Need a new name

Nothing cuter....

2008-02-27T09:42:00.002-05:00

There is nothing cuter than, when you go into your son's room to kiss him good night after coming home from school and he just so happens to be awake still, he looks up at you with those big brown eyes and says "Happy Birthday Mama!"

Never stops....

2007-07-27T00:37:00.000-04:00

I never stop. From the time that I get up in the morning, until the time I go to bed, I never stop. I was thinking about not doing anything today, but I couldn't fathom sitting around when there is stuff to be done. There is always stuff to be done. I feel like I have more work to do now that I don't work during the day! I am not in the least complaining though. I have a great time with my son every single day. Even if I have things to be done I still find time to play with him.

Work is going well. My co-worker quit today, which means that I guess I'll have to be responsible now. I liked not having any worrys or dealing with any managers. Just do my job and be out of there. Plus the new person will need me to tell them how to do things, so I'll need to know more for that. I really hope the new person is cool, because I'm going to have to spend 7 hours a night alone with that person.

Today is my anniversary. 5 years. We are going out to dinner. I'm the romantic one I guess. I will be planning the dinner. On our first anniversary I said to him that I'll plan the first one, he can plan the next and so on. We'll alternate. That worked out well considering I've planned the last 5 years. Grammy is babysitting over night. Probably the first time we've spent time together in a while and I plan to rest. Rest, eat and drink! Maybe I'll send myself some roses. That'll be sweet of me!

Wimbledon 2007

2007-07-06T00:03:00.000-04:00

Can't figure out the video uploading just yet, but turn up the volume for this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8DhLkOpF0I

2007-06-26T00:16:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile and I've got nothing. Didn't want my blog to collect any more dust than it already has. I will say that the wedding was amazing. I cried about 8 times all day! They couldn't of been happier. Work is good. Money is better. We have been so busy all month and I haven't felt inspired to write.

I will say that Quinn is calling me Rach and not mommy. That's funny.

Wedding day jitters

2007-05-31T23:38:00.001-04:00

Not for the bride and groom either. For me. This is a time when my oh so lovingly disfunctional family all comes together as one, and if my uncle ruins my brother's day with "memories" of my father, then I will have to kick him in the nuts.

Not that memories of my father are at all bad. It is just that he finds the WORST times to start talking about them. I'm sure my brother(s) are both sad that their father couldn't see this, but let's not dwell on it.

This weekend will be extremely fun and busy! Tomorrow is set up day at the reception hall, and then the rehersal later that night. I have to pick up hubby's suit, my dress, and several boxes of kleenex for me....then all will be done.

I can't believe my baby brother is getting married. Dear brother: I love you very much. You have always been so tough in all that has happened in your life. You keep a smile on your face and a positive attitude through it all, all while trying to make sure that everyone else does the same. I am so happy that you found a wonderful woman that you can spend the rest of your life with. Love always, Sissy!

Slowly Recovering.

2007-05-30T09:40:00.000-04:00

I am slowly getting used to the fact that my niece will have my favorite baby name. Soon to get over it I'm sure. There are other names out there, right?

I mentioned briefly that I loved my new job. I do. It is such an easy job and I was trained before my first day was over. I start my schedule tonight, working 3:30 to 11. Plus this is a job where I'll be able to get my homework done while I'm there. Leaving even more free time for the fam!

My baby brother's wedding is this Saturday! My dress is in the shop getting "taken in". Which means from the time I tried it on, until the time I brought it home, I lost weight. That was a good thing! Quinn's tux is hanging up and ready to go. I found black socks for him at Old Navy after searching three stores. He is getting his hair cut today. We'll see if he sits by himself this time.

To be titled, WTF?

2007-05-26T23:11:00.000-04:00

Remember that good old post about my friend stealing my baby name. Did I mention that she didn't use the name?

I see her on the 16th at Target in the parking lot. We are just shooting the shit, when she says, "oh by the way we are naming her Emma". Thanks for getting me all worked up for nothing.

She had the baby on the 17th and named her Emma. Congrats to her.

Fast forward to tonight. I'm at this family party, and all is fine until my husband's sister nudges me and says, "Did you see that thing that she (meaning sis in law) made?" I said no, and take a peek.

The name that seems to be so popular amongst my closest friends and apparently family members is on that plate craft thingy she made. "Avary Caite". Bitch. Now they have been keeping the sex of the baby a secret and have not spoken of any names yet. Now I see why.

Are you friggin kidding me? I've loved the name Averie since I was 10. There I said it. Now the whole fuckin world can have it. And that's how I would of spelled it, and her middle name was to be Michelle.

So take it. It's up for grabs now.

BTW I started the job on Monday. Love it. It is perfect for me right now.

2007-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

So the buzz on the street is I got a new job. I am excited to start next Monday. Full time training for one week then on to the part time hours that I love so much.

I'll explain how it happened, and then you will see how keeping your mouth shut will not open doors.

About 3 weeks ago I called my manager over and asked him if I can move locations to be, what they call, a point caller. A point caller is a person who leaves messages all day (which is what I felt like I was doing anyways). I asked if they made more money an hour. He wasn't sure, but I was able to run and talk to HR about this if I would like. I go to the payroll window, where she tells me to call HR on the phone right next to the window. HR tells me that I will need my managers permission to switch locations. Which is who sent me over here to talk to YOU. Needless to say, I didn't get anywhere.

I come back to my desk and this girl next to me whispers, "psst, are you thinking about leaving?" I whisper back that I have been looking and nothing I find is right for the hours I need. She whispers back that there is an opening at the help desk and I should check it out.

I did. Turns out they need a night person (perfect!!!!) and the only sacrifice I would be making is if I could work Sundays instead of Saturdays. To top it off I wouldn't have to work Friday anymore either.

Two weeks go by, and paperwork is filled out and given to the proper managers. Word was given to the managers by my new fellow coworker that he knew who I was and they should hire me!

They call me into the office last Friday for my interview. I get a call this past Tuesday and I'm on my way.

The best part? I not only get to keep all of the same hours, but I don't have to make calls anymore, and it pays more per hour plus automatic bonuses!!!!

2007-05-17T11:38:00.000-04:00

He has a million of these.....

......Yet he can play in this for hours.

Beautiful week

2007-05-09T14:47:00.000-04:00

Hopefully I'll be getting a new position within the same company I'm in now. Same hours! More on that.

The weather is beautiful and I feel like I'm on vacation everyday.

LOVE IT!

updates!

2007-05-03T23:59:00.000-04:00

Update on the job: still no such luck. I'm trying to get a different position in the place I'm at, hopefully making more money and keeping the same hours.

Update on the poopie on the potty: not very successful this week. I do remind him when he goes in his diaper, now where do we go poopie? On the potty!

New news.....

Every day since last week, EVERY five minutes, Quinn says "whatcha doing mama?"

He has to take roll call too. Every time I am out of the room he has to look for me.

He also is soooo smart might I add (again). I sometimes ask him what is under his arm and when he lifts it to check, I give him a little tickle. Today, I asked him what was under there and he didn't lift his arm. He just looked and me and said "Skin".

Thank you Elmo's world for educating my son!

Lots of stuff!

2007-04-24T09:47:00.000-04:00

I have lots of things to write about today:

A fish that won't die. She has been floating around her tank for days now, upside down and just keeps hanging on. I thought for sure she'd be gone this morning, but she is still breathing. I'm trying to put her out of her misery, but she keeps staying near the bottom.

An interview today. Another one. Hopefully all goes well. I'm at my wits end with the current job I have and so need to get out. I can't stand leaving hundreds of messages a night anymore. This is just not for me! I need a fun job!

Best of all, Quinn went poopie on the potty for the first time yesterday. I put him down for a nap and he said, "Potty mama". At first I thought it was just an excuse to get out of bed, but then I gave in and put him on it. I let he be and left the room. I came back a few minutes later and "plop", I heard a noise in the toilet. There it was, his first poopie in the big toilet. (Never mind that baby toilet I bought for him) Guess he just needed some privacy. Just like a man.

and last but not least....

MY NEPHEW!!! Only 2 more months!

What a GREAT weekend

2007-04-15T20:55:00.000-04:00

Sarcastically speaking of course. Things that happened this weekend:

I had to work Saturday morning, which has been making the weekend stink already.
I had to pay the mortgage today, leaving the bank account at $1.65.
Hubby stayed out until 4 in the morning again last night, leaving him completely attached to my couch ALL DAY LONG.
Found out my best friend is naming her baby the name I had choosen for my baby girl someday.
Got about 3 hours of sleep.
Plans got cancelled today.

Turned in a few more applications today so hopefully will hear from one of them. I will probably be fired by the end of the month for not making my quota.

Who knew life would be this wonderful.

Shhh....don't wake him.

2007-04-11T13:40:00.000-04:00

It happened. It finally happened. People said it would just majically happen and it did, out of nowhere he's want to fall asleep in his bed. All on his own. No more of this.

He has been napping again (on and off) for about 2 weeks now. I love that he hasn't totally given them up yet. I'm not ready for that. He's crazy on no sleep.

So let me share with you my secret of sleeping in the big bed...ELMOSAVESTHEDAYAGAIN!

Here, lay with Elmo, it'll be ok.....and it is!

PS: Hubby got the long awaited notice for the potential job interview. He will be selected at random for an interview....at least this is one step in the right direction. Cross your fingers that he gets called soon!

A horrible interviewer and a crazy messed up eyeball...

2007-04-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

I had my interview yesterday. Which took a new record in interviews, lasting all of seven minutes. It was supposed to be at two with Kathy. I show up and Kathy is still on vacation, and Don is not there, he was the one who told me to be there at two. I'll have to talk to Carlos. Well Carlos interviewed me by asking me only one question: "So, Tell me about yourself". I pretty much restate everything that he has written in front of him. He thought about that for a second, then asked me two more questions regarding the restaurant I worked at for about 9 months. Then he took a glance at the hours I wanted to work, was disappointed that I could not work on Sunday, then told me he'd have his GM give me a call. Um, yeah, thanks Carlos. Not a career here.

Then I have this funky red eye and it isn't pink eye like I originally thought. I bought these stupid blue contacts and I think that it is an abrasion from that. I have to live through wearing my glasses and the "Oh my god, what happened to your eye?" comments. I had a hell of a time trying to get someone to write a prescription for me for eye drops. I have been using my son's eye drops from the time he had conjunctivitis in both eyes, and it isn't strong enough for me. I call the eye doctor and there isn't an opthamalogist there today. I call my regular doctor and if I couldn't be seen by the eye doctor, then being a contact lens wearer, I should probably go to the ER. I decided to try the eye doctor one more time and they finally gave me a number to call for the other location with an opthamalogist on schedule today who wrote me a prescription. Going to pick it up now!!!

WICKED pink eye...

2007-04-05T09:01:00.000-04:00

I have some serious pink eye in my right eye. Just recently I decided to look around for a waitress job and Sunday I got an opportunity for an interview at a local restaurant. It is today and I have pink eye. I don't mind wearing my glasses to the interview, I just don't want this lady to think that I'm high or something. If I shake her hand then tell her I have pink eye will she think she will get it? Or do I avoid shaking her hand to protect her from any germs I might be carrying and not tell her, so she can take total offense to me not shaking her hand? I hope it clears up by 2pm today.

