Mr. W. has taken a new job, leaving me alone and forlorn. Gee, I didn't realize how much I relied on him to keep me grounded and as a release valve for stress. He has been my sounding board and reality check here since before we started dating. Many people I've talked to have said they can't imagine working with their spouse. I, however, am trying to figure out how to work without my spouse. I miss him.
Since we no longer work at the same place (or even on the same side of town), we can't exactly commute together any more. Soooo, Saturday, we took the plunge and bought a shiny new Honda Accord. The car is big enough to fit three carseats across the back and small enough to get 30 mpg. Another bit of greenery is the ULEV label.
Since Mr. W. will be working close to daycare, he will continue to drive the minivan while I get to drive the car. It has been so long since I've driven a car, I forgot how much fun they are. I'm glad we got the little 4 cylinder model or I'm afraid I'd be zipping around a little too fast. I did learn how to drive in Germany... and going fast is fun!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Doing the Locomotion
Little Miss A. is on her way. We now have rolling front to back and back to front. We have scooting forward and backward. We have getting up on hands and knees and rocking back and forth. We also have frantic attempts to stand up. And we are scooching from a laying down position to almost sitting up.
She will be six months old next week... What a change from when S. was a baby. She rolled over the very first time a week or so after she turned six months old. The way A. is going, I expect she will be walking by 10 months old. It is definitely past time to baby proof.
She will be six months old next week... What a change from when S. was a baby. She rolled over the very first time a week or so after she turned six months old. The way A. is going, I expect she will be walking by 10 months old. It is definitely past time to baby proof.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Good News, Bad News
Good News:
Since we started working closely with L. and her speech issues, she has become more intelligible. She still needs professional assistance, but we're definitely making progress while we're working out timing for her therapy appointments.
Bad News:
I have no idea how long she's been calling me a poo poo head, and I just didn't understand her before now.
Isn't parenting grand.
Since we started working closely with L. and her speech issues, she has become more intelligible. She still needs professional assistance, but we're definitely making progress while we're working out timing for her therapy appointments.
Bad News:
I have no idea how long she's been calling me a poo poo head, and I just didn't understand her before now.
Isn't parenting grand.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Good grief
Perhaps someone should send these two yahoos a dictionary and a couple scientific articles.
From the Dallas Morning News:
Dallas County officials spar over 'black hole' comment
5:34 PM Mon, Jul 07, 2008
A special meeting about Dallas County traffic tickets turned tense and bizarre this afternoon.
County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.
Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.
Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole."
That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.
Mayfield shot back that it was a figure of speech and a science term. A black hole, according to Webster's, is perhaps "the invisible remains of a collapsed star, with an intense gravitational field from which neither light nor matter can escape."
Other county officials quickly interceded to break it up and get the meeting back on track. TV news cameras were rolling, after all.
From the Dallas Morning News:
Dallas County officials spar over 'black hole' comment
5:34 PM Mon, Jul 07, 2008
A special meeting about Dallas County traffic tickets turned tense and bizarre this afternoon.
County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.
Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.
Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole."
That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.
Mayfield shot back that it was a figure of speech and a science term. A black hole, according to Webster's, is perhaps "the invisible remains of a collapsed star, with an intense gravitational field from which neither light nor matter can escape."
Other county officials quickly interceded to break it up and get the meeting back on track. TV news cameras were rolling, after all.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Conversation in the Wheezer household
S: I wish I had someone else for my daddy!
Mr. W.: Go to timeout
S: I wish you didn't have any kids!
Hoo boy are the teenaged years going to be a fun time for all...
Mr. W.: Go to timeout
S: I wish you didn't have any kids!
Hoo boy are the teenaged years going to be a fun time for all...
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Fences
I was recently invited to and joined an online community for people who attended my high school. Since my school was a Department of Defense Dependants School located in Germany, about the only way we can keep in touch is via the web. Alumni are literally scattered across the globe. It has been fascinating getting back in touch with people I haven't seen in the past 18-20 years. It's bringing back a ton of memories and some bitter-sweet nostalgia.
I graduated from General H.H. Arnold American High School in 1990. At the time, the base was open to anyone who cared to drive through all the military housing units, past the BX, around the commissary and schools. September 11 changed a good many things... Now there are fences and soldiers surrounding everything. Without a military ID card, I cannot enter the premises. Unlike most Americans, I can never go back to my high school to look around and walk the halls.
