Listy

• I have to get informational brochures translated into Spanish. I am having all kind of troubles from not being able to find the editable files to not hearing back from the volunteer translators. Darn volunteers. You can't really say, "Good GRIEF are you DONE yet? I am working on a deadline here!"
• This week was spend down week. I hate spend down. It is HARD to have to spend a specific amount of money on worthwhile projects in a verysmall period of time.
• We have ants in our kitchen. I don't know what to do about this. One day they just, showed up. And we got little unattractive black plastic things from the Wall Marts that was supposed to dispose of the ants. Well, the ants are still here and seem to be telling all their little ant buddies there's a party at Our House. I think they are laughing at our futile attempts to rid our home of their presence.
• Oh, and these are Southern Fire Ants. Not nice pleasant we-won't-eat-your-babies-in-the-night Black Ants. These ants bite. Hard. GAH.
• Now I have given the impression that our house is strewn with leftover croutons and poptart crumbs. That there may be cereal hiding under the sofa and between the cushions. That we are a vermin haven type place. That I don't even own a broom or a mop.
• I do own a broom and a mop. The rest is true.
• I think it is unfair that a person (me) who loves Fall so much (me) has to live in a place where Fall never happens (here).
• My boss raided my office whilst I was out last week looking for snacks. All she found was prunes and Metamucil and Tums from my pregnancy days. Needless to say, she was disappointed at the lack of yummies and let me know. I think it may go on my performance review...
• New Baby was sicky all week. Now Jelly is sicky, too. They have terrible croupy coughs and low grade temperatures. Thankfully, between the Honey and I, they are able to stay home and rest up. Jelly is home fussing for me to come be with him. And while that is sweet and kind of does make me want to get my keys, I know he would be fussing for Honey if I were home instead. And if Honey and I were both home? He would fuss for Brother. Or Grandma.
• Honey is sicky too and won't go to the doctor. This = frustrating.
• Halloween is this weekend! And we haven't carved our pumpkins yet. Of course, it is still pretty hot here and carving pumpkins too early leads to rot before Halloween...still it is time. We have the boys' costumes done and done. Brother will be a Black Ninja (Ooooo) and Jelly will be a Ninja Turtle (Ahhhh) and New Baby will be Yoda (Squee!).
• Now I wanted New Baby to be a Pirate Baby for Halloween. Because he does this thing where he just peeks out of one eye at me and I say, "Arrgh! I'm One-Eyed (Insert New Baby's Real Name HERE)! The Pirate Baby!" But Honey always wanted a Yoda baby and this is me giving in because he wanted to name the baby Darwin. And I wouldn't let him.
• He wanted to name Jelly Bean Darwin as well. I didn't let him do it that time either.
• Amen.

These Kids

Mornings are crazy. It is hard to get 4 people up, dressed, and where they need to go everyday. Especially when two of those people are very resistant to the whole 'getting up and getting ready' thing. (New Baby and myself...well. We are not 'as' resistant.) I think Brother has been coddled a bit too much and there is only so much of me to go around. He will either have to start packing his own lunch or eat in the cafeteria. I would like for him to also have an alarm clock and get himself out of his bed and lay out his own clothes. (He wears uniforms and while I do like the uniforms, there are all these pieces parts that have to be accumulated that non-uniform wearers don't have to worry about.) But, baby steps, right?

...

Jelly is going through the Terrible Fours, I swear. He loves New Baby, but seems especially whiny and also engages frequently in Poor Listening Skills. Last week, I took him to the grocery store, just him and me, so he could have some one-on-one time. Oh, Lord. The child had ants in his pants. In the cart! Out of the cart! Quick! Dash down the cereal aisle! Maul all the nut-filled-death-causing candies in the checkout! Sneak the 'phone' behind the cashier's counter and play on the loudspeaker over the entire store!

Gah. Make. It. Stop.

So, Jelly's exuberance and my lack of the ability to control him properly has led to a Hallelujah! feeling about going to work. I get to go and complete tasks! With people I genuinely love! And have conversations about something other than Caillou! And they pay me...*gasp*. Wow.

Plus, New Baby is the only little baby in the daycare. He has a teacher all to himself and it is lovely. I know he is very well taken care of and his every little need is met. I don't expect this to last forever, but I am thinking it would be great until maybe he is mobile. I don't know. But I am really glad about it now.

Also, I had such a hard time pumping enough milk for Jelly. It was a cause of constant stress that I made justenough milk for him. Plus he hated formula when I got desperate enough to want to supplement. He wouldn't take it and then would shun the bottle for literal days, not eating the entire 8 hours at the daycare after the formula attempts. But! It is not this way with New Baby. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I can get more than he needs with every pumping session. I feel like I should have a whole other baby to feed because I am doing so well with this. I have no idea why this is, other than a fluke. But I am so incredibly grateful, I can't even say how much.

...

Brother has discovered reading. Now, he liked to read last year. And though, I am unsure how I feel about Accelerated Reader on principle, it is really working for my kid this year. (For those who might be unfamiliar with the program, essentially, you read a book, take a test on the book, and then get points for it.) Brother has the most points in his entire school. When I discovered reading in the 5th grade, it really boosted my grades and my confidence and it is my leisure activity of choice. So much so that if I don't have a book to read, I get unreasonably irritated and snippy. Drug of choice, if you will. Anyway, I am hoping this leads to better grades and more confidence in his own intelligence.