Nilsa (and Julia)

I've taken on a freelance writing gig for the summer, writing medical school recommendation letters for Columbia students through the auspices of my former colleagues at the CSA. I'm happy to get my feet back into the working world, to think about something other than the children and home life, and to get some time away from them every week. But it's been a slow start - I found it difficult to figure out my work setup, and difficult to get started on the writing. Just in this past week, after a couple of sleepless nights due to feelings of anxiety and guilt, have I been able to really write.

But in order to work, of course, I needed a babysitter, and we found two through various means. One is Nilsa, a nursing student at the University of Portland; the other is Julia, a local high school student. The children adore Nilsa. They love her. After her initial visit, Liesl asked why I was still home and not out on a date somewhere. She often wakes up in the morning, or from naps, and asks if Nilsa is coming today.  Sebastian has repeatedly told me that he wants Nilsa to come for the whole day, like early in the morning through dinnertime. They attack her with hugs and requests to "look at this, read this" when she arrives.

We like Nilsa too - she's cheery, and punctual, and takes the children on various adventures around town (playgrounds, the zoo, OMSI). She's a certified lifeguard who knows CPR and has taught swim lessons, so I'm plotting to ask her to take the kids to the pool on summer afternoons and teach them. And when she took the kids to the library, they came home with at least two dozen age- and interest-appropriate books, which is exactly what we always do, so I loved to see it.

Poor Julia is clearly taking second best - she isn't quite as good at re-directing and teasing as Nilsa, so the children experience her instructions as just ordering them around. And she doesn't have a car, so they can't go on trips with her. But I think Julia is perfectly nice and competent, and it's nice to have an alternative in case one babysitter is busy.

Steve and I are just happy to have regular babysitting help again - we've taken the opportunity to go on a few lunch and dinner dates, and one very nice performance at the Oregon Ballet. There's only one fly in the ointment: graduation! Once Nilsa becomes a nurse, next June, we'll have to start looking again...