theITbaby

the IT city, the I.T. Baby

Daycare: T-14 days – baby at work – a running descent into madness?

Maggie next to the solar arrayThe backstory here is that every year for two weeks the daycare we chose for Maggie shuts down. It’s a known thing and we’ve been preparing for it. While today is not Maggie’s first day at work with me, this is the first attempt at having a baby for a full day at my day job.

The supplies:

The baby at work day

Maggie got up about 5am, ate, horked, wanted attention but we were a bit drained so cuddling was about all she was going to get today. Cuddling is her kryptonite and knocked her ass right the eff out.

A little before 8am started getting the supplies together and attempting to get the munchkin ready for the day being the only baby at work. After an uneventful car ride in during which she didn’t cry once she braved the hallowed halls of my work.

A gaggle of people randomly proclaiming that my baby is cute. I agree.

A small amount of cleaning to my office to make it more baby friendly, and slapping on Elvis for Babies on as ambient music seems to have put the rug runt into a light sleep at 9:46am (slightly before her normal 10am nap)

I fear she’s just preparing for the oncoming storm.

10:02 AM she’s decided she wants to feed in her sleep but not actually any serious attempts to get anything out of the bottle. After hanging over her for about 8 minutes I attempted to rig a bottle holder. It worked for a minute while I did the things I needed to put my hands on, failed immediately after. Success?

Toilet Paper bottle holder10:24 poocano

10:38 first time being pissed off, thinking it may be gas, preemptively gas-x’d the child.

Realize the bag I put dirty diaper into has holes, smells like a cattle ranch in my office.

10:42 realize almost all of the work I have to do hands-on is done. Listening to Pa-Pa-Geno on Mozart for Babies.

10:45 realize that Mozart for Babies is actually pretty amazing for work… ever wonder what the difference between Mozart on a $0.74 CD done by the Philharmonic and Mozart for Babies is? Audio leveling. It doesn’t burst out like a decent version would do and excite the babies… also extremely good for corporate.

11:04 another feeding and semi-swaddling and she’s back asleep. Have managed to, while feeding her, diagnose a bad battery, remember I have to order a computer, and realize I have not had anything to eat today

11:08 discover someone from Podee Australia is reading the blog as two links in from webmail.podeeaustralia.com linked in…. hey Podee! Ordered online and got them in a bit ago. Failed first attempt at use, but will try again.

11:42 lot done at work, baby’s been sleeping to Mozart so I hesitate to change it even though it’s more like elevator versions. Realized I need to add plastic bags to my arsenal as for some reason there are none findable at work and I am forced to use the same one. Ug.

11:55 realize due to Google Music instant mix I have a song called Sleepy Maggie right as Maggie is not sleepy

12:37 discovered Maggie just wants to lay on a blanket staring up at the ceiling tiles… give her that and about three minutes later you get a smile and it’s dance party time.

1:07 the hunger is starting to get to me, however the desire to keep baby calm and let her ass sleep while I get work done is stronger.

Plenty to look at on the windowsill
Third nap of the day. Poocano evidently took it out of her.

2:11 as I was getting a little woozy, me and the Maggie set out on a walk over to the local Taco Bell and wandered back. Not to much eventful other than realizing sitting next to the ice machine was going to annoy her.

ticklefight
Ticklefight, she lost – muahahaha

2:50 freakout after she’s been fine all day. Have to find a lost directory, show someone how to use our antiquated email system for one more day before I move him to gmail, and a mortgage company calls left and right. Rock the baby like a hurricane or a southbound train, baby goes to sleep happy.

3pm nap evidently comes a few minutes early.

4:12 head on home as everyone’s out and Maggie’s becoming increasingly a grump. 30 minutes of crying later I swaddle her and she’s out like a light.

Paul King

Paul King lives in Nashville Tennessee with his wife, two daughters and cats. He writes for Pocketables, theITBaby, and is an IT consultant along with doing tech support for a film production company.