L.O.V.E. in Digital Format ~ DJ Ness

Current Mood: accomplished & exhausted

So Myles and I went to Office Max today to pick Mummy up a new filing box and desk calendar today (Now that we are finally into the second month of the year, i suppose its time to get organized again!). I was tooling around the store in my slow, unmethodical way (as usual) when we came across the clearance section in back. I almost squealed with delight when i saw a deluxe easel/art cart that was totally toddlerized. It came with a 50 ft. roll of drawing paper and no-drip paint cups too. Originally $100, this thing was going for a mere $36. I couldn’t resist! But I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I’m sitting here contemplating if it was worth it.

I wasn’t sure I wanted the freakin’ easel thing, $36 still seemed like a stretch for our budget right now, especially after a very spendy past two months. So I took my time getting what I needed, which got Myles really riled up. We all know how much toddlers love that freakin child seat in shopping carts. Which, a quick side not here…I couldn’t believe the condition of these carts today. They were all bent to hell, grungy flourescent yellow, and I literally went through EIGHT carts trying to find a functioning seat belt. I must say the staff was very helpful throughout our whole time there, and assured me they were getting brand spanking-new carts in a week or two.

Anyway, Steve called while we were shopping and invited us to check out the new office when we were done. I told him about my great sale discovery, and he confirmed my inkling to just go ahead and buy the art cart. And I’m looking at the box, it says “6 pcs.” “Adult Assembly Required” and “Caution: Screws are Sharp”. So, doesn’t sound too bad. But I was having trouble figuring out which pieces made up the 6 i had to put together by looking at the picture, and how those six pieces fit into this tall, very flat box. THAT should have been my next clue to the following events, but no–I was in a positive mood today. Myles and I just had a great mid-morning break at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf @ Scottsdale Promenade, so I was expecting a fun day to ensue. The girls over there just love him, and he was lookin snazzy and smiling about everything, and even cooperating with Mum about getting in and out of the car, etc. Oh, I digress…

So after confirming I could return the clearance item if a piece was missing or broken, we took our little prize home. Myles hadn’t really even noticed what I had grabbed as of yet, which is a good thing. We swung by Steve’s new office, which is AMAZING. Its in a prestigious office area in Scottsdale, right where the 101 freeway curves at Raintree Drive. He has the corner office, and the whole place has marble countertops and stone floors and floor to ceiling windows. I am so impressed, and pleased with the direction his company and career seems to be going. Myles had fun running in and out of every room, which I’m sure was a result of that blueberry muffin he ate pumping through his veins. We had a nice time hanging out with Daddy, considered a family lunch date–but Pops was too busy. Understandable! We just headed home instead.

As per usual this time of day–late morning–Myles fell asleep in the car on the way home. This ALWAYS happens to us it seems–no matter WHAT, and if its longer than 5 minutes…you can often kiss nap-time (read: ME-time) goodbye at that point. Which frankly we have been having some trouble with lately, and its only been getting worse and worse. Thats what I get for 12 months of no sleep issues whatsoever with him!

After we got home, I offered Myles something to eat and got ignored–which usually means, “Lay off , Mummy! I’m not hungry.” I got everything situated for nap-time and the recently normal temper tantrums ensued. I was able to calm him down and read some books, but once we try to close our eyes and relax, its scream-and-get-out-of-bed-and-try-to-escape time. I’ve learned to have a baby gate up to keep him in his room, but this often makes him angrier if he is not in his room, napping by choice. I have been able to leave him in his childproofed room when he does this, resulting in him closing the door and napping for 60 or 90 minutes (or occasionally, he will pass out in the doorway 10 minutes later, and i will move him to his bed for the rest of his nap). Neither of these happened today.

Instead, he just played with those freaking trains (Thomas the Tank Engine–I despise you and all of your snooty, linguistically odd Friends) that he must have with him, 24-7. I figured he would eventually fall asleep, and tended to some housework. 30 minutes later, still hearing peeps and whines from his room, I tell him its “night-night time” (which works great for my sitter, mind you!). all this does is piss him off. I try and encourage him to lay down, he will have nothing of it. I leave again to see if he might calm down on his own.

Running out of things to do, and trying to avoid Myles’ end of the house, I contemplate puting together his art cart. I think to myself, “Yeah, I could probably get this thing assembled in 15-20 minutes and we could have some wholesome fun with it after nap-time.” I open up the package and saw the directions on top. I pulled them out and my jaw about dropped to the ground. Each little piece was separate, and according to the index, it looked like there were about 50 or 60 pieces to it. I packed it right back up and leaned it back against the wall. Myles at this point is really whining at his door, calling my name. I can’t ever resist that, so I go in there again.

By this time it is 1:40, and I know he is hungry. I bring in some yogurt and peanut butter crackers with me, and refresh his water. I very quietly sit with him while he eats, but he is being quite chatty. Its cute but at this point, I have been running around all morning, balancing finances and doing housework and I really want a break. After he eats, I change him ( a nice hard little poop was waiting for me–another reason he probably wasn’t napping) and I try and get him down for his nap one last time. This REALLY pissed him off.

