I'm Moving

Today will be my last post on blogger.com. I've moved over to Wordpress so check me out there at http://ofcheeriosandconferencecalls.wordpress.com/

Seven Years Ago

Seven years ago tonight at 8:12 p.m. you were born. Seven years of laughter, joy, tears and mischief. My how you've grown, physically, mentally, and spiritually. I love you, my "baby" boy. I love you with all my heart and soul. I fell in love with you before you even graced me with your presence. No matter where life may lead you, know this - I will always and forever love you. Happy Birthday, Bug!

Catching Up

Has it really been this long since I've done a post? Where has the time gone? Oh well, what's done is done. I know of been busy that's for sure. Between the family, work, new job and, well, just life the days seem to be flying by. This is so evident to me every time I sit back and watch my kids. I'm amazed at how mature (most of the time) Bug is getting, and how quickly Buddha is growing. It's all happening before my eyes. Today I was reminded that a "little girl" I once knew is graduating high school in a few short months and turning 18. When the heck did that happen!
Well instead of lingering on the "where did the time go" mod of thought, I'm trying to focus on the wonder of it all. Watching my kids grow and mature. Taking on new tasks and challenges - sometimes failing (or falling as the case may be) and sometimes achieving. Watching the joy and amazement in their eyes, and sometimes drying the tears from disappointment. Hearing them laugh and giggle at each other and themselves, and, yes, even hearing them fight (at least initially) brings me joy.

This Is Why. . .

This is why I call this blog "Of Cheerios and Conference Calls", a perfect example. I don't use my checkbooks much. Most bill paying and balancing I do on the internet, so I don't write out a lot of checks. Because of this my checkbook is usually in one of two places - my purse or my desk drawer. Well, this morning I was pretty frantic for about an hour. I couldn't find the house checkbook anywhere. Husband's business checkbook - check. My business checkbook - check. Line of credit checkbook - check. House checkbook - no check. I have no idea where it went. Double checked the car to see if it might have fallen out when I went to the bank last week. Not there. Tore the kitchen apart in case someone (um, Husband) took it out of my purse. Not there. Tore my desk apart in case I missed it in the first look. Not there. Went through Buddha's diaper bag - you never know. Not there. OMG - Husband is going to pitch a fit if I really lost it. Let me check one more place, my laptop bags. Not in the first one. Okay - don't panic, look in the second one. Oh, wait, what's in this outside pocket? The checkbook! Gee I wonder who put it in there. Oh, and look what else is in here - a handful of cheerios. I attempt to reprimand her for taking Mommy's checkbook. But come on, how much can you really reprimand a 17 month old especially when she keeps saying "Momma" over and over and making a kissy face to you.

Catching Up

I can't seem to catch a break this year. I'm glad one month is done with and out of the way. My computer crashed. The computer that has not only all my various work related items, our household / personal information, and my husband's business proposals and contracts - crashed. What's that saying from Forrest Gump? Stupid is as stupid does. Well, stupid me, listened to my poor, poor son beg to play a new virtual game he got with a diecast car. Here's the "stupid does" part. I downloaded it onto my computer. As I was clicking away with my mouse, I knew it was a bad, bad idea. Oh, boy, I didn't know just how bad! And what was the worst part was my virus protection didn't catch it. UGGHH! So it meant a week down and about $175 out of my pocket. But the good thing was I caught it in time before the virus was able to do any real damage to my files. Thank goodness. I know it could have been much, much worse But now I'm $175 in the hole - not too bad considering I upgraded memory and got new virus protection plus labor - and a week behind not only in my work but my husband has a bunch of proposals and contracts to get done too. Well, I could look at it this way - my fingers got a week's worth of rest so I should be all set to start typing away nice and fresh tomorrow morning.

Total and Utter Frustration

AAAAGGGGGHHHHHH! Okay so that makes me feel a little better. I am really sick and tired of dealing with people in general. People who don't do their job. People who say they want a job, but then when you offer them one, they have a reason for not wanting it anymore. People who complain that they don't like their job - hello but at least you have one! People who say they're going to do something and then don't. People who don't return phone calls. People who say they don't want drama in their lives, but then create mounds of it whenever they have the chance. People who yell at me for standing up and saying something is "wrong" when there really is something wrong. People who e-mail me in all capital letters. People who think they are above reproach. People who try to sell me something when I don't ask to be sold on something. People who won't leave me alone so I can work. People who think a WAH mom just sits on her ass all day, watching soaps and eating bon bons. People who believe that some of us have lives filled with rainbows and hearts just because we're not actively deployed. I'm so tired of having to justify my actions and standing up for myself. Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't there been people fighting and dying since the beginning of time, so that I could have the right to stand up and fight when I see a wrong being committed! Why the hell should I be made to feel guilty, ashamed for standing up for myself! To some of you this post will make total sense; for others you'll be scratching your head.

