Spolied by the Nanny

A coworker confirmed my suspicion that nannies are the WORST when it comes to spoiling kids.  Look at this last week.  Every day she gave him a present.  First a book.

Then a truck set.

 Then a KITCHEN PLAYSET.

He loves it and loves her.  She took him out to all his favorite places last week.  Even took him to see Santa!

The Culprit:


(The truth is, we love her.)

And it's only December 21.

I'm working the 24th and 25th.  We are having Christmas dinner with Ben's extended family.  Then Christmas with the Waterhouses.  Then Christmas with the Masons.  The festivities will go through January.  How much more can Jack take?  A lot, I think, and it's a good thing.  Because there's a lot more spoiling to come.

Solution to a long day of work

Solution to a long day or work, originally uploaded by rachelsmason.

How time flies!

Is Christmas really in one week?  Where did the time go?  I was sick all of last week and everything stopped: the wrapping, the baking, the potty training, the crafts, the house cleaning, all of it set aside while I struggled through work and rehearsals, never able to shake off the cold.

It was fun having my parents visit, but I felt like I was only half present.  I hope they enjoyed their time with Jack at least.  I did get to show them the Humble Pie Shop, and I got to see the Van Gogh exhibit with them, and of course Ben's commencement.

After all that they (almost gleefully) took Jack so Amanda, Ben, Brian, and I could see the Hobbit.  We got Jersey Mike's subs on the way to the theater and queued up for a good seat.  I haven't waited behind ropes for a movie since Serenity.

It paid off, we got center, front row of the back section, with the bars that I love to use for foot rests.  Add a giant coke zero and bucket of popcorn and I was ready for the next three hours of high frame rate hobbits. 

Good movie.  Of course I have my quibbles.  And Brian is right, "Peter Jackson has lost all sense tone."  And I still hate 3D.  But I still enjoyed it immensely.

Sunday I slept as much as possible.  Skipped church and tithing settlement.  Watched the Arisocats with my boys.  Toast for dinner.

Today I'm feeling better.  Just residual coughing and nose-blowing.  No head-pounding or debilitating fatigue.  I slipped back into our usual Monday routine.  I don't know why I've had so many Mondays off at work, but it's nice.

Jack woke and quietly played in his crib while I stole and extra thirty minutes of snoozing.  Then we got up and each had breakfast.  Sausage, eggs, and berries for me.  Sausage, berries, and toast for Jack.  Then we unloaded the dishwasher.  I started some laundry and vacuumed while he ate.  Then we made muffins.  Jack got a lot more excited to eat them when he saw that they look like cupcakes.
 Then it was time for dressing and brushing teeth, before head out for the library.  Story time is at 10:30 on Mondays.  We swap out new books for the week and read and sing songs.  Jack LOVES it.  There's a solid routine that he can follow:


1) return old books
2) open the "frog box" to see the hint the librarians left about what the theme will be
3) Say hi to the real frog
4) browse new books
5) drink at the kids fountain
6) sit for story time, which includes:
  a: receiving magic from the wand
  b: open and shut hands song
  c: letter of the day and ABC song
  d: stories/dances alternating
  e: goodbye song
  f: more magic from the wand
7) get a stamp and sticker
8) Help check out new books

He's getting so much better at group story time too.  At the start he would just sit quietly in my lap.  Wouldn't join in anything, he only listened.  Now, well, not so shy:

He likes to say hi to all the kids and ask them questions.  He even started sitting up front, away from me last week.  Before and after the session he grooves to the music.

After story time we get groceries, gas the car, and go home for lunch.  Then play for an hour and it's naptime! 

Routine is good. 

Ben's Commencement

Even though Ben finished his degree in August, and started work in September, we celebrated at his commencement on Saturday.  He was given the Lady Ada Lovelace award for "outstanding achievement in computer science or computer information systems."  Sort of a Best in Class award.  Ben will try to tell you that it's not a big deal, and that really he was the only student who bothered to apply.  But I don't believe him!  It's a major award, bring out the leg lamp!

My parents came up to attend his commencement and do some Christmas shopping and Jack time.  Here are some pictures from the ceremony, the whole set is on flickr here.

