Day 1: Mastering the Document System

So, my first day. It was good, though rather anticlimactic and full of computer training. The morning went well. JP left for school at 7, so it was a little crazy getting myself and my stuff together while stopping Landon from treating the dog bowl and/or toilet as his own personal bird bath, but luckily he was happy to bang my hair products on the floor while I got ready. I had the hair styled and outfit donned by the time the sitter arrived at 8, so she played with Landon while I did the make-up and accessorizing. I then showed her around the house and gave her the partially filled-out "Baby's Schedule" the nanny agency had sent me (it had super helpful comments like "well, he used to take two naps, but lately he's been taking one, so he may go down at this time, or possibly this other time... basically if he's fussy and doesn't want food, try a nap!"). Landon was already giving her his scrunched up smiles and crawling amongst his toys trying to decide which to show her first, so I knew he was happy. I thought that I might get a little emotional when I kissed him goodbye, but I was running a late and grabbing stuff from the diaper bag to throw in my purse and tearing through our junk drawer to find a check to void for direct deposit, so I just didn't have time to wallow in the "I'm leaving my baby" thing. And he was fine, I could hear him happily babbling to the sitter, so the whole transition was drama free.

At the office I was presented with a welcome gift (beautiful snow globe with the Austin skyline from Saks), large insulated plastic cup and coffee mug with my name on it (part of the firms' effort to be green, no more styrofoam or other disposable cups), two huge binders full of training manuals and employment forms, and my personal favorite - a stack of empty legal pads with the firm name on the top. Oh how I love a freshly bound stack of blank paper. We ("We" being me and the two other associates who chose to start on the first day possible - I think everyone else is starting on the last day possible, 5 weeks from now) had introductory meetings with HR, Marketing, and our secretary staff, went on an office tour (oh my office - so pretty! with such a beautiful view), and then out to lunch with our mentors. The entire afternoon was spent in computer training, which we will also be doing for 8 hours tomorrow. I now have a snazzy laptop and docking station, black berry, and a growing fear that sometime soon I'm going to have to do actual work involving real legal matters and someone might find out that I know nothing at all. Luckily my desk is big enough for me to hide under whenever I feel the need.

Training was over at 4:40, so I was home by 5. I could hear Landon squeaking in the dining room when I opened the door, and I got the biggest, scrunchiest face smile I've ever seen. He exclaimed "Dat!" when he saw me, which we thought was his word for "dad" but now I think it's just "parent!". And really that makes sense- to him, JP and I aren't very different. We both do the same things with him, and pretty evenly divide his care, so just as he has two dogs that are different but both called "Dug," he has two "Dats" - his mommy and daddy. I kind of like that.  He smiled and flapped his hands enthusiastically as he waved goodbye to his new lady friend, and then we went inside to chase each other around the living room.

I'm now sitting on the couch next to a one inch thick stack of employee benefits papers, feeling very grown up as I select insurance and retirement plans.  It's a new responsibility for me, being the provider for my family, but one I'm happy to take on.  It still feels weird to be starting something without an end date, which is a first for me.  But I think it's going to be good - exciting, fun, challenging, stressful - really, all my favorite things.