Chicago Chick

Because My People - We're PUNNY!!!

I needed something funny to counterbalance the UNfunny things that have been going on lately.  I've been told that as a people, Filipinos, love to laugh.  I guess I cannot argue because family gatherings would often mean that there would be A LOT of laughing - actually cackling would be more correct.

I remember going to Christmas gatherings and having to park the car at least 2 blocks away from the home where the party was being held.  It was always freakin' freezing and the snow would crunch underneath my boots in time to the chattering of my teeth.  I always knew which house had the party because you could smell the Filipino foods and hear the "Aunties" laughing from a block away.  God forbid there was another Filipino family having a Christmas party on the same block.  In reality, that family would have probably combined their party.

On my quest for humor, I found Happy Slip, who I've been a big fan of for a long time.  One day, I will be as dorky-cool as Christine:

Yeah, I won't hold my breath and neither should you.

It's Not That I'm Rattled, I'm JUST SO ANNOYED!

This past week I've been faced with an issue that isn't earth-shattering.  It's not something that I cannot handle and it's not something that stresses me out.  Instead, it is something that just annoys me to the core because it is an example of people who cannot seem to do their jobs.

I was expecting a very important package, but the package didn't get to me which causes me to be unable to do things that I'm supposed to do.  It's not the shipping company's fault and it certainly is NOT my fault (because I gave the person the correct FULL address including the unit number).  I have been told, on one occasion very similar to this one a few months ago when I mentioned that I was annoyed, that "if this situation stressed me out then I have bigger issues."

Seriously, if this type of issue kept happening to the person who told me this I know that this person would be just as annoyed as me.  See - it's not that being in this situation is stressful; instead it is annoying because it makes it difficult for me to accomplish things that I really need to accomplish.  For example, if you were driving down the street and you were constantly faced with detours because of construction it would get annoying.

Would you be stressed out?  Would you be discouraged?  Possibly, but I think by the second time in a row that this detour issue happened - let's say within blocks of each other - you would be looking for another street to drive on.  Or, maybe you'd stop at a bar nearby and have a drink and possibly rethink your decision to drive down this particular street.  I'm sure that there is a better way of handling this situation, but I just have not come up with one yet.

Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress

The Hollies once sang about a Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress and it's a song that I really like.  So much so that it's been on my iPod since I first owned one.  Today that song is going through my head like gang-busters except for one thing.  The lyrics in my head keep going "Short Fat Woman in A Black Shirt".

After a weekend of being sick and feeling better just in time to start this work-week, I realized as I put on my jeans that I am fat.  Seriously, I am fat!  After getting dressed, I put on yet another black shirt and walked into the kitchen where I was greeted by the boys.  N said, "Mommy's got a black shirt." to which I replied, "I always have on a black shirt, don't I?"  Then on the way to work, I realized that my black shirt seemed a bit uncomfortable.  Okay, so maybe the black shirt had shrunk a bit since it was a hand wash only shirt and David had inadvertently put it into the drier, but still.

Because the power went out in the office building the elevator isn't working so I took the stairs up 4 flights of stairs.  Not a big deal, but the genius that I am - I decided that today I'd wear heals.  By the time I got to my office, I was hot and sweaty and just in time for an office neighbor to stop by and say hello.  Nothing makes someone feel more unattractive than feeling fat or like a "Short Fat Woman in a Black Shirt".

Yes, yes, I realize that I'm married - happily so at least for today - but nobody likes feeling like a "shmoo" in front of anyone.  And, lately I've felt that way as evidenced by my recent post on Filipina Moms' Blog.  With the whirlwind of activity that's been going on and my sheer laziness - actually it's more due to my sheer laziness - I've managed to feel like a blob wearing heels and an always present black top.  THIS   HAS   GOT   TO   STOP!

Three Years Ago Today . . .

This screaming bundle of humanity entered our lives after 34 hours of labor and a C-Section.

It's been challenging, frustrating, and infuriating but it's also been a blessing and joy and I wouldn't have it ANY other way!   Happy 3rd birthday to one of the most interesting people I have the honor of knowing.  I am honored to be your mother.

