I. ADORE. THIS. FACE.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
474
That's how many days our little family was turned on it's side. Not a long time in the grand scheme of things, but not a short time while living it either. It was just long enough to become our "new normal", for a while anyway. I remember the day. I remember the exact date. I remember where I was when my wonderful hubby called me to tell me he just got laid off. My first thought, my first words, were "what are we going to do". Really, neither of us had a clue what to do. But what we did, for the next 474 days, was whatever we had to do to hang in there. We downsized where we could; we filed for unemployment; we relied on our savings; and we treaded water.
I learned a lot about the welfare system in our country. I have worked in the welfare system, and worked with people in the welfare system my entire adult life, but never, not once did I expect to be ONE OF THEM. I learned that even though unemployment benefits help-and by help I mean KEPT US A FLOAT-they are by no means going to keep your "ends meeting". But you can't do anything extra, say a part time job to make your ends meet, because you then loose your benefits. It's a desperate place to be...you can't work a little because you will make too much and loose everything, and you can't do nothing, because then you will make too little.
Everyone always asks me...how did you make it almost a year and a half on a social worker salary? Well, we cut back where we could...it's amazing how much you can cut back when there really is NO choice. And the rest...well, like I said, we did what we had to do. We chose to keep Owen in school, because that was best for him, but everything else was greatly downsized. We have wonderful friends and family who helped us out a lot here and there, bought us countless dinners and happy hour specials, and did some free babysitting the few times we were able to get out. I am so very grateful to have such generous and amazing people in our life! There really aren't enough "thank yous". For family outings we took to walking around Target with some popcorn-one of Owen's favorite things to do-as a way of getting out of the house without spending money. Basically, we shifted. No point in staying in freak-out mode, especially if you are in for a long ride. So, we just shifted. And remarkably, we did so without anger, arguments, or adversity. Major rule to live by...only one of you gets to freak out at a time. If you sense your significant other about to freak out, you pull it together and save your freak out for later. One at a time is very important.
I learned a lot about marriage, sharing, money management, and our strengths as a couple in those 474 days. Many couples fight over everything. Many fight over nothing. Many fight over money, and many fight just because there is stress all around. But we didn't. Not to say we get along perfectly all the time...we just handled this better than I would have thought we could, and better than I think many would. I think it says a lot about our little family that we can say we made it. We made it together. And although hubby and I have been together A LOT in the past 4 months since I started working from home, we do, in fact still like each other. We do still WANT to be around each other. Maybe not as much as we have been, I mean who are we kidding, there isn't anyone I want to be around 24/7! A little alone time does a person good! But at the end of the day, we do still enjoy each other's company.
And 474 days later, when he rolled an apple with "Mr. Higgins" written on it past my desk, I was so proud of him. So proud of us. We had many close calls over the past year...so many jobs we thought "this is the one". But the right one didn't show up until 2 weeks ago. It took 474 days because THIS job is THE RIGHT ONE. Mr. Higgins, you are going to be an EXCELLENT teacher! Those kids, like Owen and I, are very lucky to have you.
Yeah, a person can learn a lot in 474 days. For us, it was one day at a time. It was like standing still in many, many ways, but in the end I am so proud of us, so thankful for our relationship, and grateful that our strengths and weakness work together for the greater good of our family. And finally, I am SO thankful that those 474 days are behind us and we can now look to the next chapter of our lives.
I learned a lot about the welfare system in our country. I have worked in the welfare system, and worked with people in the welfare system my entire adult life, but never, not once did I expect to be ONE OF THEM. I learned that even though unemployment benefits help-and by help I mean KEPT US A FLOAT-they are by no means going to keep your "ends meeting". But you can't do anything extra, say a part time job to make your ends meet, because you then loose your benefits. It's a desperate place to be...you can't work a little because you will make too much and loose everything, and you can't do nothing, because then you will make too little.
