Typical

Last week was school picture day at Ben's daycare, and I have been anxiously looking forward to the proofs. Now, I must admit, I have been very remiss about taking Ben to get professional photos done (as my mother will lament to anyone she knows). We do a great job of taking photos with our camera and our phones, but then I never seem to print them out. Oops. But hey, I post most all of them to Facebook, so at least there's that. So his having a school picture day was pretty exciting and one of the perks of daycare! I made sure to put him in a cute outfit, to tame his locks, and send him away clean faced and perky.

I logged on to the website today to look at the proofs, and you have to look through like the whole daycare center's photos until you find your kid. So I'm scrolling through all these adorable pics of kids older and younger of Ben, and then I get to Ben. And I kid you not, there were a total of 471 photos taken for his school and most every kid got like 10 shots - but my kid, my special kid, yeah, one freakin' photo. ONE! And it is with his signature grumpy "I loathe this" facial expression. Are you kidding me?? Granted, when I picked him up that day his teacher mentioned that he was not loving the photo process, but she also said that she was sure they caught something because they took a ton of shots and he eventually calmed down. This photography group specializes in childrens' photos and especially those done at daycares, and my kid was so worked up and horrible that you could only get off one shot? And it's a crappy one at that? Really?!

I am peeved. Totally peeved.

Still Lost

Can I just say, there are only like 3 episodes left until the series finale of LOST. People, when the f*ck are they going to explain what the hell is going on?! Am I just dense? I feel like this final season has just opened up more questions (hello, new sideways world?!) and when are the answers coming? I know its inevitable, the show will end and I will be disappointed that I still have so many questions from all the seasons of confusing-ass shit they've thrown at us. I knew I should have stopped watching two seasons ago.

One Hot Betty

I wanted to thank the beautiful Buford Betty for putting my little ad widget on her fabulous site, Make Room for Style, for all the hip mommas out there. I have decided to bite the bullet and try advertising in order to get the word out about myself as an Independent Stylist. I am trying to do that in as many free ways as possible, like advertising on my friends webpages and joining local Mommies sites. I have also decided to do some local magazine and online advertising in CLT and RDU. It is so different being on the other side as a client rather than the advertising sales rep. It also makes me realize how much I miss being out in the field and interacting with clients. J has a few leads on new positions that will hopefully get us to RDU sooner rather than later. Let's just hope that there will still be job opportunities for me when we get there. Unless I get this Stella & Dot business off the ground and bringing in some serious income, I will have to go to work to cover the daycare costs alone once we move. It is crazy expensive! I really don't know how people pay for multiple children in daycare - it would be like two decent-sized mortgage payments. Man, how did my parents do it? You appreciate your parents so much more once you pop out a baby. Really, I have always loved them, but now I am just amazed at all they have done for me and my sis - and I marvel out how they did it all. Thanks Mom and Dad for being so freakin' awesome!

And a big PS - if any of my lovely blog friends would allow me to put a little ad widget on your site, I'd be forever grateful! Hint, hint....

Wussup

Wow, can't believe it's been weeks since I posted! Lots going on here - still waging sippy war with Ben at home (argh!); Ben has started daycare two days a week (drama!); my Stella & Dot business is taking off much slower than I'd like (stress!); and we are still moving at a snail's pace when it comes to making the move to RDU.

Ben started daycare a few weeks ago, and is not loving it. I am loving the free time to focus on my new business venture, clean the house a bit, and breathe - however it is laced with guilt. Every time J drops him off in the morning, he clings and cries and screams. This is why I do not drop him off. Mommy would cry. Although it may be worse because J is the "favorite" parent right now, and Ben never wants to be away from Daddy. However when I pick him up in the afternoon, he rarely even cares that I'm there. I think he's just so exhausted, he doesn't have the energy to care - until I say "Let's go home and see Daddy." And then he lights up and says, "Daddy?!"

At home, I still cannot consistently get Ben to drink his milk from one of a zillion sippy cups. And yet, he drinks like an angel at daycare! Are you kidding me? I will literally pick him up from daycare where he just had a sippy of milk, and then when we get home the sippy is the devil again. Argh! Of course he won't eat at daycare, and while a picky eater at home, he does at least eat when here. So it's small victories here and there. I am hoping that after a few more daycare days, he'll adjust and start to love his time there. *fingers crossed*

We have been busy readying the house for sale, and I've been wondering why we didn't do half this stuff years ago! But that's how it goes. J still hasn't applied for a job, to my knowledge. He tells me that I have to stop harping on the "applied" part and give him credit for all that he's doing to get us there - i.e. readying the house, researching RDU, listing his target companies, figuring out what he wants to move his career into. I say I'm right, he thinks he's right - so the circular argument continues.