The Irene Comedy Show

Life has gotten awfully complicated lately what with the move, Nick's birthday, and the newly hired sales person I am working with at work.  It seemed as though once we sold our place the stream of things to do has become endless.  Nick turns 3 this week and next week we have his first day of preschool followed by moving day right after.  Never mind that we haven't finished packing - actually, we've barely put a dent into packing - and I still have to call the utility companies.

So, in between phone calls, e-mails, and scheduling AND planning meetings I've taken the liberty of using any spare 5 minutes I can get calling people like the ISP provider and the cable company.  It's actually kind of fun because nobody believes me when I tell them that I need to transfer service and that in 6 months I will be talking to them again to transfer service yet again.  The whole house situation is comical, although it wasn't that funny at first.

Luckily, my aunt and uncle are okay with us renting their home for 6 months instead of buying it.  Truthfully I would have bought their house if it weren't on a busy street - when I say busy, I mean BUSY.  The thought of the nightmares of the boys getting hurt is enough to make me reconsider.  My first call was to the wonderful people of Comcast where my call was answered by Racquel.

Racquel was really helpful.  It made it even better that she was a willing participant in the off handed comments that I made about our moving situation.  Here's a snippet of our conversation:

Racquel: So, we can reach you at 312-555-1212 the day of the transfer?
Me: Oooh, that's my husband's cell phone number which he does NOT answer EVER.  Can you put down my cell number 312-555-2222?
Racquel: Sure.
Me: Why is it that they don't answer their phones?  I mean you could be bloody and dying on the side of the road and they won't answer their cell phones.  But, now if YOU don't answer your cell phone when they call, you end up catching all sorts of grief?!?
Racquel: Oh that's funny.  I don't know why that is.  My boyfriend says that he never answers the phone unless he sees that it's my number.  And the times that he doesn't answer his phone and he sees it's my number, he figures I'll just call someone else.
Me: My husband says the same thing.  Now if I WANTED to talk to someone else, dontcha think that I would have called someone else instead of wasting my time?

The conversation went back and forth like that.  And, it was a nice 5 minute break from my life.  In the end, Racquel wished me well and hoped that my move was as fun as the phone call she was having with me.  I told her, that it's only fun if you're moving with strangers.  If you're moving with people who know you it's just work and whining wondering when they can get something to eat.  It's annoying because it's a 10 minute cycle of work, whining, and wanting something to eat.  She suggested that I make up hats with a sandwich dangling in front of the visor.

Hmmmm, maybe she's on to something.  This moving this is really stressful, but calling the utility companies and ISP to change service is actually kind of fun.

Well, At Least it's Progress

After writing about how I did no packing yesterday, I took some cold medicine and promptly passed out on the couch.  The thing about living in a small space is that you are seldom alone and after about 30 minutes, I woke up to a cold little finger poking me in the nose.  The funny thing is that I loved the cold little finger poking at me because it was attached to one of my 2 favorite "little people with sticky fingers" who lives with me.

It was just as well that I got up because I was feeling really guilty about not doing anything.  Before lunchtime, I had packed the remainder of the breakable tchockies or what David calls dust collectors, and had packed up the hall closet and the master bedroom closet.  I also finished taking down all but 1 picture and packed them away.  I was hoping to get to the remaining picture, the shelves and mirrors, and the summer clothes that we won't be needing for very much longer but I just ran out of steam.

Instead, I put together a tricycle for son number one whose birthday is next week.  For whatever reason I am the one who always ends up putting things together that require assembly such as cribs, bathroom shelving, a grill, etc.  I have no idea why that is, but it is.  I'm not the one who does any of the painting and I'd like to keep it that way.  It wasn't the most productive week I've ever had and I think I can safely say that it was one of the worst weekends I've had - only because I was sick.

