Why I don't work as a day care provider and Project 365...

I walked into Mia's daycare, and the principal was at the front desk. 

"Is she still in the room?"

"Yep.  She's still back there."

I thanked her and made my way back to the darkened hallway.  It was "quiet time", aka nap time at day care and the rooms were darkened leaving the hallway dark too.

The lights were on when I got to Mia's room.  There were 3 or 4 kids huddled together in the reading circle, one with her hand over her face.  As I stepped inside, searching for my child, I took in the few kids that were still sleeping in their cots, blissfully unaware of the war that had been waged on their fellow students, teachers and classroom.  The one visible teacher had folded a garbage bag and tied it around her face to cover her nose and mouth, a makeshift mask.  She was armed with paper towels and a spray bottle and cleaning up in the classroom.  She motioned toward the bathroom, where I could hear the other teacher trying to hide her gags from the other children.  

As I came to the bathroom, I saw the other unhappy teacher, unmasked trying valiantly to not be ill.  Behind her another child, upset, uncomfortable, vomit sticking to his blue sweatshirt and sweatpants.  And finally, the child I came for, standing by the door, tired, upset, shy.  Vomit beginning to dry on her gray leopard print jeans that I had convinced her to wear this morning.

I asked her to go stand by the door as a maneuvered my way to her cubby, around the cots of sleeping students and the cots that had been discarded by awake children.  Around the tables and chairs, traversing the vomit that was still on the floor, in the process of being cleaned up by the teachers.  I grabbed Mia's things, her blanket and clothes in plastic bags waiting for my washing machine, her backpack and coat.  I turned and once again was picking my way among the debris in the day care war zone to get to my child and the door.

And finally, we are out of the chaos of a day care room that has been besieged by the vomit of our very young.  And this is why I could never be a day care provider.  I would have lost it, my temper, my cool, my lunch when this happened.  I salute those teachers, and will try to get you some nice Valentine's Gifts to thank them for taking care of my daughter when she woke up and puked in the classroom.

Since this happened today, we'll go backward through the week in pictures, starting with today:

Mia, at home, after Vomitgate 2014, and before she puked on herself in the car (1-15):

1-14 - The only picture I took, wearing my crown at work.  

1-13 - This is on the door to my work.  Reminding people now that concealed carry is legal in Illinois, you still can't bring your gun to work:

1-12 - We had a birthday party to go to for the kids.

P.s. Yes, I have 2 daughters.  But lately, this is what I get from Olivia, which is why there are so many more pictures of Mia:

1-11 - Mia had her winter program and was on stage singing:

1-10 - Nohemi came over and she and Mia zipped themselves into my hoodie, making themselves a 2-headed-4-handed monster:

1-9 - Dinner - healthy and yum!

1-8 - This is how I entertain myself twice a week at dance class.