Careful What You Wish For

The fact that we keep wanting new and different things is good, right? It keeps us growing and changing. But, also, I think it's important to find peace and contentment with where we are right now. Presently, I have a doting husband and two loving and happy boys (just what I've wished for for many, many years), but I seem to be going crazy with the need for some time and space for just me. It feels like each and every minute must be devoted to them or else they are literally climbing all over me. I feel bad about feeling this way, mostly because I know it will be just a few short years and they will be off on their own and I'll be wishing for them again. In the end, I'm making myself grumpy and grouchy for no good reason; I think it's just because that's how I've gotten use to being. Sometimes I feel like I should just throw out (quite literally) everything that surrounds me that doesn't revolve around my young sons (amost 4 yr and 20 mo). Now I'm feeling more guilty than ever because my older son is showing some of the same nervous signs that I exhibit - they are painful and upsetting, and he certainly doesn't need to be feeling them - he's not even four! I know that "if Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." I want to be happy, but I can't seem to kick myself in the pants! The formative years are the first five and I find myself with just one left with Frank. He knows how to be clean, and neat, and cook, but I worry I haven't taught him how to be happy and content with life.

Suzy

Learning From the Masters

I recently became a consultant for The Pampered Chef. Since doing so, I've been calling on many people for many things and I've been amazed at how well so many people have mastered an art I'm still challenged at... Learning to say "No". They do it polietly and curtley, some say "yes" but then won't commit. I'd rather they just say "no", at least then you don't spend your time chasing down the "yes". Anyway, I truly am amazed at how easy it seems to be for other people to say "no". I'm trying to take notes so I can learn this art myself.

Suzy :)

And Then Some

I've no idea how that Title will play into this post, but it popped into my sleepy little head.

Today I felt like I had so much going on, I just did what I had to do to get through the next level; then, as soon as that step was done, I worked like mad on the next step.

It felt good to have my husband back at work, but I worried about him all day, because I knew he was still in a lot of pain. He likes medicine, "better living through chemistry" he always says, but he also tends to push his limits and wait to take medicine until he's in so much pain it takes a long time to kick in. Also, with his back hurting, he gets in a groove and forgets to get up. So, every hour I sent him a page reminding him to get up and stretch. I also paged him every four hours when he was due for more Tylenol. He came home so grateful and boasting that his co-workers think I'm this great wife! They couldn't figure out why his pager kept going off, so he started showing them the pages. I also send little one or two line notes when one of our boys does something "interesting". They actually thought I was "bothering" him and "complaining", so that's why he started showing them the pages. Anyway, they were all terribly impressed that I would "take the time out of my busy day" to write my husband. The way I figure it, my job as wife and mother is this: 1 - take care of me so I can, 2 - take care of my husband, and then, 3 - take care of our children. Taking care of our home falls into that category as does taking care of everyone's health (and diet). Now. This doesn't mean I do everything for them, but I help guide them along... my three (almost four) year old, Frank, tonight didn't like what he saw me fixing for dinner. So, he got out the tortillas and shreeded cheese, along with a plate to make himself a quesidilla (starch and protien). I ask what he was going to have for a vegetable, he got out a carrot, and ask for the potato peeler and crinkle cutter so he could clean and cut it. Then he took out the trash can (for the peelings) and a cutting board, and fixed his own dinner. He's not even four! I was proud (and a little sad) at the same time. I'm just tickled pink at how he can take care of himself and amazed at "how quickly they grow up!"

On a related note of growing up, when I got out of the shower it was to the sound of the boy’s bedroom door opening. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I found Jack, naked, holding his romper, which he'd unbuttoned (a first) that he’d been wearing in one hand, and a Buzz Lightyear glove in the other hand. He was using the Buzz glove to wipe his butt. Yep. Poppy! Big piles of poop on his carpet next to an empty diaper. I ask Frank “why’d you let your brother get undressed?” Frank turned around and said “What? Oh man! Why’s there poop on my floor!?!” He’d been so busy playing he never noticed Jack undressing or leaving the room. Did I mention I was late to pick up my friend's children this morning?

I've been thinking Jack's ready - at 19 months - to start potty training. Every time he sees someone near the toilet, he wants to sit on his potty, and he ALWAYS PEES in it! This kind of pushes it over the edge for me; next week perhaps we'll start. Once I got the carpet cleaned up, I picked up my friend's two boys. For the second day in row, I watched four boys (ages 19, 26, 44, and 47 months). Our friends are moving and trying to organize a huge, blow-out, sell-everything-they-own yard sale. They are also 7 months pregnant with their third child (a girl).
I'd offered to go over and help prep things, but then we realized that I'd be a much bigger help to just take the kids for a few hours at a time. Also, the boys have much more fun playing over here unincumbered by boxes of stuff they can't touch and able to delve into toys galore - inside and out. It's so nice how they are getting old enough to play more or less on their own and together. I can supervise from the kitchen window and still be doing my own thing in the house.

Speaking of "my own thing", I have a Library (ie: junk room) that I wanted to devote 30 minutes to before going to bed tonight, so, I'm off!