David took son number one for a ride on the tricycle, which by the way is made in China.  I suppose we're safe unless either of the "little people with sticky fingers" decided to start gnawing at the paint.  Had I known it was going to be made in China, I honestly would have ordered a different one.  Chinese manufacturers and I are not friends anymore after those recalls.  Still, it was cool to see son number one watch as I assembled his birthday present and then later get on it to pedal his first foot unassisted.  He was so proud of himself and in the end, it was a great weekend.

Woozy Weekend

I am definitely sick.  I have a slight fever, a sore throat, and body aches - it sucks being sick.  I didn't pack a single box this weekend.  Surprisingly, David packed a couple of boxes in the kitchen.  So what if it took him ALL day to pack up 2 boxes.

At first I was really annoyed because I could have packed up the entire kitchen, the front hall closet, and our closet in one day, but how could I be annoyed because I could scarcely pull myself out of bed.  In the end, we will end up finished with our packing and we'll be moved.

So how in the world did I get sick?  I'm sure it had a lot to do with the stress I've been under with the old real estate agent and then the sale of our place.  I always get sick after an issue I'm faced with gets resolved.  It was this way with finals all through college.

As I was reclining on the couch all woozy on cold medicine, I had a chance to think about what I WON'T miss living in this condo.  I won't miss people throwing garbage down the garbage chute when Alex is sleeping, bumping its way down the chute.  I won't miss not having a basement.  I won't miss the crazy neighbor who drives a zillion miles an hour in the parking lot, threatening to maim our kids.

Harbinger of My Annual Summer Cold

Early yesterday evening I started to feel strange.  Strange in a way that tells me that I'm getting sick.  When I start to come down with something my front bottom teeth itch.  Yes, I said ITCH.  It's not an itchy-gotta-scratch-it-like-a-mosquito-bite itchy, but kind of like I have food stuck in my teeth and that food just happens to be vibrating.  Yes, I know that it's strange, but consider the source.

I was just mentioning to my friend, M while visiting her at a local candy store, that I was so happy that I hadn't gotten my annual summer cold.  Usually, I end up with allergy irritation that turns into a cold that turns into bronchitis and by the beginning of August I am sick.  This year, I didn't really have any allergy irritation and since I didn't there was nothing to turn into a cold.  Unfortunately, I seemed to have skipped the allergy part and now I'm developing a cold.

I'm sure that the itchy teeth and sore throat are brought on by the fact that the "little people with sticky hands" that live in our house have been battling a virus on and off for the past couple of weeks.  Truthfully, I would rather be doing the virus-fighting than have them do it.  When I get sick I am an incredible baby but I can take all sorts of cold medicine and mope around.  When the "little people with sticky hands" that live in our house get sick it's just a huge whine-fest because they're uncomfortable and can't really tell us how the feel.  It's sad to watch.

I opted to work at home instead of in my rented office because the street that the building is on has no power.  Yep, I thought that maybe we escaped the annual ComEd power outage debacle that is as certain as death and taxes.  Once again I was wrong.  I realize that ComEd cannot do anything about the storms that crossed into Chicago and I am sure that someone high up in ComEd was thinking that they had just evaded a summer without major power outages when all this happened.  Turns out that the building has been without power since 4:00 pm Thursday afternoon and as of Friday, the power had not been restored.

In a way, it's a good thing that I had to work from home because nobody wants to be near sick people.  I know I always hated that because I knew I would be the next one to catch whatever it was that person had.  Plus, it's easier to lay down on the couch when you're sick than it is to lay down on a short, albeit comfortable piece of office furniture.

Dear Boys, I Love You but You're Making Me Nuts!

Being an adult is far from easy, but add to that 2 small toddlers with sticky hands and sweet faces that can turn stormy at the drop of a hat; a husband who really would rather work outside the home; a new job that is demanding only because I make it that way; and a very loud storm and things get even more stressful.  Lately the boys have been battling a virus so they're really REALLY cranky which makes David crankier than usual.

I love my little family very much but there are times that I get tired of running back and forth between 2 screaming toddlers and a frustrated husband.  Actually, I wish that David would realize that the kids won't be "in control" (his words not mine) at all times.  I think expecting a toddler to be "in control" is completely ridiculous especially since their parents are seldom in control - of anything!

