Non-equal billing

I feel bad because I seem to always be complaining and talking about the boy and our trials in potty-training him!

There is another member of our household who just goes about minding her own business and generally being a sweet, kind, contributing member of the family: our baby girl!

So, a post about her is long overdue.

We took this picture back in early July and I've been meaning to post it here since then, but just haven't found the time.
At the time, this was a picture of all her favorite things in the world. Her truck PJ's, her firetrucks and "lamb" (whom she now calls "lambs" because that's the way the nanny says it...).

Since the time this picture was taken, however, she has added her flag shirt and, most recently, a lavendar blanket. She has actually acquired an affinity for several small baby blankets, but the lavendar one seems to be her favorite.

Her birthday is less than 2 weeks away and I'm having trouble believing that she's going to be 2 years old!

On the one hand, it's hard to believe that she could already be that old, and on the other hand, I think of her as being almost the same age as the boy, so it seems that she should really be turning 4!

She has taken quite well to the potty-training, actually, and I guess that's probably most of the reason I think of her as being older. Plus, she's just so chatty and speaks in complete sentences - the only thing that gives her away is her baby-like pronunciation of words. And I tend more to think of that as her northeastern accent (although no one in our family is from the northeast), so it doesn't seem to be so baby-like to me. :)

We've been measuring and marking the kids on one of the doorjambs and over the last 6 months, she's grown 4 inches! I kind of want to stop feeding her so that she'll stop growing and stay this size and age forever. Do you think I could do that?

Most of all, she's just a joy to be around. And even though I don't want her to grow up, I look forward to seeing what kind of a person she'll become. We've still got a fun ride ahead of us.

Epiphany

I had an epiphany today: I love my son.

You're probably wondering why that seems like such an epiphany to me, huh?

Well, what with all the pooping and unresponsiveness over the past 4 months (yes, he's still pooping in his pants), I've almost begun to wonder if I do love him. There seem to be more times than not that I would rather not be around him.

So, it did my heart a world of good to go pick him up at preschool this morning and find myself involuntarily smiling and laughing at him as he intently worked on getting his tricycle out of the big rocks they've placed in one corner of the playground to use as a seating area.

And then he saw me and squealed in delight and ran into my outstretched arms. We hugged and kissed and looked into each others eyes and reconnected like long-lost lovers who didn't want to let go of each other.

Yep, I really do love my son.

I know, I know...

Yeah, I know, this post is long overdue!

I returned from Pascagoula last Thursday night - our flight was delayed by more than 2 hours, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. There were two other flights to Houston that had been delayed that afternoon. One of which was supposed to leave at 12:22, but didn't leave until 6:30 and there were a couple of families on that plane. My heart really went out to them!!

Since I got back, I've just been busy playing with the kids and working. Good times.

You know, since I recently changed jobs, I'm still kind of trying to get used to the new company. I'm now a "lead" on a project and I feel like I'm just totally fumbling my way through it. (I kind of thought I was a little more competent than this!)

The problem lies in the fact that I'm a horrible procrastinator. (yes, Mom, I know it!) And if I don't have a set deadline for something, I just can't get myself motivated to really get into the nitty-gritty of the work.

Usually on engineering projects, there are the different engineering disclipines (process, mechanical, civil/structural, instrumentation, piping, etc.) and then project management and project controls. In the past, I've always considered the project controls people pretty much the most useless ones on the project. They are the ones in charge of setting up the project schedule and then yelling at everyone when they can't meet the completely ridiculous and unrealistic dealines they set.

Apparently, in my new company, these people exist, but they have yet to do anything on my current project. At this rate, we'll be done with the project before any schedule gets made. So now I'm forced to figure out a schedule for myself, taking into account all the other disciplines and determining just how far behind I am.

And I guess I'll go eat a little crow, too, for all those nasty things I said about project controls...

No, not dead

Not dead - busy week last week - ending at 4:30 Thursday afternoon (the last day of our work week, since we work 4 - 10 hour days), when I was told that I would be travelling to the plant this week and would have to get plant safety training for most of the day on Monday.

Sooo...

I'm in the lovely resort location of Pascagoula, Mississippi (M - I - crooked letter - crooked letter - I - crooked letter - crooked letter - I - hump-back - hump-back - I (I always have to say that in my head when I type it so that it will come out right. And I wish I could remember if it was my grandpa or my great-grandpa who used to say that...)).

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here!

Labor Day Weekend

Hike to Lily Pad Lake and picnic; Ice Cream and Coffee in Vail; Play at community park; Bike to Breckenridge, picnic, play in the river, and Duck Race; Hike to Masontown and picnic; Ice Cream, Coffee and Horse-drawn Carriage Ride in Vail; Return flight landed at 11pm last night...

Full vacation. Everyone is exhausted. And we had a great, great time!!