Eight months earlier, there had been no reason for Sarah to imagine anything like this. Lula had arrived after two years of hoping, planning, and rearranging their lives around the idea of becoming parents. Daniel joked that they had read every baby book before Lula was born. None of it prepared them for the exhaustion, but neither minded much once she was home.
For the first five months, Sarah stayed home with her. Lula was an easy baby. She liked being carried through the grocery store, smiled at neighbors, and usually settled quickly when someone else held her. Daniel worked long shifts, and Sarah’s job was waiting. Eventually, they had to admit that one of them staying home full-time was not realistic.
They interviewed six nannies. Some seemed distracted. One arrived twenty minutes late. Another barely looked at Lula while speaking. Then Rebecca came through the door with a folder of references, childcare experience, and a calm way of talking that relaxed Sarah. More importantly, Lula liked her. During the interview, Rebecca sat on the rug and rolled a ball toward her. Lula squealed and crawled after it. Daniel caught Sarah’s eye and smiled. Their search appeared to be over.