2009-02-09 - 3:38 p.m.

..on a positive note...

I am at home sick today, and so I am lying in bed working my way through the longest masters thesis ever written (still).

I decided that while I am sitting here and on a short break, I would write in about what an absolutely superb nanny we've wound up with. Rea is fabulous.

She cooks. She cleans. She straightens. She's always on time, and always there. She's pleasant. And she's super with Susi. After being at home today I've had a chance really to see it. She is so soft spoken with her that Susi just chatters away and goes along with whatever Rea asks. It's pretty amazing to watch. Nice to know that my child is being well cared for. We will try to keep Rea as long as we possibly can.

Bandy left today for the yUK. He was just here for the weekend. I thought that he would continue with his simple 'ignorance' of baby. i.e. it's fine that the child is here but really I'd rather have nothing to do with her.

Turns out that 1-year-olds approach the same mental capacity as cats in behavior and sounds. We managed to eke a few interactions with Susi out of him. (and of course she tried desperately to coax a smile out of him...). He played a peekaboo game with her, and even made a few cooing sounds at her. And then said, "well, I think I'll stick with cats anyway." (that's about as positive a remark as I expected I'd ever get out of him.)

I'm curious to see what happens on the next visit in a few months. I expect that she will still be in the same near-cat-intelligence zone - and maybe even more interesting.