Monday Vents and Celebrations

[mommyatty]

We had a really nice weekend. My kids were well-behaved at the birthday party for deceased coworker's son. And it was nice to see his little boy is healthy and happy and absolutely surrounded by love. 

We spent a lot of time in the pool. DH didn't join us because he's been fighting a sinus infection valiantly for weeks. (Not a man-cold... he's trying to gut through it, and he's been to the Doc and is on antibiotics.) And the kids slept in past 7:00 every day. That was a nice little gift!

Vent: Apparently Friday was an odd day to be off. My old paralegal was fired for undisclosed reasons. So I'm sure today I'm going to walk into bedlam. She was not well-liked, for very good reasons. And she wasn't very good at her job. But I'm still sad for her. She's a single mom who has been at war with the baby daddy for the child's entire life (he's going into second grade, I think.). I know this is an awful blow. 

[twinmomma]

I'm back to work after an extended long weekend/vacation. July has been so nice to have a bunch of time off with DH and the girls, between the 4th and this break. But, I'm sure August will drag now with no vacations on the horizon! Coming back to work is especially rough because it was such a nice weekend - perfect weather, well-behaved kids, and fun activities. And this morning I got some really great snuggles from the girls before I left for work.

I don't know if this really counts as a vent, but I'm failing at my half marathon walk training and really mad at myself for it. I haven't been keeping up with the long walks I need to do and I'm getting stressed that I won't make it when the half marathon rolls around. I need to get my butt back in gear this week.

[justcheckingin73]

I had a pretty good weekend. DH was out of town for a conference and comes back on Tuesday so I was solo parenting. We ate out a lot and went back to school clothes shopping on Sat which was fun. The kids didn't really fight and DD was so thankful which kind of made me feel bad as if I never buy things for her even though I do! She is just transitioning to adult clothes rather than kids clothes so I don't buy her anything when I'm out. She doesn't like Target or Justice anymore so it was helpful to know what she likes. She had a sleepover on Sat and was supposed to go to the Chicago "beach" on Sun but ended up not going. DS and I went putt putting and the batting cages.

My vent is that I didn't sleep well all weekend - something I really look forward to since I changed my work hours to 6-3. Friday night was restless sleep as was last night. Our newest kitty who is 1 loves to snuggle right up to me and is so adorable that I have a hard time moving her, plus DS came into my bed for some reason. Looking forward to this workday begin over. 

I also feel like things are ramping up for school and even though I'm looking forward to the kids getting back into the swing of things, I'm not looking forward to the busyness that comes with it.

[Covergirl82]

I took DD to get her ears pierced on Saturday. She had been asking for a while, so we finally had some free time to go (and I wanted to give her time to be sure she really wanted them pierced). She didn't cry or anything.

I didn't get as much done around the house as I wanted to, but that's ok, it was nice to relax a little bit. I did make a big pot of soup that I will eat for lunches the next two weeks, so I was pretty excited about that.

Next weekend we were supposed to be home. Now DH says he might like to go on a camping trip with some of our friends. He wants to "try out" how the new-to-us truck hauls the trailer. (It should haul it more easily as the truck we just got has a bigger engine and greater towing capacity.) Again, I was hoping to have time to get some things done around the house, especially given that the two weekends after that, we'll be gone.

I finally told my DCP friend that the kids wanted to try before-and-after care at school this year. She was fine with it, I just don't enjoy those kinds of conversations, so I had put it off for a while. I had asked if she would still take the kids on holiday breaks and snow days, and she said she would. (A few of her other clients are teachers, who don't send their kids on snow days or holiday breaks.)

[judyblume14]

We had a really nice weekend - Saturday we had friends over with their toddler son. It was low key and really nice to catch up. The have a kid who is between our girls in age. So, it's great to hang out with a family right in our life stage. Also, we had mojitos, so, yay.

Yesterday was just a family day. And my dad dropped by completely out of the blue (lives an hour away, but was in the neighborhood visiting an old friend). So that was a really nice treat!

My vent is that I'm frustrated with myself because I'm uncomfortable having both girls in the pool with me. My husband was inside yesterday doing something, and couldn't help me for about 20 minutes. I gave up in less than half that time with the girls in the pool (one is almost 3, the other 6 months - so even in her adorable little raft, I have to support under her arms because she can sit up yet). So, that's frustrating.

