Thursday, July 21, 2011
Clever Boy
Every weekday morning I drop the kids off at my mother-in-law's house at around 7:30. She and I then sit at her kitchen table and just enjoy the brief pleasure of a 30 minute adult conversation until I head on my way for work. This morning Debbie was telling me about how Carl decided he wanted to learn to swim with his face in the water. Finding it rather difficult to explain she decided it would be easier to show him how to go about blowing bubbles, etc. God love her, she then proceeds to get in the kiddie pool with Carl IV and show him how to go about this (which I have to say is awesome of her because knowing the two kids that swim in there, it was probably half pee by that point). My son stops her and says, "Grandmom, I don't think this pool is meant for big ladies." Debbie stops and looks at him and says, "You mean a grown-up lady?" My son shakes his head and says, "No, I mean big," and pats his behind. For those of you who have not met my mother-in-law, let me tell you...she is FAR from overweight. The woman wears a smaller size than I do, and is in no way what I would consider "big." My son then looks at her and says, "My mom doesn't have a big butt." Aaaaaand, just like that, the boy has taken the lead as my favorite. :)
Friday, July 15, 2011
Why am I Embarrassed?!
Last Friday I was unfortunate enough to have experienced what is, quite possibly, the most upsetting, offensive situation of my life to date. Long story short, my boss offered to take me to lunch with his friend because, well, I'm pregnant and I like to eat. So I'm all, "Hell yeah!" So we go to lunch up the road at a bar/restaurant and come back to the office all stuffed and happy. My boss then takes the friend we went to lunch with to pick up his car from the shop where it was being repaired. While my boss is gone, his wife arrives at the office and starts flipping out on me for going to lunch with her husband. Long story short, apparently their marriage has faced some issues in the past and they had an understanding that he was not to take women to lunch anymore. (Apparently, I was somehow supposed to know this...) "Okay," I'm thinking to myself, "while she's totally out of line for yelling at me about this, she's clearly got some past reason to be suspicious of her husband's actions in this situation, etc., etc." So, I'm just letting her vent and kind of blowing it off. Then, suddenly, she's in my face yelling about how I'm a married woman going to lunch with a married man, and I should be ashamed of myself. "For going to lunch?" I asked. I'm still so dumbfounded at this point that I can't wrap my head around what she's insinuating. Finally, she crossed a line. "I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that's not his baby." ...I'm going to give that a minute to sink in, because I know it took me a second. Now this crazy woman has gone from making accusations about her husband's intentions to insulting not only my fidelity to my husband and marriage, but my unborn child?! Ugh! I can think of a dozen things that I wish I had said to that woman now, but at the time I was so blown away that I just looked at her and said, "Are you kidding me?!" (and, alright, I might've embellished that with a few curse words).
My boss returns from dropping his friend off, his wife turns and starts lashing out at him, and my boss turns to me and tells me that I can leave and he'll pay me for the rest of the day because I don't have to sit there and listen to their nonsense. Later that afternoon/evening I received several emails from my boss apologizing for his wife's behavior and stating that he could assure me that something like that will never happen again and his wife will more than likely never set foot in this office again. I replied to him letting him know that as far as I was concerned we were cool, but if his wife ever came at me like that again, it would not end well (again...that might've been said with more colorful language).
So, this past week at work everything has been surprisingly normal. I think we have both just decided that we'd rather not address the issue and let it consume any more of our normalcy than it already has. After all, neither of us have anything to feel weird about (especially me).
This whole situation has gotten me thinking, though...why in the world was I embarrassed about telling people what had happened? I haven't talked to my best friend about this, I haven't said anything to my mom. It got me thinking...why, when we are victimized, do we feel ashamed of telling people about it?
So, I've decided that if this escalates any further (and quite possibly even if it does not) I will be looking for a new job. I cannot come to work every day wondering if some woman whose marriage is apparently a complete sham is going to pick today to come in and take it out on me.
I'm not looking for sympathy or advice, just really venting.
My boss returns from dropping his friend off, his wife turns and starts lashing out at him, and my boss turns to me and tells me that I can leave and he'll pay me for the rest of the day because I don't have to sit there and listen to their nonsense. Later that afternoon/evening I received several emails from my boss apologizing for his wife's behavior and stating that he could assure me that something like that will never happen again and his wife will more than likely never set foot in this office again. I replied to him letting him know that as far as I was concerned we were cool, but if his wife ever came at me like that again, it would not end well (again...that might've been said with more colorful language).
So, this past week at work everything has been surprisingly normal. I think we have both just decided that we'd rather not address the issue and let it consume any more of our normalcy than it already has. After all, neither of us have anything to feel weird about (especially me).
