeing them on a weekly basis? That would be sort of cute. I mean I'm going to see the same women once a week for a very long time, so one would assume relationships would come out of that. No?

Today I did a lot of coloring. I like coloring, but mostly only in coloring books because I can't draw for crap. I love coloring books though. I'm really good at shading around the edges and then coloring in more lightly in the middle. I have to say I have a gift for coloring books. While M was doing her homework after her bath, W and I colored. She did some in her activities book that her mom wants her to do. It's not enough to just color- she has to learn while doing so. It's so sad. While coloring, W kept asking me to sing the "quack" song. The "quack" song is the name W has started to call "Rubber Ducky" that I sang to them that first night in the tub. I guess W has really come to like it and so she begs me to sing the "quack" song. That's just so cute, how can I not?! She keeps telling me to sing it out loud, but she means louder. I tell her I'm too shy to sing too loudly in the house and she says she'll sing with me if I sing it more loudly. I do, of course.

Today I didn't mind missing out on dinner because I ate the frosted flakes that W didn't eat and my dark chocolate-covered pretzels while coloring in a picture of Beauty and the Beast. It beat sitting at the dining room table watching them eat and listening to the mother tell them to eat instead of talk. Yet, when I went near the dining room, the mother handed me M's plate to clear away. You can bet I finished off those last 3 orange slices she didn't eat in the kitchen. I did all the dishes, even after I had already moisturized my hands. Oh well. The dad was home for dinner tonight and he was very nice to me. He probably would have thought to offer me food. He never even said goodnight to the girls. He sat with them at dinner and then I never saw him for the rest of the night. It's got to be a cultural thing. Right?? I hope so.

Once the teeth were brushed, the mother read to W while I helped M with her homework. I was sort of glad to not have to read another fairy book tonight. By helping M with her homework, that meant me sitting on her bed doodling on a large notepad and answering M's questions about what I was drawing. I would have to remind her to keep drawing and to not get distracted, but there's not much help I can give when her assignment is to draw her favorite yoga pose. She must have taken 40 minutes making that drawing, but it looked damn good when it was done. Then she read her 20 minutes worth of Junie B. Jones, most of which I was totally spaced out for. I didn't sleep, I just couldn't tell you a single thing that was in that book. I didn't even get to read Harry Potter to her because she read all the way up until 8:00pm which is when I look forward to PEACEing out.

Speaking of peaceing out, I have to get some rest. I'm going to try going to bikram yoga tomorrow morning before picking up W from school. I hope the timing works out.