With the oldest one's 3rd birthday next week, I have to add "plan a day with N" to the ever growing list of things to do.  I'm sure that in the end, he won't care what we do as long as it's interesting and different.  If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.  For now we are planning on riding the Metra (David's idea); going to the Museum of Science and Industry; and going to the Shedd Aquarium.  The weather's supposed to be crappy so I've planned a lot of indoor activities.

Winding Down For a Minute

I am exhausted and it's no wonder.  My white board on my office wall is full of tasks to accomplish in the next week.  It's a mix of work, school (Nick), and moving stuff; it's a mind-boggling list.  This evening I had yet another meeting with my parents to talk about the possibility of buying their house.

It will mean that David, the kids, and I will be living in temporary housing for close to 6 months.  It means that our lives will be "on hold" for half a year and it will probably feel like this year will be even longer.  But, in the end I think things will be okay and it will be worth the wait.  I would like to pull the focus that I've been making on the house and put it on the boys and work.  Honestly, I am SICK  TO  DEATH of dealing with the house thing and I will be glad when I can pay less attention to the crap that goes with it.

We still have a lot of packing to do but before I kick it into high-gear with the weekend packing I am taking a minute to just sit on the couch for an hour or so.  I don't feel the "winds of change" settling down anytime soon, but I think for now I will take a self imposed breather.  For once in a long LONG time I actually feel like I can take a breath.

Like most things, I can make it through the maze of tasks if I take things one at time.  To look at the entire thing and trying to get everything all at once just makes me incredibly tired.  I just need to remember (as one of my very smart Internet friends told me) "packing is done one box at a time".

Remembering How to Be a Kid Again

Remembering your childhood is a universal thing whether you have children or not and whether or not you remember your childhood as happy.  I think that even the most jaded person who had the most terrible childhood has at least one happy memory.  I definitely do not remember my childhood as unhappy, although it was far from perfect.  There are things that I do remember like Mister Roger's Neighborhood, The Electric Company, Sesame Street, and of course The Muppet Show.

There are moments in my life when the kid part of me bubbles to the surface (probably because the kid part of me is not hidden very deep) in moments when I'm in an "adult role".  For example, when I was in grad school and I needed to make up names for users I would use Muppet Show Names - Fozzie Bear was a favorite.  And, when I was a consultant I used Kermit D. Frog and Miss Piggy to illustrate what "collusion" was.  I think it's really important to remember that being a kid and characters like Miss Piggy are pretty universal and incorporating them into my "adult" world was great because it often broke the ice in difficult situations.

As a kid, you couldn't stay up late, you had to eat vegetables that you didn't even pick out, and maybe you had to share a room with a sibling, but overall childhood is completely UNDERrated and being an adult is overrated.  So, last night when I watched America's Got Talent and Terry Fator won, it was heartwarming.  Not only because Terry is a grown man with an obscure occupation, which probably doesn't bring in a ton of money, but because that little kid in me bubbled to the surface.

With all the chaos going on lately, it felt as though the little kid in me was sinking deeper into oblivion.  But, watching Terry Fator every week on a stupid reality show that I really never watched before made me smile and for a moment there I remembered things like the Muppets.  Having kids or nieces and nephews does not necessarily make you grow up and it doesn't necessarily make you FEEL like a kid again.  Sure you are able to live vicariously through them but it's not like you're really ever the kid.  It's moments that make you remember your childhood that truly transport you.

So, here's a little snippet of the Muppets paying tribute to Jim Henson after he died.  I'm such a sap - it made me cry:

In The End, You Just Have Each Other

My parents are building a house in Arizona and my brother is being transferred to an office in California so last night we (my sister, brother, my parents, and I) went to dinner.  It's funny how you spend your teen aged years and early adulthood trying to get away from your family - and also trying to get over your childhood.  In the end, the changes that have happened this year just keep on coming.