Potty training: day 1

2007-04-03T10:19:00.000-04:00

I did a lot of research on this subject, both online and through other mothers, and the best advice was to just switch him to big boy undies, and he'll wet his pants. Most likely he will not like the wetness and choose the potty. Don't worry, he should be using the potty in about 3 days tops.

Last week I went to the store and bought him big boy undies with Diego on them, plus a bag of pull ups for the trips out of the house. I figured that this week from Tuesday to Thursday (3 days) I would spend dedicated only to potty training. This morning I took off the overnight diaper and put the undies on him with a pair of pajama pants. We are on hour number 2 1/2 and he's been walking around with wet pants for about 1 1/2 hours. He doesn't care. He was excited about the undies, tells me no about the potty, and walks around with wet pants. I pictured this so much different in my mind.

After I wrote this, he went again in his already damp pants, only this time he made a mess on the hardwood floor. When I came in to check on him, he was sitting on the floor in his soaken wet pants, playing with his trucks. I cleaned up the little puddle, scooped him up, changed him and put him back in pull ups. Guess he is not interested in the potty just yet.

More about 2's (again)

2007-04-01T21:20:00.000-04:00

Let us recap: first he ditches the naps (once in a while he has been taking one) and says "hey ma" to me since he's been two. Now his stuffed animals have come to life. Doggie knocks all of the books off the shelf and Elmo knocks all of the DVD's off of the shelf. Then he yells at said toy, "Doggie, NO" or "Elmo, NO". They have also been enjoying meals with us.

Quinn has news...

2007-03-21T22:37:00.000-04:00

We went to my brother and fiance's sonogram today. Quinn learned what his new cousin will be. This was our conversation on the way home.

Me: "Quinn, what is Uncle Jake having?"
Quinn: "Baby"
Me: "What kind of baby?"
Quinn: "Red"
Me: "Red?"
Quinn: "No"
Me: "So, what kind of baby?"
Quinn: "Baby boy!"

More about 2's

2007-03-21T22:36:00.000-04:00

-Still no napping.
-He says "Hey ma"

Protesting

2007-03-19T13:50:00.000-04:00

My son is on strike. No nap he says and he hasn't taken one since Friday. He has been sleeping 13 hours a night to make up for it. I can't have that happen. It is during those times when I do homework, clean the house, make dinner for the nights I work, etc.

Renaming the classics...

2007-03-11T20:50:00.000-04:00

Quinn has been working long and hard for new names for these classic kid songs. Let me run them by you, hey you'll never know if they'll catch on.

Old Name: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
New Name: Row Boat? (must sound like a question when you say this new title)

Old Name: Ring Around the Rosey
New Name: Rosey Pocket (See how clever? Who knew picking two words out of the song would make a great title)

Old Name: This Little Piggie...
New Name: Piggie Market (Again two words from the song...so clever!)

2007-03-08T00:08:00.000-05:00

Birthdays are over, so it is back to the regular boring everyday life...well not all that boring. I am chasing around a two year old.

Work is getting better. I think once they realize you are not completely brainless and possibly in for the long haul, they start to give you better accounts to call. I made $1300 today, which will up my fees about $700, which is desperatly needed to make my first bonus. We will definately need the money!

Hubby decided to quit smoking. He is on his 48th hour and doing great. Without any help either. No gum, no patches...just cold turkey. I'm happy he's doing it. Why with all the talk about baby number 2 and all (oops did I just give it away?) It is just talk for now but I told him I'm not interested in pushing a stroller and his oxygen tank at the same time. Maybe that gave him a little push. He is only 32 and has many years ahead of him so I agree that it is time for him to stop.

School: Well...I just finished accounting, but haven't gotten my grades back yet. I am assuming I did all right. She didn't teach much, but I did good on the tests and stuff. Now I'm taking Business writing which is more like a refresher course of high school English. Remember to double space and indent and APA and blah, blah, blah....I thought it was more about the construction of business letter, contract, legal documents...what have you. Not grading us on how well we write and did we spell check. So far every single class has been like that. I am expecting to learn new things, but it just seems to be a refresher of my associate or high school level classes. Is this normal? My leadership class was the worst because all the guy talked about was himself. What did I learn new there???

I keep meaning to write more, but when I do it just seems to be a big catch up. I'll try.

My baby is 2 today!

2007-03-04T21:42:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it? Two whole years have gone by so fast. He is an amazing little boy and is constantly learning new things. He is funny and animated, clumsy and athletic, a good singer (twinkle, twinkle and row, row, row your boat), he knows his abc's and can count to ten (and twenty with a few missing) and is polite and caring. He gives the best hugs and us a run for our money.

I'll never give it up...

Happy Birthday Baby boy!

30!

2007-02-27T22:12:00.000-05:00

I had a great day today! I don't work on Tuesdays so I had the entire day to spend with Quinn. When Jay came home we had dinner and then he surprised me with a cake that he bought. Him and Quinn sang to me!

The cake!

The best birthday EVER!

I did have school tonight and we got to leave early, so that was a great ending to the day.

So goodbye 20's, you'll be sadly missed but certainly not forgotten! We've had some great times. I'm excited to be 30! Look out here I come.....

Happy Birthday to Dan?

2007-02-25T15:59:00.000-05:00

Or so I was told! Surprise to me for the big 3-0! I love all you guys!

A collage that was made!

Me and my baby!

Me and Jason

Maria, Jake, Me, Aunt Robbie

Janine, Jackie, Me, Chris

When you want a little sugar kick....

2007-02-21T22:23:00.000-05:00

so you pour a glass of milk, then you go for the Oreos and there is only one left....DAMN IT!!!

When my sister-in-law asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I said I wanted a Dane Cook CD or DVD. This is the one she got me. Now I know that it is from 2003 and about 50 million people have it and have probably commented on it, but I want to remind you all that the DVD is four clips of the same bit....why? Why would you tempt us with hot and funny Dane and then give us the same jokes 4 times in a row????? Thank you for the CD though, that was good...

2007-02-20T15:46:00.000-05:00

So, hubby took the promotion. Things are going pretty good right now. The job offer fell through because supposedly the woman at the company said she didn't know what he was talking about. I'd rather him take the promotion anyhow and build experience on his resume.

Someone is still falling asleep on the floor. Hopefully not for much longer seeing as he'll be two in 2 weeks.

Work is work. I'm up for any part time job offers or ideas anyone may have, because I am out of them. I like my job, just am looking to make a little more money hourly!

2007-02-20T15:42:00.000-05:00

Seven days.

Countdown to two...

2007-02-07T23:39:00.000-05:00

Less than a month until the terrible twos. Actually they have already begun. Let me reinvent the meaning of terrible twos. It is not that he is bad. and it is not that he is doing things like throwing the spoon on the floor on purpose, or laughing as he climbs on the coffee table, or touching the computer countless times, or putting things in the toilet and flushing, or jumping on his bed, or climbing on my bed to turn on the fan or pushing the kitchen chairs around to get something off of the counter or playing with the microwave or trying to get himself a drink or turning the tv on and off over and over. It is because he does all of those things and doesn't stop when he hears the word "NO". He doesn't understand the meaning of the word. Remember when your parents asked you what part of no don't you understand? Well now you know why they were saying it and I must tell you that you didn't understand any part of the word either. He looks at me first before doing these things too. That devilish little smile that I should take a pic of to show him when his son is doing the same things someday.

Also countdown to 30.....20 days left! I need the following gift certificates please: massage, hair, nails (both toes and hands), New York and Co and Target (just cause). The rest are to reinvent myself.

2007-02-06T00:15:00.000-05:00

Why is being too skinny an obsession right now? Nicole Ritchie are you starving yourself, MaryKate gained a pound today....This girl at work told my manager that he was too skinny. He needed to put on some weight. Why does she care? Well because she was afraid he would blow away. She then proceeded to tell him how she bought a toddler bed and mattress today, and how it is a crib mattress that it was to light and blowing around in the wind. Comparison of a grown skinny man to a mattress...I wouldn't like to be compared to a mattress...

Speaking of work, I decided doing collections is alot like fishing. You wait, and wait, and wait, call after call until.....you get someone on the phone. Everyone comes running, get the net! Oops false alarm, that one got away. Then you wait, and you wait, and you leave countless messages. The internet is my fish finder. I thought of that tonight around the 125th message that I left today. I didn't catch one fish.

I like the job, it's funny really. It is not my career oh no....have to remind myself of that.

My career right now is being mommy and it's great. I thought that stay at home mom's had a club or something during the day. There is nothing in my community to do. It is sad really. If you are 65+ there are a million things to do, but to get your toddler out of the house forget it. He's too young for sports and too old for the swing, so what is he to do??? He is not bored believe me, but there are days when he is crawling the walls and I know he just needs to run and burn himself out.

25 days until 30

2007-02-02T22:59:00.000-05:00

and here is what my horoscope is for today (thanks to yahoo...):

Quickie:You have a lot going on in your life. Don't be distracted by other people's dramas.

Overview:Those pleasure-seeking standards of yours are sky-high right now. Fortunately, the stars help you reach them -- and even go beyond, should you so desire. Enough with character building. It's time to have fun!

I couldn't agree more!

2007-01-26T00:03:00.000-05:00

How is the potty training going? blah.
How is the new toddler bed thing going? Take a look for yourself....

We've tried everything. We just gave in and put all of his blankets on the floor where he demands to fall asleep. Later we move him and he stays in there all night. I don't get it, but I'm not wrestling him to go to bed. Take that super nanny.

Tuesday we had the worst weather and I had to drive downtown to get my paycheck that was four days overdue to me. Because of going to the hockey game Friday I wasn't able to get my check that night, so Saturday morning I asked for it and the manager said "oh they mail if if you don't pick it up by 5 o'clock Friday". Ok no problem, should get it Monday. Rush around Monday, just in case I get it, so I can go cash it and go shopping....at Tops, no choice, no time. NO CHECK....panicking here. I need gas and food. I go to work and ask another manager if he knows where my check is. Oh yeah they mail it but you should have asked when payroll was still here. Call tomorrow and see where it is. Tuesday I call in the morning and leave a message with payroll. They didn't call me back. I get the mail. Nothing. Call again. Yes it is in the office and I will come and get it. I had to drag the baby out in that crap just to get it, and off to Wegmans for shopping. Guess it was a blessing in disguise!

Last night I had a soap opera dream. My friend was kissing some 18 year old boy and later staged her death to fool her husband so she and boy could run away together. Days of Our Lives are you hiring?

Hubby got a raise yesterday and a promotion and another job offer (from another company). Good things flood in all at once. More on that.....

Much needed night out...

2007-01-20T14:36:00.000-05:00

Hubby and I went out last night to our first Sabres game of the season. Great game too against the Canucks. Ended in a shoot out and I'm sure I don't have to explain!

I switched my Friday night to Wednesday so I could go and I'm glad I did. We had a great. We even got yelled at for cheering for Buffalo, um by a Buffalo fan too. Drury scored with seconds left in regulation, we of course the the natural thing and jumped up with excitement. Well apparently the guy behind us was much to mature (old) and sofisticated (lazy) to get up and cheer for his team. "Oh sit down" he says. Um, go home and watch it on TV.

Was it me or did the jumbotron add 1,000,000 pounds to Nicholas Pickelous?

My sister-in-law and boyfriend made it on the kiss cam.

Today I had to work until 12 and came home to make lunch, an apple pie, and smooch baby! Going to a going away party tonight.

