Equal the coconut skin!

I had been in search of a part-time babysitter. Someone who could watch the boys for a few hours one day during the week so that I could manage to accomplish an errand or two. I tapped the resource of Rachel, who has many neighbors all with full-time nannies. Nannies know people, they travel in the same circles. Rach was able to produce for me, only instead of a few hours I would get an entire day- 8:30-4:30 and she would clean, organize, straighten and watch the boys, whatever I needed. This seemed like something I could use.

Lela started three weeks ago. I have her on Tuesdays and she has been wonderful. My house is cleaned, my closets are organized, and though the timing is never exactly punctual that is something I can deal with. She is very good with the kids, and the kids seem to like her. All is well. Only there is one thing. Lela does not speak english. I was told she understands it better than she speaks it, but I have been finding that to not be the case. I have only left the boys with her once so far, and they were in good hands, especially since they do not yet speak. Their first words could be in Portuguese.

This past Tuesday I was trying to communicate with my housekeeper. I really just wanted to run down a few things. We were trying to get out of the house for the day so I asked her to please dress the boys. She played with them. Ok, well at least they were having fun. Finally, I got her to take them upstairs to dress them and she was trying to tell me something...I have no idea what. I had found a translation website on the internet so I asked her to write down what she was saying in portuguese and I told her I would translate it. She did. I did. It said "Equal the coconut skin!" I do not think that is what she was trying to tell me, so it seems that even the web is not going to help me communicate with Lela.

I am in a bind. I want to keep her. I like what she does for us, she is very sweet, and she is a huge help to me but it is a problem when I think she is complementing my boys' tanned bodies and really she is aking me if they need a diaper change (or something else of vital importance.)

Any suggestions on breaking this language barrier are welcome!