My celebration is also pool-related. DD will be 3 at the end of the current 6-week swim class session. My H mentioned this to her Parent&Me swim class teacher on Saturday. And the teacher was like "yay! finally! I've been itching to move her up to Level 1!" (which is the group swim class...ie - without a parent in the water!). My girl

[rere]

Vent - DH took my chicken that I cooked specifically for my lunch. We were grilling last night and I said, I didn't have anything for lunch today, I am going to throw on a chicken breast. I asked if he wanted me to cook him one also. He ate his last night. I get up this morning to fix my lunch, my chicken is gone. I called him and he said he forgot it was for my lunch??? How do you forget when the conversation started with me throwing on extra chicken because I need lunch?!!!!!  I am irrationally angry about this and I just want to throttle him. This is typical him. While the division of actual labor is 50/50,  he just meanders through life with his head up his nether regions and doesn't have to think or plan about anything but himself.  

Celebrate - I am only working today and Friday this week.  I took off to spend some time with the kids before school starts next week and go to the pool.  I am hoping to also clean the house since construction is pretty well over. 

Celebrate 2 - DH is working 12 hours all week.  I am not going to get over this chicken thing for a while. 

[mommyatty]

judyblume14, I just got comfortable this year having both kids in the water alone. Mine are 21 mos apart, so close to the same split you have. They are now 3 and newly 5. I don't blame you for being uncomfortable. It's so hard to have eyes on both of them, and if one still requires at least a hand on her at all times, then yeah. What do you do if the other is in crisis? I vote cut yourself a break on that one.

[judyblume14]

mommyatty, totally. Big girl is perfectly content in her puddle jumper sitting on the step. So, I sit on the step next to her, with baby in her raft. But then, big girl will let go of a toy, and it floats away. So i have to swim, and drag the baby in her raft to get the toy. But I'm still scared that somehow, in those 10 seconds, big girl is going to slip or something. I know it will be a long time before I'm comfortable. The vent is more about me pool time though, and less about my failure as a parent ;-)

[mae0111]

It was a quiet weekend, but DD1 had some behavioral issues again. So we took a hard line and pulled all electronics until further notice. She's been very spoiled, and we are working to reverse that. We want her to appreciate what she has, but instead, she expects things, and has tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants. It's going to be a long road.

Also, DH dropped a bomb that we might have to move. He's thinking that if this offer he's waiting for doesn't come through, we will have to move several hours away. One option is only a 1.5 hr flight, but the other more likely scenario is moving from the east coast to the west coast. It's a huge move. It's leaving all of our family and friends. I really don't want to do it. My head is spinning and I feel sick when I think about it.

Odd celebration: 5 people in my department quit last week. 5 people. That's like 10% of the department. In a week. Everyone else I know is looking. I was treated so poorly at the end that it makes me giggle a little.

[mellym]

My parents came over Friday night to pick up DD1 so they could take her out of town to a waterpark on Saturday. She had an awesome day with them and ended up sleeping over again on Saturday so we didn't get her back until lunch time on Sunday. It was really strange only having one child in the house. This was the first time we've ever had DD2 only so it was actually really nice to focus on her. She loved all the attention and we had a fun day going to the farmers market and pool and then we went to a sit down restaurant for dinner. It was unbelievable how easy it all was with only her. She's only two but a very easy going child and it helps to have two on one. As soon as DD1 walked in the door, the whining and crying and fighting with each other started.

We went to the park and small zoo with them on Sunday. It got too hot for me in the afternoon walking around in the sun, so we headed back home and put the sprinkler on in the backyard.

I guess my vent is just pregnancy related that I can't sleep between the restless legs, getting up to pee and varicose veins.

[kimberlybb]

Vent: This is my first day back after being on vacation last week. I have a million emails to sort through still and am lacking motivation.

Celebration: Vacation went better than I thought it would. The kids did awesome in the car both ways. This is the first trip we have taken with my parents and it went so well I'm already thinking about where we can go next summer.

[supertrooper1]

Vent: I did a 14 hour shift yesterday and now I'm exhausted this morning. It was a non-volunteer shift and it was not busy. Every year my agency gets to a point in the summer where they realize they have too much in the OT budget and have to spend it by the end of the fiscal year (end of September). Last night felt like we're at that point of spending money so I can expect long OT shifts the rest of the summer.