Suzy :)

Back to (A Little Bit of) Work

Today my husband is back at work! He injured his back last week, and still is in a lot of pain, but it's good to have him able to go back - even in limited capacity. HR called him with a “transitional work program”. His doctor sent a note specifying what he could do and then his boss found something to keep him busy. He took a bottle of Tylenol, a heating pad, and two ice packs to help him along. We’ll see how long he can make it today (without prescription narcotics or his recliner to ease the pain!)

In other news my left ovary is killing me this morning! Jack is sneezing and just had a snotty face, but it seems to have stopped. I’ll be watching my friends two boys again this morning and taking them home after lunch. This afternoon, I plan to get an allergy shot, then head to the mall to pick up Jack’s portraits, after that I’ll pick hubby up from work / his friends'.

Suzy :)

Worker's Comp SUCKS!

Last week my husband was injured on the job. Can I just say that Worker's Comp SUCKS! We're forced to pay money into some Grand Government System to "help" when you're injured, but, now that it's happened to us... we're finding our hands completely tied. First you're told that Worker's Comp pays 66% of your wages... WRONG... they pay 66% of some arbitrary number they choose... we're only going to get 29.0465% of OUR ACTUAL wages. Then, we're told we're "lucky" we can keep using our own doctor, and that if the doctor orders too many questions, we'll no longer be able to use our doctor. Oh! And we can't use our own insurance any more, because they say it's a Worker's Comp claim. So, if we don't like who they suggest we can take our whopping 29% of our pay and pay out of pocket for the procedures (take a $1,000 MRI for example... that'd be 3/4 of a month's worker's comp "pay".) It's been a long week and a TERRIBLY long day! Oh. but for the migrant, illegial worker who's injured, this is a good deal because they suddenly get better and free medical care. How about this? How about all the money that i HAVE to pay to goverment medical / insurance programs, how about I get to KEEP that money and use my OWN insurance when I have injuries? Hmm... do you think we could do that?

I exhaused and now I'm pissed too... I really hope I can get to sleep!
Suzy >{

Time Really Does Fly

Wow! A month ago a friend started her blog and I started reading it, I also created this spot for myself (since I couldn't post to her's without it.) I've been enjoing reading Becky's Blog, so, I keep thinking to myself, I really should write some stuff on mine... so much has been happening and it would be fun to keep track of what I'm thinking and doing. Now, I realize it's been nearly a month I've been having these thoughts. So, let's take a look at what's been going on...

• Thursday 17 August - Start Blogspot, Email Infant Resource Swimming Instructor about end of season practise for boys.
• Friday 18 August - Jack's 18 month well visit (he's doing great and is the same size as his 45 month brother, Frank, was at 15 months). Both boys are BIG for their age (mostly over the 90th percentiles). At 35", Jack is one inch from out-growing his crib's maximum height and has reached the max for his porta-crib.
• Saturday 19 August - During naptime, Jack learns to climb out of his portacrib, so I move him to his crib in the bedroom he shares with Frank. He climbs out of it too. I finally take the side off the crib and convert it to a toddler bed. In desperation, after three hours of working with getting them to nap, I take the boys for a drive until they fall asleep, then carry them into the house. It's over 110 in Mesa, Arizona and gas is expensive, so, I don't like this option, but, it'll have to do for now.

• Saturday 19 August, cont'd - In the eveing I mow the lawn before my husband heads to a bachelor party. Have you ever heard of a co-ed bachelor party? Neither had we, but he came home with stories of the WOMEN getting lap-dances, at a Girlie Strip Bar, in front of their husbands... it was all VERY WEIRD to us!
• Sunday 20 August - Nap time poses challenges.
• Monday 21 August - When we returned from vacation last week, our Air Conditioner was making LOUD noises - well, I could tell they were different anyway, so, we'd had a service man out on the 16th (the day after returning home). Good news! The parts (motor and compressor) are under warranty, so, all we have to do is pay for labor. Bad news! Labor is almost ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS! What?! For parts covered under warranty?! Today I called around to a few other vendors and the manufacturer... they all said the same thing, that this is the "industry standard" and perfectly acceptable. Well, it may be acceptable for those who stand to make a profit, but from a consumer standpoint, something is under warranty, it breaks, why do I have to shell out a grand to make it right again!?!?! The unit still works, it's just louder than normal and the motor has six months left under warranty, so, we'll wait a while before we start handing out the cash. I also go to the densit to have two filling replaced. On the way home I pick up portraits from last month of my boys. Also, I stopped at a quilt fabric shop (Fashion Fabrics) looking for some items for my Aunt. I find one exact and two substitutes I think she'll like. While I was out, my climbing monkey went onto Frank's bed, then the laundry hamper, then the top of their dresser/changing table. My husband found Jack up their throwing diaper changing supplies off of the shelves onto the floor. When the laundry hamper was removed from the sceen, Jack immediatley started looking at the window sill and the post of the bunk bed for a new way to climb up. He's a MONKEY!

Well... I've been at this for over thirty mintues now, and still have WORK to do! So, I must go...

ttfn! Suzy :)