Down all week

2007-01-18T00:21:00.000-05:00

Not me the internet....thanks to some heavy static on my phone line that they keep telling me they have fixed. It was supposed to be fixed on Tuesday but thanks to the ice covering everything, they haven't done anything. I guess it isn't as bad tonight, seeing as I've been able to be online for more than a minute today.

How is the toddler bed working out you ask? Well he loves it because he can jump on and off of it and onto it and off of it, and all around on it. BUT he hates it because he actually has to sleep in this new thing that is so fun to jump on! Who would have thought that a 22 month old would be so clever in using excuses not to go to bed. He tells me things like, mama hug, where dada, watch tv (every other minute of the day he could care less about the thing), water, sleep on the floor, mama kiss...

He knows he can get out of it. It's been a wrestling match to keep him in it, but once he's out he stays in it all night.

I do have to say how cute he looks in it, all big boyish and stuff and it is really cute to hear him walk into my room every morning and wake me up!

bed, potty, and some other stuff.

2007-01-11T23:45:00.000-05:00

Bed is here. It came today to grammy's house. She will be here tomorrow with it! (Yeah, so, grammy bought it, you wish you had a grammy like that!) I will post a pic of him on the big boy bed, and hopefully the batteries will be charged for the camera.

Potty training is poopy, literally. Mostly for me too, not him. The first problem: he was an after breakfast pooper until all of a sudden I'm home with him during the day and want to start potty training and I know I could stick him on the potty right after a big morning meal. But noooooo, now he is a surprise pooper. At any given time of the day when he feels it coming on. No warning either. Before you know it he hides by the front door and comes out and says "poopie". Guess were not going on the potty today. Oh but flushing the poopie is so much fun. Bye bye poopie. The second problem: Me sitting him on the potty when I want him to poop. Of course he doesn't have to poop and there is still no warning of when he has to pee, so we just sit there, and sit there, and play with all of the bathroom toys. Elmo sits on the big potty with the seat down! Doesn't help. I'm thinking of pull ups? Maybe? So I can just whip his pants down and the first sign of a squint or grunt face...we'll see...

If anyone can tell me why 22 months=hating to be changed, I'd really appreciate it. If you were a neighbor or even in the next town, you may think that I was killing him. I'm not, I'm just changing a diaper or his clothes. There is vicious body flalling and screaming and kicking (me) and crying. Oh and don't forget the running out of the room between each and every single article of clothing if I let go of him for one second. Sock, run, sock, run, diaper, run, pants, run, shirt, run..usually to his hiding spot of up on the couch where of course no one will find him and when I do find him there is a huge screech and burying of his face as if to hide better.

This stay at home mom stuff is a breeze!

Big boy bed...

2007-01-07T18:33:00.000-05:00

Coming the 15th!

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!!

2007-01-05T00:07:00.000-05:00

And for real this time...not just through marriage, from which I have inherited many, many neices (and finally one nephew on the way, well maybe two, we haven't heard about the other pregnant sis in law yet).

Yes, my baby baby brother is going to be a daddy. I'm still numb to the news, happy oh yes, but it hasn't settled in yet. I mean he hasn't actually told me himself yet. But when he does I can assure you that there will be tears flowin'!

What a great daddy he will be and his bride to be (we do things a little different on the east side of Elma) is a very nice girl. He just bought a house so he should be nice and cozy there with his little family!

Aw, little family *sob*, I can't believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It happened part 2

2007-01-03T22:06:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I wrote this. That was the word I was dreading. Well the action that I have been dreading since Quinn learned how to climb into his crib, was the fact that someday he will crawl out of his crib.

Well that day was today!!! I heard him playing around in there this morning aroun 8:45 or so. I fell back asleep for a few minutes, when I woke to him saying (standing at the end of my bed looking up at me with his hair like this):

(waffles added later)

"I wake Mama". Now it is time for child proofed basement door, child proof refrigerator and dishwasher and possibly a big boy bed!

Dear Santa,

2006-12-27T13:45:00.000-05:00

Bring me all the presents you want.............Just don't make me pose with my parents!!!!
Love, Quinn

Moving on...

2006-12-20T19:02:00.000-05:00

Now that I have completely worn out the work topic, let's get back to the rest of my life.

(hold please for baby smooching and belly zurburts)

During that pause, I came to find smelly baby poop so it was an even longer pause for changing a diaper! Which, by the way, he still has to play with a toy during to keep from grabbing the peepee at any chance he gets. I grabbed the first thing I could find, and that was the nose sucker. Who knew it would be so much fun.

Let me say I have been completely intoxicated with time spent with my baby! He is so much fun and I'm having so much fun! It is so nice to be able to see him so much.

With all of this extra time I am all set for Christmas. Presents are wrapped (except one that Quinn decided to open) and cookies are made. I have never been this prepared for any holiday.

If it sounds like I am bragging I am....and lovin every minute baby!

Been awhile?

2006-12-18T22:08:00.000-05:00

Friday was my last day. It was a very emotional day for me. A lot of people said some very nice things to me. Management however, failed to give me a bonus and pretty much treated me like "Don't let the door hit you in the ass..." Ah well, I'll miss a lot of people. The girls had a going away party for me, and one of the girls got me a really pretty necklace. They had the upmost respect for my decision and made me cry. A few of the guys in the field even made me cry!

The rest of the weekend was spent Christmas shopping. We spent too much money!

Today was my first day at the new job. I think I'm going to like all of the incentives they offer. It is like having your own collection business, but working for someone else. You pretty much have to have a pulse to make a bonus too, so I think I'll do ok. I can really move up fast in there if I really set my mind to it. I just have to roll with the punches for now and act like the rest of the new comers! I had to sit through orientation today. I met this really cool girl and we had lunch and we had the most laidback conversation. No girly judging or feelings of insecurity for those few moments you start talking. Too bad she is not staying for a little while. She is a youth counselor and was laid off due to budget cuts. She had an interview today at 4. At least I had someone to talk to that was on the same page as me.

2006-12-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

I’m speechless about the weekend. I don’t even want to talk about how dysfunctional my dad’s side of the family is. I will say they threw a little surprise 30th birthday (Early, not until February 27th) on Sunday that was very nice. I usually only see them once a year, so they got me some birthday gifts now. I will also say that my 14 year old cousin sang all weekend. ALL weekend. Not good singing either. We didn’t want to discourage her, but come on it would maybe have been cute if she was five and didn’t know the words or the tune to what she was singing. She kept singing Hallelujah and really, really high pitched. The next thing was her 12 year old brother crying in hysterics when Jay jokingly threw him over his shoulder and threatened to throw him in the snow. He was being annoying and kept flicking Jay in the ear. So he told him one more time and I’ll throw you in the snow. He tried, but the kid acted like he was going to kill him and freaked out. He sat on the floor in the corner sobbing. Again, he’s 12. I’d hate to see how he acts after getting hit with the dodge ball at school.

Work is almost done. Friday is my last day.

My brother closes on his house today. My 22 year old brother! Good for him. He’s going right from mom’s to his own house. No renting!

Oh the guilt

2006-12-07T21:35:00.000-05:00

Not from me. I don't feel guilty for leaving. The guilt trips that everyone around me has been laying on me for the last 4 days. "Do you have to go?" "Won't you regret this?" I haven't heard one person say, "If I can make you part time will you stay?" Nope no fighting for me. I wouldn't stay, but at least I would feel like I made some sort of impact.

This weekend is the annual dad's side of the family weekend. I am actually excited to go this year! Maybe it is because they are coming around. This is our 4th Christmas without dad and they've all pretty much adjusted. Plus my aunt and uncle will be in from out of town and I've always had fun with them.

I wandered around Target tonight trying to find the perfect gift exchange gifts. I bought the 80's edition Trival Persuit and some old fashion popcorn popper thing.

I love to just sit back and watch Quinn. Tonight he did the funniest thing. We were eating dinner and his spiderman placemat was upside down. He took his plate and put it to the side. Then he moved his cup. He flipped the placemat over, put the stuff back on and went back to eating. I couldn't believe he actually noticed that.

No turning back now...

2006-12-04T12:17:00.000-05:00

I QUIT!! I QUIT!! I QUIT!! What a relief it is too. I feel like this huge weight has been lifted off my chest.

I was so friggin nervous and didn't know what to say. I've been playing the scenario over and over in my head and I had some great things to say, but once I did it, I was speechless. I did tell him that I am hoping for no bad feelings and that my decision was not swayed by some of my co-workers work behaviors. It is all about the babe and my choice to have more time with him. Which is 95% of the truth. The other 5% as you all know, had something to do with the co-workers.

I'm still a little concerned of the outcome. You know when you leave a job, the make it sound ten times better for the new person. That ten times that you've been looking for them to do for you for the past 3 years, that wasn't possible until now. All of a sudden. I'm sure the new person won't be answering the phones, like I've wanted not to do since I started and I'm sure the new person will be separated from the wack jobs like I've wanted to be for the last 3 years. I'm not bitter though. I get to stay home!!!! YEAH! and I can't wait to tell Quinn!

Decisions, decisions

2006-11-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

I got the job. I had the interview at 11 this morning. I was there promptly at 10:30, filled out the required paperwork, took a 10 question math test (if Sally owes $200 and makes a payment of $50 how much is left...), and went in for the interview.

It was a short session. 25 minutes. The commute will be about 20 minutes, and I'll be working Monday, Thursday, Friday from 3-10 and Saturday from 8-12. What is this mystery job? Collections. What do they pay? Not much to start. It just about evens out for us. My take home from my current job minus daycare costs, equals working 25 hours a week at a lower pay rate. This company is fast paced and fast growing so I think I'll be able to advance, plus they make commission.

With that being said, now it is time to say goodbye to the old place. I can hardly contain myself. I am a little nervous though.

I start on the 18th of December.

Got it baby!

2006-11-29T16:26:00.000-05:00

I got the interview!!

One of the biggest reasons (beside the obvious bitch fests that I’ve had lately) is because my work load is so light and I sit here most of the day doing nothing, while those that have a heavy work load sit there most of the day doing nothing. Hmm, how does that pan out anyways?

So the big boss is coming tomorrow to observe our department. Mark my words that those people that are “so busy” will be the ones running around like they just can’t handle the amount of work coming in. Ugh, they are so busy and overloaded and wow this is crazy how busy we are, and look at us how we are just making all of this happen and….I could go on. I hate it. I really can not wait for the show tomorrow. It's gonna be great! Maybe we'll pop some popcorn!!

I can’t wait for this interview tomorrow and to see what this place is like! The shift is 3 nights a week 3-11 and on Saturday from 8-12. Not bad. About 25 hours a week and very little day care! More time with my babe and less stress. Eventually when my kid(s)(plural for the future) are a little older, I can go back to full time and move around in that company. They have growth! They have potential! They have work to do, and I’m ready to do it! They also give incentives to the employees. Imagine that, bonuses for doing good work???!!!!

Keep your fingers crossed!

Over ate and over joyed...

2006-11-27T21:28:00.000-05:00

In between all of my endless ranting and raving about work I decided to have myself a good holiday and relax. I relaxed from Wednesday post work until today, pre work. Therefore I had a good, solid 4 days to eat and love my baby to pieces.

To sum it up there was on lot of goodies on Thursday, between gram's and the in-laws. Friday was a trip to Kelly's for a visit with Good Ole' Saint Nick. Warning to all mothers: despite your effort for your toddler to give a hoot about Santa, forget it as he will scream bloody murder. He will stop to check him out a few times during the countless laps he decides to run while waiting for this scary man with a white beard.