My brother is leaving at the end of this month and my parents will be moving to Arizona at the beginning of next year.  There are also big changes coming that I don't want to say anything about because it's not my news to talk about.  It's a good change and I have to say - IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME!!!  I know that I talk about how David and I have been through a lot of changes (with 2 babies in 2 years, then selling our place, and the nightmare Real Estate agent) but it seems that these kind of BIG changes will be the regular type of changes that we should get used to.

Before my life was completely turned up-side-down, the biggest change in my life related to career changes and job changes.  Medium changes were things like picking out my classes for grad school and smaller changes related to things like buying new clothes or new shoes when the seasons changed.  But now, those types of medium and small changes don't even really register as a blip on the radar screen.

I think it's because I'm just exhausted and old. But, I am glad that even though my immediate family may be scattered to the 4 corners of the United States, that we still have each other.

It's 3:30 and I'm STILL not Showered

Late last night, Alex was acting funny.  By funny I mean that he wasn't his usual spazzy self, a trait he undoubtedly received from me.  Instead, he was grouchy and sitting on the couch with his cute face with the dimpled cheeks resting on a couch pillow.  He wouldn't laugh at the television show that he usually watches after dinner and when I tickled him, he didn't even crack a smile.

We have been extremely lucky in that we've managed to dodge viral sickness up until this year and the boys turn 2 and 3 this year.  I've heard horror stories from my friends with kids the same age as Alex and Nick and it seemed like every other week there was an illness or fever.  David and I count ourselves as lucky.  Unfortunately, we are ridiculously overprotective when it comes to them getting sick.  Okay, I have to revise that and say that David is ridiculous when it comes to germs and them getting sick because he is the one that carries around at least 2 bottles of hand sanitizer and washes his hands until they crack because they're so dry.

So, last night we took Alex's temperature and he had a slight fever.  I suggested that we give him some baby Tylenol and check his temperature again before we put him to bed.  David got all panicked and shouted at me to call the doctor.  In the end, the doctor told us to have Alex take some baby Tylenol every 4 hours and then check his temperature when we put him to bed.  The doctor also told us to bring Alex in if his temperature didn't drop the next morning.  Ummmm - okay.

Early this morning we piled David and Alex into the car and drove to the pediatrician's office.  On the way home Alex wanted to see his Lolo and Lola (grandparents) so they stopped by.  In the meantime, I was busy juggling Nick and work and by the time David and Alex got home it was 3:00 and I hadn't showered yet.  I hadn't eaten lunch - Nick's chicken nuggets didn't look very appetizing - but I managed to attend a conference call; load, unload, and load the dishwasher; and get some work done.  I swear if I were a Stay at Home Mom, I'd never make time to shower - eeeeew!

Inquire Before You Perspire

I started a post about how frustrated I was about a situation I was in.  I even scheduled it to be published for this morning.  I love TypePad precisely because you can schedule a post.  What can I say?  Life is busy but I always seem to have a lot to say.

It turns out that there was no need for me to be frustrated because (as I surmised in my post) there was a reason for why I was excluded from the situation.  In the end, it was simply a matter of me asking someone why I was being excluded.  Actually, it's not just me who was excluded but an entire department.

Once upon a time, I worked for a global consumer packaged goods company.  It was early in my career and it was great experience.  Not only because I got to travel and see the world but also because I worked with some great people.  I choose not to talk about the no-so-great people I worked with and for because it would make me remember what I consider the most important years in my career annoying.

One of the people that I worked with, let's call him Al, was a tough manager to work for but he was extremely fair and I learned a lot from him.  Besides the fact that he loved to say, "Who's your pal?  Al - Al's your pal!" and other crazy things like that, he taught me that you are responsible for managing your career.  It's a piece of advice that has served me well throughout the years.  It's also a piece of advice that has made me even more neurotic that I already am.