Everyone always asks me...how did you make it almost a year and a half on a social worker salary? Well, we cut back where we could...it's amazing how much you can cut back when there really is NO choice. And the rest...well, like I said, we did what we had to do. We chose to keep Owen in school, because that was best for him, but everything else was greatly downsized. We have wonderful friends and family who helped us out a lot here and there, bought us countless dinners and happy hour specials, and did some free babysitting the few times we were able to get out. I am so very grateful to have such generous and amazing people in our life! There really aren't enough "thank yous". For family outings we took to walking around Target with some popcorn-one of Owen's favorite things to do-as a way of getting out of the house without spending money. Basically, we shifted. No point in staying in freak-out mode, especially if you are in for a long ride. So, we just shifted. And remarkably, we did so without anger, arguments, or adversity. Major rule to live by...only one of you gets to freak out at a time. If you sense your significant other about to freak out, you pull it together and save your freak out for later. One at a time is very important.
I learned a lot about marriage, sharing, money management, and our strengths as a couple in those 474 days. Many couples fight over everything. Many fight over nothing. Many fight over money, and many fight just because there is stress all around. But we didn't. Not to say we get along perfectly all the time...we just handled this better than I would have thought we could, and better than I think many would. I think it says a lot about our little family that we can say we made it. We made it together. And although hubby and I have been together A LOT in the past 4 months since I started working from home, we do, in fact still like each other. We do still WANT to be around each other. Maybe not as much as we have been, I mean who are we kidding, there isn't anyone I want to be around 24/7! A little alone time does a person good! But at the end of the day, we do still enjoy each other's company.
And 474 days later, when he rolled an apple with "Mr. Higgins" written on it past my desk, I was so proud of him. So proud of us. We had many close calls over the past year...so many jobs we thought "this is the one". But the right one didn't show up until 2 weeks ago. It took 474 days because THIS job is THE RIGHT ONE. Mr. Higgins, you are going to be an EXCELLENT teacher! Those kids, like Owen and I, are very lucky to have you.
Yeah, a person can learn a lot in 474 days. For us, it was one day at a time. It was like standing still in many, many ways, but in the end I am so proud of us, so thankful for our relationship, and grateful that our strengths and weakness work together for the greater good of our family. And finally, I am SO thankful that those 474 days are behind us and we can now look to the next chapter of our lives.
Good Job!
Nothing is sweeter than when your 2yo tells you "good job mom!" for something like slicing a banana for his snack, or helping him pick up his toys. I know he is just repeating what he hears from us, but it sure is sweet to hear. I am doing a good job! Even if it is just slicing a banana for a snack.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Munchkin
So why is my kiddo so small, you may wonder. Because he doesn't eat...that's why! He is 2 years and almost 5 months old and weighs 26 pounds. That's right people...26 pounds!! Now he has always been small...didn't even weigh 20 pounds on his first birthday...has been in the 5% for height and weight since about 8 months old...but now...now he is just down-right skinny.
He ate great as a baby, and into those early toddler months. All homemade baby food prepared by yours truly. But now...now, not-so-much.
He eats breakfast great. At school, he eats lunch great. But the evenings and weekends...nothing. He gets home from school and has a small snack of apples, or cheese, or something of the sort that is actually part of his "dinner". Then for dinner, here lately, NOTHING. In the past he would at least eat some fruit and yogurt or cottage cheese for dinner. Now, I can't even get him to eat that. He is content to not eat anything at all until the following morning.
I thought maybe he didn't like my cooking, so I did a little test. I made a yummy dish of pasta, diced ham, and peas in a cream cheese sauce. I even had him "help" me cook it. "Do you want a bite, Owen?" "Nope". Ok...
So I took it to school for Ms. Angie to feed to the kids. Here was the test...would he eat it??? Wouldn't you know that little booger ate an entire bowl! So much for not liking mom's cooking! I guess there is something (positive) to be said of peer pressure...
So, for now, he will just eat at school I guess. At least he eats well there! Good thing I saved all his 12m shorts from last year...we sure got our money's worth from that purchase! (And at least he IS growing in height!)