Even though the odds of me making it back to Germany in order to take such a walk are fairly slim, the fences hurt. It is another shock to the system how things changed post 9/11... If I had thought about it, I would have realized fencing and security guards would be a part of HH Arnold, but I didn't think about it.
I am excited about the online community. I hope we find enough graduates that we can put together a decent 20 year reunion come 2010.
I graduated from General H.H. Arnold American High School in 1990. At the time, the base was open to anyone who cared to drive through all the military housing units, past the BX, around the commissary and schools. September 11 changed a good many things... Now there are fences and soldiers surrounding everything. Without a military ID card, I cannot enter the premises. Unlike most Americans, I can never go back to my high school to look around and walk the halls.
Even though the odds of me making it back to Germany in order to take such a walk are fairly slim, the fences hurt. It is another shock to the system how things changed post 9/11... If I had thought about it, I would have realized fencing and security guards would be a part of HH Arnold, but I didn't think about it.
I am excited about the online community. I hope we find enough graduates that we can put together a decent 20 year reunion come 2010.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
How to get a 3 year old to thoroughly clean herself
1. Allow three year old and her 6 year old sister to color... with markers.
2. Get distracted with 4 month old for a few minutes.
3. Discover three year old has decorated herself with said markers, which are blessedly washable.
4. Put three year old in shower and tell her to scrub until she is a single color (not GREEN!) again.
Now all I have to do is figure out how to get three year old to clean carpet which has also been decorated with washable marker.
2. Get distracted with 4 month old for a few minutes.
3. Discover three year old has decorated herself with said markers, which are blessedly washable.
4. Put three year old in shower and tell her to scrub until she is a single color (not GREEN!) again.
Now all I have to do is figure out how to get three year old to clean carpet which has also been decorated with washable marker.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Trying to find my way out of the blues
This has been a rough couple months on the mental/emotional health front. Between postpartum hormones, work stress, home stress and seeing my co-worker go through losing his son, my mental health is a little precarious. To the point that I've gone on bcp to try to regulate the hormone flucations at least. They don't seem to be working. Next step would be to go on some anti-anxiety medication.
Logically, I know I should probably bite the bullet and take my doc up on the prescription he offered. Emotionally, I just can't quite do it. The funny thing is that I am almost certain that the emotions keeping me from taking the anti-anxiety medication are false and would go away once I finally started the meds. The analytical part of me is slightly amused by the cyclical nature of what's going on in my head. Uber-anxiety leads to a need for the medication but the uber-anxiety keeps me from taking the medication I need.
The not-so-analytical part of me is afraid to go to sleep at night thanks to the nightmares I've been having. The nightmare/lack of sleep thing is also very chicken-and-egg. Poor sleep leads to nightmares which leads to worse sleep which leads to worse nightmares and on and on. I've taken to working out at night for two reasons: 1. the endorphins are good for the spirit and 2. if I'm physically worn out, I fall asleep faster and am somewhat less likely to have nightmares.
On the bright side, I'm not in a position of being a danger to me or my family. However, I am not nearly as laidback as I ordinarily am. To the point where my boss asked me what was going on after I snapped at her a couple times.
Logically, I know I should probably bite the bullet and take my doc up on the prescription he offered. Emotionally, I just can't quite do it. The funny thing is that I am almost certain that the emotions keeping me from taking the anti-anxiety medication are false and would go away once I finally started the meds. The analytical part of me is slightly amused by the cyclical nature of what's going on in my head. Uber-anxiety leads to a need for the medication but the uber-anxiety keeps me from taking the medication I need.
The not-so-analytical part of me is afraid to go to sleep at night thanks to the nightmares I've been having. The nightmare/lack of sleep thing is also very chicken-and-egg. Poor sleep leads to nightmares which leads to worse sleep which leads to worse nightmares and on and on. I've taken to working out at night for two reasons: 1. the endorphins are good for the spirit and 2. if I'm physically worn out, I fall asleep faster and am somewhat less likely to have nightmares.
On the bright side, I'm not in a position of being a danger to me or my family. However, I am not nearly as laidback as I ordinarily am. To the point where my boss asked me what was going on after I snapped at her a couple times.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Humbling Experience (in more ways than one)
I've recently decided to boost my German proficiency. After not speaking it in any way, shape or form for 14 years, I've managed to forget quite a bit. Sooooo, I've started reading Welt Online thinking it would be easy-reading enough that I wouldn't be completely lost.
