Crazy For Her…

or is it because of her? Don't worry. We are the fun kind of crazy!

November 30th, 2009

Giving Thanks

Wow!  It’s the end of November already?  Really?  Where are the pictures of Madi in her Goth Halloween costume?  The pictures of Taylor’s last football game where we all ran onto the field in the mud and rain to celebrate?  The pictures of Ryen and Madi with the Mentos geyser, the pictures of Dexter in a dress?  Where?  Still in the camera because I had no idea that time could go so fast.  Some day I will get around to posting all of those pictures but for now I am just having fun living these moments.

This year has been good to me and I am thankful.  And since it is three days past Thanksgiving I thought it was fitting to write about how thankful I am.  A few years ago I was in a dark place, bad job, depressing to be around and just about as negative as a person can be.  ON A DAILY BASIS!  Yes, I was the girl that people avoided at parties because SHE HAS NOTHING POSITIVE TO SAY!  I was the real life Debbie Downer!  But these days are oh so much better.

Although there is a job situation that I don’t like to speak of, I have a job and for that I am thankful.  It’s a good job, salary speaking, yet that is really all there is to speak about.  It pays the bills and now let’s move on shall we.  See that?  I didn’t complain and go on and on and on about how much I….see?  I think it is meaningless to elaborate.  On to the good stuff!

Madi lost her first tooth!  And she pulled it out herself!  And when I say she lost it?  She really lost it!  Gone.  Can’t find it.  She lost it so good that it might be in an0ther state.  And then I cried.  I am not sure why but this made me cry and I mean REALLY cry.  I am getting choked up about it now so wait while I get a tissue…Sniff!  This is where I take time out to blame Chris and myself at the same time.  That seems fair.  But don’t get me wrong – this is still the good stuff.  This is what life is about.  The sad at the moment but funny in a year or two kind of moment.  Back to the story…

Chris wasn’t supposed to pick Madi up until Monday (11/23) but I got some kind of swine, feline, bovine flu and thought it was not wise to expose Madi right before Thanksgiving.  They were going to be traveling and I didn’t want to expose the entire family to whatever it was that I had.  My fault for getting sick and of course she lost her tooth on Sunday night.  She called to tell me and I was surprised because I didn’t think the tooth was leaving anytime soon.  It was loose but I thought it would hang around for a while longer.  Wrong!  So let’s mark this event right now shall we?  Madi lost her first tooth (lower right front) on Sunday November 22 at approximately 6 pm while eating a grapefruit.

Now let’s talk about Chris…just to be fair.  I begged and pleaded and reminded and pleaded while begging some more “Please don’t lose her tooth!”  And what did he do?  He up and lost her tooth.  So I picked her up tonight, squealed when I saw that little gap where her baby tooth used to be and asked to see the tooth.  I sensed some panic from both of them and I KNEW!  I KNEW THE TOOTH WAS GONE.  I knew it before they started looking.  And then I cried.

I cried because the tooth fairy does not just fly to your house for an IOU.  She needs some proof and the empty spot in your mouth is not proof enough.  I mean what is she supposed to do, pry the sleeping child awake, force her to open her mouth so she can count her teeth?  And how is she supposed to keep track of the teeth?  For all she knows you are just trying to milk another fifty cents from a tooth you lost and collected on 3 weeks ago.  Yes it is silly, I cried.  I am hoping the tooth turns up somewhere.

In other news, Taylor is 18.  An adult.  Hang on while I get another tissue.  This is weird for me and exciting and a little sad.  Bitter sweet.  He is no longer the little Tay-Tay and hasn’t been for a long time.  But to think that college is looming just around the corner makes me want to spend as much time with him as I possibly can.  I have a feeling (just a feeling) that he will be leaving, like REALLY leaving for college.  Maybe a college that is not within driving distance and I am scared.  We have been so close for so long I can’t fathom how this will change my life.  People reading this (not sure there are any people reading this, I just picture imaginary people – and they all look like Morgan Freeman), they may think that statement is strange but I am very involved in Taylor’s life.  I have to schedule my weeks with both Madi and Taylor in mind.  I do this because that is the way it has always been.  This is his last year of high school and that makes it all the more important for me to be there.  I see big things for this kid.  I am already so proud of him for who he is and what he has accomplished.  And yet I know there is so much he is going to do with his life.  He is just that kind of person.  But I know the chances are he will be preparing for that life further away from me than he has ever been.  So instead of being a Debbie Downer, I am going to drive to as many events of his that I can manage, cheer him on and hope that time slows down a little bit along the way.

