I watched an amazing forum on workplace flexibility streaming live from the White House today. www.workplaceflexibility2010.org. I am so impressed with the Obamas that they have made this a priority. Mrs. Obama talked very openly about how important this was for her and why she put together this special group of leaders to make working an easier thing for parents and family members. Two working parents is quickly becoming a necessity for so many families - and if you are a single working parent flexibility is a MUST. And it isn't all about parent/child relationships - although that is the biggest motivator behind this - it also talked about caring for elderly parents and special needs family members.
Now more than ever I wish I had a job that had more flexibility. As i think more about it however i realize that i just want less work. I asked about working less and the response was something about restructuring my compensation (aka get paid less). i wonder if i just up and quit if they would beg me to stay and i could "restructure" on my terms. I guess i would have to be serious about not having a job because around here "we are lucky to have our jobs." (at least that is what we are told at least weekly).
When is someone going to knock on my door and offer me a new job (in NC!) that makes a decent amount of money and gives me the opportunity to be with my boys more? oh yeah, and offer to buy my house from me? that happens doesn't it?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Cooper 3.5 months
Serious heat rash. I've been keeping him bundled too tight and too warm. He spent a good part of yesterday in just a diaper and he seems to be doing much better and the welts are calming down. You aren't supposed to put any lotion on prickly heat.
He is sleeping in his crib, still swaddled but loosely. He sleeps well. Even sleeping from 10-6:30 on Saturday night.
I need to start getting him out of the swaddler.
He is starting to roll.
He is sleeping in his crib, still swaddled but loosely. He sleeps well. Even sleeping from 10-6:30 on Saturday night.
I need to start getting him out of the swaddler.
He is starting to roll.
good things
Ore-Ida now makes sweet potato french fries. They are good and you can get them in the regular freezer section.
Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless foundation. I'm not a big fan of makeup and/or foundation and usually just wear a tinted moisturizer but this stuff i really like. It blends really well and keeps my face soft and doesn't look like i have a ton of makeup on.
Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless foundation. I'm not a big fan of makeup and/or foundation and usually just wear a tinted moisturizer but this stuff i really like. It blends really well and keeps my face soft and doesn't look like i have a ton of makeup on.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
oh geez
Looking back on today i'm not sure if i should turn myself into CPS or be proud i'm still here. A lesser mother would have headed for the hills hours ago! Today was just one of those days where you feel a challenge at every turn.
We woke up to Cooper skin on fire once again. His belly, face and arms were covered in a rash, welts, blisters, scabs. He just has this skin that can't handle much change. The last time i gave him a bath and put lotion on him (Aveeno calming/sensitive) he broke out like this too but i didn't think it was that lotion because it is made for sensitive baby skin. He seemed rather uncomfortable all day and i'm actually pretty concerned about his skin - especially the scabby parts on his arm and back. I've decided not to bathe him anymore and wont be using a lick of soap or body wash and i'm not sure if i will even put lotion on him anymore but just in case i bought some very expensive stuff from Whole Foods and some pure jojoba oil that might work. Still probably the best thing for him is to just let his natural boday oils take over.
I decided in the morning that it would be a dummy-free day for Cash - which is a good idea and i stand behind it. and actually we did really well. in the morning i told Cash that we weren't going to be able to have his dummy all day and he could have it when he takes a nap and goes to bed but nothing else. So we headed out and only twice did he ask to have it all day! i was very proud of him. although this came with a very strange side effect - Cash was sucking his finger and thumb today which is something that he has NEVER done. in order to keep him from wanting his dummy we kept him very busy and headed off to the Bonnie Springs petting zoo.
At the petting zoo Cash was interested but scared at the same time. He kept telling me that it was too scary to touch the animals. We had a nice time but Cash fell down and scraped his knee when Chandler was trying to take a picture of me infront of the buffalo. we weren't paying attention.
We went to lunch after which was uneventful. Cash fell asleep in the car on the way home and when we got home he took a long nap. But during that time we had to try to keep Cooper calm and I had a bunch of things to do. So i headed off to run errands. We are planning to have the Martins Sr. and their friends over for Easter so i had to go and get some things so we'd be prepared - seeing as how next week I go back to work and wont have time to get out during the week. So i was off to Target, World Market and the grocery store. I got some more lotion for Cooper and some Easter treats for Cash's friends at daycare.
When I got home Cash and Chandler took off to Home Depot but when they got home things went down hill quickly. Cash was playing outside and got wet in the sprinklers so he took his shorts off, then he said that his diaper was wet and he took it off too. Since i didn't want him standing naked in the middle of the street i opened the back of the car to do a diaper change in the back-back but it was full of stuff so i pushed the automatic close button and walked away. At that moment Cash put his hand in the back and the door closed on his little fingers. Oh my the screaming was so sad. the car has a sensor but his hand was too little to stop and reverse the door. Chandler grabbed Cooper from where he was sitting and we all ran inside for some ice. did i mention that when i was opening the back to get Cash's fingers out i bonked him in the head? Chandler put Cooper in his carseat which was on the chair. This seemed like a good place to put him since Cooper can practically stand up and walk now; he has been rolling and pushing off with his feet and cannot be trusted on any elevated or uneven surface. So we are putting ice on Cash and get distracted with him for a few minutes when i look over and see Cooper squirming all the way up and over his carseat and is practically dangling off the side of the chair - oh lord call the cops now! he was seconds from rolling out.
3 loads of laundry (4 if you count an extra rinse cycle for the baby clothes) later, half a workout, dinner and picking up after the boys i am not feeling so great about today but we got through it.