I love that anorexic kid!
He ate great as a baby, and into those early toddler months. All homemade baby food prepared by yours truly. But now...now, not-so-much.
He eats breakfast great. At school, he eats lunch great. But the evenings and weekends...nothing. He gets home from school and has a small snack of apples, or cheese, or something of the sort that is actually part of his "dinner". Then for dinner, here lately, NOTHING. In the past he would at least eat some fruit and yogurt or cottage cheese for dinner. Now, I can't even get him to eat that. He is content to not eat anything at all until the following morning.
I thought maybe he didn't like my cooking, so I did a little test. I made a yummy dish of pasta, diced ham, and peas in a cream cheese sauce. I even had him "help" me cook it. "Do you want a bite, Owen?" "Nope". Ok...
So I took it to school for Ms. Angie to feed to the kids. Here was the test...would he eat it??? Wouldn't you know that little booger ate an entire bowl! So much for not liking mom's cooking! I guess there is something (positive) to be said of peer pressure...
So, for now, he will just eat at school I guess. At least he eats well there! Good thing I saved all his 12m shorts from last year...we sure got our money's worth from that purchase! (And at least he IS growing in height!)
I love that anorexic kid!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Owen's 2nd Birthday Party
So it's a little late (since he turned 2 in MARCH), but here's some pics from Owen's fabulous 2nd birthday party!
The party was on his actual birthday: Sunday, March 7th. We don't do big time, over-the-top birthday parties...especially for a 2yo...so it was at our house, with only his bestest friends invited.
Baby Jack (behind the balloon), Owen, Kaylee, and Riley
What was BIG TIME was the cake!!
Growing up my mom not only MADE all my cakes, but they were always AWESOME!! (Thanks mom!). Over the years I had a record player for my 50's party, and double record players for a dual party with a friend. A sleeping bag...a dinosaur...Aladdin...Peter Pan...you get the picture. I never got to see the cake until it was revealed at my party. And again...they were always AWESOME!
I have always planned on continuing the tradition, to the best of my un-artistic abilities. Owen's first birthday cake was a giant cupcake. It was cute, but not AWESOME. I wanted this year's cake to be AWESOME.
Owen's favorite thing at the time (and still is, for the most part) was buses. School buses, to be exact. So I decided to attempt to create a school bus cake. Challenge accepted. I should have taken step by step pictures, and now I know to do that next year, but here are pictures of the final product! Note the gummy bears sitting on the Kit-Kat park bench in the background. Chocolate doughnut tires...red sucker stop sign...white chocolate windows...green-dyed coconut grass...I made it all, though I did have creative input from my mom and EE.
It was A.W.E.S.O.M.E.
We got the table ready while Owen was napping, so when he got up, he got his first glimpse of the cake. He couldn't quite see it well enough, so he grabbed his table and pulled it over for a closer look.
BBBUUUUUUSSSSS!!!! He was pretty excited.
We ate, played, opened presents, and each of his friends colored a picture for his scrapbook.
We had a great time. Happy, Happy Birthday my wonderful, sweet Owen!
I love that 2 year old kid!
The party was on his actual birthday: Sunday, March 7th. We don't do big time, over-the-top birthday parties...especially for a 2yo...so it was at our house, with only his bestest friends invited.
Baby Jack (behind the balloon), Owen, Kaylee, and Riley
What was BIG TIME was the cake!!
Growing up my mom not only MADE all my cakes, but they were always AWESOME!! (Thanks mom!). Over the years I had a record player for my 50's party, and double record players for a dual party with a friend. A sleeping bag...a dinosaur...Aladdin...Peter Pan...you get the picture. I never got to see the cake until it was revealed at my party. And again...they were always AWESOME!
I have always planned on continuing the tradition, to the best of my un-artistic abilities. Owen's first birthday cake was a giant cupcake. It was cute, but not AWESOME. I wanted this year's cake to be AWESOME.
