Pressing Thine Luck

The nice babysitter we got through the Izumi Ward Office, Zanma-san, came over today. Thankfully she was a few minutes early because I had a meeting at three and needed to be at my desk. I prepped the boys' snacks and water and when Zanma-san entered the house the boys, who were in their bunk beds for a quick nap but definitely did not sleep a wink, came running down excitedly. They love her. She's a super nice old lady who lives nearby and is great with kids. She even remembered that Kenzo has been into playing with string, kind of like Cat's Cradle but without the game part.

So Zanma-san went out of her way to bring a few colorful strands of yarn that both Kenzo and Osamu could could play with. They loved it. As usual, they had an amazing time. Later on when it was time for bed they conked out faster than I've ever seen. Kenzo almost fell asleep going up the steps.

The bummer is that I told Eri tonight that I don't think we need Zanma-san to babysit. It's super great to have someone watch the boys while Eri is at school and I'm working in my office. However, it's just trading one stress for another. Having a babysitter come over involves conversations and transactions and paperwork since it's the ward office. We just have another month to go before Eri's school finishes and I think I can handle the balance until then.

The boys have been as good as they can be under the circumstances. They're little. Eri is amazing because, among everything else she does, she preps dinner for us before driving to Yaotome, takes the subway downtown, does a four hour course four days a week, and makes it home just in time for bedtime tuck in. And mostly doesn't complain, even though no one could fault her if she did.

In the last two weeks I did an international manager Zoom meeting and a local department manager Microsoft Teams meeting, both of which lasted over an hour, from the dining table, with the boys right by me in the living room playing.

Maybe I'm pressing my luck, but I think we'll be fine without a babysitter for now. I think it'll actually be less stressful.

Comments

Mr. Blue Sky

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