We woke up to Cooper skin on fire once again. His belly, face and arms were covered in a rash, welts, blisters, scabs. He just has this skin that can't handle much change. The last time i gave him a bath and put lotion on him (Aveeno calming/sensitive) he broke out like this too but i didn't think it was that lotion because it is made for sensitive baby skin. He seemed rather uncomfortable all day and i'm actually pretty concerned about his skin - especially the scabby parts on his arm and back. I've decided not to bathe him anymore and wont be using a lick of soap or body wash and i'm not sure if i will even put lotion on him anymore but just in case i bought some very expensive stuff from Whole Foods and some pure jojoba oil that might work. Still probably the best thing for him is to just let his natural boday oils take over.
I decided in the morning that it would be a dummy-free day for Cash - which is a good idea and i stand behind it. and actually we did really well. in the morning i told Cash that we weren't going to be able to have his dummy all day and he could have it when he takes a nap and goes to bed but nothing else. So we headed out and only twice did he ask to have it all day! i was very proud of him. although this came with a very strange side effect - Cash was sucking his finger and thumb today which is something that he has NEVER done. in order to keep him from wanting his dummy we kept him very busy and headed off to the Bonnie Springs petting zoo.
At the petting zoo Cash was interested but scared at the same time. He kept telling me that it was too scary to touch the animals. We had a nice time but Cash fell down and scraped his knee when Chandler was trying to take a picture of me infront of the buffalo. we weren't paying attention.
We went to lunch after which was uneventful. Cash fell asleep in the car on the way home and when we got home he took a long nap. But during that time we had to try to keep Cooper calm and I had a bunch of things to do. So i headed off to run errands. We are planning to have the Martins Sr. and their friends over for Easter so i had to go and get some things so we'd be prepared - seeing as how next week I go back to work and wont have time to get out during the week. So i was off to Target, World Market and the grocery store. I got some more lotion for Cooper and some Easter treats for Cash's friends at daycare.
When I got home Cash and Chandler took off to Home Depot but when they got home things went down hill quickly. Cash was playing outside and got wet in the sprinklers so he took his shorts off, then he said that his diaper was wet and he took it off too. Since i didn't want him standing naked in the middle of the street i opened the back of the car to do a diaper change in the back-back but it was full of stuff so i pushed the automatic close button and walked away. At that moment Cash put his hand in the back and the door closed on his little fingers. Oh my the screaming was so sad. the car has a sensor but his hand was too little to stop and reverse the door. Chandler grabbed Cooper from where he was sitting and we all ran inside for some ice. did i mention that when i was opening the back to get Cash's fingers out i bonked him in the head? Chandler put Cooper in his carseat which was on the chair. This seemed like a good place to put him since Cooper can practically stand up and walk now; he has been rolling and pushing off with his feet and cannot be trusted on any elevated or uneven surface. So we are putting ice on Cash and get distracted with him for a few minutes when i look over and see Cooper squirming all the way up and over his carseat and is practically dangling off the side of the chair - oh lord call the cops now! he was seconds from rolling out.
3 loads of laundry (4 if you count an extra rinse cycle for the baby clothes) later, half a workout, dinner and picking up after the boys i am not feeling so great about today but we got through it.
cash says:
While riding his bike through the house:
Cash: I'm going off to work.
Daddy: Oh really? where do you work.
Cash: (very mater of factly) Sam's Club
While helping mommy cook dinner:
Mommy: Thanks for slicing the cheese love-bucket
Cash: Cash is not your love-bucket. I'm your lovebug! (its true!)
Cash: I'm going off to work.
Daddy: Oh really? where do you work.
Cash: (very mater of factly) Sam's Club
While helping mommy cook dinner:
Mommy: Thanks for slicing the cheese love-bucket
Cash: Cash is not your love-bucket. I'm your lovebug! (its true!)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Every morning when Cash gets up he knocks on his door to let us know he is ready to get up. Most mornings he says, "knock knock, Cash Robert Martin here."
This morning Chandler picked out his clothes and was carrying them downstairs when Cash said, "I no like those clothes" and he took them out of Chandler's hands and threw them up on the counter. He really likes his construction pajamas and would wear them all the time if we let him.
He had 2 very nice baby sitters the other night while Chandler and I went and met with our tax preparer. He referred to them as the blue girl and the orange girl (hmmm?) We so rarely have a babysitter I was nervous how he would do but he warmed up rather quickly and was very entertaining. The blue girl even remarked that "Cash never stops talking!"
The blue girl is a teacher and literacy specialist so it was nice to hear that she thinks Cash is smart and has a long attention span. And that he is on the second stage of writing (something having to do with drawing larger circles).
Sylvia also recently told me that Cash has the best manners than anyone else at daycare! that's my boy!!
He absolutely LOVES Elmo bikes right now - he will watch the whole thing over and over and gets so excited to see the unicycle. He talks about the whole show and asks and answers questions with Elmo.
Cash blows me away when he speaks in complete sentences. Like right now, he is eating his breakfast and Slider is begging. He said, "go away Chachi, this is my breakfast." And when you ask him a question he will repeat the question before he answers. He is so cool!
Cooper's big night out
Recently Cooper has been needing a little more real estate. He would always wake up in the morning with his face pressed against the rungs of his bassinet. So last night I moved him into his crib. He did great! His normal routine is that we go upstairs at 9:30 or 10pm, he gets changed, wrapped up and fed and then put into his bassinet. Last night we put him in his crib and he woke up at 4:30am to have a little snack and then back to sleep. I got him up at 6:30 (after mommy was showered and dressed!) for the day.
He is such a good baby. He is definitely a lover and smiles and laughs all the time. I don't remember Cash laughing so much. He just sits back and watches Cash rule the roost. He is having a good time at Sylvia's and we are all adjusting well. I'm going back to work full time next week.
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