It's way too soon to be doing this. No, really, it's way too soon to be doing this.

This week I started doing what I have been putting off for so long: calling around to some local daycare providers to start the process of finding Liam's New Mom. (Sniff.) This daycare thing can be a hot topic, depending on where you live and whom you trust. I am told that if we lived in the GTA, then we should have started making these calls the day the stick turned blue.

Well, here in Chatham, things are different. I started calling places today. I have a handful of names and numbers that People We Know, Like and Trust have given us - their own daycare places, friends', etc. I only got through a couple of calls. I haven't decided yet exactly when I plan to return to work, but when I told these women that it would be sometime in the vicinity of next spring, they basically told me to give them a break and not call back until next year.

I'm a little surprised. I know that anything can happen, and they can have spots open up on account of kids quitting, and conversely have spots that are open today be taken (because I don't really expect them to hold a slot for me for the next six months). But the way people talk - normal, average, everyday people who have kids themselves - people who supposedly speak from experience - they all try to lead me to believe that because I have not lined daycare up yet, my child will be sitting home next April with the cat as his babysitter.

To make matters a little more complicated, I do not currently have a boss. My old boss moved into a new role a couple of months ago, and they haven't replaced her yet. I have a proposition for when I would like to go back to work: I want to go back a little bit early, but only for three days a week. I see this as being the perfect scenario that will let both Liam and me ease into a new routine rather than going cold turkey on it. But, I have to run this by The Powers That Be, and I can see them saying no. Business continuity is a big catchphrase these days. It may be easier for the department as a whole to give me an ultimatum and say it's all or nothing. In which case, I may well not go back to work until the full year is over. Without having a boss around to yay or nay my proposition, I can't give these daycare providers an exact date for when their services will be required.

So I think I will continue to amass names and numbers, for the time being, but stop making calls. Frankly, my ego can't deal with the heckling. I just hope I'm not left hearing people saying I told you so as Captain attempts to change Liam's diaper and get him out the door to playgroup on time.