Celebration: Tomorrow and Wednesday I will be training with another agency that I have been working with off and on for the last few months. We've been communicating via email and phone and I don't feel like I have a clear picture of what they need me to enforce for them and what they are looking for. I'm excited to finally have real training from them.

[Covergirl82]

I do have one solid vent: The school supply list (suggested, of course) was released, and I feel like it's a scavenger hunt for some of the items. I'm not going to drive to all over the place trying to find a pack of two Pink Pearl erasers. And what is meant by a "fine tip black marker"? Does it mean a permanent marker? This is where I wish I could just write a check for $30 or whatever and let the teacher buy what they need. And then all the students will actually get the same supplies.

This one really gets to me, though: Only 2nd grade lists "white soled gym shoes," but it's not requested for any other grade. That makes no sense. Luckily a few of DS's friends have older siblings, so I can check with those moms as to if it's really needed.

[justcheckingin73]

rere, I would be sooo pissed about the chicken. 

[supertrooper1]

Confession: I have a drawer in the fridge that is only my food. This is where I keep my specialty cheeses and anything for my lunch. H knows not to touch that drawer.

[mustardseed2007]

Friday we hosted the neighborhood grill out at the pool. Wildly successful in that the city inspectors released the pool. Moderate success in terms of attendance. DH was grilling and all the neighborhood dads from our street were hanging out by the grill with him talking. I never see him do social stuff in our neighborhood that so that was nice.

Saturday we did nothing...like I think we did stuff but I really don't know what. We went to Costco...

Sunday I had my triathlon - the . Tlargest one I've ever participated in. My placement wasn't great but I had a good time. Then when I got home DH went to a card game, and then I took the kids to get a hair cut and to Barnes n Noble b/c it's too hot for anything else. I cut DD's hair to chin length b/c her hair has been looking so stringy and wild and she won't let me touch it. I think it's adorable.

Vent: I tried to talk to DH about doing some kind of small vacation with the kids. I've been asking for a while. Come time find out, he has this week free, then the next 2 weeks he's tied up with work and can't take off...and then work lightens up just in time for school to start. Oh well.

I think I'm going to take time with the kids by myself but this obviously changes things.

[saraml13]

Jul 31, 2017 8:28:04 GMT -5 rere said:

Vent - DH took my chicken that I cooked specifically for my lunch. We were grilling last night and I said, I didn't have anything for lunch today, I am going to throw on a chicken breast. I asked if he wanted me to cook him one also. He ate his last night. I get up this morning to fix my lunch, my chicken is gone. I called him and he said he forgot it was for my lunch??? How do you forget when the conversation started with me throwing on extra chicken because I need lunch?!!!!!  I am irrationally angry about this and I just want to throttle him. This is typical him. While the division of actual labor is 50/50,  he just meanders through life with his head up his nether regions and doesn't have to think or plan about anything but himself.  

Celebrate - I am only working today and Friday this week.  I took off to spend some time with the kids before school starts next week and go to the pool.  I am hoping to also clean the house since construction is pretty well over. 

Celebrate 2 - DH is working 12 hours all week.  I am not going to get over this chicken thing for a while. 

Are you married to my husband?  This is totally something he would do and then by like "oops, my bad".  DH is also guilty of the opposite.  He recently discovered mason jar salads and took them for lunch for a couple weeks.  He asked me to buy more large mouth mason jars and a bunch more ingredients, then stopped taking jar salads.  Not because he doesn't like them, but he doesn't plan ahead and forgets to make them.  So now I have a drying rack full of giant mason jars and a refrigerator full of spoiling food.

[saraml13]

Celebration: I have an on-site interview scheduled for Wednesday!

Vent 1: DH left this morning for a work trip, getting back late Thursday night. He's going to go into the office on Friday, then we leave for a week long vacation first thing Saturday morning. So all the packing and prep is going to fall to me even more than usual.

Vent 2: DS2's bangs were getting ridiculously long, so I planned on trimming them myself. DH butted in and before I knew it, he had hacked off DS2's bangs and sideburns. He now looks like Jim Carrery from Dumb and Dumber, except worse.

Vent 3: DS1 woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Everything at breakfast was wrong. "NO! I don't want water!. "I don't want these Cheerios! Throw them away!", etc. Then he was mad when I took of his pjs and pull-up, so he peed all over his bed.