This whole situation has gotten me thinking, though...why in the world was I embarrassed about telling people what had happened? I haven't talked to my best friend about this, I haven't said anything to my mom. It got me thinking...why, when we are victimized, do we feel ashamed of telling people about it?
So, I've decided that if this escalates any further (and quite possibly even if it does not) I will be looking for a new job. I cannot come to work every day wondering if some woman whose marriage is apparently a complete sham is going to pick today to come in and take it out on me.
I'm not looking for sympathy or advice, just really venting.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
18 Weeks Left?
That sounds so long, and yet the fact that I'm more than halfway through this pregnancy is really starting to freak me out. Especially when I think about all the stuff going on between now and then. My buddy, BJ, is coming down on the 16th for his birthday (which is also my dad's birthday...hi, dad!); my cousin, Claire, is coming to visit in August (which is so freakin' awesome since I haven't seen her since I was maybe 12!); September is my birthday, a trip to Florida for Amanda's wedding, and BJ and I are going to fly one of our friends from P'cola who is now a photographer up here to take some pics for us (and to hang out since we haven't seen her since the late '90s); October brings mine and Carl's 7th anniversary (I know...weird, right?), Halloween, and then BAM! It's baby time. Yikes!
I'm still having a hell of a time finding maternity clothes, but need to suck it up and go shopping this weekend so I can avoid what is becoming my daily morning ritual of changing clothes 8 times because my pants are too tight and that shirt isn't long enough and "Forget it! I'm not going to work today! I look like a cow in these pants!" and I end up sobbing on top of a pile of clothes that won't fit the way I want. *sigh* My problem is work clothes. I have oodles of maternity jeans that a couple of friends have loaned me, but unfortunately my boss isn't that cool and I am expected to dress in appropriate office wear on occasion. Bummer.
I took the kids to our new pediatrician last Friday for a new patient physical, and turns out both of them needed a booster shot for...something... (don't judge me. I'm lucky I can remember the kids' names most days!) Wow. That did NOT go over well. I think the worst part is having to hold them down while the nurse gives the shot. Carl IV is no dummy and knew nothing good was going to come of having his mom holding his arms by the wrist and a nurse lying over the top of his legs. That kid was thrashing around like a maniac from the second the nurse cleaned his leg with the alcohol wipe until the needle came out. Is it just my kids, or do all kids look up at their parents after they get a shot with that "Why did you let them do that to me?!" look in their eyes? Ugh! It's devastating! The upside: this doctor gives each kid a "prescription" for a frozen yogurt at the mall after they get a shot. SCORE!
Alright, I know this post was kind of all over the place, but I'm having a scatterbrained kind of day, and now I'm ending it abruptly because I have a doctor's appointment in half an hour and have to get out of here. :)
I'm still having a hell of a time finding maternity clothes, but need to suck it up and go shopping this weekend so I can avoid what is becoming my daily morning ritual of changing clothes 8 times because my pants are too tight and that shirt isn't long enough and "Forget it! I'm not going to work today! I look like a cow in these pants!" and I end up sobbing on top of a pile of clothes that won't fit the way I want. *sigh* My problem is work clothes. I have oodles of maternity jeans that a couple of friends have loaned me, but unfortunately my boss isn't that cool and I am expected to dress in appropriate office wear on occasion. Bummer.
I took the kids to our new pediatrician last Friday for a new patient physical, and turns out both of them needed a booster shot for...something... (don't judge me. I'm lucky I can remember the kids' names most days!) Wow. That did NOT go over well. I think the worst part is having to hold them down while the nurse gives the shot. Carl IV is no dummy and knew nothing good was going to come of having his mom holding his arms by the wrist and a nurse lying over the top of his legs. That kid was thrashing around like a maniac from the second the nurse cleaned his leg with the alcohol wipe until the needle came out. Is it just my kids, or do all kids look up at their parents after they get a shot with that "Why did you let them do that to me?!" look in their eyes? Ugh! It's devastating! The upside: this doctor gives each kid a "prescription" for a frozen yogurt at the mall after they get a shot. SCORE!