Saturday was visit the entire fam at the bowling alley night. Jay's cousin is leaving town, so they had a going away party for him there.

My favorite highlight about Sunday was that Quinn counted to ten. He skips nine, but ah well, it'll come. I was so proud of my scholar! I had group later that night and on the way was pulled over for running a red light...oops.

My other favorite highlight from the weekend was that Quinn learned how to drink from a straw! Good bye sippy cups...

My big news is that I am calling tomorrow to set up an interview at a credit company. I am hoping for this, so cross your fingers.

2006-11-22T09:46:00.000-05:00

See how quickly I bounce back from stuff. I'm just so sick of things being so cluttered in my life. I'm sick of bitching about it and people are sick of me bitching about it.

I have to make squash tomorrow for the big T-day! Going to grams. My aunt and cousin will be in from out of town so we get to spend some time with them. Then off to the in-laws for pie.

I had school last night. Things there are going ok. I just wish that they would talk more, but ah well, nothing you can do about that. It's been 2 1/2 months since I started and really no one has warmed up yet. In time. Maybe we all need some drinks to loosen things up. That is always a good ice breaker!

I've narrowed the part time opportunities for myself: collections is a sure thing. Not something that I've always dreamed of doing, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Unless I hear otherwise, that is pretty much the only option to make ok money during the night and on weekends. Working on that this weekend....that and fattening myself up a little too!

Try, Try again.

2006-11-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

I called that bank today and the position that was available was not what I was looking for at this time. Maybe in a few years. It was a sales position where I'd have be able to work days and well into the evenings.

I bought the newpaper yesterday and found a few potential part timers. We'll see what happens.

Quinn is in a copy cat phase. Yesterday he tried to copy every single word I was saying.

Me: "Jay"
Him: "Day"
Jay: "What?"
Me: "Do you know where..." (was interrupted)
Him: "da, da, da, ere...."
Jay: "What?"
Me: "Do you know where (laughing) his bag is?"
Him: "da, da, da, bag"

He also fell asleep in the cart at Wegman's. I had to take him out and carry him because he was in one of those carts with the seats attached to it and he was hanging by the straps. Here I was on the biggest food shopping day (UGH, rude people) carrying my baby and trying to push a cart with the other hand. He woke up right when we got to the car and never did go back to sleep.

Good news!

2006-11-18T21:41:00.000-05:00

I received a call from that bank that I talked about yesterday. I have to call back first thing Monday. I am assuming it is to set up an interview.

I had to reprint that project this morning. She wanted it on heavier stock paper so I was doing that most of the morning. She compensated me with another $40 for my trouble. That was very nice!

We went to my friend's house tonight and Quinn was able to play with her little girl. They were so cute together.

Off to do homework. Baby is in bed playing with Gloworm.

2006-11-17T14:20:00.000-05:00

I’ve been busy with this project. I’ve gotten over my insecurities about that lady. I was done with it around 5:30 last night and dropped it off to her at 5:45. I made $150.00. I think I may have broken the printing curse that I carried around during my graphic design stint. Every time I went to print, the printer was broken, the paper wasn’t right, the margins would be off or something so simple, just to throw off the print. No one seemed to have any solution for it either at school. I did just fine on my own.

I need to check myself. I have been so negative and such a bitch lately that I don’t even like myself anymore. I’m so unhappy with my choices that it is just seeping out of my soul and making me so not nice right now. I have nothing nice to say about much these days, so I just sit here and be quiet. I feel like I’m making everyone around me miserable too. Even the new people that I’ve met in the past month or so must think I’m some kind of nut bag. I hate this Rachele, whoever she is. The old Rachele was so nice and caring and trusting. This new Rachele, feels there is ulterior motive behind every nice gesture, compliment, or comment. I feel that I can’t trust many people, and I feel like I have no sensitivity toward anything. What is that? And why can’t I fix it?

Enough with the pity party. I was optimistic for one minute this week, when I got an email from a local bank’s HR department saying I met the profile of an account executive and asking to fill out a preliminary application. I really hope they call. A career move is the first thing I need to start feeling better about myself. Well actually it is probably the only thing I need to make me feel better. Everything else is not too shabby, but being miserable here is making me not enjoy the things that do make me happy.

customer satisfaction, 101

2006-11-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

I'm at 99.9% now. I still have this lingering cough that will not go away, even after taking all of the recommended over-the-counter cough remedies.

Today was the day that I had to present the rough draft of the project that I have been working on. I was 15 minutes early, looks good. Introduce myself. Meet the woman I'm doing this for. Say hi to the girl I know, that I have been working with.

I went to set up while they finished their lunch. I was a bit nervous, after all this is my first real customer. Not my family member or friend or anything.

They love it. Looks great. I was so excited about that. We narrowed everything down and make the final decisions. Ok we're done. Everyone is happy.

Then it happened. We were deciding on a deadline and I said it. "When do you want this by? Just so you know, Tuesday isn't good for me. I have work and then school, so I'll be gone from 7 am to 10 pm." and then she said it (half joking, half serious), "Well this isn't about you, haha". I don't know this woman well enough to think maybe she could be joking. Maybe she was, and I'm worrying about nothing. I tried to redeem myself by adding, "your right, I could meet you (girl I know) during my lunch or after work if you want it for Tuesday". She responded with, "no I think we could do it on Wednesday or Thursday". I felt like such a jackass. I know it sounds so minute, but I felt like I lost the presentation after that. Then I was even more nervous, so I started to pack my things and I put on my coat, with coffee stain and all.

I tried to pick up the pieces with a conversation about my kid (which is what I've turned into because I do not do much else, so he's all I have to talk about to these people). We did have a nice conversation, but I was nervous and swaying (because of having said kid I still sway like I'm holding him) and I thought I had a booger so I kept brushing my nose with my finger. I was mortified. Here are these women, all dressed to the nines and eating their pizza with a fork and a knife, and drinking wine with it and here I am looking like a coke addict who couldn't stand still and can't wash her coat.

I said, "Ok, I'll get out of your hair. We'll be in touch." and left with my tail between my legs!

At least they loved the work I did! That was the plus!!!!

Much better.

2006-11-07T13:33:00.000-05:00

I have not been right since last Tuesday. It started while I was at school. The fever, the aches, the chills, the pressure in my head. It went away Wednesday, but then came back that night but not as bad, Thursday night same thing. Friday night was the worst and I wound up in the fetal position in bed feeling like there were subzero temps in the room. Saturday was a little better but I was so sore physically. Both Saturday and Sunday I was waking up in pools of my own sweat (gross). Today is the first day in a week that I have actually felt almost 100%. I went to the doctor yesterday to make sure I wasn't terminally ill. Everything is fine. What ever I was fighting was viral. I can't just get something that is normal. I had flu symptoms and sinus pressure and the worst headache for 6 days straight. Nothing made sense. My body still feels like it was pretty beat up. Now I know that everything is fine and I'm pretty much over this viral thing, I think otherwise I am being affected by the stress. I need to take the responsibility level down a notch!

For those that know me, know that I am a huge hypochondriac, and of course diagnose myself on the internet all of the time, so I think I had some thing that ended in ...itosis and had 6 months to live. When I'm healthy though, I don't think that I have random diseases!

My school work suffered a little too. I'm going to see if I can email him my paper tomorrow, because my productivity level was at an all time low. Hopefully he'll understand. Back to the grindstone this week!

Late today...

2006-11-03T08:26:00.000-05:00

Couldn't find my keys this morning. Still can't. Luckily mom is at my house today (switched from here normal Thursday), so I'll have to see if I can find them on my lunch.

Pet peeve...

2006-11-02T12:40:00.000-05:00

People are so fucking nosy.

Adding to this post from yesterday.

Let me elaborate....I started my project that I had mentioned in my previous post during my lunch hour here at work. Normally eating lunch at my desk is a nightmare because they either A) think you are working or B) think you want to talk. There is only one reason for being at my desk and that is to use the computer.

So back to the project. I start the project by google(ing) pictures of diamonds. Well you wouldn't believe the comments made by on-lookers (or in other words, the nosy people).
What are you doing? Are you buying a diamond? How big is that diamond? Looking for a ring? How many carots do you think that is? That's a cool looking dimond? Wow, look at that thing?

This is the biggest thing that irritates me here. Get off my back!

2006-11-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting here listening to the sounds of twinkle twinkle little star coming from the gloworm (go-germ) and the sounds of Quinn kissing (mwah) and talking to it.

I haven't had a chance to write since I've been busy at work with some actual grown up projects that they let me handle. Today I had a presentation on the company website. I made an appointment to crash the department head meeting to show them the statistics. Yesterday I emailed one of the guys to make sure he has the projector and a laptop set up for the meeting. This morning he walks by me 5 minutes before I'm supposed to be in there and says "I guess you need this" while carrying the projector. "I emailed you yesterday, so you would be prepared." I guess people still don't take me very seriously even during my grown up projects.

I met with a wife of a co-worker today who I am puting together a mailer for. We went to the Olive Garden for a light business lunch. I'm looking forward to putting my graphic design training to use. I started off in graphic design at Villa, and at 4 months pregnant, switched to business. I have enough training and credits to do it on the side if I want to. I just have to invest in the software.

Highlights of the last 6 days:

1. Took Quinn to 2 halloween festivals. One at the market near my house, where he won a fishey. One at the Eastern Hills mall packed full of kids. We walked around for 2 hours, and all he got was 10 pieces of candy.

2. Monday fishey died. Bye bye fishey as he was flushed down the toilet. Later mom stopped by so we dressed Quinn up for the 3rd day in a row.

3. Tuesday dressed Quinn up again for school then later for trick or treating. He went with his daddy while mommy was at school.

4. School. New teacher, new class. Teacher clears his throat and grabs his crotch every 5 seconds. Great for concentration.

5. My cold I have been trying to get/fight/get has finally surfaced. Not full blown yet. I made an appointment with an ENT to find out why the sinuses are so ick.

6. Today was hubby's birthday.

7. Target the day after halloween = some crazy people.

8. Today I wondered while sitting at the chiropractor why people who have handicapped signs on their rearview mirrors, have extremely huge, high up vehicles. There is the woman getting out of her SUV, she's 4 feet tall with a 2 foot drop and another 2 feet of seat to avoid, yet she's handicapped.

Baby's halloween costume: a dragon, no a dinosaur, no an alligator....next year he is going to be something that everyone can easily identify.

2006-10-27T13:11:00.000-04:00

This is what the sky looked like this morning on my way to work. I had to grab some pics of it when I got here. I thought it looked pretty cool. Do you know what happens when things are out of the ordinary with the weather? This is what I hear on the radio this morning...

"Oh, a red sky.....Warning the world is coming to an end" - um, this will not happen only in Buffalo..

"Red sky morning, sailors warning..." - um, not to many sailors in Buffalo. Recreational yes, and only in the summer, but I think this saying was made back when people actually sailed for a living - on the ocean, catching fish, maybe with a patch on one eye....who knows.

Same thing when the snow hit two weeks ago...."power is out, trees are falling, death toll up to 3 now....THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END, OMG, QUICK LET'S SEEK SHELTER..." It was a rough couple weeks, that we are still trying to get through, and I'm not making light of the situation. But come on, again, the world will not end just in Buffalo.

