Complete insanity

Today I registered my son for after school care.

No, he's not in school. He's not due to start until September 2011. But I had to register him now to get a good spot. On the waitlist. At a school which is frankly my third choice. (Nothing wrong with the school. Just that one is closer to home, and another is closer to work, so this one is the most inconveniently located.)

The Man expressed wonder about my doing this so early, but I am totally blase about it now, having actually already signed him up for a program at our preferred school (the one close to home), and having registered my babies for daycare before my mother knew I was pregnant. (Eight weeks along with The Boy; four weeks with The Girl.) And with a year long mat leave, that's signing up your kid almost TWO YEARS before you will need care.

TWO.

YEARS.

Such is the insanity of daycare / after school care in this city.

But wait! It gets better! The reason I have to sign him up for after care in so many schools? Because the Vancouver schools are SO oversubscribed that even if you live in the catchement area, you are not guaranteed a spot. It's by lottery. So I have to juggle three schools and keep our options open and hope for the best and pray that some time next spring we get in at one school and get after care at the SAME school. The stars will have to align perfectly and etc. etc.

But do you know what the worst thing is? The worst thing is that none of this sounded completely batshit insane until I wrote it all down and explained it.

That's how brainwashed I am. This is not -- should not be -- normal.

But regardless, I will spend this year playing the waiting game and hoping and praying and all those things.

I guess now might be a good time to invest in a lucky rabbit's foot.