One of things that Al taught me besides that he was my pal; that cash flow never lies; and that it was possible to have fun in freezing Montreal in the dead of winter was that if I had a question, I should ask.  There was no shame in asking a question that you didn't know the answer to.  Asking wasn't a sign of weakness (unless of course it was truly a dumb question like "what's my name") and asking saved a lot of time spinning your wheels.  I remember once when I was on an audit and I didn't understand something, I spent an hour or two trying to figure it out by myself.  Al peered over his granny glasses (yes, he wore granny reading glasses) and delivered this line that I have NEVER forgotten:

"Irene, what is the matter?  Remember, inquire before you perspire."

He was right.  Even though he didn't give me the answer, the mere exercise of talking through what I didn't understand made me realize what the answer was.  There are times when I wonder what one of my favorite managers is up to.  I know that he has children - girls no less - and I wonder what other pearls of wisdom he has taught them.  I am sure that if they're of dating age he has taught them some sort of self-defense.  He has probably taught them to not be afraid of asking questions or for directions; how to have a good time in situations where you think good times are NOT to be had; and that there are times to be serious and times where it's okay to kiss a perfectly good stranger in a Canadian bar for $10.00.  Okay, so maybe he didn't teach his girls that last thing.

Put DOWN the "To Do" List

I didn't get much sleep last night and it may have to do with the angst I feel about packing up a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom place that David and I have lived in for the past 5 years.  In those 5 years we've accumulated a lot of stuff, not to mention that we doubled in size by adding 2 little ones to our household.  Personally, I like to think that I didn't get much sleep last night because in an effort to relax yesterday I had a half glass of wine.

Being the light-weight drinker that I've become, a half glass of wine makes me ridiculously sleepy (and pretty darned tipsy).  I ended up taking a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day while David cleaned out the fridge and the boys watched some kid friendly television.  Unlike one mother, who shall remain nameless, I think it's important to have at least one parent fully functioning if you're going to do something like getting remotely tipsy.  Actually, I was pretty shocked that it only took a half glass of wine.

Last night I was getting ready for bed and I couldn't shake the mental "To Do" list that kept replaying in my my head.  You know, things like call the utility companies; see if the ISP that we use is available at my aunt and uncle's place; decide what to do with the Direct TV; and on and on.  I swear I could not get that list of stuff to quit replaying in my head once I was in bed under the comfy covers.  It really sucks being an adult and the fact that we will be moving once this year and then again early next year makes it infinitely sucky to be an adult.

Honestly, I'm thinking that I need to find the someone who issued me my "you are now an adult" membership card so that I can give it back to them.  I have no idea when this happened - this becoming an adult thing.  I just know that even when I was 6 years old I didn't want to grow up.  This whole thing is a sham and it was foisted upon me without my permission.  I need to add "quit the adult club" on my To Do list just as soon as I finish calling those utility companies.

Not Even Close to Being Kinda Packed

I'm just not feeling the packing thing.  Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself because I set such lofty goals, but I don't think it was unrealistic to think that I could pack up the utility closet, most of the kitchen, and some sweaters in a weekend.  It turns out that if you rely on someone - like your husband - to pick up packing materials, you could be disappointed.  Instead, I purchased packing kits from Costco.

The kits were pretty much free because my parents in their infinite wisdom purchased Costco gift cards for David and me earlier this year.  Not sure if it was an anniversary present or a birthday present, but no matter - they really came in handy.  They won't be getting here until the end of this week or early next week which is annoying.  What's more annoying is the fact that I relied on someone who I trusted to take care of something simple (picking up packing materials) and I was sorely disappointed.

Okay, let me take that back.  David did pick up packing materials if you call a very large permanent marker, a roll of tape, and a dozen boxes that his parents used for moving back to Illinois as packing material.  What I meant, and silly me I should have been waaaay more specific, when I told him that we needed packing supplies was like at least 24 boxes, 3 rolls of tape, and something to wrap breakables in like newspaper, bubble wrap . . . you get the idea.

But my dear husband who is so good at so many things thought that we could pack with a dozen boxes and nothing to wrap breakables in.  At least we have the huge permanent marker to write on the boxes - the now very empty boxes.  I'm frustrated because I was only able to pack up two-thirds of my darkroom supplies in the utility closet, David's sweaters, and part of a bookshelf this weekend.  I did a lot of purging when we decided to put our place on the market, but it's amazing how much more crap we have.