There was an online quiz today on the good ole' USA. I thought that surely I'd know the answers to any USA questions asked of Germans. Right? Right? Well, maybe not so much, LOL. Out of 25 questions, I got 17 right. To be completely fair, I did miss a couple because I did not understand what they were asking (note to self 'Opfer' is not German for 'opera' it actually means 'victim').
The so nice comment from Welt Online:
Sie haben 17 Fragen korrekt beantwortet.
US-Präsident können Sie als Deutscher zwar nicht werden - aber den Job haben schon Leute gemacht, die das Land schlechter kannten.
Roughly translated (I think): You got 17 right.
Since you're German, you can't be President - but others who know less have held the job.
*ouch*
Just for fun, I went back and re-did the quiz and got them all right (wanted to see what the message would be, LOL).
Sie haben 25 Fragen korrekt beantwortet.
Sind Sie vielleicht Amerikaner? Jedenfalls kennen Sie sich mit den USA so richtig gut aus - Glückwunsch!
Roughly translated: You got 25 right.
Are you an American? Anyway you know a lot about the USA - congratulations (or something to that effect)!
There was an online quiz today on the good ole' USA. I thought that surely I'd know the answers to any USA questions asked of Germans. Right? Right? Well, maybe not so much, LOL. Out of 25 questions, I got 17 right. To be completely fair, I did miss a couple because I did not understand what they were asking (note to self 'Opfer' is not German for 'opera' it actually means 'victim').
The so nice comment from Welt Online:
Sie haben 17 Fragen korrekt beantwortet.
US-Präsident können Sie als Deutscher zwar nicht werden - aber den Job haben schon Leute gemacht, die das Land schlechter kannten.
Roughly translated (I think): You got 17 right.
Since you're German, you can't be President - but others who know less have held the job.
*ouch*
Just for fun, I went back and re-did the quiz and got them all right (wanted to see what the message would be, LOL).
Sie haben 25 Fragen korrekt beantwortet.
Sind Sie vielleicht Amerikaner? Jedenfalls kennen Sie sich mit den USA so richtig gut aus - Glückwunsch!
Roughly translated: You got 25 right.
Are you an American? Anyway you know a lot about the USA - congratulations (or something to that effect)!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Go check out Bananas & Toddlers
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Fun with the Wheezers
Arriving home from visiting with co-worker whose son passed, I walked into pandemonium:
S. sitting in the timeout spot: He put me in time-out for NO REASON. I got a color change for NO REASON. *all said while wailing away*
Me: So, L. how was your day?
L.: I had a blue day *code for good day*
Me: Oh, that's nice. S. sounds sad.
L.: No. S. not sad, S. in trouble!
S.: I'm not in trouble, YOU'RE in trouble.
L.: Not in trouble.
S.: YOU'RE in trouble!
L.: NOT in trouble!
S.: YOU'RE in trouble!!!!
L.: NOT IN TROUBLE!!!!!
Me *laughing at this point*: Mr. W. can we run away from home now?
S. sitting in the timeout spot: He put me in time-out for NO REASON. I got a color change for NO REASON. *all said while wailing away*
Me: So, L. how was your day?
L.: I had a blue day *code for good day*
Me: Oh, that's nice. S. sounds sad.
L.: No. S. not sad, S. in trouble!
S.: I'm not in trouble, YOU'RE in trouble.
L.: Not in trouble.
S.: YOU'RE in trouble!
L.: NOT in trouble!
S.: YOU'RE in trouble!!!!
L.: NOT IN TROUBLE!!!!!
Me *laughing at this point*: Mr. W. can we run away from home now?
Gloomy, gloomy day
Went to the funeral of a former co-worker this morning... He retired almost 4 years ago, but he was so very helpful to me the 6 years we worked together. A very kind man devoted to his church's youth, volley ball and M&Ms. He assured me he could taste the difference in each color M&M. Of course, he also once tried to convince me I broke our mainframe.
Mr. W. knew him just about his entire life due to church connections.
Can we please have a do-over for May?
Mr. W. knew him just about his entire life due to church connections.
Can we please have a do-over for May?
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
What...
What do you say to a man when he tells you he's relieved that he will be able to have an open casket for his son?
What do you say when he shows you the newspaper article, tells you that it was a horrific crash and says that they haven't seen their son, yet?
What do you say when he tells you how fortunate they were to have had their son for 25 years?
I stopped by their house yesterday evening and brought a bunch of paper goods (plates, napkins, tissues, etc.) after my mother suggested that those would be handy. I'm both glad I went and really wish I hadn't gone. The funeral will be Friday...
