Helping Mommy

For the past two weeks, Daddy and I have been trading off days working from home while we anxiously await the arrival of our new nanny. Rose informed us she wanted to return to school back in December, so we started the process of sponsoring a new nanny last December! We expected her to arrive in June, then  July, August, and now it's September, and we're still waiting. We've had no word from the Canadian consulate in Hong Kong despite several efforts at contacting them, and our patience is wearing thin, very thin. All we need is an answer as to when the visa will be issued, but thanks to the federal government's lack of good faith bargaining with the striking foreign workers, we're beginning to despair.
As a stop gap measure, we've been working from home for this month, in the hopes (that now seem far-fetched and misplaced) that our new nanny was to arrive. And no, since we agreed to sponsor this individual who also has dreams of immigrating to Canada, I don't think it's right to abandon her and hire someone local. Not that we haven't looked, but the new live-in caregiver rules has made live-in caregivers a rarity. Also thanks to the federal Conservative government. Yeah, I'm not Tory supporter, never was and never will be. I'm this close to calling the Treasury Board Chair Tony Clement and telling him to be our nanny given that much of this prolonged work stoppage is HIS fault.
But I digress.
So, we're working from home. And it's been working, pardon the pun. Since Quinn naps for three hours and our current nanny comes home from school at 2:30 to take over, there's a good chunk of the day that's devoted to paid work. In fact, without the constant interruptions of the phone and emails, I'm accomplishing more at home than at the office.
Honestly? I've also been enjoying this time at home. Walking the kids to school, playing with Quinn, chasing him around the house, reading to him, hearing all the new words he's starting to pick up, listening to the giggles and uncontrollable laughter -  it's been a balm to my frayed nerves while dealing with the nanny situation.
I also get few household chores done in the morning too. The breakfast dishes, a load of laundry, sweeping, and sometimes even Quinn helps. He sorts out the laundry to be folded by owner, and will move the chairs out of the way when I'm sweeping. He'll put away his toys when asked. He's even started to help without asking.
Like today. I thought Quinn was occupied by a kid's show on the television, so I picked up a file from work and quickly reviewed it. I also checked my emails. I heard happy charttering in the background, and decided to answer an email or two. And then I turned around. There was Quinn, proud as punch. He had a wet paper towel in his hand and was industriously mopping the floor. With water. From the toilet. My floors needed a cleaning, I guess, in his opinion.