There is something else that has been bugging me all week. Tuesday was the last class of this series, and our group had to present our interpretation of the American Dream. Our group puts a reenactment together and each person is a characters with a different dream. The conclusion, that all people have a different dream and the entire scope of the American Dream is personal.

After we were done, there was time for comments. This girl raised her hand at the same time as someone else. That person went first, then the teacher said her piece, and then over to that girl. "Did you have something you want to add?" "Well no, well, yes, um, nice job..very good presentation, you really touched on a lot of things." That's what has been bothering me. I know she was going to say something else, but she didn't say it. Why didn't she say what she really wanted to say?

Mom's birthday tomorrow. I made her a cake, but she made herself a cheesecake. Going to her house tonight to celebrate.

Gotta love that Mickey D's.

2006-10-26T20:38:00.000-04:00

I went to lunch today with mom and Quinn to the McDonald’s near my house. They have a play land there where Quinn can run around. He goes up the slide about half way and then runs up and down the steps the whole time. He had a happy meal with nuggets and apples, mom had a cheeseburger, and I had a chicken sandwich.

I went back to work, and took the rest of my diet coke. I had it sitting on my desk and you wouldn’t believe the number of people who commented, “oh, McDonald’s. That ‘stuff’ makes me sick”. Oh does it? Why are you telling me that? It then compels me to reply with a, “Well I only go once in a great while” or “I only had a grilled chicken sandwich” (of course intentionally eliminating the fries, oh so yummy fries). What do I have to justify there? If I want to eat it 3 times a day, 7 days a week, so be it.

You know they are only telling you that because they want you to think they are so health conscious and they never ever eat that “stuff”. Every one grabs it now and again, especially because it is fast. You can easily get a salad or a grilled chicken sandwich which are very healthy choices.

Yes I am defending the fast food market. Why? Because there are a lot of choices that you can get and not worry about health risks.

Now go grab some of that “stuff”.

Wish I was on the beach...

2006-10-26T07:57:00.000-04:00

Isn't that beautiful? Isn't that just where you'd rather be right now? I went to San Diego, California 3 years ago this week, and when we were planning our trip I signed up on sandiego.org before hand to have some activity ideas for when we went. Well I never cancelled it because I loved it there. I love seeing pictures like this to remind me of that week.

2006-10-24T13:49:00.000-04:00

You know those Mac commercials? Well that’s great that they can do movies, music and pictures, but they are not compatible with the rest of the world. Everything I try to email from my home computer does not open up on anyone else’s PCs. UGH!

Friday went to Target, then to McDonald’s for dinner. We have to eat at McDonald’s or something like that now if we chose to dine in somewhere. Quinn climbs the walls at any restaurant that takes longer than an hour. Fast food has to be our choice at least for now.

Saturday morning I went to a baby shower. It was nice, and she had gotten a lot of cute stuff. No good stories from that. Blah.

Saturday night we took Quinn to my mom’s for the night and went to a Halloween party. Jay and I were the roman people again. The best costumes there was what my sister in law and future brother in law were wearing. She was a nerd and he was Clark Kent, and later took off the glasses, tie, shirt, and pants exposing his superman costume underneath. He played the Superman theme song on his cell phone while he stripped. Later after a few rum and cokes, he and I switched costumes. We were rolling laughing.

Sunday was pick up Quinn, recover from a hangover day. Ok, mostly me recovering from a hangover that lasted until 2 pm. I can’t bounce back as fast as I used to.

Weird things that happened this weekend:

Saturday we noticed we were out of hot water. Pilot was on but it wasn’t firing. Yesterday my step father went and picked up a new tank (we would reimburse him for it, we didn’t know what to get, but he did). Turned out the knob was on pilot instead of on.

Ripped a hold in the back of my pants at lunch today exposing my butt cheek. Got out of my car and felt a little draft.

Wondered while at Target on Friday why people find the need to tell store managers everything happening in their lives.

IE: Customer to service counter staff: “Can you hold these for me for a little while? I’ll be right back for them.”

Service counter staff: “Yes we can”

Customer: “Ok good, it’s just that I walked here and have to run home quick. My brother will pick me up and bring me back here.”

Couldn’t you just say thank you? Did he really have to know all of that stuff?

It happened...

2006-10-18T15:36:00.000-04:00

He said it. Quinn said the one word that I have been dreading since he starting talking. You may think it is a swear word. Nope hasn't picked those up yet, but I guarantee the first one of those he blurts out is shit.

Yesterday I grabbed the crayons and a coloring book and sat down with him on his bedroom floor and we started coloring. I gave him red. Not good enough. I gave him green. He was ok with that. Then he decided to run in and out of the bedroom with the crayon, so I had to make sure he didn't go writing on the walls.

He came back in and grabbed the box and one by one he took them out. He spread them all out on the floor and he used each one for about a second and drew a scribble with them.

He then gathered them all up and tucked them in between his legs, covered them up, and looked at me and said....

MINE!

(OH NO...)

Alive and Well!

2006-10-17T12:56:00.000-04:00

We survived this crazy weekend. Thursday after we got home from work, the fun began. The snow got heavier and the power flickered on and off, until it went off for good at about 7:30 pm. We sat there, expecting it to come back on, and trying to figure out what to do if it didn't. Should we pack if we are to go somewhere? Should we check to see who else is out? Then the trees started falling. Oh man, what the hell was that? Jay went out and started dragging these huge limbs out from our back and front yards. Then the neighbors tree split and half fell onto his main power line to his house damaging the roof.

We had enough of that and had to get to sleep, so we packed up the baby and went to my father in laws, who didn't have power either, but a gas fire place with a battery operated thermostat. We all huddled in front of that for the night.

Friday came, and we woke up to many travel bans. Work was closed, so I was able to have the day off, which was nice even though it was crappy out. We went home at about 10 am to get some things, and our power came back on at 12:30 pm. We had it until about 6:30 when it went out again. The electric people were able to get us running again shortly after that, but at half power so we shouldn't go crazy. We had power all night long so we were able to stay at the house for the night.

Saturday we lost power again at around 12:30 pm. We figured there wasn't much we could do around the house, so we headed to our brother in laws. When we left the house, Jay and I felt really dizzy. Then severe headaches came on. Then a stomach ache. It took about an hour and a half to feel normal again. We think we had carbon monoxide poisoning. It was too coincidental to both feel like that at the same time as soon as we left the house. We think because we had half power that the heat wasn't exhausting properly. Still mom and step-dad came out with the CO2 detector. Nothing was found when the power did come back on.

Spent the night there Saturday night. Sunday we went home to check on things and found that there was now 3 inches of water in the basement. We raised everything we could, and moved things around, so that nothing got ruined. Laundry was floating around the laundry room. Fortunately nothing got wet in the storage area in the back. We then got some information around 2:00 to say that we would have power soon, so we were pretty optimistic. We had dinner, dealt with Quinn's runs (eww) and waited patiently for it to come back on. Finally around 8 o'clock we called and got our answering machine. Jay, his brother and father went to see if the sump was draining, and it was. We finally were home for good at 10 o'clock on Sunday.

Monday Jay and I both took off to get back to normal. Mop the basement, clean the leaves, make my phone calls for school (cancelled tonight) and wash my soaking wet laundry. We were very spoiled all weekend being able to spend all of that time with Quinn!!!!

My face hurts....

2006-10-11T08:06:00.000-04:00

Yeah I know it’s killing you, ha, ha, ha! I feel horrible this morning. Woke up with tremendous sinus pressure. Hopefully something that a little Tylenol can take care of. It better not turn it to a full blown cold though. I am not ready for cold season!

School night last night. Next week is the last class in this series. Then off the 24th and back for the next class on the 31st. I’m going to miss my baby’s second Halloween. He is going to be a dragon!

Every time I get home from school I am so wired. I have a really hard time settling down. Maybe it was from the cup of coffee I had before and the cup of diet pepsi I had during. Ah could have been…..

I never wrote the results of the class representative vote. I won! I am the class rep for our cohort and I’m pretty excited about it. It’ll be a great experience, plus I’ll learn some great leadership skills. I will be trained next Tuesday officially!

This class has really opened my eyes up to these problems that I’ve been having at work. It has trained me to not sweat the small stuff and overcome these situations. I have always been on a professional level and he is also on my side when these problems occur. I’m glad he has my back!

Weekend update!

2006-10-09T14:24:00.000-04:00

Friday was card night. Hosted by yours truly and enjoyable. Hubby didn’t win this time. I don’t think I have blogged about the card nights before, but to sum it up it is very 1950’s style Once a month some friends and us get together, and the men are in one room playing texas hold’em while the woman and children are in the other room bitching about the men and chasing the kids. Can you picture it? Guys smoking stogies and the girls drinking fruity drinks. Back in the day the guys would smoke stogies, but the girls would have tea and conversation. It’s too funny! Sabres rocked though, even us girls were into it! Everyone left and I joined the poker party with one of the guy’s girlfriends. Shot of Tequila anyone?

Saturday I took Quinn to a 2 year old birthday party. He had fun running around the house.

Yesterday was spent going shopping at Wegman’s, going home for the (ick) Bills Game, and enjoying the pot roast I had simmering all day! Delish.

Pretty nice weekend.

PS. GOOD NEWS!!! Quinn went pee-pee on the potty on Saturday!! We are so proud!

2006-10-05T09:19:00.000-04:00

Last night I couldn’t get to sleep right away because I had thoughts storming through my head about work. Why is it that I stay here? From the moment I started here, I’ve been harassed in one way or another. Not physically, but emotionally. By emotionally I mean I get too involved in my job and when something goes wrong I take it personally. The first 6 months I was here I was compared to the girl that sat at my desk. I wasn’t doing the same job as her, but sat in her desk, so I wasn’t her. I didn’t do things the same as her, or that’s not how she would do it and so on….then for the next two years, after I moved into a department, there was this guy there that had been here for 20 something years, and I was only 20 something years old, so I must be stealing his job. He would hoard paperwork, then blame me for losing it, or talk behind my back trying to form an alliance against me that I was stealing his job, feel bad for me, wah wah wah. He was later fired because the complaints about him were so bad. From the moment he was fired until the moment I had my son, they pretty much left me alone and that was because I was this big pregnant woman. That was a nice two months.

When I left for maternity leave, they analyzed my job and when I came back all of a sudden I needed training. During the training all the computer girl kept saying was, “yeah you did that right” so obviously I knew what I was doing. I did learn a few more ins and outs that I didn’t know so it wasn’t a total bust. On top of that, someone here was dictating my job to me, but he isn’t management and not my boss. Now for the last 10 months or so, when ever there is a mistake, it has been made known that it was my fault.

See a pattern here? I have overcome all of this, but why do I put up with it? I’m surprised I don’t have an ulcer. The positive is that I have done many different things here and learned new things, so that would be my only pro in staying.

Side note about America’s Next Top Model:

My vote is AJ. I liked her from the start because she claimed that she was unique and not like the other girls. I’m glad Monique was booted off because she was just nasty, pretty and a good model, but nasty. The twins are a good pick too because they weren’t expecting to be models but are really naturally good at it.

Side note #2:

Isn't this ironic? Do you think Elvis has had enough of people trying to be him, so he had that guy's money maker pelvis broken? "Ha, no one can shake their pelvis like the King!!!!"

Healthy baby=happy mommy and daddy!