What do you say when he shows you the newspaper article, tells you that it was a horrific crash and says that they haven't seen their son, yet?
What do you say when he tells you how fortunate they were to have had their son for 25 years?
I stopped by their house yesterday evening and brought a bunch of paper goods (plates, napkins, tissues, etc.) after my mother suggested that those would be handy. I'm both glad I went and really wish I hadn't gone. The funeral will be Friday...
Monday, May 05, 2008
How...
How does a person keep breathing after his/her child has stopped?
There is a very kind and generous spirited man who works in my department. We've done Toastmasters together and are both involved with CPCU Society.
His son was killed in a wreck yesterday. Head-on collision with a truck...
Edited to add: Please, please, please wear your seatbelts. This kid may have been okay if he hadn't been thrown from the vehicle.
There is a very kind and generous spirited man who works in my department. We've done Toastmasters together and are both involved with CPCU Society.
His son was killed in a wreck yesterday. Head-on collision with a truck...
Edited to add: Please, please, please wear your seatbelts. This kid may have been okay if he hadn't been thrown from the vehicle.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Unusual problem
Ugh... I'm still breastfeeding baby A., and it's going quite well. In fact, it's going a little too well. I am way over-producing in the milk department. This morning, I had to pump off a good 7 ounces worth of milk in order to relieve the pressure. Then this evening, I pumped off another 6 ounces. I'm still pretty full, but I need to hold off pumping any more since that just makes the problem worse.
This wouldn't be a distressing problem if things were a little more 'even.' Those extra ounces? All came from the same breast. The other one is showing all the signs of drying up. *sigh* I would so like to match, but I haven't found a good way to pad my bra.
I figure I have two choices: Figure out how to effectively pad my bra on the lagging side or try to stimulate milk production on that side. I really don't feel like working that hard. It's been nice being lazy with only one or two pump sessions during the day at work. Far cry from when I religiously pumped three times a day every day during the work day.
I don't know why I've been so 'blessed' with milk production this go around. I've never suffered from under supply issues. This go around, though, my body is trying to feed an army. Too bad I can't donate the milk. Thanks to living in Europe at the wrong time, I am no longer eligible to donate blood, milk, marrow, etc. etc. etc. here in the US.
There are milk banks that provide donated human milk for preemies and other babies in desperate need of the special qualities that only human breastmilk can provide. It's an interesting process with a screening process similar to blood donation. But again, I'm not eligible to donate...
This wouldn't be a distressing problem if things were a little more 'even.' Those extra ounces? All came from the same breast. The other one is showing all the signs of drying up. *sigh* I would so like to match, but I haven't found a good way to pad my bra.
I figure I have two choices: Figure out how to effectively pad my bra on the lagging side or try to stimulate milk production on that side. I really don't feel like working that hard. It's been nice being lazy with only one or two pump sessions during the day at work. Far cry from when I religiously pumped three times a day every day during the work day.
I don't know why I've been so 'blessed' with milk production this go around. I've never suffered from under supply issues. This go around, though, my body is trying to feed an army. Too bad I can't donate the milk. Thanks to living in Europe at the wrong time, I am no longer eligible to donate blood, milk, marrow, etc. etc. etc. here in the US.
There are milk banks that provide donated human milk for preemies and other babies in desperate need of the special qualities that only human breastmilk can provide. It's an interesting process with a screening process similar to blood donation. But again, I'm not eligible to donate...
Saturday, May 03, 2008
New Toy(s)
I am writing this using our very old computer, but looking at our very new monitor. We've gone from 17" CRT to 22" flat panel. What a difference (and what a lot of room on our computer desk)!
Now all I need to do is get the computer my parents left with us up and running. Since it is only a couple yeras old (vs 6 years on our old computer), I think it'll have a driver that will actually take advantage of the 1680 by 1050 resolution. I'm stuck using 1280 by 1024 on the old machine, so things are a little bit stretched out and there wasn't a driver to be found that would let me upgrade.
Next on my agenda is to get high speed internet access. Limping along on dial-up was livable when using a piece of junk machine. However, it's going to be really, really frustrating once we're working on the newer pc.
So, Mom & Dad. Thank you! And our cable company thanks you, too.
Now all I need to do is get the computer my parents left with us up and running. Since it is only a couple yeras old (vs 6 years on our old computer), I think it'll have a driver that will actually take advantage of the 1680 by 1050 resolution. I'm stuck using 1280 by 1024 on the old machine, so things are a little bit stretched out and there wasn't a driver to be found that would let me upgrade.
