Organising childcare

Quite warm today - I think it was above freezing at one point. The thaw at the weekend, followed by our usual freezing temperatures, means ice everywhere. It's horrible. Let's have some more snow eh?

Mark had his co-op nursery today. I broke it to his teachers that he is likely to be leaving. They looked bereft, and I know how they feel. He is so happy there, but it will be really really difficult to keep him there. So it looks like Thursday will be his last day. And once he's lost his place he won't get it back, as there's a waiting list. Sob.

After nursery he had Owen and Darby round to play. They did quite well, although Owen and Mark were losing it by the end. Meanwhile Katie, Charlotte and I ate delicious brie from Rosemont Market. My excuse for finishing it is that it was too runny to wrap.

Went to look around a full-day nursery for Mark later. I'd looked at it already so really I just wanted to check exact prices, when he could start, how much it would cost for Ellie to do mornings there, etc. So now I need to write a cheque for $735 for the first month, plus $250 deposit, plus $80 for two days in Feb. At this rate I'll have to get a job or something.

Oh yes... I have one. Hur hur.

Speaking of which Shane got a call asking for his reference for me, and it was at that point he worked out we've known each other 21 years. As he said 'OMG OMG!'

So having sorted Mark's nursery place out, I called the YMCA for the third time in two days, to sort out Ellie's Y care at school. After protracted negotiations with the receptionist - who thought it was perfectly unreasonable of me to actually expect to talk to a human being rather than someone's voicemail which I swear is never checked - I managed to get Ellie signed up.

So I can now go to work on the 2nd March without having to call in favours from friends or leave my children on the settee with the remote control and sandwiches. Which is nice.

I hope they like childcare, because we're getting to the 'no going back' stage...

The girls had chorus after school, which they love, but it leaves them completely knackered. Hannah was in pieces by 7pm, sobbing at the slightest thing.

Ellie of course is still singing in bed (it's 8.30pm, so early for her). As Mike said today, she is a very unique individual. Last night she sang till about 10pm, and had to be moved to a downstairs bedroom, where she carried on yodelling well into the night.

Mark has worked out how to get out of bed, switch on his light, play with his toys, read his books, and pop downstairs to mummy and daddy. He thinks there's nothing wrong with doing all of this, little monkey.