Crockpots

So, I have hired my first "babysitter". I'm freaking. I won't lie. I'm seriously freaking. I love being with my girls and not having to work but I also have this dog, this hyperactivepainintheass dog. This dog has to be exercised and get her "puppyness" out so I had to come up with a way to do that regardless of what my husband's work schedule is. I had to come up with something that would allow me to exercise Kate without having to wait until the kids are at school or wait until "whatever". So, I came up with a schedule that allows me to exercise the dog, still have time for me and still have time for the committments that I want to have.

That schedule, however, left a big, glaring problem. Someone to watch the girls 3 days a week for 2 hours a day. (Yes, a whopping 6 hours a week) I also had to find someone that could come here to the house, supervise the girls and not be pressed to get to other places. I reached out to the other "mom's" out there to see if anyone would be able to do a "child care swap" or something along that line and I couldn't find anyone that could make it work the way I need it to work. The girls can't have 5 or 6 different houses or people. They also needed to be able to be here at our home on Fridays so that Maggie's ABA schedule isn't disrupted.

So, after alot of searching I talked to another "mom" whose 18 year old son is available and I met him tonight. Thankfully Cory was home as well and we both agree that he is a good kid that will make sure our girls are alive and safe while I am out with the dog. We figured out that $50.00 a week w/ an extra $10.00 per day that Riley is home while he is here. He'll be paid on military pay days and hopefully it will all work out. The girls seemed to like him and his "mom" is very nice and capable. He's going to come over on Monday and spend some time with the girls while I'm around.

But, I won't lie, an 18 year old guy watching my girls? Yes, it does raise "flags" in my head, but I don't know what else to do. I have to be able to go to the gym and work out, volunteer in Riley's classroom, attend my Weight Watcher meetings, and leave my girls with someone. Is it a less than "perfect" sitter? Yes. Would I rather know that my girls are at home with my mom or another friend who has children? Yes. But, what is the right thing to do? Should I change all my plans and sacrafice the committments that I have made to myself and my friends? I really don't know.  I think that I have to atleast try to make all this work and trust that my girls will be alright with this young man.

And in the midst all these other things going on, the possibility of something being wrong with my husband has come up. He's had some stomach issues the past few days (over a week now) and he went to the ER last night and had some bloodwork done. His liver enzymes were completely out of whack and while that isn't "bad", it isn't normal. All his other labwork is normal, it's just this one test. Maybe it's the combination of having his family medical history and knowing that it's not "normal" plus his Dad's birthday coming up and all the other things that are so unstable that has me all worked up and stressed out. I don't know. I really don't know much of anything anymore. My brother in law is supposed to come in tomorrow evening and spend the weekend with us. Of course this is the same weekend that Girl Scout Cookies come in and I'll be spending the entire weekend sorting cookies with Tara and getting things ready for parent pick up.

Is this what my life is becoming? A crockpot filled with uncertainties, fears, stress, babysitters and girl scout cookies?