2006-10-03T11:41:00.000-04:00

It has been one month since Quinn started in a new classroom at daycare. It has coincidently been one month since he has been sick. I know kids grow out of stuff, but come on. Immediately after he started in his previous classroom last October, our nightmare began. Ear infection after ear infection. He had 5 before he had his tubes put in in February and 5 after he had them in. They were in place and healed nicely, the doctors would say. I would say then why does he keep getting sick? The ear infections come from mucus settling in, and he always was getting some sort of germ to give him a runny nose. Every time he had a runny nose, we knew what we were in for. We’ve been through many bottles of Tylenol, Motrin, Benedryl, and Claritin for kids, you name it. We’ve been to the ENT and our next step was the allergist. Amazingly he is healthy immediately after a starting in a new class, with a new teacher.

I had my doubts about the previous lady. She has been doing this for years, and sometimes that is a negative thing. Sometimes people get lazy after doing something for many years, and sometimes people become pros at what they do. I know toddlers are hard to keep up after, but she never kept the “mouthed” toys separate like the other teachers did. His first teacher kept the nursery so clean you could eat off of the floor.

To add to my discernment of this teacher, she would always blow off my requests. When he was first in her class, it was fall and in between warm and cold weather, so I decided that since he was crawling he could get away with pants and not be to hot. Despite my many requests to leave his pants on because he would scuff his knees up, she still would take them off and leave him in his onesie because she thought he was too hot. For months after every time I would tell her something, my feeling about it was that she should treat it like it was the first time she ever heard that request. She was just overly-knowledgeable for my taste.

I’m still not happy he has to be there almost everyday, but I am happy he is with a teacher I like now!! Hopefully on to month two of no sickness!!

Work related....

2006-09-29T16:06:00.000-04:00

One of the things I need to do to keep up with the business world, is work on my professionalism. It used to be up, but really has slipped in the last two years or so. I need to get back in the habit again.

Things are no hold barred in the business world, so you have to have some pretty thick skin to make it. I really need to get my act together here and not let the negative situations bring me down. I’ve been taking things personally and that really shouldn’t be happening. I can’t be sucked into things that I really don’t believe in doing and I usually let myself anyhow.

Last week, something happened where someone blamed something on me. I took it, then later felt really deceived. Then I felt revengeful, like that was going to fix the problem. I need to make sure that even though I truly believe in fairness, I can’t let myself sink to that level. I need to rise above it and remember where I came from in all of this. I think I’m letting school get to my head. I have to remember to work smarter not harder, and fight the fights worth fighting (blah...).

2006-09-28T16:36:00.000-04:00

Blah day. Nothing going on. Quinn’s home with my mom on Thursday’s so I get to sleep in a whole half hour later.

Remember the Jetson’s? I think that should be the name in the “catching up with the Jones’” phrase. It should be “catching up with the Jetson’s” phrase. After all they are the ones that had all of the super-electronic-dress yourself-fly through the air-dinner in a pill-robot cleaning-moving walkway-devices. We need to get ourselves that stuff. How cool would it be to fly to work? Or have the robot clean the house? Or even the dehydrated food in pill form that instantly makes you full? That would be so cool…I think we’ll have that crap when we are 80 and too slow to enjoy it. Hell I’ll have my super hydrolic corvette or whatever still.

And that’s all I got for today.

Groups are picked...

2006-09-27T10:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had to pick our groups for school. That’s it. One shot and this is your group. We had to “sell” ourselves briefly before the picking process. I was nervous it would bring back bad middle school gym class memories, when no one wanted me on their baseball team. We do the selling, then on our break we are to get together with each other and find our teams. How did it end up? I went to the vending machine to get some water, and on my way back a few of us stopped in the hallway and started talking, and I was like, “um, there is 4 of us right here talking, why don’t we become a group?”. And we did. Outside were the smokers, and you guessed, they are a team now. Two people just sat there in the room, instead of trying to find out who they should be with, so they are a group along with one other stray person, and the people who were left, well they are a group now too. When we sat down after it was all finalized, it looked strange. I felt bad. I felt as if the older crowd felt weird that the younger crowd didn’t pick them. It didn’t happen that way on purpose. It all just fell into place that way. One team is a mixture of both age groups, so I guess that it doesn’t look so bad. I was then nominated as the class representative. I felt pretty good about that. I think I’ll take it! It is such a switch from high school where I probably wouldn’t even have been nominated to slap the erasers together. College has given me a whole new confidence level!

Baby is good. I did miss him last night. One of my favorite things is getting him ready for bed. He gets all snuggly in his pj’s! And that fresh bathed baby smell…ooo soo good!! This morning was the first morning since he found his new separation anxiety feeling, that he didn’t scream when I dropped him off at school. That just breaks my heart when he does that. So we distracted him by asking him who is on his shirt. “Pooh” he says in that cute little voice!!

I got nothing...

2006-09-25T14:45:00.000-04:00

Weekend was alright. Friday I went to a chowder party at the in-laws. That was fun, and Quinn loved running in the wet grass. His pants were so dirty at the end of the night. Bro in law was there with his pathelogical liar wife. I would post about her more, but I think it would make me dizzy righting about it.

Saturday I sacrificed three hours in the morning to come here to work and paint my office. It went smooth. I think it looks nice today. So fresh and clean. After that and into Sunday we just spent time at home. Even grocery shopping on Sunday morning. Wow you're all jealous.

Papa is good and went home today. He's still a little confused about some things, as he lost a week of time spending it in the hospital.

Turning around

2006-09-21T10:58:00.000-04:00

Papa is coming out of the woods. His sodium is coming up and blood pressure is coming down. So now his mind is easing and unscrambling and he's starting to put two and two together. Only problem is he started swearing like a sailor when this was happening and he doesn't normally do that. I'm sure the staff is openminded about it and realize he's just coming out of it.

Class on Tuesday was interesting. We had a two hour discussion on The Great Gatsby (which I finished on Satuday). When I say discussion, I mean we asked the questions and the teacher answered them. One of our assignments as a group was to put together questions for class discussion. Not for "stump the teacher". The point was to show how much we have learned from the book not how much she know's about it from the last 20 years of teaching it. Sometimes I really hate that. We know she knows the stuff, that is why she is up there.

"Santa" got Quinn a radio for Christmas last year. He absolutely loves that thing. He even calls it a "ray-e-o". Last night he wanted to play with it, so we spent some time dancing to Mickey Mouse and friends. We were marching up and down the hall to m-i-c-k-e-y-m-o-u-s-e. It's ok to look like an idiot in front of your toddler! They don't care. Then we would dance together, or him and Jay did "ring around the rosie" (which by the way the words never made sense to me). Pocket full of posies; ashes, ashes; we all fall down....what is that? Oh well the kids love it!

It is sad, but it is part of life

2006-09-20T09:07:00.000-04:00

Everyone I know laughs at me because I read the Obituaries in the paper. Maybe about every other day I check it out. Hey you never know who you'll find in there. Maybe a friend's parent or sibling, maybe an old love or maybe an old enemy. Maybe even an old classmate. You would never expect to look in the paper and find the name of a little girl you used to babysit. What? What is that? Apparently she had leukemia. She was only 22. I feel so bad for that family right now. That just breaks my heart.

No word on Papa yet. Quinn learned how to say "oh no" so he's now walking around saying that!

I got my laptop yesterday, so now I need to learn the laptop etiquette. Is there one? Where are the best places for wireless?

Papa's sick

2006-09-19T15:02:00.000-04:00

My papa's sick. He's been acting strange since Wednesday. He was sitting in his chair telling my Grandma not to worry because the cops will be there soon. He thinks that he's being taperecorded and people are out to get him. Thurday they took him to the hospital and thought he had an infection and sent him home. Friday he was back to normal, and watched a movie with my Grandma that night. Later on that night he started acting paranoid and saying the cops were coming for him again. Saturday they took him back to a hospital and ran more tests. Now they are saying that he has low sodium and high blood pressure. They did a cat scan and found he had a mini stroke a long time ago. He's been diabetic for 60 years and he also still could have an infection. They have no idea at this point what is causing the paranoia. Hopefully they will come back with something this afternoon.

Trust me, the internet is not a good tool for diagnosing your Papa.

Fall line up...

2006-09-18T13:15:00.000-04:00

First I would like to start off by saying that I am really getting sick of living in the past here. You know the phrase "Well that's not how we used to do it". So I say just change it. To the city of Buffalo, if you want to make high rise buildings, shops, theaters, casinos or restaurants along the waterfront then DO IT....stop asking people's opinions. Or how about 800 bridges into Canada, go for it. Preservationalists please stop caring about the crappy busted down buildings, go worry about the art gallery or something. They had yet another segment yesterday on the news about the water front showing what it would look like, but why aren't they starting. Too many people complaining about well "that's not how it used to be". I appreciate history, I really do, and I think if there is something historic here to keep around than preserve it, but if it looks like crap and we can make this city into something, please just do it. Ok I'm rambling, but how can we make our own history if we are trying to hang on to our grandparents' histories.

Tonight: How I met your mother - NBC 8:30
New Adventures of Old Christine - NBC 9:30

Tomorrow: taping According to Jim - ABC 8:00

Wednesday: America's Next Top Model on some new station, CW or something...gotta check the listings, but it is at 8:00.

Thursday: My name is Earl - NBC 8:00
The Office - NBC 8:30

Sunday: Cold Case - CBS 9:00 (or 9:15, when ever 60 minutes can go off the air)

Windfall is gone, they cancelled it. Loved that show. You can't have a good drama air during the summer and expect ratings. No one is watching TV, well except me on Thursdays at 10. I was tuning into that.

I'm sure I'll see Howie's bald head at somepoint during the week. Man what was that guy thinking? Someone told him that looked good? Well I guess not as bad as Joey "woah" Lawrence.

It's Friday!

2006-09-15T09:31:00.000-04:00

The office is one of the best shows going right now! Here is a clip from last season!

FYI

2006-09-14T13:59:00.000-04:00

Paperclips help open pastacio nuts. Those sons of bitches are hard to open.

Quinn learned a new word: SUN! Too cute!

Drinking on lunch hour would help me through the afternoon. One can only wish.
I went home on lunch and saw my open bottle of Chardonney that I decided to indulge in last night. I wanted a glass so bad with lunch. Would it have hurt? I can mask the smell, I was a pro at hiding cigarette smoke from my mom. I could do it.

Ah well maybe someother time.

2006-09-13T13:30:00.000-04:00

I have to finish reading “The Great Gatsby” by Saturday for school. Why are we reading this? Well because I am taking a critical thinking course and we have to put together a thesis on what Gatsby’s American Dream was. I enjoy the reading, and the storyline, but these characters keep popping up out of nowhere in the story.

I decided my hour lunch hour would be well spent reading and getting a few pages closer to the end. I went to the Royal right down the street. I didn’t want to loose time for driving or time for waiting for my food to take out, so I went close and ate in. Eat in by myself? Ah facing the insecurities I guess. I survived it! The owner and the waitress both checked on my 3 times each as if I was lost. “Are you ok?” they would ask. “Yes, I’m fine thank you”. Why the concern? Did I look like a book worm? Or a loner? Do you not have any friends ma’am?

I thought it was funny. I was tucked away at this small little table for 2 with Gatsby as my lunch date.

Weekend recap...

2006-09-13T08:03:00.000-04:00

I spent some of the weekend with mom this weekend. It was nice to have someone to help me watch the baby so I could get some homework done.

