I am considering hiring a babysitter.


I am considering hiring a babysitter.


I am considering hiring a babysitter.


This should not be a big deal, right? I mean, I was left with sitters a lot growing up, and I babysat quite a bit myself. My favorite little girl, whom I watched when I was a teenager, just graduated high school a couple of months ago, and I sent her a nice card, and the family adores me and I them and (I'm trying to convince myself) there's nothing wrong with hiring a babysitter.


So why do I feel guilty? I mean, I would be hiring her initially so that I can add an extra yoga session to my week. I'm going to be sweating and working hard and not out gallivanting.


The thing is, I've never left Ryder with a babysitter -- only family. Recent circumstances have resulted in my having less help during the week -- and I don't really want family over three nights a week anyway. I see enough of my folks, thanks.


Hiring a sitter is the first step in poking a tiny hole in the bubble in which I've surrounded our life. It will likely be a good thing, which I rationally get. But going through with the idea isn't easy.


So next week, I'm meeting a co-worker's daughter. She lives a few blocks away and obviously, I work with her mother so ... makes sense, right? And besides Ryder will probably enjoy having a playmate come over once a week. If we like her. And if I can handle the whole, you know, leaving him with a sitter.


I am considering hiring a babysitter.

The thing about hot yoga is that when you get out of the 108 degree room and get into the 78 degree temperature outside (which is awesome for this time of year in Texas) well, shit, you're cold.


I have no doubt that the yoga can help beat one's susceptibility to the local summer temperatures, but every indoor place in Texas over air-conditions in combat. So, beating the heat results in FREEZING indoors, or even outdoors, as I've recently found.


However, the benefits outweigh this minor setback, and I continue on, hoping that if it's possible to feel cold outdoors in Texas in July that it's possible for my ass to turn to steel.