Next on my agenda is to get high speed internet access. Limping along on dial-up was livable when using a piece of junk machine. However, it's going to be really, really frustrating once we're working on the newer pc.
So, Mom & Dad. Thank you! And our cable company thanks you, too.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Funnines for the day
1. Driving to daycare this morning, I followed a new sedan occupied by 3 senior citizens. The bumper sticker read: Eat Rice! Potatoes make your butt BIG
2. I am wearing the same nursing bras I had when L. was a baby. It is time to go a-shopping. The one I'm wearing today squeaks every time I move my left arm. Seriously, I can make 'armpit noises' on demand.
2. I am wearing the same nursing bras I had when L. was a baby. It is time to go a-shopping. The one I'm wearing today squeaks every time I move my left arm. Seriously, I can make 'armpit noises' on demand.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Offended
This is mostly a rant, I've just got to let this out before I come apart on some unsuspecting soul...
To each and every person who has implied or will imply that Mr. W. and I are anything less than delighted that our third child had the audacity to actually be a GIRL... Back off!!!!! I am getting royally cheesed that ninety percent of the people we know have responded to our wonderful, beautiful, delightful, healthy little girl by asking if we're going to try again for a boy.
Normally, when people say stupid things or imply that I am somehow inferior, stupid, wrong, etc., I let it go. It's just not worth the energy to respond to others' hurtfulness. But, when you ask me if I'm going to keep having babies in order to get a 'desired' gender, you are no longer insulting me! You are implying that my daughter is somehow unwanted, and I can't stand that. It is hurtful to my daughters. Yes, all three of them can be hurt by your stupid questions.
I am in my mid-thirties and Mr. W. is in his forties. Do you realize how fortunate we are that we conceived naturally and easily, and I delivered a beautiful, healthy baby? Do you? How on earth can you respond to our children with anything other than happiness for us? You know something else? I am DELIGHTED our third child is a girl. We have a pretty good grasp on what it means to raise a girl. Raising a boy frightens me a big.
I've heard people asked my grandmother (one of three girls) why she wasn't a boy. That hurt her, and I will NOT permit my daughters to be hurt that way.
Oh, I'm just so angry right now! We've been getting the comments since we first announced we were expecting. Would you believe I received condolences from a couple people when I told them that the u/s showed a healthy girl? Condolences! One induh!vidual mentioned it several times, even after I told her in no uncertain terms that I was nothing but delighted. We attended a birthday party last weekend, and one particularly bad-mannered busybody asked not only me, but also Mr. W. if we were going to keep trying for a boy! In front of my girls!!!! GRRRRR!!!!
To each and every person who has implied or will imply that Mr. W. and I are anything less than delighted that our third child had the audacity to actually be a GIRL... Back off!!!!! I am getting royally cheesed that ninety percent of the people we know have responded to our wonderful, beautiful, delightful, healthy little girl by asking if we're going to try again for a boy.
Normally, when people say stupid things or imply that I am somehow inferior, stupid, wrong, etc., I let it go. It's just not worth the energy to respond to others' hurtfulness. But, when you ask me if I'm going to keep having babies in order to get a 'desired' gender, you are no longer insulting me! You are implying that my daughter is somehow unwanted, and I can't stand that. It is hurtful to my daughters. Yes, all three of them can be hurt by your stupid questions.
I am in my mid-thirties and Mr. W. is in his forties. Do you realize how fortunate we are that we conceived naturally and easily, and I delivered a beautiful, healthy baby? Do you? How on earth can you respond to our children with anything other than happiness for us? You know something else? I am DELIGHTED our third child is a girl. We have a pretty good grasp on what it means to raise a girl. Raising a boy frightens me a big.
I've heard people asked my grandmother (one of three girls) why she wasn't a boy. That hurt her, and I will NOT permit my daughters to be hurt that way.
Oh, I'm just so angry right now! We've been getting the comments since we first announced we were expecting. Would you believe I received condolences from a couple people when I told them that the u/s showed a healthy girl? Condolences! One induh!vidual mentioned it several times, even after I told her in no uncertain terms that I was nothing but delighted. We attended a birthday party last weekend, and one particularly bad-mannered busybody asked not only me, but also Mr. W. if we were going to keep trying for a boy! In front of my girls!!!! GRRRRR!!!!
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