30 minutes later, I realize that (a) He is not going to nap anytime soon, and (b) By the time he does fall asleep, it will be way too late. So I let him out, and I must admit i am quite frustrated at this point. Between the Super Bowl and the weather, I have had a REALLY rough week at work, and its hypothetically my Saturday. I realize though when I decided to have Myles, that I was going to be making some sacrifices in my life, of course. I really had no idea though of the magnitude or frequency in which they would happen. Be sure that its worth every ounce, but taxing nonetheless.

Anyhow, I release the wild animal from his cage, and he begins to ransack my somewhat-clean house. Ok, if you don’t count the toys and crayons that are strewn about…its pretty clean. Of course, he notices the box that has the art cart inside it. On the front of the box, is a picture of a toddler girl with a paintbrush and a gigantic grin from ear to ear. This compelled my dear son to try and open the box and see whats inside–probably hoping to find either this awesome new thing on wheels or a playmate. I quickly intercept, not knowing what pieces lie beneath the styrafoam on top. Myles doesn’t like this, and excercises his ever strengthening vocal cords by screaming at the top of his lungs. And man, is he getting loud these days.

At this point i realize, I have no choice but to put the art cart together. I pop Thomas the Train in the DVD player and hoard myself in the kitchen, behind yet another baby gate. I imagine this might take 30 or 40 minutes–which 1 cycle of the DVD should cover and then we will be ready to go for a nice, TV free afternoon of whoelsome entertainment and imagination. 45 minutes later, I am 1/2 way through and my sister calls. I am hesitant to answer the phone because I have been spending the past 20 minutes trying to get two sets of holes to line up, and trying to figure out how to use the tools I have to get them to do so. I answer of course, because the conversations between my sis and I are too few and far between–her and I are definately kindred. Anyhow, by the end of the call, I finally got that !@#$% handle piece screwed on and was ready to assemble the easel part.

After a total of 90 minutes, I finally had the art cart pieced together. Well aside from a missing screw on the handle and the “hubcap” popping off the wheel, we were good to go. I call Steve up and request some superglue, and drag my masterpiece out into the living room. Myles was immediately enthralled, and wanted to copy Mummy by dragging the art cart. Considering both the handle AND the wheel were not really attatched, I had to immediatley distract him by showing him how to color on it. That worked for a while, and we put all the crayons in the paint cups (YAY those freakin things have a home now!). However, once he tired of that, he decided he would take apart every piece he could- remove the cups, the crayons, the handle, take of the wheel…he loves to break things and have me fix them. He’s always coming up to me with pieces of train tracks saying, “Break? Break? Mommy Fix?” I can’t resist but at this point I’m wearing thin.

After relaxing on the couch for a bit, Myles entertained, I talk to Steve. He says he will be home late, so I plan dinner accordingly–make his 1/2 of fresh pizza and put it in the fridge so he can pop it in the oven. Then I cook for and feed Myles and myself, and get him into the bath. Steve warned me he has refused a bath the past two evenings, but tonight I could not get him out. Steve finally comes home and immediately offers to relieve me. I relax for a bit then rejoin the family for bedtime stories. After Myles was asleep, I finally conquered the art cart with some superglue. For the first time ever, i managed to NOT glue any appendicies together, but I still managed to cover my fingers in it somehow. Why is it that you cannot feel superglue on you until (a) you touch something or (b) it is fully dry?

Anyway, here is my trophy. You better be in awe of my modern marvel!!!

…and yes, we have already lost a paint cup. Welcome to Toddlersville!

Current Mood: groggy

…I would be taking calls at work, helping people with their cable and telephone issues. But today, Myles is sick (still!). I’ve been playing it off, because every time i take him to the doctor, they say, “Meh, its just a cold! he’ll be better in 1-2 weeks.” And thats pretty much what I expect to hear today. His cough was just really bad, he’s grumpy and he didnt sleep well last night (which means we don’t sleep well). So I guess its for piece of mind, more than anything. Its nothing out of the ordinary, a runny nose, congestion in his nose and chest, and a pretty bad cough, slightly restricted breathing. He’s a little warm too. I was even going to try and play it off, take him to the sitters and go to work this am. I made it over 1/2 way there and turned around. Myles was having a coughing fit, in his sleep and covered in snot. Not something you want to share with other people’s kids!

Oh and to top it all off, our heater is not working right now. We woke up this am and it was 65 degrees. Im still freezing and I’m sitting in the warmest room in the house.

So anyway, we are off to the doctor’s @ 2pm. and of course, Myles just barely went down for a nap. Poor guy. His appetite has been pretty crappy as well. Its bad enough when he is feeling GOOD and he doesn’t eat well. And its not like i expect him to have much of an appetite if he’s sick but…i worry!

NEVER have I worried this much in my life, until I had this child.