Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Things I find annoying today

As I sit here catching up on Grays Anatomy and half-assly doing laundry I think about all the stupid things that annoy me. The things that annoy me today, right now. So, I decided I'd create a little list about them. Its another way of procrastination....I guess. So here goes:

*Laundry: it piles up EVERY DAY and sits and waits for me (or occasionally my husband). Now, a day like today its all piled up, there are 3 baskets of clean clothes and 3 loads of dirty clothes.

*Lack of time: I would love to have enough time in my day to accomplish everything I want to, including catching up on my evening shows, reading the book that Ive been trying to finish for the last 2 weeks, surfing the Internet, catching up on my facebook (i know, important things), go to the grocery store, keep the house cleaned, and still have time for a NAP.

*Having, or shall I say keeping a house clean longer than 30 minutes. I swear, I sweep and mop, and vacuum, and no sooner than 30 minutes (at times less), you cant even tell it was even picked up or mopped. If its not Jacks toys, then its the shedding dog hair, or better yet, a diaper that the dog got a hold of and shreds to pieces.

*Thats another thing. The dog thinking that any diaper is fair game. He took the one that I took off of Jack prior to his bath which was still in the bathroom. He takes it and tears it apart. All those tiny liquid absorbing beads are all over the floor....and he does it on the rug, so its back to cleaning.

*Dinner: Do I really have time to plan dinner when Im doing this?? No. I suck at planning dinner anyway.

Now that Jack is awake, thats all the time I have for this post. Ill now go upstairs and rescue my adorable boy from his napping post and we will come downstairs, Ill throw on some toons for him so I can try to figure out what to make for dinner...we'll quickly head to the grocery store and get the necessities for tonight, come home and before you know it bedtime will have arrived. What did I accomplish?? I got 3 loads in the washer, not one item folded (including the three baskets that were already waiting for me), I did watch Greys Anatomy, and posted a short blog. The End.

Now I will

Monday, January 26, 2009

Airplane travel...ALONE WITH A TODDLER

Recently I went to Chicago to help my sister try and find a wedding dress (no decisions at this time). However, seeing as how Craig has to work, and my parents were driving to Chicago, I decided it would be a good idea to bring Jack. Hell, Jack is a freebie! Until he turns 2 he can ride along as a lap child! AWESOME!! Do you think I thought ahead when I booked my trip as to how big (or small I should say) my lap would be during travel?? Well, I did...but only AFTER I purchased my plane tix for me and a lap child. And then, I stressed about it a little, then decided we would both suffer b/c I was not forking over full price for a plane ride.

The flights were FULL...I mean FULL. I'm sure the passengers on the Boeing 757 were cringing as I lugged a 22 month old in my arms, my purse and a duffel bag (the child's necessities for flying, you know, snacks, books, crayons). I cautiously slid by each occupied isle seat trying not to hit the people with my loaded arms. Every once in a while I would have to apologize for either Jacks leg brushing some strangers head or my bag hitting someone. You should have seen the look on the faces of the people I had to interrupt from their peaceful pre-flight nap, "Excuse me, we have the seat over there (nodding to the window). They looked horrified. Little did they know, I felt horrified!! Thinking to myself 'oh god, what have I done!! I'm on a plane in the window seat for HOURS and I don't even have much of a lap for my "lap child" sorry everyone!'

Jack did GREAT! I couldn't believe it. At least we had a window seat so he was occupied with the other planes and trucks outside...and the sky and the clouds. I was so glad. At the end of the last flight back to Portland a woman behind us commented "Your baby (toddler lady!) did so well, I cant believe it. What a cutie!" I was the proudest mama at that moment. YES!!, I thought to myself. I couldn't believe it either...Jack was up for 10 hours b/c he wouldn't nap on the plane - do you blame him?? The poor kid was sandwiched in between a window, his moms growing belly and the seat in front of him. Thank you Jack for making the plane ride not a nightmare. I don't even want to imagine how it could have been. Well all you people out there who shun us solo flyers with lap children...you ll be glad to know this was Jacks LAST flight as a lap child. Mama and Daddy better start saving up!!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Money, Money, MONEY

Money is a great thing, dont ya think?? All the wonderful things you can get with it, like designer bags, clothes, treated like a first class superstar depending on where you shop?? Just when they think you have money to spend, how it changes they way you are treated. Reminds me of Pretty Woman. Its so true.

Ive been working a ton lately and know where all my glamorous money is going?? Towards student loans. Did they tell us when we signed up for an education that in addition to GETTING an education that we would be paying for it for an eternity?? I dont remember seeing that in the fine print....but then again, I never looked at the fine print. I was just eager to get the extra money that the government gave me that went over my loans. MONEY to spend!! That is what it was at the time. Now its a ball and chain. A teather on my leg. When is the day going to come?? I already have a list of things I want...and no, they arent designer clothes, bags, etc. It would be nice, but on my list is: a new car and a new house, neither of them being "new" but an upgrade, if you will. Oh, and a dream vacation to France, Greece, Germany, Ireland, South America, the Tropics. One day....when those student loans are gone. One day. And then Im sure there will be something else that takes the place of those things....there always is.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

