Morning Crazies

What kind of crazy life do you lead?

Here is my Tuesday and let me know what you think.

Got up after nursing the baby around 6:45
(my husband had been up since 5:30 got the baby a bottle, started lunch prep, and tried to feed the baby,took a shower and left by 7:10am)

I took my shower while playing peekaboo with the baby, I got dressed back in my pj's cuz I have learned not to get into my work clothing until after I have everyones teeth brushed. I got the baby changed and dressed, fed my three year old, and ate my breakfast w/ the baby.

It is now 7:15 am. I filled out the form for daycare, let the baby practice sitting on the potty, let him fling tupperware all over the kitchen while I emptied the dishwasher, prepped my lunch, changed the babies diaper again(poop this time)

It is now 7:30 time to start working on the three year old to get him dressed. He picked out which batman underwear he wanted to wear, fought me over the shirt and finally put his pants and socks on. We then played dragons w/ sock puppets on both children, finally took vitamins and brushed teeth....it is now 7:45am.

I got both kids downstairs, got their jackets on, hats, shoes, mittens, warmed up the car threw out the garbage, cleaned up the tupperwear, wiped down the counters, let my older son play with his trains and finally -finally got them into their car seats. I was out the door by 8:08 and left daycare by 8:38am. By the time I walked into my office at 9 am I was EXHAUSTED! But what a great morning we had!!!

white bar to blue circle

What a beautiful afternoon for a quick hike in Harriman. I went on the white bar trail at the end of Johnstontown Rd. The hike was spontaneous and a different route. I left around 2:50pm so it was kind of blue grey and cold. I was a little nervous hiking alone at this time especially because I was going into the woods instead of staying on the wider trail. I hiked along the rocks and crossed over a partly frozen stream, thought about hibernating bears and said to hell with it why bother turning back. Last weekend a girl got lost hiking in the woods and she wasn't found until about 1 in the morning-I certainly did not want to be in her shoes. But I wasn't ready to turn around and give up. I wanted to see where this path would lead me.

The hike was spectacular. I went up on some ice covered rocks onto a rock out cropping. I climbed to the top and could see the Reeves Meadow parking lot. The sky was so pretty with thinning white clouds a bit of blue amidst the gray and dark blue mountains in the distance. It was very cold, but worth the walk. I would've gone further, but it was getting late and dark. I still had to be able to see the white bars on the tree to get back to the car. I was back by four.

Thank goodness for Harriman!

A post whilst nursing

I have been slacking on the post-even my weekly poetry blogging may be forced to become monthly...I haven't had a moment to myself. Right now I am posting while nursing. Difficult, but not impossible to do.

Today at work I assisted during the sonos for women getting abortions. This was interesting and difficult. You have to view the products of conception after the procedure to make sure the MD got the entire fetus and sac out. When the fetus is about 11 weeks or so you can really see a lot but it is all about the size of a thumb nail. Like a little alien. I think it would be difficult work to sift thru the products everyday. I guess that is why it is only done once a week at the facility I was at. I am certainly pro choice and think it is up to every woman to decide what she will do. I am also glad these women were all offered birth control upon leaving.

On another note I discovered that the baby loves the Sex Pistols-especially the anarchy song. He gets a real kick out it. He loves bouncing around in his booster seat eating and listening to music. Other favs include: "happy birthday", and "frosty the snowman" with his big brother. The big guy currently forces us to listen to Feliz Navidad by El Vez while running around singing it at the top of his lungs. I wish the christmas cds would get put away already!

That is about it, oh except that I miss my best friend and wish she could be here for her 40th birthday with all her east coast buddies!

Letters I never wrote

For years especially as a child I dictated letters in my head to people who really did something that meant a lot to me. Writers who I loved, musicians, artists,etc. I never actually sat down and wrote these thank you notes, but I meant to. As a child I was filled with this great sense of wonderment over certain things other people did and I wanted to thank them for it. I have always regretted not writing these letters.

Today, while driving in my car alone I was spacing out and I realized I was actually writing a letter in my head to someone I wanted to thank. I lamented the fact that I would never have the time to sit and actually write the letter and I realized. "Dummy! you have a blog, you don't have to write it and mail it out." (I am a lazy procrastinator that way.) "All you have to do is write it on your blog, send the link to whomever and the letter is done!" So there you have it, on days I am writing letters in my head of thanks. (or the occasional letter for anger) I will simply post here.

My first letter I would like to dedicate to Mr. Willie Nelson.


Dear Mr. Willie Nelson,


I am sure you hear this a lot, but I thought it was important for me to write to you. Your latest cd Songbird is so absolutely wonderful. It has moved me to tears many times over. Tears of joy.

I cannot stop listening to it. For a month straight I think I have listened to it everyday. The title song is my favorite. I think I listen to it at least 3-5 times per day. I can't stop. Hearing it, I fall in love with my husband all over again. Thank you a million times over for this beautiful song. Thank you for all the music you have played over the years.

Love,

Roberta

Surprise! I really love work...

It is true, I really love being back at work. What I don't love is a miscommunication between myself and my supervisor at my new job. They are big ones too.

1. if I work a Sat. I thought I would get a day off, not true-Sat. hours are from 10-2 I still have to work half a day on Friday and get the rest of the day off. This is sort of ok, but not what I thought I signed up for. I prefer full day Saturday, with another whole day during the week off.

