We’ve been home for a little while now.  In that time we’ve been busy – community health nurse appointment, doctor appointments, weight checks, Provincial Health Care paperwork, post-placement home visits, visiting family and friends, etc.

And, all the while we’ve both been attempting to work.

Our frustrating reality, similar to many out there, is that we both have to work. We actually both were working while we were in the USA. We limited our work to the best of our ability, but on more than one occasion we were both responding to emails and taking calls from clients. In fact, I even wrote a few reports from hotel desks.

Our adoption bills continued to increase even while we were away. Money is unbelievably tight. And so work is a must if we want to dig ourselves out of the hole we are now in. And, as we decided not to put our lives on hold waiting for our adoption, we also have commitments which neither of us are prepared to break.

So, how are we doing it? Right now, we are simply juggling. As we both work from home, our two strategies are:

• Baby MPB splits time between parents when one of us has to be at a meeting outside of the house (this happens multiple times a week). So one of us works, one of us actively parents and gets a bit of work done during naps.
• Baby MPB has a pack and play and bouncer in our office, so we can both work when he decides to sleep and we simply alternate who feeds and changes diapers depending on the moment.

However, today our survival strategy failed us.  As today did not go as planned.

The plan was for Mr. MPB to take baby while I was at a meeting. Unfortunately, Mr. MPB had a last minute emergency meeting which could not be avoided. So, I was left with Baby MPB and a meeting at the same time.

So, what is this working mommy to do with her baby? Baby MPB went to his very first professional meeting. Yes, my infant joined me at a meeting.

Thankfully, the participants were approving and even offered to meet at my house so that I could make it work. And even more amazingly, baby MPB slept through the entire meeting in my arms.

But, needless to say, after today, we are waiving the white flag. Our strategy is not a long term strategy. And, even worse, it’s evident that it is not allowing us to be our best as either parents or professionals.

Something has to change.

Our search for a live-out, part-time nanny is now a top priority.

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