The Tourists Have Arrived!

It's summertime on Hilton Head Island and the tourists have arrived in full force. I am thrilled to see the Island busy and grateful to have the much needed boost for the local economy! This is a resort island and the tourism is vital to the island. That being said - I have learned NOT to grocery shop on Saturday or Sunday, especially with Baby Jack. Saturday is 'change-over-day' when the villa rentals start/end and there is an influx of new families to the Island and one of the first stops is to the super market to stock up on supplies for the week. The store shelves are cleaned out by 4:00 p.m. and even the bruised fruit is in low supply.

I made the fatal error of thinking that it was late enough at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night to make a quick trip for baby wipes. While Publix did have the baby wipes, the store was slammed. Wall to wall tourists pushing their overfilled grocery carts up and down each aisle, cleaning out every ounce of food left in the store. I managed to fight my way to the 10 items or less register, where I noticed a very tired looking man in front of me with his one item - a 36 pack of pampers. I asked if he had forgotten the diapers in his rush to go on vacation and he said, 'no' that he lived here and made the same crucial error that I did, thinking that it was late enough to venture out for much needed baby-supplies. We shared a good laugh over our mutual naivete and both vowed never to return again on Saturday.

Jack's mom says, "embrace the tourist season, crank up the blender for the pina coladas  and buy diapers online for the summer months - they will deliver right to your door!"

Nanny Miracles

One of the scariest things for me (post delivery) was trying to figure out who would care for our new bundle of joy - nanny? day care? nanny-share? stay at home? We quickly ruled out stay at home as it was not financially feasible. After hearing stories about some city-nannies' salaries, I thought that option may also be financially prohibited - luckily I no longer live in a big city!
The best way to surmise my nanny hunt would be "thank goodness for miracles". Our nanny is just that, a wonderful miracle. We interviewed many candidates, some were ok, some were good, but one was great! Our nanny plays with Baby Jack all day long - she reads to him, sings songs, dances and teaches him his name, colors, letters and numbers. She talks to him as if he was a little boy and he responds in delighted little baby shrieks and giggles. It has given me the utmost peace of mind in returning to the work force. I am able to fully concentrate on the task at hand knowing our little guy is a happy clam.
Whatever your childcare needs, give yourself enough time to investigate all of your options - our nanny was one of the last ones we interviewed in a 2 month long process. Check with everyone you know and ask them to ask everyone they know for names of people and places. Look for agencies that charge a fee only if you are successful in finding a nanny through them. Ask your pediatrician and OB if they have any recommendations. Also, ask the local pre-schools - they can sometimes be a gold mine for contacts and warnings about things to avoid.