Beverly Hills Nanny Update

Commandment #5:  "Thou shalt push me around on my big brother's tricycle while he naps"

I thought I'd give a quick update on my live-in nanny (aka: mother in-law) situation.  Let's start this off by stating that the positives far outweigh the negatives in this scenario.  I haven't cooked one damn thing since September 11th (okay maybe I scrambled eggs twice in the morning before I went to work - but that was it!).  A girl could get used to this pseudo Beverly Hills lifestyle! My mother in-law is a pretty good chef!

Peruvian Picarones:  Sort of like donuts made out of sweet potato & squash or pumpkin & served with syrup.  So bad! So good!!!!

My mother in-law is really helping me in the kitchen, as I expected.  And she's also a big help with the boys.  For the first couple of weeks she bonded with Mateo and Mateo bonded back stuck on her like white on rice.  His separation anxiety towards me took a detour and became focused on his new grandma.  It got to the point where it was finally too much for her, and this week Mateo has been spending his days with my dad while I work.  Babies know, Man.  They know who they can win over and who they can't.  At my dad's house, Mateo is apparently calm and behaved.  One look at me, my mom, or my mother inlaw and he goes batsh!t crazy to be carried or for us to help him walk around (because apparently his walker is "for babies" and he'll have none of it).

Peruvian Causa:  Sort of like a layered potato salad dish

While my mother in-law is a big help, I fear that Mateo will not cope well when she leaves.  Apart from the bond, he now has certain expectations that are written on a tablet of stone.  These are commandments that I know I won't be able to follow religiously after my mother in-law's departure back to Peru:

"Thou shalt hold my hand, for hours, as I try to walk around the house without my walker"

"Thou shalt carry me around when I tire of walking"

"Thou shalt NOT sit down while holding me!"

"Thou shalt maintain body contact with me at ALL times"

"Thou shalt push me around on my big brother's tricycle while he naps"

And because my mother inlaw is so quick to appease Mateo, I fear he may have reached the allowable limit of acceptable baby-spoiling (but who CAN'T spoil those dimples???).  This can only end badly.  The good news is that my inlaws pushed out their return date to November 2nd.  Mateo will be 10 3/4 months by then.  Is it too much to wish that his separation anxiety suddenly disappears before then?  Or a new distraction, like walking, is introduced before they leave?  I checked back on Diego's stats:  at 10 3/4 months, he was already taking his baby steps.

Maybe Mateo's not too far off? 

I can only hope, else the person with the separation anxiety will be me towards my mother in-law!  - Shirley