One Month Post Diabetes

Some of you have been wanting an update on the new challenge of having a toddler with diabetes. I have to say, Jack is doing wonderful. He gets (at least I think) that he has to be poked before each meal. He at times willingly gives up a finger or a toe. He still fights it at times, but nothing like the first 2 weeks. He also is doing great with the shots. He gets at least 5 sugar check pokes a day and 4 insulin shots a day. He has even "helped" with the shot on ONE occasion, by pulling a flap of skin away from his belly....only ONCE has he done this, but I was still impressed. Lately he has NOT been into the shots. But then last night while he was in the bath, his poor lil chubby arms have bruises all over the backs of them!! Cant blame him. Ok, so that sounds worse than it is....maybe Im just getting used to it...its like 3 bruises on each arm...and bruises on his legs. Ok, so its not over exagerating. His poor skin has all these bruises. Life must go on, and go on it will...just with lots of small bruises.
We were thinking that we were going to be able to do away with the 2:00 AM check b/c his sugars were looking good....but then 3 nights in a row he was low and we had to wake him up and give him juice/snack. After that, we knew we would still be setting the alarm for 2AM for a bit longer. We had a week where his sugars were perfact...but then they are all over the map again, highs and lows, but not as high as they originally were. He had his lowest hes had the other day...and the thing that just gets me is that he is NOT symptomatic!! That part is frusturating.
We are still learning how to do food. For a while, it seems that Jack, and us, were/are eating very UNhealthy. Ironic that foods low in carbs are high in fat. Weve got to find some other low fat low carb options, its just taking a while. Its a challenge when we go out to dinner or even when we are not at our house for dinner. He gets so distracted and wont eat...but he HAS to b/c weve already given him his shot! We have a NEW "juice" which is the crystal light on the go type powders. The only bummer is that if he were to ever ask anyone else for juice, thats what he would get....juice. The only bummer with these drinks is that they stain with the artificial coloring, but hey, at least he has something flavorful to drink. Its hard for me though b/c Ive been anti-artificial sweetners, and now, thats what I key in for at the grocery store. Sugar free jello, low sugar oatmeal, etc.
So, things are still pretty new with this whole thing, but we are getting the hang of it. I havent been to the gym since then b/c I was afraid to leave him in the gym daycare...do they really know what to do?? And at my gym, at times there are so many kids....woud they be able to watch him?? So, the gym is waiting for me for now.
So there you have it...an update on the diabetes scenario....I think its going pretty good...even though I still dont want him to have it.

Burning down the house

Today Im at work and I get a call from the house husband...thats what hes been the last 2.5 weeks during Christmas break. He thanks me so kindly for a gift I left. The conversation goes somethinig like this:
Craig: Hey, I wanted to thank you for lighting the candle for me before you went to work...laughing (the candle that we JUST had the conversation the night before about how it makes his allergies/asthma trigger)
Me: (laughing) Oh, your welcome. Actually, I noticed it this morning when I went to get my coat. It was on all night!
C: I figured it was left burning all night. Why didnt you blow it out this morning?
Me: I was grabbing my coat from the closet and was running late and didnt have time.
C: You mean, you didnt have time to stop and "poof" blow out the candle?? So our house could have burned down because you didnt have time to blow it out? (laugh)
Me: Well, I figured the house hadnt burned down all night (laugh)
C: I think I need to take that book away from you, youve been reading it too long (Small Sacrifices - about a woman who attempted to kill her kids to be with a man. True story that happened in Oregon)

So, when I got home, my book was still waiting for me by the bed. Actually, Craig probably now wishes the house had burned down....its snowing again. Tomorrow was/is going to be his first day back after a long 2.5 weeks off....he is SO ready to go back to work...I was joking the first day back might be a snow day!!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Let it snow, let it snow, let it STOP


Normally I LOVE snow. Hell, I miss the snow, miss the crunch, crunch under your feet, the scarfs to add as an accessory for those winter days, the sight of the whiteness outside and the warmth of the inside with hot coco or other cocktails to keep warm. NOW, let me just say that the Pacific NW is NOT equip for these conditions. We had an "Artic Blast" and had TONS (for Portland) of snow. It was awsome....for the first day, two days...but this city shuts down!! No one can drive in it, even with their studded tires and chains. Its hilly, but besides that, I think these PNWerners just dont know how to navigate in these conditions. As I said, this CITY cant deal. Eventually the main roads were in OK condition...but the side streets, you were lucky if you could GET to the main roads!! No plows, NONE. This meant no cars could go through the streets.....this meant no mail..for 5 days! The trash/recycling trucks didnt even come and pick up...so now we have 2 weeks of garbage piling up!! And it also meant no UPS/FedEx for Christmas. We just had a package arrive and another that still hasnt arrived. Think of all the kids...were they wondering what they had done to be a "naughty" kid since Santa didnt deliver?? How do the parents explain that one?? (Ok, so I know thats not what Christmas is about, but it happened). Stores were closed. Even if you could make it to the mall, some of the stores were closed b/c the workers couldnt get there. I even ran into a bus, a big public transist bus that was stalled out and sat all night in the middle of a road (not a side road, but not a main road) all night b/c it was stuck.

All the snow melted and I never thought I'd be happy to see the rain of the NW, but I was. Then, today I got up to go to work, and what is this?? More snow on the ground?? Could it really be?? I would still love it, if the city could plow the streets and make it usable, but since they cant, I now realize that snow is...maybe not such a good thing in this city. Luckly for us, it already melted by the time I was off work. Oh, I do miss the snow, but I guess we will just have to venture up to the mountain to play in it, b/c they do own snow plows for the roads there.

What a new perspective.