Conclusion

Do you see that title?  I don't know if a single word has ever made me so happy before.  

As you know, Tammy originally said that she couldn't watch Isabella next week because she's doing backup care for someone else.  In my search for a new day home a week ago, I ran across a lady (strangly enough, her name is Tammy, also, so let's call her Tammy II) who said she could watch Isabella up until October.  After settling things with Tammy I, Tammy II and I agreed on her watching Isabella just for the one week while Tammy I was unavailable.

I had my concerns about Tammy II.  She's a nice lady, but she has this dog, technically still a puppy, although it's much bigger than Isabella.  Tammy II is totally in love with her puppy, cuddling it like a baby, which is fine, I'm not going to judge, but the puppy is still being trained.  So while I was there it (he? she?) jumped on Isabella with typical puppy enthusiasm.  That kind of freaked her out, and she started to cry.  The puppy then licked her face, which didn't help, and very kindly raked it's sharp paws across her face, giving her a scratch from forehead to chin.  Needless to say, I wasn't pleased.  Tammy II agreed to keep the dog outside unless Isabella was sleeping or otherwise out of harm's way.

I rationalised that this less-than-ideal situation was only for one week, and anyway it was the best of my options (Isabella hated the other places the way she hated Monika's).  So Friday morning before work I called Tammy II just to make sure everything was set for next week.  She wasn't home; I left a message.

Friday night around 7pm Rob called me at work: he had left Isabella's lion at Tammy I's, could I please pick it up after work?  Oh, and Tammy II called and said she thought I wasn't coming and so had made other plans.

Sound familiar?  Monika said almost word-for-word the same thing a few weeks ago.  I was quite clear with both Monika and Tammy II...how does this keep happening to me?

So there I am on a Friday night, suddenly without a day home for all of next week.  The agency is closed until Monday, so I can't even call them for a backup place.  But it all worked out.  This is the conclusion, remember, not part IV.  Rob had mentioned to Tammy I that we didn't have a backup, and later that evening she sent an email to me asking for my schedule for next week.  It will be a little bumpy, and Rob will probably have to miss a class or two, but Tammy has rearranged her schedule so she can care for Isabella next week.  I told you she was a gem.

Now I don't have to worry about Isabella hating her care-giver next week and getting totally messed up over it.  I don't have to worry about her while she's with Tammy, either, because their relationship is progressing nicely and Isabella adores Tammy.

Nope, no worries.

Except: what if Isabella loves Tammy more than me?

Lab Rat

Today feels almost like spring. The sky is cloudless, the sun bright and warm. I just can't look down; the piles of snow destroy the illusion. Isabella is going through what I believe is called "stranger anxiety." If anyone other than myself of Rob looks at her, especially if that someone is a man, she freaks out. Sometimes this is cute, and I do like the way the clings tightly to me, but I feel bad when we spend time with our respective families and Isabella refuses to go anywhere near them. Anyway, today, because of nice day, Rob put on his dark sunglasses before heading outside. He came over to give us a kiss goodbye. As he got closer, Isabella's lower lip stuck out, her face crumpled, her hold on me tightened. He reached for her. She let out a wail, her face contorted with fright. Rob thought it was hilarious and insisted on torturing her in this manner several times throughout the day.

I wonder, does this mean that Isabella doesn't recognise Rob with his shades on? Or does she know it's him but the sunglasses are too scary? I don't think it's the glasses, since she's okay with holding them, or wearing them. I've read that babies can smell their mothers, but I guess not their fathers. It must not be the rest of his body that she knows, but his eyes. Hmmm, what if I put on the sunglasses? Will Isabella be scared of me with them on? She's asleep right now (the only time I can write- that girl loves keyboards) but perhaps tomorrow I'll try it.

Any bets on how she'll react?