Owen's favorite thing at the time (and still is, for the most part) was buses. School buses, to be exact. So I decided to attempt to create a school bus cake. Challenge accepted. I should have taken step by step pictures, and now I know to do that next year, but here are pictures of the final product! Note the gummy bears sitting on the Kit-Kat park bench in the background. Chocolate doughnut tires...red sucker stop sign...white chocolate windows...green-dyed coconut grass...I made it all, though I did have creative input from my mom and EE.
It was A.W.E.S.O.M.E.
We got the table ready while Owen was napping, so when he got up, he got his first glimpse of the cake. He couldn't quite see it well enough, so he grabbed his table and pulled it over for a closer look.
BBBUUUUUUSSSSS!!!! He was pretty excited.
We ate, played, opened presents, and each of his friends colored a picture for his scrapbook.
We had a great time. Happy, Happy Birthday my wonderful, sweet Owen!
I love that 2 year old kid!
Booger Boy
Driving in the car today Owen says "Uh-Oh mommy...I have boogies". I look back at him just in time to see him flick it at me and say "here mom...Owie's boogies". Oh...thanks Owen!
So now there is a rouge booger in my backseat, and Owen is fascinated with picking his nose. My baby is now officially a little boy. Great.
I love that nose-picking kid.
So now there is a rouge booger in my backseat, and Owen is fascinated with picking his nose. My baby is now officially a little boy. Great.
I love that nose-picking kid.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Owen's Arkansas Vacation
Although we have taken many, many trips to my parents house, this was the first trip where Owen was ready (and able) to party like a big boy! We traveled in style (and hurricane-force rains) in LeRoy, the Swaggerwaggon. Owen got to watch endless episodes of Elmo and "Different Toy Movie" aka Toy Story 2. He thought TV in the car was awesome...and we (that would be EE and myself) loved not having to name every car and color he could spot for the 5 hour journey! (Thanks LeRoy!).
When we were about 10 minutes away from Nana and Papa's house Owen started singing "Almost Nana house....almost Nana house..." There was no actual tune, but I love his sweet singing...and that's a great song...for a 2yo!. Sweet boy. When we got there, Nana came out to greet us and the kid started screaming and about came unglued with excitement...NANNNNNAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think Nana would have done the same thing...OOOWWWWWEEEEENNNNN!!!!! if it weren't for the neighbors. Those two sure are in love with each other! And a few hours later when Papa got home from work....PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Same reaction. Love it!
The rest of the weekend was spent with Pop and Owen playing ball, Nana and Owen playing cars, EE and Owen going on adventures...starting to get the picture...or more importantly, who is MISSING from this picture??? Yeah, that's right...ME...MOMMY!!! Apparently I rank 4th below Nana and Pop (who are now equal), then EE, THEN mommy. And had Brian been there, I would have been bumped to 5th position. Oh well. I can take it. At least I am in there somewhere!
We had a great time. We played outside in the rain...EE took him stomping around in the puddles looking for mud and frogs. I stayed back in the puddles where I could be assured there were NO frogs!. We pushed him in the swing hung from the giant tree in the front yard...and when we told him to wait a while to swing again...he climbed in the swing himself, then pitifully yelled "mommy...help...nana...help...ee...help...papa...help" until Nana caved and went and pushed him. 2yo manipulation at it's finest.
We ran through the sprinklers, and even Papa got silly and wet in the water. The things we will do to make our kids laugh. Melts my heart.
We grown-ups sat on the front porch with fans, cocktails, and a TV and played spades (while O was supposed to be napping). Owen got to actually play outside in nature without melting...he picked up all the leaves he could find...rode GiGi the giraffe all over "town" aka the front sidewalk, and we practiced riding his tricycle. I didn't get any pictures of him riding his trike, but it looked like this....Owen peddling along with one of us pushing from behind...telling him to "push with your legs". He would then let go of the handlebars, put his hands on his knees, and push. Oh yeah, 2yo are very literal. I forgot. It was hilarious and made a momma proud.
