Oh the time, it flies.
My dad came and left. It was great. He was really fantastic with the kids, especially since Cory was gone for a week while he was here. It was just my dad, me and Mimi & Molly. Molly adored him. He took her all over. They really established a rapport quickly. She laughed and smiled so much, but now when she sees him on Skype, she's a little sad.
Mimi had a really hard time. As usual. Mimi is hard to figure out. Part of it was because Cory went on a trip with Frank. Part of it was jealousy of Molly getting to stay and play with my dad all day while she went to school. Part of it is just Mimi, I think.
We are still SUFFERING from Frank's and Mo's babysitter's vacation. She either gets back tomorrow or Wednesday.
Cory got a new job at the university, plus a teaching job at night across town one night a week. I've been working til 9 or 10 some nights. It has been crazy. My dad was such a big help. I was honestly sad when he left. He has raised difficult kids, so I think he gets it a little better than my mom does.
Frank's new school is great in a lot of ways, but it is a horrible commute. I mean, getting to the school isn't bad, but then doubling back and going to work across L.A. to Beverly Hills from the far corner of Santa Monica takes FOREVER. It takes me 45 min. to get to his school, and then easily 40 minutes to get home. On the night Cory is at work and I have to pick up all three kids, it is a terrible nightmare. I leave early, and I am still late.
He is also allergic to something there. That kid is head-to-toe covered in a rash. My guess is the food coloring they use for the water table, just based on where he is broken out. And they haven't been very good about administering his inhalers. But, I think for being there for a week, he is pretty happy and well-adjusted.
I picked up a MRSA infection when I went home to visit my mom and grandma. In mah booby. At first I thought it was a clogged duct, then mastitis, then I just ignored it and hoped it would go away. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow morning with my doctor who is also a nursing mother. Z-pack got nothin on this, so I will probably find out tomorrow I have to wean Molly to take stronger antibiotics. Also, I am not sure what these means for everyone else, particularly Molly, who spends an awful lot of time nursing when she's around me. I suppose it's time to make her a doctor appointment of her own.
The joy of that, of course, is that Cory and I are at new jobs, and when the fuck do we have two hours to sit around in a waiting room for our over-booked pediatrician. That is exactly how we missed Molly's 15 month appointment and Mimi's gastroenterologist follow-up. I am aware this is less than ideal, but there are so many balls in the air right now. I have way too much responsibility at work, and need to have a Come to Jesus talk with someone at some point, but when to not get fired? Because I also want a raise.
One of Mimi's classmates' mothers invited us over for brunch yesterday. She is a lawyer who works part-time. She has been nagging me for 6 months to get Mimi tested and into a magnet school. She thinks MImi is very gifted. Her older son is at the magnet school, and is clearly brilliant. He also makes bombs and catapults in their house. He is 10.
So I noticed that he and Frank were playing together in a room full of matches and "poppers" (those bottles you pull the string on that make confetti fly). "Frank is only 4. He doesn't know how to be safe with this stuff, you you have to watch him." I told the 10 year-old. I kept mental tabs on all three kids for hours, though, with that in mind. Who has two thumbs and is an idiot?
But then, I figured Frank didn't know what that stuff was, either.
They had another family over with a 4yo boy. We went out and got to talking, and pretty soon, Frank came out and whispered to Cory that he hurt himself. It burns.
Cory and I panicked, and as soon as I opened the door I could smell the matches. He had lit a match, blown it out, then pinched it with his finger and thumb. He got two big blister burns on his fingerpad and thumbpad. He threw he match on a magazine, but it did not ignite.
How horrible and scary? Um. Frank clearly knew he was doing something wrong. I also knew the potential was there, but didn't think anything would happen. Criminy.
Mimi got a nice, joyful teacher at school this year, so I have hope for her year. I also think she is going to be bored to death. I signed her up for a singing/dancing class called "Glee", and am considering putting her in orchestra. I like her after-school program a lot.
I wish we had enough money to have a housekeeper/nanny for Molly and keep Frank in preschool and Mimi in the after-school program, but we can't do it all. My dad being here, doing a load of dishes, and walking to pick up Mimi so I didn't have to be exactly on time as I raced back from frank's school was such a relief. And then we wouldn't have to scramble for sick days and doctor appointments.
August was horrible and stressful with some fun thrown in, and some job satisfaction. I am stress eating like crazy. I had gotten into the habit of walking during lunch, but didn't have any lunch breaks in August hardly at all. Lots of beach, lots of chores, lots of dinners out and cereal/egg dinners. I had to get a babysitter so I could go to Mimi's back-to-school night. How fucked up is that? I saw the kids for about 30 minutes that whole day.
Something has to give because the way it is right now is untenable - exactly why I didn't want to go back to work. Cory thinks we'll get into a routine. I suspect we will, too, but this time that we lose, we will never get back. Mo money would go a long way toward getting someone to clean the house besides us. I don't know. I really liked work at first, but am missing my kids terrible. I am missing so much. Is it worth it?