Random: I had written an email and letter to daycare on Friday giving notice that we are leaving. Word has spread to the teachers, who have been sad but understanding. But I've gotten zero acknowledgement from the owner/director, who I rarely see in person.

[phdmomma]

Covergirl82, I hear you on the school supply shopping. Ours have the suggested brands next to them too. DS needs "18 presharpened pencils (Ticonderoga preferred)". Target had a 12 pack and a 24 pack of the sharpened ones, and an 18 pack of the unsharpened ones. So I bought the 24 pack because it seemed the closest? We also need 6 folders, 2 blue, 2 green, and 2 yellow, all plastic, and preferably some brand that target didn't have. So I bought the one that they did? He's going into full day kindergarten, and although I don't mind buying whatever they need, it seems like a crazy scavenger hunt. If I could just write a check to the school or the teacher I would in a heart beat, and then they could have whatever they need in the brands/sizes/and colors that are preferred. I would actually probably pay a significant premium for that service.

I think that it all seems crazier to me because I came from a low income school district, where we would have the free school supply day, provided by the district, because more than half of the kids in the district qualified for free or reduced lunch cards. So almost everyone had all the same school supplies, because the district gave them out.

[k3am]

Vent 1: RTR decided I don't need any of the dresses I ordered for this weekend. They sent some backups, but.. not my style. I did a chat customer service and basically raised my blood pressure to well beyond the healthy level. I did eventually call and they're going to send out alternate dresses, so I'll have 3 to chose from, but I'm not sure one will fit, since they didn't have my size. Their phone customer service was a million times better, but it took 14 minutes of listening to hold music to get there.

Vent 2: I need to go to Nordstroms and get fitted for a bra like a big girl. I've never really had a problem with it, but I ordered a new one this weekend, thought it was fine, and wore it to work. And it is... doing some really, really awful things to my chest. Thankfully my blouse is forgiving (loose, black, with a pattern). But depending on how I sit, I have like 1-2 inches of gap in the cup. If that isn't classy, I don't know what is.

Celebration: Vacation starts Wednesday afternoon.

Better celebration: my coworker is feeling well enough to come into work today. She's supposed to be in at 9. As much as it screws up our work flow to not know if/when she'll be feeling well enough to work, I'm pretty happy to hear that she's feeling up to it.

[sandandsea]

Jul 31, 2017 8:15:50 GMT -5 judyblume14 said:

My vent is that I'm frustrated with myself because I'm uncomfortable having both girls in the pool with me.

When I'm in that situation I have the older one wear a puddle jumper. He can totally swim but in case he gets tired or too ambitious it helps with the peace of mind and I can focus on the baby.

[twinmomma]

Covergirl82, Specifying what sneakers to buy seems really inconsiderate. What about families that can't afford those specific styles? It makes my heart hurt for kids that would be singled out over stuff like that. I only ever remember my supply lists getting specific when teachers wanted certain colored folders/notebooks to help with organization. But it was still very open ended as to what exactly you ended up with.

[sandandsea]

Celebration - we had a good weekend. Dh decided against going to the track to practice because he ran out of time (that's what happens when you work 70-80 hours a week) but I'm glad he came to that realization on his own. And we had to drop his stuff off to get it transported to the race in a couple of weeks so we had a great dinner with friends when we dropped it off at their place.

I also went to the grocery store and stocked up for the weeek and ds1 came and was a great helper. While there I saw a girl (16 or so) that I taught in kindergarten Sunday school. I didn't say anything because creeper but it was nice seeing her hanging with her dad at the store.

Vent - the 70-80 hour high stress weeks dh puts in mean I do 90% of the kid and house stuff in addition to my own career. He knows but feels stuck and tries hard. And he's fighting ds joining cub scouts because it seems lame to him and he did it one year in elementary school and it was boring. Ds is totally into that stuff (hiking, camping, etc) and it's only a twice a month commitment. Dh wants to reserve the time for sports - like 5 of them that are twice a week commitments. I like sports too but I'm carrying the weight of it and twice a month sounds way better than twice a week.

I may be exaggerating on 5 but he did list year round options.

[olenka]

I think I am suffering from an onion rings hangover.

I have a desk audit in about an hour to see if my position can be reclassified. Just the thing for a Monday morning.