What a Week!

*Warning - parts of this post are not for those with weak constitutions, aka it gets gross.*

This week started off innocently enough. Bug started back to school - not by choice - with a 90 minute delay on Monday morning. I woke up with a sinus cold, but I muddled my way through it even getting a training workout in at the gym. Tuesday morning, I woke up and the cold had made it's way down to my chest. Not so much fun for someone prone to asthma. Went through the day with minimal problems. Got the kids ready for bed. Everyone was bathed and giving hugs good night, when Budha's stomach contents exploded - all over Bug and the couch. Dad was of no help; "I think I'm going to be sick" was his exact comment. I sent him off to help Bug and have him re-shower. I cleaned up Budha's clothes, and then gave her to Dad for her re-bath. I then took to cleaning up the living room. The weird thing was what she threw up was the dinner she had from the previous night, nothing that she had eaten that evening or even from that day. So we got everyone cleaned up and in bed, and Budha's stomach exploded again. This time I had a towel handy. Dad came running with a trash can. Ok - do you really think I can get a 17 month old to stay still and puke over a trash can? Cleaned up that mess, not as big this time. Got her to cuddle with me - really not an issue for her as she was wiped out. But within a 1/2 hour she was puking again, except this time there was nothing left in her little belly except some bile. No fever. It's 10:00 at night. I opted to not take her to the emergency room. Partially because of the no fever, and I know there's been a bug going around, and partially because of the weather. The ice storm has started. With the way things are going we'd probably end up all going to the ER as the result of a car accident.
So I clean up everything again, and get her to go back to sleep. That lasts for about an hour. This is how the whole night goes. I stayed awake all night to watch her and "catch" any more puke - though there was nothing left in her stomach to puke.
Wednesday morning - no school due to ice storm. Everyone home. Budha acts as if nothing happened, though she is tired and doesn't feel like eating. She seems to be over it. By dinner I get her to eat some toast, crackers and water. Thursday - I still have the chest cold; 90 minute delay for school; I'm exhausted from no sleep the night before. Friday - I wake up in the middle of the night with stomach cramps and naseau. Stomach bug take 2 - my turn. I'm feeling so crappy that I don't even take Bug to school. Probably better - at least he's able to help me keep an eye on Budha since I spend much of the day in the bathroom. Saturday - I wake up with a killer headache and a little bit of a stomach ache but feeling much better - both the stomach and the chest cold. Husband - "I'm not feeling so well." Stomach bug take 3. . .

Kids Do the Darndest Things

This would make another interesting weekly topic. This evening during dinner, I thought we had a breakthrough with Budha's eating habits. She really eats nothing other than chicken nuggets and Gerber toddler meals. But tonight I gave her a plate with some cucumbers and macaroni. I saw her eat the cucs and then every time I glanced over at the plate the macaroni was disappearing little by little. I thought "Wonderful! We have progress!!!" Uh, well, not so fast. I went to pick up her cup which fell next to her in the high chair seat. Guess what else I found? You got it. All the macaroni she "ate". Well, at least she ate the cucumbers.

You Wanted Two Kids

That's the Husband says everytime I start to complain, err, I mean, tell him about the kids' day. "You wanted two kids." Thanks, Hon.
As I was sitting here today - just a few moments ago - trying to get some data entry work accomplished, I could hear Budha screeching and crying at Bug, and then Bug yelling "stop pinching me". Turns out he was sitting in her rocking chair and wouldn't get out. After a few minutes, Bug finally got his own chair and sat in it. They hugged and kissed. Now all is right with the world. . . for at least five minutes . . . maybe . . . hopefully . . . please.

Starting the New Year Off Right

For those of you that don't know me that well, I try to be a regular blood donor. I've been donating for over 10 years. Now that pregnancies and nursing are behind me, I'm planning on becoming a regular - every 8 weeks - donor. I've even taken my 6 year old son with me once in a while so that he will see that it's not all that bad. His blood type is the universal donor so I would really like him to become a blood donor himself. This year I found something interesting over at http://manicmommy.blogspot.com/2008/01/manic-mommys-virtual-blog-for-blood.html. Check it out and if you haven't given blood in a while, or maybe this will be your first time - what better incentive can you have.