Daycare or NOT to Daycare - That is the question!

This morning when I dropped Ethan off at Abbie's house (our friend that watches him twice a week while I try to make a buck), she informed me of some news that has been on my mind all day long. She has a friend who has been on a waiting list for the same developmental center (fancy word for daycare these days) that I have Ethan on the list for. They told us it would be about 1 1/2 to 2 years to get in. Well, she got on 1 year before her daughter was born and she is now 18 months, and she's still on the list!! That's 2 1/2 years! Our plan in the grand scheme of things was for Abbie to watch Ethan until he got into this center, then he would go over there until kindergarten. That would mean he would be anywhere from 1 year to 1 1/2 years old when he got in, since we got on the list when i was 5 months preggo. Man - that just screws up any plans we had! I immediately called two other places in a town nearby and they both are at least 6 months to a year for a waiting list. I am going to get on them as soon as I can, but both of them are at least $200 to $250 more than the original place we have been looking at! And if you know me well, I am a very planned person and so it's driving me crazy - getting pregnant with Ethan surely threw that for a loop. Maybe God is trying to teach me something, and I just need to listen as hard as I can!

I am so blessed to be able to work part-time and still actually bring in some money, even after we pay Abbie. I so enjoy my time at home with him because I know a lot of people don't have the opportunity to do this, or either just don't want to. I surely do have my days when I just need to be around adults that I can converse with. But I do struggle constantly with the decision to go back to work full-time or stay home with him, because Abbie can't keep him forever. She has an 18 month old now, and is planning on having another baby sometime soon. I am just so thankful that she is able to keep him because I was having an epiphany back when I couldn't find anything that was less than a year waiting list. She offered and I took it! She is wonderful and takes very good care of him, plus she lives 3 houses down! You can't beat that! Plus she gives me a "report card" when I pick him up which tells me when he ate, napped, pooped, and even if he had tummy time! She's awesome! I need to tell her that more often - Abbie if you're reading this - YOU'RE AWESOME! :)

I'll just keep praying and God will lead me to the decision I have to make. I just hope that doesn't involve shelling out $800 a month!