[186momx]

Vent 1: DD is at work with me today. So far she has been really good but we are only an hour into the day. Plus I'm waiting for work to come in so by the time I get busy she is going to be bored.

Vent 2: I didn't my alone time yesterday. DH decided at the last minute not to go for his driving "walk about" and stayed home (he did do a ton of yard work). So after brunch with my family I stuck around and chatted with my mom and went home about an hour before DD got dropped off from the ball game. I feel no more rested and was really looking forward to my 3 hours of alone time yesterday.

rere, DH took the leftover salmon and rice that was going to be DD's lunch today...he left the plain chicken breast she won't eat. She now is having grilled cheese meaning I need to come up with a different lunch for the sitter tomorrow.

[twinmomma]

Jul 31, 2017 10:21:16 GMT -5 k3am said:

Vent 2: I need to go to Nordstroms and get fitted for a bra like a big girl. I've never really had a problem with it, but I ordered a new one this weekend, thought it was fine, and wore it to work. And it is... doing some really, really awful things to my chest. Thankfully my blouse is forgiving (loose, black, with a pattern). But depending on how I sit, I have like 1-2 inches of gap in the cup. If that isn't classy, I don't know what is.

I dream of doing this someday. Since breast feeding, I have never found a bra that fits well. Basically every bra I own gaps slightly in the cups. My boobs are too saggy for anything. 

[Covergirl82]

phdmomma and twinmomma, I have thought about emailing the principal, or asking the mom of one of DS's friends who is really involved in the PTO, to ask if parents could contribute money instead. I know parents would contribute different amounts (if they could afford to), but I feel like if parents contributed $25 on average, for a class of 22, the teacher would receive $550 to spend on school supplies. (And we live in a middle/upper-middle class area, so I feel that many parents would be pretty generous, especially if they didn't have to do the school-supply-scavenger-hunt.) I have to think they could at least buy the necessities for with that amount of money (folders, notebooks, pencils, crayons, etc.), and then each student would have the same folder, notebook, etc. And then send out an email after school starts if they still need supplies like Clorox wipes, tissues, etc.

twinmomma, I also went to school in a lower-income district, and some kids wore the only clothes and shoes they had available to them, and sometimes they had holes in them. I definitely share your perspective that there is the potential for unnecessary attention on some students when certain types of shoes, etc. are required.

[freezorburn]

Celebration: backyard camping, while not the original plan, was so much fun! I finally felt motivated to haul our lounge chairs out of storage, and it was really great to enjoy our garden from a different perspective.

Vision update: the flashes of light seem to have subsided, but I still have a big fat floater in the middle of my field of vision. From past experience it takes up to a week for my brain to realize it should just be ignored. Just glad things have not gotten worse from Friday.

[justcheckingin73]

Jul 31, 2017 10:44:09 GMT -5 twinmomma said:

Covergirl82 , Specifying what sneakers to buy seems really inconsiderate. What about families that can't afford those specific styles? It makes my heart hurt for kids that would be singled out over stuff like that. I only ever remember my supply lists getting specific when teachers wanted certain colored folders/notebooks to help with organization. But it was still very open ended as to what exactly you ended up with.

At our school, they specify white soled sneakers so there is no scuffing on the floors. The black, blue or other colored soles can really do a number on the hallways and gym floor.

ETA: I'm not sure if they say anything to kids who don't have white soles. I think they list it as an ideal.

Covergirl82 , regarding the school supply lists, it is quite possible that no one has noticed. Our school supply lists are in an Excel file that people have edited for years. There are typos, missing info, etc. When I was on the board, I was going to completely clean it up but I just didn't have time. It drove me crazy.

I try to stick to the brands they specify as much as possible but ultimately I do what works. Our elementary has a lot of lower income families and many of them just buy generic.

[mustardseed2007]

Jul 31, 2017 10:43:28 GMT -5 sandandsea said:

Jul 31, 2017 8:15:50 GMT -5 judyblume14 said:

My vent is that I'm frustrated with myself because I'm uncomfortable having both girls in the pool with me.

When I'm in that situation I have the older one wear a puddle jumper. He can totally swim but in case he gets tired or too ambitious it helps with the peace of mind and I can focus on the baby.

How do you get your kid to wear a puddle jumper though? Neither of my kids ever did. With DS it wasn't that bad b/c it was just him, but if DD would wear one it would take so much pressure off.