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Thursday, September 26, 2013

at daycare

Sometimes it seems like a whole 'nother lifetime.  In a way, I suppose it was.

I perused the writing prompts over at Mama Kat's for this week, and nothing was really speaking to me, but then I went back to:

3.) It happened at daycare

I left my perfectly good job with my perfectly good bosses and perfectly good co-workers and perfectly good salary because I didn't like taking my kids to daycare.  Even though I also had a perfectly good daycare provider.  It just wasn't the same.

So I retired, and figured, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!  I opened up my little home daycare.

My perfectly good daycare provider was always in high demand, and she set me up right away with a few little clients and we were off.

A couple of times, one of the dads would give me a disposable camera when he dropped his son off and ask me to take a few pics during our day.  This was before digital cameras and cell phones - see it really was a lifetime ago!  He'd get the photos developed and get a set for me too.

So this prompt sent me looking for a few of those photos.




Hugs

Snacks

Laughter

Boogers

Funny pronunciations 

Diapers

Messes

Barney

Tears

More hugs

Putting on snowsuits

Taking off snowsuits

Juice cups, juice cups, more juice cups

Fun!

Naptime

Gratitude for naptime

Sweetness

Good times


It happened at daycare.  And now, they're all college boys.

When did that happen?
.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great idea for the dad to leave a camera! Adorable pics of some adorable kids!
I stayed home for much the same reason as you. After switching sitters a few times, I decided to quit my job. They were well qualified, but they didn't LOVE them. I was probably not qualified, but I loved them. And that always wins in the end.
Argh. Those snowsuits! By the time I would get the last kid suited up, the first one either had to pee or decided he didn't want to go out any more. It took me longer to suit them up than it did for them to play outside!
Such chaotic, hectic, stressful times. But now.... now I realize what a sweet time it was. I ALMOST wish I had them back.

terri said...

I can relate to this SO much! I went through the same process, from hating that my baby was spending most of his waking hours with another mom, to hating being at my job because I missed him, even though we also had a wonderful daycare provider. She too helped me get my business started and for eleven years, it was my life. Of course the day that the flu visited my daycare and kids were vomiting all over my house... that I don't miss so much.

Abby said...

I vowed to take them outside every day, rain, shine, blizzard, whatever. All that bundling! I think I was more thrilled when they were able to get their own mittens on than I was when they became potty trained.

Abby said...

Yeah, I didn't include vomit on my list, but we all know it was there.

Guano said...

Impeccable timing. Ran across a box of analog photos from the ol' Kodachrome days while on an archeological dig for something else in the basement. I purposely have not yet gone through them all, instead savoring each one for a moment, not wanting it to end.

KatBouska said...

That is adorable! I love that he gave you a disposable camera for pictures. Sometimes I send parents pictures throughout the day to show them what they're kids are up to. If I know they have an iphone I'll even snap a little video to send along. Crazy how technology has developed and super fun to watch these little ones grow up right before our eyes!

meleah rebeccah said...

Awwww! How cool of that guy to have given you a disposable camera for pictures!! It's crazy knowing those kids are in college now!

Riot Kitty said...

So once again, you did this when you were 10? How do you look so young! They all look so happy. You are a much braver person than I am!

Abby said...

Unexpected photo artifacts are the best! Way better than forgotten snack artifacts.

Abby said...

I really wasn't in the habit of snapping photos of the kids for "just another day", so I'm really glad he'd occasionally bring those disposables and force me to it!

Abby said...

I know! How can they be so old?!

Abby said...

Well, thanks but... even disposable cameras didn't exist when I was 10. It WAS work, but there are certainly way worse things!

LL Cool Joe said...

Wow you were a very brave woman!! And scary to think these kids are now in college. Where do the years go?

agg79 said...

What a great idea - handing out a camera to capture those early days. Great to have those memories back. Almost makes one yearn for those days - except for the runny noses, spit up, ear infections, and overflowing diapers. Yea, those were good times.

Anita said...

You get the prize for the person who has had the most occupations!