You will not believe what just happened to me!! I took a nap! I know, right? I told you! Freaking unbelievable! This would not have been possible if not for the capable care of our children in the hands of our new Au Pair, Lola.
I have been off the grid lately in part because the Blaustein family has been busy preparing our home for yet another female addition. We decided several months ago to hire a live-in nanny (au pair) to help us with the kids. Although this decision was one that wasn’t made lightly, as it required us to let go of our outstanding help, we knew that this potentially could be a game changer for our family.
After a friend of mine had visited us earlier in the year, she saw something that we have known all along; that we needed more help with the kids. Brent and I were working hard, butting heads over the cost of childcare, and we were exhausted. It was hard for me to hear her feedback and even harder to accept because I am the kind of person who thinks I should be able to do it all: work, care for kids, be involved in the community, etc., etc. I felt defeated as I thought of single mothers or people who didn’t have the means to hire help who were making it work. I criticized myself for wanting more assistance.
But after some convincing and a look at the numbers, it was decided that we had to give it a try to really know for sure if having an au pair would work for us. If it did work, not only would we be saving thousands in childcare expenses, but we’d also be introducing our family to other cultures, languages, and customs. If it didn’t, then perhaps our family was in more trouble than I thought.
We met with a highly recommended au pair agency and interviewed several gals until we found one who seemed just perfect for our family. The wheels were set in motion, and after her training in New York, Lola would be arriving in our house during the first week of June.
As I started to talk about hiring an au pair with others, I began to get this question from several (mostly male) friends, “Is she pretty?” It is unreal how many times this was asked, not just of me, but also of Brent. I was taken aback each and every time it was asked. It was something that I hadn’t even considered. My goal was to find someone who was capable of handling my four kids; I hadn’t even considered what she looked like. Was I supposed to be threatened at the prospect of having a beautiful young woman in my home? The stereotypes were clearly flying. Thanks guys, and yes, she is very pretty.
But thankfully, I’ve married a good man, and I am confident in my marriage. I already have a laundry list of self-improvements I’d like to make, so having someone pretty in my home, isn’t going to change that. I did learn that Lola’s mother is only three years older than me, which didn’t exactly make me feel like a spring chick, but oh well.
What I am looking forward to is more balance in my life. As a new-to-the-work-world mother, I will now get an opportunity to work without all of the constant interruptions. I will get to go back to bed in the morning when I am sleepy. I will have the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with each child while our Au Pair cares for the others, which is something I have longed to be able to do. We will get a chance to learn from her as she learns from us (God help her!) and I continue to remain so positive that this was the right thing for our family despite my initial reservations.
So far I have learned that Lola is a fantastic young woman who has a zest for life and a wish to take in as much American culture as she can while she is here. She came ready to dive right in and her first weekend here she followed Harper around the pool at Club One so we could enjoy Georgia’s 5th birthday party without fear of something happening to the baby. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty, as evident in the fact that she cleaned out my garbage truck (my mini-van). And did I mention that my girls just absolutely adore her? So what if she is beautiful? She is beautiful in so many ways to me.
How do you say “lifesaver” in German?