Why I love my job

It's been almost eight weeks since I started my new job as full-time mom to adorable little Abby, so it's probably time for an evaluation.

In spite of starting work at 5:48 on a Sunday morning, I'd have to say the job is going surprisingly well overall. We fell quickly into a regular routine of eating, playing and sleeping, and the boss seems to be pleased with the quality of my work so far. She seems to be especially pleased with my handling of food service and waste management.

Abby, from the moment we were first introduced, has proven to to be a pretty demanding boss as well as a poor communicator, often crying and flailing about when she wants something. I've explained to her that if she would simply tell me clearly and concisely what it is she needs (be it a diaper change, some milk, or a nap) I would be happy to meet her demands, as this is the primary reason she hired me. My requests are met with blank stares, cooing, or the occasional wail. But the longer we work together, the better I'm getting at discerning the root cause behind much of her actions and incoherent little noises, and I'm finding that the boss is very forthcoming with praise when I figure out what she wants and respond accordingly. Not only does she now smile on occasion when I do something that meets her approval, she is also kind enough to wait until I put a clean diaper on her before she finishes pooping, instead of filling her current dirty diaper so full as to make it unmanageable.

The hours at this new job leave much to be desired, as does the pay schedule. In fact, I've been at work since August 26 and have put in over 1100 hours so far, and have yet to receive any real compensation from the management. I've talked to some other moms and it seems that the terms of my employment with Abby are standard practice. No paycheck, long hours, late nights, no paid time off, no vacations, no sick days. The dress code is pretty relaxed and the uniform changes frequently depending on the time of day and the presence of spit up. To make up for some of the less positive aspects of the job, Abby does offer a wonderful benefits package that includes smiling, play time, joy like I've never felt before and love that I could have never imagined.

I've been a babysitter, a writer of obituaries, a grocery store cashier, a newsroom clerk, a copy editor and a church secretary, but nothing compares to motherhood. This is the hardest job I've ever had, but it is by far the most rewarding. I wouldn't trade one moment of this for all the money in the world, and I count myself very blessed to be able to care for my little girl full time. Our CEO, Abby's dad, works very hard to make that possible, and I'm so thankful for the ways he provides for his girls.

Gotta run...the boss is crying again, and I'm on the clock.