Thursday, February 11, 2010

Lessons from the "Storm that wasn't"

For days we were showered with warnings about the nor'easter headed our way. Hell, I got an email from my supermarket (?!?!?!) telling me a storm was coming and it came with a list of things I should consider stocking up on. Schools canceled or declared early dismissal in advance. People worked from home and then when it came time for the heavens to open up, nothing. Sure some areas got some snow, but this is all about me and we got all of two inches.

Rewinding a bit, as a new mom this storm put forth new decisions I had to make. Snow wasn't supposed to start until late morning and it wasn't going to be heavy until the afternoon. Do I work from home and keep Fussy Gus with me? Do I go into work and pick him up once it starts snowing? How bad will the roads be? These are hard enough decisions without Granny chiming in begging me to stay and work at home.

Finally I decide to go to work. I'm still in the parking lot when the phone rings and it's daycare telling me that they are closing by 2. Mr. Tall Guy had dropped him off less than 30 minutes before. Seriously, did the forecast change? It hadn't even started snowing yet!

At 1:00 there are light flurries, but not wanting to be the last baby there, I pack up to go get him. He's sleeping and it was his first nap so I was advised not to wake him. Great. Now if I wake him I look like a bad mother, so I wait. For 40 minutes because he's still sleeping.

Finally I get home and he's wide awake and I learn that it's impossible to work from home with an infant. (I'm sure it's not really impossible, but it's impossible for me. I'm sure with some practice I'd be better...) Essentially much of the day becomes a wash and for what? NOTHING. We got two inches of snow at the most. The much hyped storm was the Storm that wasn't. Lessons learned? 1) I'm at the mercy of daycare 2) Never trust weathermen! and 3) not everyone appreciates hearing a baby while on a conference call

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