I don't know. We'll see. I will reassess in 2013, and just try to make it through until then. Any advice appreciated.
Mimi had a really hard time. As usual. Mimi is hard to figure out. Part of it was because Cory went on a trip with Frank. Part of it was jealousy of Molly getting to stay and play with my dad all day while she went to school. Part of it is just Mimi, I think.
We are still SUFFERING from Frank's and Mo's babysitter's vacation. She either gets back tomorrow or Wednesday.
Cory got a new job at the university, plus a teaching job at night across town one night a week. I've been working til 9 or 10 some nights. It has been crazy. My dad was such a big help. I was honestly sad when he left. He has raised difficult kids, so I think he gets it a little better than my mom does.
Frank's new school is great in a lot of ways, but it is a horrible commute. I mean, getting to the school isn't bad, but then doubling back and going to work across L.A. to Beverly Hills from the far corner of Santa Monica takes FOREVER. It takes me 45 min. to get to his school, and then easily 40 minutes to get home. On the night Cory is at work and I have to pick up all three kids, it is a terrible nightmare. I leave early, and I am still late.
He is also allergic to something there. That kid is head-to-toe covered in a rash. My guess is the food coloring they use for the water table, just based on where he is broken out. And they haven't been very good about administering his inhalers. But, I think for being there for a week, he is pretty happy and well-adjusted.
I picked up a MRSA infection when I went home to visit my mom and grandma. In mah booby. At first I thought it was a clogged duct, then mastitis, then I just ignored it and hoped it would go away. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow morning with my doctor who is also a nursing mother. Z-pack got nothin on this, so I will probably find out tomorrow I have to wean Molly to take stronger antibiotics. Also, I am not sure what these means for everyone else, particularly Molly, who spends an awful lot of time nursing when she's around me. I suppose it's time to make her a doctor appointment of her own.
The joy of that, of course, is that Cory and I are at new jobs, and when the fuck do we have two hours to sit around in a waiting room for our over-booked pediatrician. That is exactly how we missed Molly's 15 month appointment and Mimi's gastroenterologist follow-up. I am aware this is less than ideal, but there are so many balls in the air right now. I have way too much responsibility at work, and need to have a Come to Jesus talk with someone at some point, but when to not get fired? Because I also want a raise.
One of Mimi's classmates' mothers invited us over for brunch yesterday. She is a lawyer who works part-time. She has been nagging me for 6 months to get Mimi tested and into a magnet school. She thinks MImi is very gifted. Her older son is at the magnet school, and is clearly brilliant. He also makes bombs and catapults in their house. He is 10.
So I noticed that he and Frank were playing together in a room full of matches and "poppers" (those bottles you pull the string on that make confetti fly). "Frank is only 4. He doesn't know how to be safe with this stuff, you you have to watch him." I told the 10 year-old. I kept mental tabs on all three kids for hours, though, with that in mind. Who has two thumbs and is an idiot?
But then, I figured Frank didn't know what that stuff was, either.
They had another family over with a 4yo boy. We went out and got to talking, and pretty soon, Frank came out and whispered to Cory that he hurt himself. It burns.
Cory and I panicked, and as soon as I opened the door I could smell the matches. He had lit a match, blown it out, then pinched it with his finger and thumb. He got two big blister burns on his fingerpad and thumbpad. He threw he match on a magazine, but it did not ignite.
How horrible and scary? Um. Frank clearly knew he was doing something wrong. I also knew the potential was there, but didn't think anything would happen. Criminy.
Mimi got a nice, joyful teacher at school this year, so I have hope for her year. I also think she is going to be bored to death. I signed her up for a singing/dancing class called "Glee", and am considering putting her in orchestra. I like her after-school program a lot.
I wish we had enough money to have a housekeeper/nanny for Molly and keep Frank in preschool and Mimi in the after-school program, but we can't do it all. My dad being here, doing a load of dishes, and walking to pick up Mimi so I didn't have to be exactly on time as I raced back from frank's school was such a relief. And then we wouldn't have to scramble for sick days and doctor appointments.
August was horrible and stressful with some fun thrown in, and some job satisfaction. I am stress eating like crazy. I had gotten into the habit of walking during lunch, but didn't have any lunch breaks in August hardly at all. Lots of beach, lots of chores, lots of dinners out and cereal/egg dinners. I had to get a babysitter so I could go to Mimi's back-to-school night. How fucked up is that? I saw the kids for about 30 minutes that whole day.
Something has to give because the way it is right now is untenable - exactly why I didn't want to go back to work. Cory thinks we'll get into a routine. I suspect we will, too, but this time that we lose, we will never get back. Mo money would go a long way toward getting someone to clean the house besides us. I don't know. I really liked work at first, but am missing my kids terrible. I am missing so much. Is it worth it?
I don't know. We'll see. I will reassess in 2013, and just try to make it through until then. Any advice appreciated.