Another "biggie" of the trip...it was Owen's first time to sleep overnight not in his pack-n-play. He sleeps on a cot at school, but that's just for a few hours. This was ALL NIGHT! Big boy! I bought a toddler air mattress with side bumpers. It worked great....except he flips and flops so much he ended up sliding out the top of it! It made for some rough nights, and needless to say, we were both excited to be back home and in our own beds by the end of the trip.
So that's about it. We had a great time...ate great food...watched scary movies (without Owen, of course!)...played a lot, sang a lot, laughed a lot, and just had a good relaxing time. I wish I had more pictures, but sometimes you get so caught up in having the fun, that you forget to document it. I guess that means it was extra fun! But here are a few pics I did get...
Owen in his Flashdance shirt. I don't know why he wanted to wear it like this, but whatever!
And his Daisey Duke shirt...
Nana bought him this ducky...he wore it all over the house!
I love that kid...and good times AR-stlye!
When we were about 10 minutes away from Nana and Papa's house Owen started singing "Almost Nana house....almost Nana house..." There was no actual tune, but I love his sweet singing...and that's a great song...for a 2yo!. Sweet boy. When we got there, Nana came out to greet us and the kid started screaming and about came unglued with excitement...NANNNNNAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think Nana would have done the same thing...OOOWWWWWEEEEENNNNN!!!!! if it weren't for the neighbors. Those two sure are in love with each other! And a few hours later when Papa got home from work....PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Same reaction. Love it!
The rest of the weekend was spent with Pop and Owen playing ball, Nana and Owen playing cars, EE and Owen going on adventures...starting to get the picture...or more importantly, who is MISSING from this picture??? Yeah, that's right...ME...MOMMY!!! Apparently I rank 4th below Nana and Pop (who are now equal), then EE, THEN mommy. And had Brian been there, I would have been bumped to 5th position. Oh well. I can take it. At least I am in there somewhere!
We had a great time. We played outside in the rain...EE took him stomping around in the puddles looking for mud and frogs. I stayed back in the puddles where I could be assured there were NO frogs!. We pushed him in the swing hung from the giant tree in the front yard...and when we told him to wait a while to swing again...he climbed in the swing himself, then pitifully yelled "mommy...help...nana...help...ee...help...papa...help" until Nana caved and went and pushed him. 2yo manipulation at it's finest.
We ran through the sprinklers, and even Papa got silly and wet in the water. The things we will do to make our kids laugh. Melts my heart.
We grown-ups sat on the front porch with fans, cocktails, and a TV and played spades (while O was supposed to be napping). Owen got to actually play outside in nature without melting...he picked up all the leaves he could find...rode GiGi the giraffe all over "town" aka the front sidewalk, and we practiced riding his tricycle. I didn't get any pictures of him riding his trike, but it looked like this....Owen peddling along with one of us pushing from behind...telling him to "push with your legs". He would then let go of the handlebars, put his hands on his knees, and push. Oh yeah, 2yo are very literal. I forgot. It was hilarious and made a momma proud.
Another "biggie" of the trip...it was Owen's first time to sleep overnight not in his pack-n-play. He sleeps on a cot at school, but that's just for a few hours. This was ALL NIGHT! Big boy! I bought a toddler air mattress with side bumpers. It worked great....except he flips and flops so much he ended up sliding out the top of it! It made for some rough nights, and needless to say, we were both excited to be back home and in our own beds by the end of the trip.
So that's about it. We had a great time...ate great food...watched scary movies (without Owen, of course!)...played a lot, sang a lot, laughed a lot, and just had a good relaxing time. I wish I had more pictures, but sometimes you get so caught up in having the fun, that you forget to document it. I guess that means it was extra fun! But here are a few pics I did get...
Owen in his Flashdance shirt. I don't know why he wanted to wear it like this, but whatever!
And his Daisey Duke shirt...
Nana bought him this ducky...he wore it all over the house!
I love that kid...and good times AR-stlye!
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