To top it off, I'm stressing about the fact that David and his brother decided that they would rent a moving van and move us themselves.  Never mind that they used to move people "professionally"; that was over 20 years ago and now they're in their 40s.  It boggles my mind.  Quite simply, the packing has been put on hold and I'm getting nervous that we're cutting it a little too close.

I realize that we don't have to be officially out of here until the 3rd week of September, but I hate the mad rush at the end.  I'd rather get a lot of stuff done in the beginning and then not stress out over things that have been overlooked at the end.  It's the anthem of my life - what can I say?  For now, I will have to remake a "To Do" list and just try to control my angst that way.  Ugh - I can feel the stress zits coming on!

Guess What I'm Doing Today?

I'm packing today.  My plan is to pack the utility room which is cram-packed with darkroom equipment from my more busy photography days.  I'm also packing up our wedding china and kitchen items we don't use.  If I get that done today, then I will be packing up all the sweaters.  I think we may have enough boxes - thank you Carrie for stowing some away for me even though I don't need them.  Seriously, never second guess the power of the Internet and the kindness of people you meet via the Internet.

It's the perfect time to pack because the Chicago Air and Water Show is going on and traffic to some of our usual Chicago haunts with the kids will be nasty.  Also, it looks like it's going to rain and who wants to be outside during sucky weather.

There are other "maintenance" type things that are planned for today like haircuts.  I've also planned general hanging out type of things like movies from Netflix and popcorn.  Never underestimate the love that toddlers have for popcorn.  Along with the popcorn comes some general vacuuming because toddlers also like to throw popcorn onto the floor and play spin the popcorn bowl until stuff comes flying out everywhere.

I'm looking forward to a low-key weekend, but you never know what could happen to interrupt the best-laid plans.  After a summer filled with cleaning for people who were coming to look at our home, I'm thinking that the next couple of weeks will be busy but not as crazy and hopefully not as stressful as they were previously.  Again, we'll see.

Avoiding the Inevitable

I am the kind of person who likes to manage by lists.  I've always been this way and it was made worse when I started my first job out of college.  For whatever reason, the job I had right out of college seemed to be made easier by making lists; I was never late with anything if I had a list and nothing was ever forgotten.  They say that your first job pretty much sets your work habits and I can agree with this.

But, this post isn't about work.  A few of days ago I was feeling completely disorganized and since I was (am) faced with having to juggle work, finalizing the sale on our place, packing, moving, kid starting school, and husband I really needed to make up a major "to do" list.  I mapped detailed tasks on my white board and grouped them into categories.  Yesterday, when I looked at the white board I was pleased to see that I had completed a majority of the tasks in a couple of days.  Even the work ones which were things that I needed to do to feel more comfortable with the application and get ready for a demo which I'm sure is coming soon were done.

All the tasks that I can complete with our management company for the condo are complete - all checks have been written and corresponding letters printed and sent.  I even sent a check list to the person at the management company with all the things that are complete and the items that are open.  She told me that I rocked, so even though it was a "geeky" thing to do it was helpful.  All of Nick's stuff is set to go for school for his first day of preschool too.  I was amazed that I got all that stuff done in such a short period of time - okay, so I didn't get a lot of sleep this week.

The one thing that I have not done and that I've been avoiding is the packing part of this whole thing.  I  HATE  PACKING!  Sure, I can pack for a business trip in 5 minutes flat - okay 10 minutes because travel guidelines have changed.  But the whole packing up the house thing is looming over my head and I haven't started.  David hasn't even started to clean out the storage area which is a disaster!

There's no reason why we haven't started since we picked up boxes and packing supplies.  I know it has to be done, but I just cannot seem to get myself motivated.  I realize that we only finalized the contract to sell our place this week and maybe that's why I've been waiting to start packing.  Really, I think that I've put this off because the task is daunting and just no fun.  Who wants to do something "not fun" especially when the last weeks of summer are winding down?