I had to meet with my study group on Sunday. We clicked very well and were able to work together equally and feed off of each other’s ideas. The group I’m in now, I already feel like I’m dominating the group. Not because I’m bossy or anything, but because I feel like I had to drag information out of them. Instead of them offering any input. Over all things are still going well in this class. I have a book to finish by Saturday night.

The 5th anniversary of 9/11 came and went. I watched a few specials this weekend that had survivors tell their stories. That was heart wrenching to see what they went through, especially the ones who tried to save other’s lives but they didn’t make it. One guy actually survived the second plane that hit by diving under his desk. I couldn’t believe he lived through that.

Hubby’s weekend was fun for him. He still holds the John “Happy Gilmore” McEnroe title for the second year in a row!! I’m glad he’s home and things are back to normal. I’m still working on the money thing and I really need to stay home with Quinn a few days a week and work evenings. That will really cut down on the daycare costs.

2006-09-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

Today has been a great day so far. I was 7 minutes late this morning because of course I had to stop for some Timmy’s and that took 4 minutes out of my driving schedule, and I was coming from my mom’s house and am not used to that drive anymore. I’m used to my 10 minute drive from the daycare. Which of course I usually leave at 10 after 7 giving me 20 minutes to drop off Quinn and get to work. It takes 12 minutes to drive there, 5 minutes to shove him in the door and 10 minutes to get to work, by 7:37. So needless to say, they are used to me being 7 minutes late.

Then around 10 this morning I was heading to the water cooler for a refill, and I noticed a piece of paper in an inbox that I normally handle. Hmm…interesting. I’ll just grab this since this inbox hasn’t been looked at since, um, I’d say April. I take it off the top. I reveal another one….another one…..another one…..I keep going and there are about 20 of them. This means that they haven’t been entered yet since April. This is how I’ve been spending my morning. Entering something that I’m supposed to enter, but haven’t seen, because I’m sure that person just said, “Uh, yeah, just make sure I get those. I’ll handle it.” Famous last words…”I’ll handle it”.

Then the girl who sits next to me, called another co-worker to refer some repairs to them and he lashed out on her and said he’s too busy to handle anything else. Um, yeah, that’s your job….

So this has been my day so far. I hope it gets better. After all it is Friday and the start of the weekend and I'm with out a husband so I get to SMOOCH and SQUISH my punkin all by myself tonight!!!

Will work for food

2006-09-07T12:47:00.000-04:00

Today is the day. Hubby is going on his once a year golf trip. Which is also how much he golfs each year, which goes to show that golfing is not his hobby, drinking is. I guess we could call it the “hang with the guys,drink till you puke” trip. Go here to see how I really feel about it.

I just found out that the life insurance policy that my parents bought for me when I was born (29 1/2 ) years ago is worth a whopping $149.56 cash value (alive) and $4695.00 (dead). That would pay for my hole in the ground or my Ipod that I want. Quite a toss up. I figure I’ll leave it alone seeing as I need a hole in the ground, and the Ipod isn’t necessarily a necessity…?

I called to borrow against it so we can get through the holiday season and wait for our taxes, because as of now our financial situation is nothing to write home about. Maybe this is because I have my degree now and that means no success once you get it? Or maybe this is because my karma has pretty much sucked since December? Or MAYBE it has something to do with my darling husband not being able to work overtime so he can afford said drinking weekend? Whatever the reason, I need some moola. HELP!

Labor day should be renamed to

2006-09-06T08:02:00.000-04:00

No-labor day. Because that is what I did. No labor. We went to Chautauqua for the weekend and relaxed (well as much as we could chasing a toddler and keeping him away from the water).

Monday, Quinn turned 18 months old, and on that day he learned how to open the screen door and walk down the porch stairs carefully with the railing (with supervision of course)! He’s almost tall enough to reach the basement door so I’ll have to child proof it before he shows interest in it.

Yesterday was the second day of school. The work load is heavy, but I’ll get used to it. I have a lot of reading and a few writing assignments to do, which means most of my free time will be dedicated to that. By free time I mean lunch hours, after the baby goes to bed, and nap times. Saturday will be dedicated to limited homework, because after all, I need a minute to take it easy, and do housework of course! Lucky for me, I have a husband who does his share, so it isn’t all on my shoulders (girls, I can not tell you my secret!)

Just rambling!

2006-09-01T12:55:00.000-04:00

The story starts out with me, on Tuesday, losing the setting to my wedding ring. I bumped my left hand on my keyboard here at work, looked down, and OMG no diamond! I immediately get down on my hands and knees and start the hopeless search for my trillion. Of course this then prompts people to say…um, Rachele, are you ok? No, I lost my setting to my ring…..then we have about 5 people on their hands and knees. Even a flashlight was here to help! It’s not here…do not freak out. Check under the desk, nope. Check the garbage, nope. Check the rugs, Nope. Ok, where have I been in the last ½ hour I’ve been back from lunch? Let’s retrace our steps here. Go out to the car, nope. Walk with my eyes glued to the floor on my path down and back, nope. Ah I threw something out on my way up….check garbage, nope. Check surrounding floors and rugs….what’s that….OMG….It’s the shiniest piece of dirt I’ve ever seen…THAT’S IT!!! I couldn’t believe I found it

Flash forward to Thursday. I have my diamond and my ring on my dresser in a baggie waiting for the trip to the jewelers, so I haven’t been wearing anything on my finger. I feel naked. Well let me tell you the looks that I get when I go places without my ring on. It is the “ohmygodIcan’tbelievesheisn’tmarriedandhasababy” look. I just want to yell back to these people after said look and say “Um, I have a husband at home….” Do I really need to explain? Then I remember for a second how I have been that judgmental on a few occasions and jump to conclusions, but if I were a Carrie Bradshaw, this would truly be my journalistic experiment.

Yesterday night my television choices were Urban Legends, and later Windfall. One of the urban legends they were talking about, was how this couple brought their dog to a Chinese restaurant and did not know the language. They sat down to order and motioned that they would like her to watch the dog, to please go ahead and feed it. You know what is next. They have the best meals of their life, and when she brings the check, she has the dog collar on top of it and they realize that they’ve eaten their dog. Gross, yes. It is not true though. Although people from that part of the world do enjoy the canine, they do not accept your dog you bring with you….I am enjoying some orange beagle right now! Hmmm, this place isn't very far from the SPCA.

Windfall was great, but my only complaint is why haven’t they introduced Ethan’s dad sooner? YUMMY!

Happy anniversary blog

2006-08-31T10:50:00.000-04:00

Seeing as baby was sent home sick on Tuesday, there was no way he was going to school yesterday. Being a lifesaver and the wonderful Grammy that she is, my mom sacrificed her morning to take care of him for me. It really wasn’t like I had to twist her arm or anything! I took the afternoon off and loved every minute of it. I wish it was like that everyday. (me working less time, not him being sick!) Around 1:00 I noticed he had drainage coming from both ears, so I called the doc. They had an opening at 4:45 so I took him then. The doctor finally put him on a maintenance plan for the ears which is nice because I don’t see him growing out of the infections any time soon. Even with the tubes he is getting them and I think it is because he is still so little. She wrote a prescription for the big bottle of ear drops, and now every time I see any drainage, I can start him on those instead of taking him in every time. Whew….that’s a relief. One less thing I have to be stressed about.

Today is the blog’s anniversary.

After 1 year I,
Still do not know how to post links on the side of my blog.
Am hopefully writing a little better.
Realized that my life is dramatic.
Have graduated and realized that once you graduate there are mysteriously no jobs now at my current level.
Got a new car.
Am still stressed over family, job, time for myself.
Started a new school.
Made many new blog friends, but they don’t know that we are blog friends
Still have a half painted house.
Still have a non-tiled bathroom.
Still have a small leak in my basement.
Am still the same weight even after the big plan(s) to lose some of it.
Have loved watching my baby grow and learn!

And that’s that. What does next year have in store for me?

2006-08-30T08:35:00.000-04:00

Plans changed so fast yesterday. Instead of the 45 minutes I thought I had, I wound up having 2 ½ hours. Day care called. Baby was sick again. I knew he would wind up with something seeing as his eyes were starting to get goopy yesterday morning. Sure enough, when he woke up from his nap, his eyes were glued shut and all puffy and purple around them. Can this kid get a break?

I left work after I got the call and went to pick him up. I drove to the pharmacy to get his prescription that the doctor was calling in, but it wasn’t there yet. I went home and he played and he followed me around the house going “uh, uh, uh”. That is his latest thing. He can say all sorts of words, like ball, what’s that, mama, dada, mima, papa, where it go, up, etc…but we can not get this kid to say please, it is just “uh, uh, uh” and pointing. We’re still working on that one.

Orientation was surprising. In my last post I expected everyone to be over 40, but that wasn’t how it was. Only 3 people were and that includes the teacher. Everyone else was under 35. So am I ready for this? Not really. Especially since I found out that they changed the program to seven weeks per class and one week off in between instead of five weeks per class and no breaks. Instead of 18 months like I planned, it is 2 years almost to the day. That threw me a little. Of course I’m sitting there, calculating it in my head…hmmm..I’ll be 31 when I’m done, and hopefully pregnant because I’m trying to fit another kid in there and ugh…that’s a long time from now. Everyone seemed pretty nice. I have to spend the next 2 years with these people. The cool part about the program, is that I am able to see my assignments a week before the class. I will have a week to work on them and they are done in time for the next class. There is more time to prepare.

Back to school

2006-08-29T14:04:00.000-04:00

I am getting back into school mode again. It started yesterday with me grocery shopping during my lunch hour so I would have some extra quality time with my kid last night. Also some extra time to make tonight’s dinner, so Jay wouldn’t have to worry about it. I’m so domestic like that.

I broke out the crock pot again for another season. I usually retire it for the summer, because who wants to eat hot foods like soups, stews, and chili’s in 90 degree weather. I put together my first chili of the season, and by the looks of today’s brisk and gloomy weather, I’d say that will really hit the spot tonight. I have about 45 minutes to swing home after work, chow down, get changed, smooch the babe about 100 times and head for orientation.

I have to be there tonight promptly at 5:30 to sign in. I then get my picture taken for that student ID card (which I never ever have on me at the right times), and then off to my cohort to meet my class. During this time we will get to know each other, and outline our personalities and interests in hope to make the perfect group. I have high expectations for my group and I do not even know them yet. I have a high desire to succeed, therefore there is no room for slackers. I also am excited to meet my class, but know that will get shot down when I’m in a room full of 40 year olds. This is what I’m expecting to happen. This seems to be the pattern that I’ve been on for the last 10 years. Either I’m with people 10 years older or younger than me. Probably because many of the people my age either did school at the correct designated age or have left this area to pursue bigger and better things. Usually the only person around my age, ends up being the teacher, and granted I’m not that old.

With that being said, I’m a bit nervous. At least hubby and baby will be fed!

Interesting wedding!

2006-08-28T10:17:00.000-04:00

Saturday was “the wedding”. By that I mean the wedding of a family member that was put together in 4 months and for a couple that has only known each other for 1 ½ years, who had a baby in the meantime. NOT, that that’s bad. Whatever makes them happy.

Friday was the rehearsal. That went well, although the best man didn’t show. That was a mystery. Rehearsal dinner at the bride and groom’s house. Complete with family fun drunkenness. Not us, we had a far drive and a baby!

So, the wedding……

1. Bride was an hour and a half late to the hair appointment.
2. Groom overslept until 12:30.
3. Toilet broke in the room where we were getting ready.
4. Groom looked like he was going to puke during the vows.