I am also freaking out about the time because Ryen will be starting college soon too.  He is going back and I am supportive and proud of him.  I know how hard it is, he knows how hard it is and the January start date is getting close.  So I feel that time is moving a bit to quickly and our time together is soon going to be cut in half.  I am not liking that idea one bit but it is only for a short time right?  Right!  January is a good month of us – I met Ryen on a cold January night (the 23rd to be exact) and although it feels like I have known him for so much longer, it has not quite been a year yet.  But that year is getting close – that first anniversary that will be celebrated in a big way!  He has been good to me, to us!  He has been good FOR me and changed me in ways that I am so very grateful for.  I didn’t think it was possible for someone to MAKE you a better person and yet I believe he has.  So this passing of time has been on my mind pretty heavily and I guess I just want to cherish, savor and most of all remember all these wonderful times with all the amazing people in my life.  I have not named them all of course – but I am thankful for each and every day that I have with you!  I am blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

August 10th, 2009

Cha-Ching…YIKES!

October 3rd is getting closer and I am no closer to getting a new job.  I have applied for all that are out there and so have 1000 other unemployed IT professionals.  I am still staying hopeful although I admit it is getting harder.  August is full of activities, all of which require that money be spent.  School is starting soon and oh my goodness!  I didn’t realize how many school supplies would be needed and how much it was going to cost me.  This weekend I bought school uniforms for a whopping $240!  YIKES!  I hope Madi grows at a slow but healthy rate this year.

The most important event, next to starting kindergarten, is Madi’s birthday.  We have decided to have the party at the park.  We had her first two birthdays at this park so she was all for it.  I want Madi to have a wonderful birthday.  She will 6 years old – WOW!  Chris and I talked about having the party and agreed that it would be silly to have separate parties.  I hope that everyone is able to come.  The decision to have the party at the park was in hopes that everyone would feel more comfortable attending.  I hope it works out for Madi’s sake.

In other news…we found a new home for Chloe.  Ryen and I realized that she was not happy in the back yard.  Although there is plenty of room for her to run, there is just not enough for her to do.  She is bored, she told us she wanted a farm and Ryen found her one.  We didn’t want to let her go but it is what she needed.  We received a call from the nice ladies that adopted her.  They said they turned her loose on their 6 acres, she headed for the pond, jumped in and swam with their ducks.  This made us happy and we feel we did what was best for her.  Madi is handling it ok.  She wants another dog and I decided that the answer was no.  Two is enough.  More than enough.

So back to the October discussion – I am not sure what I am going to do.  I do know that I will have a roof over my head, food to eat and a car to drive.  A job?  Things aren’t looking to good in that area and the severance pay certainly won’t last forever.  Unemployment is not something that was meant to live on so that is not a long term option.  I guess my hope at this point is that sometime between now and November the job market will pick up and I will land the job that I am supposed to have.  Until then I will keep submitting resumes and waiting for the phone to ring.  Oh and praying, I have been doing a lot of that lately.

January 25th, 2007

How we beat the boredom

The power is still out and there is really nothing more to say about that.  Last night we came home to another night of boredom.  Chris and Maddie played jacks in the kitchen floor and I played with my camera.  Oh, I played jacks for a little while until they realized I have mad jack skilz! 

 

Beauty

  

PINK!

  

 

April 26th, 2006

One of the many reasons Maddie will not be home schooled.

