7 Quick Takes (vol. 7)

Random updates from the Amen household:

(1)

I am going back to work next week.

And I have been crying for a week about it.  I cried when Junior awoke from his nap yesterday and crawled up on my lap for cuddles.  I cried this morning when he threw a tantrum, then crawled up in my lap for cuddles while I was feeding his baby sister.  I cried as I cuddled Celia to sleep last night.  You might think cuddling is the trigger here, but I also cried on our way to the costume store to get Junior's "Idur Man" costume (that's I.ron Man for those of you not familiar with his sometimes wonky pronunciation).


The kids are going to daycare full-time starting Monday even though I'm not back at work until Thursday.  Reason?  A few.  (a) we have to pay for a full week anyhow so they might as well go, (b) it'll give me a three days to go shopping and buy work appropriate clothes (impossible with Junior in tow), (c) I will be able to get a pedicure - goodbye talons, and (d) I might get a chance to get a nap in to rid myself of these pesky sleepless mommy under-eye bags.

(2)

Congratulations are in order!  At my six week post-partum appointment my doctor had me complete the post-partum depression questionnaire.  I passed.

Well, if "passed" means "you're definitely on the spectrum", then I did indeed "passed." 


It also means I get to take Zol.oft like their Ti.c Tacs.  Just kidding.  Not really.  I can' recommend this medication.  It's been three weeks and I don't really feel that it's making any difference.

Fuzzy pic of something that should make me feel like somebody that I used to know

This take might be contributing to the intensity of take #1.

(3)

I'm on an organizing mission this fall.  I started following the FlyLa.dy and decluttering.  It's going slowly (see take #1 above), but it is helpful that she recommends working in 15 minute increments.  I find I can actually do things for 15 minutes at a time.  And, let's be honest, with the two needlets running around (or sitting like a bump on a log in one adorable little girl's case), that's the maximum amount of time I have available to do anything.

I think the system is actually making a difference for me by giving me something to focus on.  It also recommends getting dressed to lace-up shoes every morning - when I do that, my days do go better.

Mr. Amen isn't totally on board yet.  He still wants to work on organizing, but he thinks that I think that he thinks the 15 minutes at a time idea is crazy.  He wants to focus on things for longer stretches of time...but that's insanity - we don't have that luxury.

(4)

A sample weekly schedule once I return to work illustrating that, at most, we can only find 15 minutes at a time to do anything:

Monday:  Both he and I must awaken by 5am to get everyone out the door on-time between 7:00-7:15am.  After drop offs, head to work (him: 7:30 arrival, me: 8am arrival).  Work all stinkin' day.  Leave work (me: 5:00-5:30pm, him:  5:30-6:00pm).  Pick up mini-us from daycare.  Run in the door long enough to change Junior into gymnastics clothes, pick up his snack & juice and pile back into the car by 6:20pm to leave for gymnastics.  One parent at squirrel herding gymnastics class with Junior from 6:45pm-7:30pm, while other parent manages to make a decent edible semi-dinner whilst (favorite word) managing the care of the infant (read:  if Mr. Amen is the @ home parent, we'll have cereal or scrambled eggs, if I am the @ home parent, we'll have pancakes or grilled cheese and tomato soup).  Family dinner at 8:00pm.  Bedtime routine starts for the short Amens at 8:30pm.  Start dishwasher (if it has actually been loaded right after baths finish).  Boy bathed and in bed (for the first time) and girl bathed and ready for final feeding by 9pm.  Parents work feverishly to finish dishes, laundry, bill paying, cleaning and prepping for the Tuesday's launch before collapsing somewhere in the general vicinity of 11pm.  Except for when Mr. Amen has KofC, then I'm on my own with the terrific twosome and no one, and I mean no one will have a decent dinner.  I promise.

Tuesday:  Same as Monday, except instead of gymnastics at 6:45pm, I teach 5th grade boys catechism at 6:45pm.  Mr. Amen enjoys an evening of sticky hands and the sweet smell of spit-up.

Wednesday:  Same as Monday and Tuesday, except instead of gymnastics or catechism, it's swim lessons.  At 6:30pm.  And we're tired exhausted zombies.

Thursday:  Eh, nevermind...I don't think we are gonna make it that far into the week.

(5)

Back in take #1 I mentioned the kids returning to daycare and reason (a) for them starting on Monday was that we were paying for the full week anyhow...so off they go.  Does it sound mean to anyone but me that if I'm paying, I want the daycare ladies to do something for that money?  The weekly cost for daycare, with a 10% family discount, is going to be $421.20.  That doesn't include the enrichment classes we put Junior in so he has something to break up his day and squeeze in a little extra learnin'.

Oh yeah, approximately $24,000 per year for childcare.  Should just enroll them in the local university.  It would be cheaper.

(6)

Anyone besides us enjoy Form.ula 1 racing?  Mr. Amen is 5 weeks away from going to his first race.  Austin, TX is hosting a race the weekend before Thanksgiving and Mr. Amen will be in attendance.  He and his good friend have been planning this trip for a year.  They are even going to an Ae.rosmith concert while there.  Am I jealous?  No.  Yes.  No.  No.  Maybe.  But only of the sleep he will be getting without the kickboxing champion with whom we share a bed.

(7)

I know we're a mere 2+ months away from Christmas, but I'll give you a sneak peak at my Christmas list.  

If for no other reason than to get the telescope out of the dining room:

That's right...a dining room table with chairs would be amazing.

 

Or, a sofa/sectional for the family room

A dresser for me?  Thamks, you shouldn't have.

See above for the lovely dresser my husband assembled...realizing as he attempted to insert the bottom drawer that he had put one of the first pieces together upside down and the drawer wouldn't fit in the hole.  So, no drawer for me...for 3 years now, no drawer for me.

Now go visit Jen for more QuickTakes and make some new friends