Major Transition Coming

I've been talking about this forever and spent this past spring obsessing over Nick going off to preschool.  David and I chose a small, private school for Nick and are excited about him going to school.  Yes, I know that the public schools in the city have wonderful programs, but when we visited the school that we selected I had a gut feeling that it was the right one.

Actually, that last sentence is funny because initially we went to see the school looking to find things wrong with it.  My mom's friend sends her children to this school and my mom was adamant about us checking it out.  Normally, I would just roll my eyes and nod my head - anything to get my mom off my back about unsolicited (and usually unwanted) parenting and schooling advice.  But, she kept on with it and even signed us up for the spring open house.

I hate to admit it, but she was right.  I asked a lot of really crazy questions like "what are your Terra Nova scores like?" and "so, if I wanted to take a look at the school books before the school year started, could I do that?" and "would it be possible for me to get a lesson plan prior to the school year so that I could make sure that if my son needs help I will be able to do the school work properly?"  I don't want to be the kind of parent that is completely hands off with my child's learning leaving it to the teacher to carry the burden, so I was asking all sorts of nutty questions.

Surprisingly, the principal gave me all the answers AND even introduced me to each of the teachers even though Nick wouldn't be in their grades.  All the teachers said that I could contact them as often as I wished and even gave me the names of parents who did just that.  David talked to the parents and they had nothing but positive things to say about the level of communication.  He was also told that if he wanted to sit in the class and observe, he would be welcomed.  David and I tried in vain to find something wrong - anything that would cause us to cross the school off our list - but we couldn't.  I am sure that there will be things that I will complain about because nothing is perfect.

One of the things that I really like about this school, besides the low student to teacher ratio is that before school begins they do a "transition program" to get the kids ready for school.  The kick off to the transition is an ice cream social - it should be interesting.  I'm sure that Nick will be fine.  I, on the other hand, will probably be an emotional wreck for the next month or so.  It stands to reason since this past year has been nothing but transitions for me.  Do you think that the transition program is more for parents like me than for the kids - hmmmm.

Answers Sometimes Come from Unexpected Sources

Yesterday the contract on the sale of our home was finalized.  It was about time since we signed the contract and it went into attorney review the 3rd week of July.  In the end it took our attorney sending a letter saying that the buyer needed to accept the terms of our last response to the buyer's attorney by a given date and time, otherwise the deal was off.  I love our attorney not only because he is like an uncle to me but because he is truly a reasonable guy and wonderful attorney.  If anyone would like his contact information, I would love to send it to you.

Now, I can concentrate on wrapping up our part of the sale like packing and moving.  And, there are other things that I'd like to spend my non-work time doing like getting Nick ready for school.  It's hard for me to believe that this past spring, I was freaking out about finding a good preschool and then subsequently dealing with (what I like to call) the "Great Autism Scare of 2007".  In the end, it turned out not to be autism and when things get bad in my life or so I think, I look back to that time and realize that life - my life - isn't so bad.

Back when I was searching the Internet and feverishly trying to contact people I knew who had children with autism, I sent an e-mail through Classmates.com to my old boyfriend's sister.  Way back when, my old boyfriend - TJ - was the love of my life and his sister really didn't care for me.  TJ and I believed that we would end up getting married.  Our relationship spanned from my junior year high school to past my senior year in college with the last 2 years being an "on and off" thing.

When they say that you will do anything for your child, they are right.  In searching for answers, I contacted TJ's sister, K.  K has a child with autism and I hoped that she could provide me with some assistance - any assistance.  Unfortunately, Classmates.com is a little slow with sending messages out because I just heard from K and the message from Classmates.com was dated July, 2007 when I sent the message to her in March.  We have been corresponding and she has been extremely helpful and comforting.

Sometimes assistance comes from very unexpected sources and I've learned that you should not second guess what people will or will not do.  Years, distance, and parenting have made K and I very similar.  So similar that differences in opinions and social cliques from high school really don't matter anymore.  It's amazing that a very bad breakup with her brother and years of heart ache don't really matter in the end.  In the end, K and I are just parents wanting the best for our children.