Having his award announced:



And receiving the award (taken from the jumbo screen, we were way in the back)

When they got to the roll call to hand out diplomas, they skipped ahead two pages! So I was totally unprepared when Ben's name was called.  I managed to get a few at least.


(those people standing up blocked my shot of him shaking hands)  





But the afterward pictures are what matter anyway :-) We are so proud of our graduate! 


I tried to have Jack wear the hat.  He wasn't up for funny hats after having to skip his nap.

Or maybe he was declaring his intent to skip college.  So my parents each got two bachelor degrees now?  Fools! Send me to trade school.  Bob the Builder is my hero.  I got my tools and my flannel - I'm ready!

Socks socks socks

Ben asked what the "part II" was for in my last post.  I told him I had done a "Treat yo self" post before.  He did a search and the results were sad.  One post about buying yarn with Miranda in July.  The other was my salon visit in February.  Almost one year ago.  That erases my guilt.

Speaking of buying yarn, I'm going crazy knitting this year!  I have six projects on needles right now.  I won't post my Ravelry page, because there are Christmas surprises there.  But I need to tell you about my sock craze.

It started with my Steffi.  Steffi is my pen-pal in Germany.  We have been writing since I was in the third grade, about 1991.  Thanks to email we have been able to keep in touch over the years with minimal effort.  Isn't it incredible that my pen pal and I still write??  Anyway, she had her first baby this year; a beautiful girl named Sophie.  I sent her an Aden & Anais blanket and a bonnet made out of my new favorite yarn, Anzula Squishy.  It's a gorgeous blend of cashmere and merino wool with a touch of nylon - and it's machine washable!  Steffi loved it and sent a photo of it in action.  Oh how it tickles me to see this!  (Then I got a photo from my friend Miranda of Cedar wearing the other bonnet I made.  So many babies! So much cuteness!) In thanks she sent me a package with undies for Jack (perfect timing!) and hand knit socks made by her mother.



You guys.  Socks. Hand-knit.  By my German pen-pal's mother.  Does it get any more precious than that?

I always thought I would hate wearing/knitting socks.  Too hot, itchy, and bulky.  My lands, was I ever wrong.  It's like walking around with your feet gently swaddled in downy quilts.  Not too hot, not at all itchy, and so comforting.  Thus I decided I HAD to knit socks.

I spent a ton of time on Ravelry searching for a good pattern.  Then I had to stop and start the toe three times and the heel twice, because I wasn't satisfied with how it was going.  After all that experimentation the second sock is going super fast!  I even started to make Christmas stockings with a similar pattern. 

 Can't wait to wear them! 

Speaking of socks, it's another night of Hanukkah, and it's almost bed time for Jack.  We better open our socks now.  Good night!

Treat yo self part II

This cold is still festering in my sinuses.  Another day of wearing a mask for hours in the hospital.  Gah.  It makes my jaw hurt for no logical reason.  I clench up and can't stop.

Luckily!  We only had a half day of patients.  After running them and doing all the chores I skipped out the door at 1:30.  Now I could have gone straight home and reheated the pot roast for lunch.  But hey, I have a nanny already, what's the hurry?  Why don't I take Tommy's advice and Treat Yo Self?




 And once you don't that, you HAVE to do this. Am I right?



Ahh.  Warm food and a full belly.  Now some knitting and mindless TV while Jack naps.  Just what the doctor nurse ordered.

More sick

This week would be kind of nice if we all weren't sick.  I got to leave work early yesterday and went straight to be with a head cold.  Then Ben woke up sick this morning and we all lazily grumped around the house.  I somehow managed to make it to Bailey to teach the kids a dance number.  On the way home the altitude change put such tremendous pressure in my head, I'm amazed I was able to drive.  I had to lay down for 30 minutes while waiting for the pain to subside.  Jack put up well with grouchy, tired parents today.  Good thing he likes to watch TV and play puzzles on tablets so much. 

Old chair, new purpose

Old chair, new purpose, originally uploaded by rachelsmason.

It's like clockwork. We take Jack to nursery at church. Late that afternoon he develops a runny nose. The rest of the week is spent spreading toddler illness around various adults. Ben and I got mild versions. Jack got a little sicker and even threw up with the nanny yesterday.

