We made it. August 30, 2008

We all survived my first week back to work.  While it is extremely hard not getting home until 5:30 it helps knowing Daddy-O is home with the kids.  In the next 2 weeks I am hoping the schedule will become a little more flexible, as I will actually be scheduling my own appts.  Friday was actually the first day we were both at work and it was definitely harder. Thank goodness Supergirl LOVES the daycare at her school.  She actually said ‘yay, it’s day care day’ when she woke up that morning.’  As much as I tried to pump Boomer up about the new babysitter he was still very apprehensive, looking lost and crying when I left.  When I couldn’t get a hold of the sitter at lunch to check on him I had my own anxiety issues.  She did call me back and everything was fine.  She has a one year old boy and they apparently played pretty hard all day.    When I picked them up we picked up a pizza and had ‘movie night.’  I know they will be fine.

As far as the job goes…  So far I really like it. I will be working very independently and will have the opportunities to help families who really need it.  Families in crisis.  I am excited about that.

Tomorrow is the big day… August 25, 2008

Back to work for me. I’m excited and sad and nervous. But mostly excited. I was supposed to receive a packet in the mail that includes a list of what I am supposed to bring with me, but I have not received it yet. I left HR a message, but haven’t heard back from them yet either. Maybe I should be a little more nervous… The kids won’t need daycare/babysitter until Friday and then not again for 2 weeks. Daddy-O’s schedule makes working so much easier. I’ll let you know how it goes…

Boomer’s devil voice August 23, 2008

Occassionally Boomer switches to his silly voice, which, quite frankly sounds a little demonic. It’s too funny. I asked them to sing the clean-up song and this is what I got instead:

Happy HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!! August 22, 2008

SMILE

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Tomorrow is Happy Day!!! August 21, 2008

So smile!!!  Laugh, slow  down, just be happy.  And make sure you spread the love.  Make a conscious effort to make others happy.  Make them smile, make them laugh–it even counts if they’re laughing at you instead of with you. Let me know how it goes.  I’ll let you know about our day too…

First day of school August 21, 2008

Sigh….

Notice the new haircut. She wanted it cut ‘all the way to my neck.’

Here she is just one year ago…

Protecting the public August 19, 2008

Supergirl:  Why do policemen have guns?

Me:  Ummmm…..Well………I guess………..  They need them to protect people and keep people safe.

Supergirl:  From hippos???

Me:  Of course.

News Update August 19, 2008

i got a job!!!  I received a job offer last week which I turned down and then another yesterday which I accepted.  I start next week. Yikes!!!  I am very excited,  as I think I will really enjoy it.  My mom and Daddy-O are not so excited as it requires home visits, and that concerns them.  I also found someone to watch Boomer while we are both at work.  That will only happen once or twice a week, and we weren’t quite ready for daycare.  Supergirl has daycare at her school and loves it so that was not an issue.  Boomer was another story.  I originally planned on daycare, but after talking with Daddy-O and calling some daycares we began thinking that was not the best choice, at least for now.  Our neighbor’s daughter is a stay-at-home mom of a one-year-old boy and agreed to keep him for us.  YAY!

Also, Supergirl starts pre-k tomorrow.  I am feeling VERY sad about this.  I have no idea why (besides the fact my baby is growing and growing).  It’s 5 days a week.  Half-days, but still…  I am sad

Handling Aggression August 17, 2008

Yesterday I watched as a mom carried her son out of the pool at the YMCA.  He was not ready to get out and was beginning to throw quite a fit.  He was maybe 12-18 months old.  As she picked him up I thought, “ooh, I would never pick Boomer up like that (facing me) when he was mad because that is a guarantee he will hit me in the face.”  The I watched as this little boy threw a fit screaming, throwing himself back, wiggling wildly to get free.  And yet he never, not once, did anything aggressive towards his mom. No hitting, scratching, pinching, biting, head butting, spitting…  I am pretty sure Boomer did each of those things to me just yesterday.  Oh wait, I take that back.  There was no spitting yesterday.

When Boomer gets mad his instinct is to fight. It has to be instinct, because to my knowledge no one has ever done those things to him.  I’ve seen his sister push him, but certainly never bit him or spit on him, and especially not head butt him, since that would hurt her. I’ve been telling myself its a boy thing, but after seeing the boy yesterday I don’t know. We have tried holidng him, time out, positive redirection.  Nothing seems to help.  Yesterday he hit me and I held his hand as I tried to get him to look at me so I could tell him not to hit, instead he head-butted me.  Grrrr…. For those of you going through this, or who have been through this.  Is it normal?  How did you address it?  Will he EVER grow out of it.  Someday he will be able to hurt me and I definitely would like the aggression to be gone by then.

BTW, please don’t think he is always mad and aggressive. The vast majority of the time he is deliriously happy.  He is very much hot or cold, no in-between.  He can be very gentle and sweet.  He just has a temper…

Where in the world are the G kids? (Round 2 results) August 13, 2008

Okay, sadly there was only one entry. (hello out there, where is everyone). SO the winner for Round 2 (partly because she was right and partly by default) is…….AUNTIE EM!! Congratulations, you are the smartest person in the world At least in my world…
We were at the ‘international horseradish festival’ where 3 out of 4 of us took home medals in the root derby. Sadly, Boomer’s derby car not only fell off the ramp, but also lost a few wheels in the process. Maybe next year, Boom…
Our derby cars (I know—-we’re cool)

Riding the train

Supergirl making a boat (notice the cool home depot apron)