Decision time

So we're now at the end of September, and still no nanny in sight. The last we heard, the embassy sent a bogus, delay tactic letter asking our potential nanny to send in her criminal record check, which SHE HAD ALREADY! So, it's still a waiting game that continues to fray on our nerves. The federal government has not resolved its labour issue with their striking workers, and we are still not resolved on our long term child care plans.
However, my month of working from home is coming to an end, so hard decisions need to be made about Quinn. I hate to do this, because I have enjoyed being at home, juggling work-related duties with mommy stuff, but I must return to being a physical presence in my office. I've loved being able to witness Quinn at this stage - hearing him try out new words, playing cars with him (his latest fascination), playing floor hockey, watching Dino Dan and the dino train (another new fascination), reading him stories before nap time. I don't want this to end. I've tossed around the idea of taking some vacation time to prolong my stay at home, but with a full plate at work, and no timeline regarding our nanny's arrival (soon I hope), I probably should save my vacation days for emergencies. Like a sick kid. Or if we still don't have a nanny in December. We don't have any family close by that we can ask to help out, and even if we did, my newborn twin niece and nephew trump all baby-sitting requests I may have.
I also hate the thought of putting Quinn into a daycare.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against day cares per se, even though a few children have died in home daycares in recent years in the GTA, and illnesses run rampant in day care centres, and there have been documented cases of abuse in such places. We had Devlin in daycare for a year or so. But when the opportunity arose to have my children taken care of in the comfort and familiarity of their own home, we seized upon it. We've never regretted the decision to hire live-in caregivers. We adjusted to having another person in our household, and the issue of "family privacy" became a non-issue. Our nannies have been an extension of our family. Our children have loved their nannies, and three of the have known no other child care scenarios. As I've said before, it takes a village to raise a child, and I guess I'm going to have adjust to that "village" becoming larger in a geographical sense too.
I'll also admit, it's been a great convenience to have a live-in caregiver. No more morning rush to get the kids up, diaper bags packed, kids fed and dressed while doing the same for yourself, then rushing to drop them off and getting yourself to work on time. Not to mention no teary goodbyes. I think Devlin cried and sobbed almost every single day of his short day care experience. Then there's the afternoon rush to pick them up and get back home, be greeted the remains of the morning chaos, and try to get dinner on the table. With our nannies, we've been able to leave for work early when needed, not worry about getting a sleepy one out of bed, and never stressed about getting them to school on time. While I still prepared the evening meals, the dishes were done, the kids were fed a snack and homework was done by the time I arrived home.
I don't want to disrupt Quinn's life as he knows it. I don't want to have him sleep in a strange cot, without his favorite blue pillow. I don't want to change anything, but I also know I have no other viable and feasible options at this time.
It is with heavy heart that I'm now making the plans for Quinn to transition to a home daycare. It's just down our street, operated by one of Devlin's classmate's mother. Which is convenient since she'll also walk the older ones to school.  She's got two other tykes she takes care of, so I know it'll be good for Quinn socially. I'm just going to miss him like crazy. And I know he's going to cry and sob when I drop him off. And yes, I know he'll also eventually adjust to the new environment and schedule. Just like the rest of us.
At least, our current nanny Rose will still be able to take over after her classes. So Quinn will wake up from his nap to a familiar face picking him up, and his after nap schedule will remain the same. The older ones will have to wake up earlier and get ready to be dropped off earlier as well. But, their after school routine will remain the same as well, with Rose picking them up, and bringing them home for snacks, homework, piano practising, and getting ready for their extra-curriculars.
For now. Rose will be leaving at the end of November. If our new nanny isn't here by then, we'll have to figure out something else.