Thus the nanny called in sick today. Thus Ben had to juggle working at home with a hyper AND sick kid who wouldn't take a nap. Thus Jack got to watch a lot of TV.

Earlier this week I retired his booster seat at the dinner table. He's tall enough, and was spending most of his time wiggling absentmindedly, with many near falls as he twisted around in the seat. Today I see that he put it to use as a TV watching chair. He loves sitting at the ottoman, but it's always been an odd height for him-too low to stand, too high to sit. Problem solved!

Dinosaur Names

Dinosaur names a video by rachelsmason on Flickr.

Another request for video of Jack talking about dinosaurs.

Another Sleepy Time Song

IMG_7900 a video by rachelsmason on Flickr.

I had a request for video of Jack singing "Soft Kitty" from the Big Bang Theory. It really is a good lullaby.

Thanksgiving in photos!

I decided to go with picture hosting from Flickr. It's an extra step for me, and I had to renew my pro account to make everything visible again. But it seemed like the smoothest transition to keeping my blog. I have an extra step for posting photos now, but it's the best I can do.

Anyway! Here is a link to the whole slew of photos I took over Thanksgiving break. Below you will see some of the best pictures, and a video bonus! Videos seem easier through flickr than youtube, I like that. Let me know if you have trouble seeing any of these so I can try to fix it.

UPDATE:  It seems the flickr video does not work in iOS (iphones, ipad).  Must be a flash program.  Sorry.   Also, Pro Tip: Don't show your toddler a video of him blowing out lights right after he eats his advent calendar chocolate.  He WILL blow chocolatey spittle all over your computer screen.

Oh, I also did this

Monday I met up with Brian, Mavi, Jeff (back in the lower 48!), Katie, and Joe for good old trivia. 

"Congrats to Satisfaction Train for getting 93 points, the highest score at Teller's to date."

Yes, that would be our team.  Boo ya!  I had a few good answers that the others on our team didn't know.  What two cheese get their white rind from penicillin blooms? Brie and Camembert of course.  But I'm ashamed I knew which love interest from Twilight once voiced a Disney Channel cartoon (Taylor Lautner, obviously) and I remember the terrible name that Bella and Edward gave their "freak baby." (Renesmee).  I haven't even read Twilight, I SWEAR.  And I've read a lot of young adult fiction, I would fess up to that.  I guess it was worth knowing. 

A text post about my week off

I still haven't decided how to handle the new photo limit on Google.  Start paying to store in google?  Renew my flickr account and only post links from there? Delete the first 5 years of my blog after backing it up again?  I don't like any of those options. 

So anyway, it's been a splendid week off of work for me.  In a stroke of genius I requested off the week after Thanksgiving as well as the holiday itself.  It has been so restorative to avoid work completely.  Vacations are nice, but it's good to be home and just be home.  I cut off all my email connections so they don't pop up with work-related messages.  I haven't worn blueberry scrubs in 9 days.  It's bliss. 

Tomorrow I go back but just for one shift + call.  Then I have Sunday and Monday off.  I can handle that.  Next week is heavier, with T, Th, Fr, Sat, and Sun shifts, with call every day too.  But I'll be ready.  Plus that will be my last weekend to work until January.  Hurrah! 

I was all set to decorate for Christmas when we got back from Grand Junction.  But first thing Monday morning I got a call that we were getting our cement patio replaced.  Right now.  30 seconds later workers were in my backyard.  I had to run out there in the freezing sleet in my pajamas and slippers to clear off our patio furniture, bringing all the dirt and cobwebs they had accumulated into the house.  Ugh.  I mean, it's nice to get a new patio but a little warning would have been appreciated!  So all week I've been waiting for it to dry so I can move the patio stuff back out.  I had to put some things in the basement, right where our Christmas tree was going to go.  Ben just called and found out it will be cleared this afternoon.  Thank goodness!  I'm embarrassed at how inconvenienced I feel being forced to use our front door to walk ALL THE WAY around the building to the visitor parking like.  My gosh, it sucks.  Good thing the weather has been nice all week or I would be REALLY annoyed. 