2. I have to work one night a week from 11-9pm. There are major daycare issues here. I have to now find someone to pick the kids up from 6pm until my husband gets home at 6:45. This blows. It is bad enough they are in daycare all day long, now I won't get to see them when I get home. (They are supposed to be in bed by 8:30-9pm)

I dunno what to do here. I really want to work for planned parenthood, I like my immediate supervisor a lot, but I am not thrilled with all this info that I didn't know I was signing on for. I
really don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

1, 2, 3 YOU'RE OUT!

So hopefully Planned Parenthood is down with Momsrising.org and they aren't going to fire me for missing a day of work in my first week there. They just eliminated their archaic policy of 6 months and no vacation or sick leave down to 3 months so no pay today.

Holy crap things went from bad to worse. Not to mention the daycares three strikes and your out policy-that is to say three diarrhea diapers and momma gets a phone call. My kids been pooping out the wet stuff about 5 times per day, each one requiring a change of clothing. That new huggies leak lock just doesn't lock his technicolor stank in! My husband had to go to work today - he has been taking care of the kids since Monday. The plan was for us both to go to work today and my sons to go to "school". Suddenly last night my oldest developed an asthma like response to the cold air and I was up all night with him/listening/watching/praying. I stayed home to take him to the Dr. get a nebulizer treatment and bring the damn thing home to start round the clock albuterol treatments. (He thought that meant "treat" not treatment so at first he was psyched than he screamed than I caved and gave in to m&m's post nebulizer...) Thankfully he is doing much better but, the baby just keeps poopin'!

Luckily my mom is coming tomorrow to watch my 3yr old and I am dosing my baby with his iron vitamins tonight and tomorrow to keep the three strikes and your out policy down to a possible 1 giant explosion. (Iron is a well known constipator) I know that sounds kind of cruel, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I can't ask my mom to watch the two of them! I need to find a babysitter. Anyone out there know how to find a reliable babysitter besides hiring a potential serial killer from craigs list?

drowning in puke and poop

So, I go back to work and what happens? The shit hits the fan - literally. The baby just stopped puking-projectile vomiting really on Sunday-when his brother decides it is his turn to start on Monday. The baby in sympathy really (I am guessing here) starts back up w/ the projectile puke. Suddenly I am running to the bathroom. I am cold, cramping -oh yes of course I am getting my period on top of everything else. The next morning-Tuesday I am supposed to go to work. I drag myself out of bed, shower and start getting ready realizing that I now hear my husband vomiting in the bathroom next to me.

Some people have parties, some go to music festivals we have puke festivals. I had to leave work early (only my second day) to come home and take care of my kids, because my husband could barely move. He is on the couch now moaning to god something about the "kiss of death" which really is his breath if you think about it. Oh roto virus why can't they find a cure for you???

Too bad I can't just "Shake my moneymaker..."

Wishing I could just Shake My Money Maker

Soon my life will be catapulted back into the working world. I am thankful for the time I have spent with my family-but sad that it must end so soon. I hope I can survive the chaos that will come starting Monday am. I am trying hard to organize the family so that things won't be to hectic. I hope soon I won't be treading water in day to day life, not realizing that I am just an inch away from drowning.

I hope that this break will give me the insight I need to keep myself and my family afloat. I hope that soon I won't be viewing life as if I am about to be swept out to sea, but instead full of constant joy, expressions of love and utter happiness. What more could I ask for? As my children teach me to smile more, and as my husband continues to grin at my silly/sick humor-I can only hope that there will always be a sense of joy in my heart.

I can't forget to thank Elmore James for this inspirational song...
Elmore James, Shake Your Money Maker

15 minutes to post

I went for a beautiful hike in Harriman State Park today. It was gorgeous. The woods were lit up by sunlight. Because of all the rain we are getting it almost smelled like spring. The streams and brooks were full and running softly over the rocks. I went alone, which was great. I wasn't scared and felt terrific pressing my hands up against some ancient silver birch trees and watching the skies for bird life. What a pleasant surprise 50 degree weather in January. I am so glad I live close to the park, it was one of the reasons I agreed to move up here. (It certainly wasn't for our lovely strip mall....)

Time to go soon, gotta get the kids, make dinner, finish laundry-what is up with laundry does it ever end? and .... anything else? not sure I am not sure. oh, go to the library and return the fabulous Maurice Sendak book- In the Night Kitchen. My son loves to point out that Mikey is naked and say-"mommy, that's his tushaay" He pronounces tush like he is from the south. He loves the book so much he has it practically memorized. We also had to pick him up his own copy. So many thanks to you Mr. Sendak for your lovely writing. I grew up on his books and plan to give my boys the same enjoyment.

working mamma blues

I am getting ready to go back to work....sigh. January 8th is my official return to the workforce date. While I am very excited I am also sad. My 3 yr old said to me "mommy I have a secret...I don't want you to go back to work, I will miss you." I almost cried. I explained to him that I have to work and that it is important. Still, I wish I didn't have to work so much. At least now my commute will only be 15 min. from home and about the same from the daycare. I think it will be an ok adjustment.

That being said I am now scrambling to finish all the things I need to get done before I get back to work:
1. put the pictures of the baby in his photo album-first 15 months of life
2. put family pictures from the past 17months in a photo album
3. order the above pictures from kodak
4. get the letter written for the book I wrote
5. pick a publisher for the book I wrote
6. print out the book I wrote and send it to a publisher
7. have lots of sex before I am too exhausted from working

I wrote a children's book that I am really excited about, but that I haven't had the chance to finish up and send out. I really want to do this because ever since I was a kid all I ever wanted to do was write a book (besides being the first female president of the US, a marine biologist and a nature photographer for national geographic...)

Tomorrow we are going to the American Museum of National History in NYC. So that means I have wed, thurs, and friday to get all the above done before I become workforce woman all over again.