I had to do some serious editing of the audio files I recorded last night.  If I included the entire 20 minutes I would have to explain to the people who have never met us “Chris is not mean, he sounds really mean but the audio files do not show the smile on his face and Maddie’s.  Yes he made a comment about lead poisioning and no he was not serious” etc. etc.
Those of you who know Chris can probably imagine the scene – Chris was trying to teach Maddie to count to ten using UNO cards.  He was also trying to teach her the rules of WAR, the classic card game that I played when I was young but not as young as Maddie.  Chris was determined and extremely persistent.  Maddie is two and was not interested.  She was only interested in playing her own game called “I-N-N-O-P”.  Don’t ask because I don’t understand it either.  While Chris was explaining why his 6 trumped her 2 she was explaining that we should hush up and watch her point to the cards.  Pointing to the cards is a strategic move in the competetive game of “I-N-N-O-P”. 
Maddie and Daddy Playing Cards
February 19th, 2006

Where have I been?

I have been down and out with the flu and it has literally kicked my ass this last week. It started last Sunday and I am still recovering slowly. I stayed in bed all day Sunday, dragged myself into work on Monday, went to bed at 6 pm, woke up and thought that I was dying. I drove myself to the doctor where I was told I had the flu and by the way there is nothing he could give me for the flu. It just has to run it’s course. This is where I replied “Run it’s course? It has a course? How loooooong will this go on”. He casually replied “Oh, these things usually go away in 7-10 days but you could have symptoms for up to 2 weeks.” You have got to be kidding me! Two weeks? I don’t have two weeks! I have projects to complete, I have a two year old, I have a husband who doesn’t know how to multi-task which means my house will fall apart while I am in bed dying from the flu that is attacking every part of my body.

I came home from the doctor and took the day off from work. I slept the entire day and then picked up Maddie from daycare. I hardly had the energy to put her in the car and when we got home I considered staying in the car until Chris came home because I honestly did not have the energy to move. Somehow I made it inside and Chris came home early while I headed off to bed again. I woke up the next morning and it was hard to breath and everytime I coughed I felt like I was cracking a rib. I made it to work on time but I felt as though I had amnesia and couldn’t remember my password to sign on to the network. I think I sat in front of the logon screen for at least 10 minutes before I remembered where I was. It was a long day of coughing, blowing my nose and generally grossing out all of my co-workers. I think they were hoping and praying that I would leave before I spread the virus to them.

I came home that evening and my house looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since the late 90’s and that is when the irritation set in. Why are Mother’s not allowed to be sick? Why do I feel extreme guilt for being too sick to take care of Maddie and clean my house? The biggest question is why can men not multi-task? Chris is great with Maddie. He will cook for her, change her, play with her and give her a bath but only if I remind him. All of that is great but the house remained unclean for the entire week because he couldn’t do it all. I asked him why he didn’t pick up the dishes in the living room and I ask “Why are there 400 loads of laundry waiting to be done. You want to know his reply? “I can’t do things like you do. I am so gratelful for all that you do and I don’t know what I would do without you”. Translation: I like the fact that you do everything and I would like you to continue so I don’t have to do it.

FRUSTRATION! I spent the entire day today getting caught up on house work while he was on an all day trip with his friends. And guess what? Maddie was with me and yet I managed to get it all done. I normally don’t complain about Chris but I want to know what it is about men that they think they can’t do it as well as we can? I am exhausted tonight and I still feel sick. It would have been wonderful if he could have helped out with the housework so that I could relax just for a few hours. I am sure if I had more help around the house I would not be so exhausted and this illness would not be lingering on and on and on.

Men! Get a clue: Stop making excuses and just do the damn work. We do it for you when your sick, when your well, when you are away and when you are present. Can you not do the same for your wives when they are obviously ill and exhausted? Do we really need to ask you to pick up after yourself? Can you not see the socks that you left on the floor? You had to step over them so I know you can see them. And really, no one wants to see your underwear in the bathroom floor or your dirty socks under the coffee table. Bend over, pick them up and take them to the laundry. And while you are there, how about starting a load and taking the clothes out of the dryer, fold them and put them away. It’s not rocket science, it’s house work. Share the load!