Jack and I have had lots of play time this week.  Crafts, playgrounds, practicing chores, and Christmas shopping.  The big news is that I started potty training!  He had sporadic practice before using the big toilet with a little kid seat on top of it.  On Monday I was coaxing him to pee and he went #2 too!  I was thrilled!  This kid is so ready.  So I invested in a froggy potty (the cheapest one at Target), some pull-ups, and flushable wipes.  I'm pleased to say we have great progress.  He still wears a regular diaper for naps and bedtime.   He doesn't stay dry on his own yet either.  But he will sit on the potty when I ask him and every time he can produce something.  The reward system of little chocolate chips or M&Ms is working beautifully.  "Peepee Treat! Peepee Treat!  Poop Cookie!" He completely understands the system.  I'm not using any particular method and don't even have a goal.  We'll just keep at it and let him set his own learning pace for now. 

So my time has been split between activities above and casting the musical for Amanda's school.  Monday I taught them a 1 minute dance to Dirty Dancing's Time of Your Life.  Then I got to watch awkward teenagers (some questionably prepubescent still) try to roll their hips in various sexy ways.  Hilarious.  We got an incredible group of kids this year!  So many new male talent with good voices!  And lots of great, hard working girls too.  There were two days of auditions plus one day of call-backs, so I spent 4/5 afternoons up in Bailey this week.  Glad to skip the drive today and take advantage the quiet that Jack's nap allows.  Now I have to work on some actual choreography. 

Thanksgiving pictures postponed

We are back from a wonderfully relaxing Thanksgiving in GJ.  I was sorting photos to post, but when I started to upload google said I was out of storage space!  You'll have to wait until I sort that out to get the photos up.

Black Sheep

A song before nap.

Screen time

I laughed that we were all piled on the couch with our tablets. Ben said, "what's wrong with it? We are reading and playing games all together, just using our modern technology." he has a point :-)

So much plasma

Work is so busy lately!  I already have 31 hours this week and I have two shifts still.  I can't wait to be done with it and take a vacation.  Not only do I have Thanksgiving off, but I took off the whole next week (well, through the next Saturday at least).  It's going to be GLORIOUS!

Not only has there been a lot of work, but mostly it's apheresis!  We maybe get a patient every 1-2 months, who will get 5-10 treatments over their 1-2 week stay.  The last two weeks we have FIVE apheresis patients.  Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia Purpura, Multiple Sclerosis, Cold Agglutinin, Antibody-Mediated Kidney Transplant Rejection/FSGS, and one guy with CIDP who I didn't even get a chance to treat because I was booked up with the others.  The Cold Agglutinin case was totally crazy in terms of how I had to run the treatment, and ended sadly (not in any way my fault, you just can't win them all).  You can ask me about it later. 

This is just to say that I'm still here, working and playing as usual.  When I get an hour or two at home I spend it knitting furiously, playing with Jack, or cleaning the house.  Not much time for blogging and not much to say really.  Life as usual. 

Spoiled much?

Free back-rub!

A nice weekend at home with sick boys

Boy, it's nice to be home with my family.  Ben and Jack still have colds, but I still enjoy their company.  I don't know how I missed the cold, considering Jack gave me two sneezes in my face at point blank range, and I give him kisses all over every night.  Luck of the draw.

After the fun of Halloween we didn't do much.  I knocked a few major items off my To Do list.  I printed some photos.  I planned meals and bought groceries.  I gave Jack a long overdue haircut.  It did not go well.  Here's a screen shot my folks took when we were done.  I had a movie on the iPad, grandparents on the iPhone, and a lollipop for both hands, but he still cried like I was torturing him.  But the biggest check-off on my list was cleaning out my dryer according to these instructions.  I pulled fistfuls of lint out the vent.  My bathrooms may still be filthy, but my dryer vents are gorgeous!

Last night Amanda came over and we worked on Christmas ornaments, as she posted.  It was cozy, quiet work, but really fun.  I might even call her to do it again today.  Maybe while Jack naps, so we can claim the TV to watch QI.

I have come to accept the fact that I'm the Safeco Insurance Lady.  Better just embrace it.