My little business is taking off slowly. The over-achiever in me is very disappointed in myself because I think I should be more successful at this point. The few parties I have under my belt have been small, and I am having trouble booking future shows. My launch party is this weekend and I have literally invited every person I know in Charlotte, like 70 folks, and I think maybe 10 will show up. So that's bumming me out. On a positive note, I have recruited my first stylist. Yay! I am enjoying coaching her and helping her get her business off the ground. Oddly, she is having a better start in her few days than I have in a month. Go Holly!

Gotta run - almost time to pick up Ben and hear how his day went (hopefully better!). I think getting out in the sun will perk up my pessimistic attitude. Maybe.

Denouement

Victory is mine! He drank 2 sippy cups of milk today! Of course, it was only from this Nuk sippy and no others, but I'll take what I can get at this point. Rushing out to Target to buy some more! Yay! Let's hope this luck holds for the rest of the week and we can officially put all the bottles in storage. Whew, on to the next battle. I'm sure whatever it is, it's just around the corner. *smile*

Carefree Days

We are on Day 5 of our Sippy Stand-off. We have an uneasy compromise going on right now. I take his Born Free sippy and top it with a nipple (thanks for the idea Breezy). He gets that in the morning and at night, the rest of the day is a battle. I finally found the Nuk sippy cup that Breezy suggested, and it seems to work the best. Of course I have to hold him like a baby and force him to drink it, but after a minute he seems to get that I'm not playing and drink more on his own. He still has yet to drink a whole serving of milk from any sippy (sans nipple). The kid has his convictions, but he has yet to realize that mommy will always win. I can wait him out.

Although, he doesn't have much longer to be babied because he's headed to daycare on Tuesday. I am so thrilled that he will be starting a 2-day program next week. We have decided upon Gateway Academy. J and I visited one location last week and liked their structure. While it was perfectly fine, I left with an uneasy feeling - like maybe I wasn't really ready for Ben to go to daycare at all. After visiting another location today, we are good to go. Ben seemed much more at ease with the caregivers and center directors. In fact when visiting the toddler room, he went right up to the table the kids were coloring at and started trying to take their away their pictures. Sure, not the best behavior, but at least he was interacting rather than shying away (as is his usual tactic). And I felt like we were both ready for this step. It's only two days a week, but it's a start. I am looking forward to his daily reports and seeing how much he learns from the other kiddos.

Chagrin

Isn't marriage a hoot?! J and I have been arguing about the speed at which we seem to be moving on our relocation plans, as evidenced by my weekend rant. Couple that with having a child and a tight budget, and there just doesn't seem to be as much time to devote to "us" and doing the things we used to do for each other. We are definitely at the annoyed with each other point of our marriage, and are aware that things will change but right now can be a bit sucky. And then today I get this totally random email from him, and it made me remember all the good that seems to get swept so easily under the rug when I'm mad.

Date: Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 11:06 AM

Subject: this was supposed to be a surprise...

Don't be mad, but two weeks ago I ordered you a new laptop computer from HP. It will be delivered this week probably on Wednesday. They were running a good deal on HP computers that week, and I thought it would be a nice surprise to help you with your new business and keeping in touch with your book-face and email and such.

Hope you aren't upset. If you want me to cancel the order I can, we can just send it back to them without opening it.

Love you.

JBH

Seriously, the sweetest thing he has done for me in a very long time. And no, he doesn't have to buy me big gifts for me to remember that I love him dearly. It honestly is just the fact that he thought of me and how to make my life easier. He could have cleared a drawer in his desk for me and I would have been just as happy...although a new laptop is much better, especially since mine is on the fritz and we've been sharing his. Also, I like that he thought I'd be mad - because who would be mad about getting a new laptop? If anyone could, it would be me. Obviously I'm not, but he knows me well. He knows that I like to pick out my own stuff and can sometimes be a bad gift-receiver.

(I am fully aware that this post may make me seem like a difficult person to be married to, and will admit that I am. Who isn't?)