So, the reception…..

1. Drive in the Limo: first to Rite Aid for drinks, then down the street, pass the reception hall, turn around, and fly back to the reception hall……
2. Buffet dinner: food was good.
3. Best man toast: An inside story that only him and the groom got, and grandma got pissed.
4. Maid of honor toast: drunken stooper with tears.

Reception that ends at two o’clock…

1. Run out of beer at midnight.
2. Buy two more kegs for another hour.
3. Shaken a lot of “ass” on the dance floor complete with a break dancing contest.
4. Guy passes out sitting up.
5. Groom dives over a table, knocking drinks on the floor and bumping in to said passed out guy who didn’t even flinch.
6. Cousin comes out of the closet.

All in all we had a good time. We drove the newlyweds to their hotel room and got home at 3.

Picked up the baby from Grammy and Pappa’s Sunday and relaxed all day.

Cute baby=Jumbotron

2006-08-22T09:26:00.000-04:00

We went to the Bison’s game last night compliments of Kaleida Health. For years people try to get on the jumbotron, but if you have a cute baby, then that is your key to the big screen.

Quinn was enjoying climbing up and down the seat, walking in between everyone’s legs, and coming to mommy just for another bite of “ho do” or hot dog. He especially loved taking a dance break in between all of this from the big “teewee” or TV. His favorite was Super freak. He would break down in his little groove of bending his knees and bouncing his butt up and down. Of course the jumbotron camera guy loved this little act! When he was up dancing with his Mima, they were stars together. Then we were all stars and our only reaction was to wave to ourselves up there.

It is amazing how many people come to a baseball game to not watch the baseball game. My self included. I watch everything else. The screen, the mascots, my face when others yell “heads up”! Oh and the food. Gotta love the food! Dogs, Pizza, Nachoes, Ice Cream! All to make the baseball experience even better. I wonder what a real baseball game is like....

sick, sick, sick....

2006-08-18T14:06:00.000-04:00

My life has been touched with sickness this last week. First the baby, then the hubby, then me. Of course I get it the worst. I’ve been fighting a fever, sore throat, and a head ache for two days. I can’t sleep right now either, so I’m exhausted. I keep waking up at least 3-4 times a night sweating from this fever. I haven’t slept this bad since my nightly feeding wake up calls! At least that was a sweet loving reason to get up at two am.

I must share how much of a klutz I am too. I bruised my left ankle, by walking into the rototiller blade in my garage. That was the first day of my fever and I was extra sensitive to pain. Today I just walked into the counter that I have been passing by everyday for the last three years.

I have always been a klutz. I played soccer for 10+ years and was only really hurt bad once. Every other time I’ve been in the hospital is for walking or rollerblading mishaps. I’m always running into stuff or falling on my butt or something just really awkward. I once had a concussion from fainting, but, oh no, not from any sporting injuries.

So if anyone sees an article in the Buffalo News titled, "Girl recovering from head injuries from walking into a pole", it's me.

My professional style!

2006-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Rachele, you're a Foreman!

You're the practical, down-to-earth type. Your hands-on skills mean that you're definitely the woman to have around when there's work to be done. You have a deep understanding for the mechanical complexity behind how things work—architecure, machines, and even people. That's why you're so good when it comes to real, physical projects. As a competent process person, people can count on you to meet their needs. You're also a real team player, so you know how to rally your team to exceed quality expectations. You've got a warm, personable nature and treat people for who they are, not like robots to be wound up and turned loose. Thanks to folks like you, the world can sit back and relax while you take the wheel.

Who's like you:Mia Hamm (famous American athlete)

Likely careers:Surgeon, contractor, baker, lumberjack, police officer, firefighter, athlete, pilot

2006-08-14T15:05:00.000-04:00

My weekend was fabulous! Much better than my not-so-fabulous week. I was pretty beat by the end of the week, doing both jobs and starting a cold on top of it.

Friday after work, I headed up to Long Beach, CA for some time with the fam. They rented a cottage there for the whole week last week. It was a nice time. Quinn got to go in the water, Jay and I each took the Jet Ski for a spin, and we ate, drank and sat by the fire! We were up until 2 am, just laughing and having a good time. Jay stole an old fence to burn from some guy’s wood pile, and some already burning wood from an abandoned fire. Pretty funny!

Traveling to Canada is nervewracking for me though. I'm always nervous to cross the border. I have nothing to hide. I do not have a record of any kind. Will they search me? Did I answer wrong? You know it is never that bad......unless you are bad...

Saturday we were so beat from staying up late, and fighting colds, that we just slept most of the day. Later I made Steak and Shrimp Kabobs on the grill loaded with mushrooms, peppers, onions and a little summer squash, topped with carrebian jerk marinade! We had some leftover macaroni (mom’s) salad!

Sunday we drove to grandma’s house. We had a nice little visit and she showed us her garden. She also tried to push everything she could on us, since we were there. “Since you are here, why don’t you take this cute little set of drinking glasses with you? I won’t use them”. We did a little reminiscing of the neighborhood, and they told us who was new and who died in the area. Grandpa told some crazy jokes and couldn’t quite make out those pine cones at the top of the pine trees. We then had some pizza hut and headed for Wegman’s.

Wegman’s was nice, as always. It presents such a warming atmosphere to shop there! Everything was running smoothly until Jay bumped a relish jar onto the floor from the display. It was an accident and he pushed the contents and broken glass out of the way with his foot. We were on our way to let a manager know that it had happened, and this woman about 10 feet ahead of us let her know first. It wasn’t a big deal. She didn’t have to let her know. I could see if we had fled the scene and didn’t fess up to the relish mishap, but come on…we were on our way there.

What my dreams are telling me....

2006-08-11T08:38:00.000-04:00

I dreamt last night that I was at a family picnic in a park at a shelter (from what I remember, it looked alot like the Marilla town park). While at the picnic I go into labor and give birth to twin boys. Then everyone starts passing the babies around like this is normal to give birth in a shelter. Jay and I were so excited and we were trying to think of names for them. I go to the bathroom and when I come back, the twins were 7. Talking about baseball and wearing their game jerseys. I was so upset. We didn't even pick names for them. Now they are 7. Where did the time go? I just went to the bathroom and my babies are all grown up.

This is a sign that I am missing out on my baby's life. I need to make new career move where I can work less and enjoy him more.

That and I hope this means next time I have twins!!!!!

Attack of the hormones

2006-08-10T14:22:00.000-04:00

Ok so what is my problem? Have we seen the posts lately? Pissed about work. Pissed about how old I feel. Pissed about the cookies that the tourists stole before my eyes. Obviously they came here for that reason and I’ll let them find happiness….

I burst out crying on my way back to work on lunch. Why? I’m not sad. I’m not unhappy. Just genuinely miserable lately. Holy crap. I have a wonderful family, an ok paying job, great friends. I can find happiness in that. Not right now with revenge of the hormones. You think that these strange post-baby feelings would have gone away by now. I called my doc….we’re going to chat about these BC pills that have taken my brain away and my emotions on this roller coaster ride.

I need a drink.

Um, Excuse me please????

2006-08-10T10:58:00.000-04:00

For the past week, my co-worker has been on vacation. Meaning I have been doing her job and mine for the past week. I have no problem with helping, but there are some things that she deals with that I just lose my patience for very easily. Then I go home and have a chip on my shoulder, and that shouldn’t be happening. There are very overly interested people in my office, that when you are on the phone or talking to another co-worker, butt in and start talking. Or answering questions. For me it is a really hard thing to deal with and every day I try to overcome it, it becomes a little bit worse. I hear this stuff happen when she is here, but to experience it first hand is very trying. I’m glad I do not do that job on a regular basis.

Butting in may be no big deal to some people, especially the ones doing the butting in, but I think it is exceptionally rude. Especially when you do not excuse yourself before hand and get the person’s attention. Also, especially when the person butting in only knows about what you are talking about from previous eavesdropping or snooping.

Plus on top of it, they handle things that I am supposed to handle, at least I thought I was according to my boss. I can not work in this environment anymore when one person thinks they are in charge of just about everything when in reality they are just a co-worker.

Dessert: shattered...

2006-08-08T09:41:00.000-04:00

I was at Tops last night doing my weekly shopping (woohoo), and I stumbled upon Chips Ahoy 2 for $4. Ah, good deal I tell myself. Self, why don't you grab those chocolate peanut butter chunk cookies. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, these foreign exchange students jump in front of me, converse in their little language and pick out two flavors. The only English word I understood was "Nabisco". They took my chocolate peanut butter chunk....bastards. I walked down the aisle to see if there were more down there. Nope. Back to the end cap. Nope. I had to settle for Chocolate chip.

I don't have a problem with people visiting our country, unless of course they mess with my dessert.

29 going on 40?

2006-08-04T13:26:00.000-04:00

Why do I feel that way. I feel like I'm a 40 year old trapped in a 29 year old body. I listen to old music, hear old jokes, do old things, I need to live man.

So to all of my 29 year old peeps: remember me? I'm still 29....I need to live like I'm 29. I need to feel like I'm 29. I need to reach in and grab the kid in me and have some fun with my friends and my babe(s)!!! Today on my way back from lunch I was cranking "It take two to make a thing go right....." Ah that takes me back to the beach....why am I not on the beach....??????

I come here to work every single day and feel like I'm working with my grandparents or my parents. You know that personality that comes out when you go to grandma's? Or that I'm being talked to by my grandparents or parents...you know the tone, "OK sweetie, if you could please do 'this' (or whatever)" I need my 29 year old personality to come out like I'm hanging with my friends. Not that the people I work with aren't friends or friendly....just not usually on the same page as me with entertainment, family, or even careers......

I'm in!

2006-07-31T12:08:00.000-04:00

I am in. I am now officially a student of Medialle College! I found out Friday.

I had the day off Friday, which was very relaxing, then I got the news. It made Friday a great day.

Company picnic was Friday night at the Bison's. They won, I heard! I was too busy chatting and drinking that the only thing I watched was my face from fowl balls. Thanks to my husband who watched the game and would yell over to us, "heads up!".

Saturday we headed down to Chautauqua. Huge thunderstorms down there Saturday night. Quinn loved the boat. Still not to crazy about the water.

Awaiting....

2006-07-24T15:37:00.000-04:00

Awaiting my acceptance to Medialle. I should find out this week! Keeping my fingers crossed!

I can't even believe I saw this....

2006-07-21T10:11:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday, I went home for lunch and heard a message on my answering machine. I said to myself, "Oh man, not again". We've been getting these messages for the last 6 months or so for this guy who must have previously had our phone number. It is long and irritating. It says, "This is an important message for Robert Berlinghoff. Please call us back at this number to retrieve this message". (it is longer than that because it gives all of the contact numbers and repeats them all twice)

I have called the number back a few times to get my number removed from the list, that this guy no longer owns this number. So Wednesday (it was the 19th, so remember that), I thought to myself, maybe if I pretend I'm his wife and I tell them he is dead, they'll finally get the hint.

Well, I look in the Buffalo News paper today. Every now and then I snoop through the death section. Hey you never know who you may see in there. This is what I find. OMG....ON THE 19TH. Did I curse him?? Holy shit.

My thoughts on this....

2006-07-20T13:28:00.000-04:00

If you need a book on how to be a leader, than no you are not a natural born leader.

If you need to hang up with a co-worker and then call her a bitch, then no you are not professional.