Alright, I know this post was kind of all over the place, but I'm having a scatterbrained kind of day, and now I'm ending it abruptly because I have a doctor's appointment in half an hour and have to get out of here. :)
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
I'm Cheap
There. I said it. I'm cheap. I'm not even going to pretend and say "frugal" or "thrifty." I'm cheap. I pretty much have to be. Unfortunately, it is becoming alarmingly clear that unless I want to wear maternity clothes that look like this ![]()
I am going to have to get over my cheapness because I cannot find cute, trendy, flattering maternity clothes within my financial comfort zone. I went to Kohl's today thinking, "Kohl's...it's pretty hard not to find something I like at Kohl's." Well, by the time I tracked down their maternity department hidden away in the back behind the racks of bras and panties, I find that the "department" consists of 4 racks of tacky, tent/bell-shaped items made of synthetic fabrics that made me sweat just looking at them. Side note: Why do they design some maternity clothes to look like the same styles you find in the old lady section? How many retirees do you see that are knocked-up?! Come on, people! Ugh!
In my frustration over the lack of selection at Kohl's I then began searching online at Old Navy, Gap, etc. and their prices...obscene. I absolutely refuse to spend $50 on a pair of pants that I won't be able to wear this time next year. It's ridiculous! For Pete's sake, I'm expecting a baby...something that will be a financial parasite for at least the next 18 years. Is spending a small fortune on clothes that I'll only use for 5 months really a sound investment? I think not. I've tried looking at Goodwill, and their maternity stuff is usually jeans (of which I have plenty) or really outdated, floral tops. GAG!
So, long story short, if any of you know someone that designs maternity clothes, kick them in the shin for me. Trust me...they deserve it.
In my frustration over the lack of selection at Kohl's I then began searching online at Old Navy, Gap, etc. and their prices...obscene. I absolutely refuse to spend $50 on a pair of pants that I won't be able to wear this time next year. It's ridiculous! For Pete's sake, I'm expecting a baby...something that will be a financial parasite for at least the next 18 years. Is spending a small fortune on clothes that I'll only use for 5 months really a sound investment? I think not. I've tried looking at Goodwill, and their maternity stuff is usually jeans (of which I have plenty) or really outdated, floral tops. GAG!
So, long story short, if any of you know someone that designs maternity clothes, kick them in the shin for me. Trust me...they deserve it.
Monday, June 20, 2011
IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!
That's right, boys and girls...as one of my friends put so perfectly, "Team Estrogen takes the lead in the Rudegeair house!" I'll try and write a longer post later this week, but wanted to spread the word asap.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Random Monday-ness
It's Monday. I have a headache. My thoughts aren't coherent enough to form paragraphs.
1) Waking up 15 minutes before your alarm makes you tired all day. Doesn't matter if the 8 hours before were the most blissful sleep ever experienced by a human. That 15 minutes screws you for the rest of the day.
2) If you buy tickets for your husband and 4-year-old son to go to Monster Jams, be prepared to listen to nothing but monster truck talk for the next week of your life.
3) My daughter demands to have a dry shirt put on if she spills even the slightest bit of water on herself, but will sit in a soaking wet diaper until you drag her kicking and screaming to change it. ????
4) I have come to the frightening realization that I will most-likely be selling insurance for the remainder of my working life. *sigh* I really don't wanna, but the thought of starting over at something else just seems like an awful lot of trouble now.
5) I miss the beach. I know I practically never went, but knowing it was less than 30 minutes away was nice.
6) I talk to my mom more now that we're hundreds of miles apart than I did when we lived in the same town.
7) I find it really bizarre when people never live outside of the town they grew up in. It's one thing to leave for a while and go back, but to never have experienced life outside of your hometown...that's just weird to me. (Side Note: It always seems that these are the people that talk like they know everything and are so "cultured" and knowledgeable. Dude. You've never lived more than 30 minutes away from your mom. Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about.)
8) My kids have made me a much more patient person...but at the same time, I am MUCH less tolerant of b.s. than I used to be.
9) Having been both a stay-at-home mom and now a working mom, I've realized that no matter what you do, you can't please everyone so you may as well do what works for you. When I was at home with the kids it was inevitable that people thought I "didn't work." Yeah, because being at a kid's disposal 24/7 is like a vacation. Pfffft. And now that I work I get the, "Oh, but you're missing so much!"
10) I officially have a baby bump and wore maternity clothes all weekend. (Dee hangs head, sobbing) Goodbye, zippers and buttons. I will miss you. Elastic waistbands, here I come.
1) Waking up 15 minutes before your alarm makes you tired all day. Doesn't matter if the 8 hours before were the most blissful sleep ever experienced by a human. That 15 minutes screws you for the rest of the day.
2) If you buy tickets for your husband and 4-year-old son to go to Monster Jams, be prepared to listen to nothing but monster truck talk for the next week of your life.
3) My daughter demands to have a dry shirt put on if she spills even the slightest bit of water on herself, but will sit in a soaking wet diaper until you drag her kicking and screaming to change it. ????
4) I have come to the frightening realization that I will most-likely be selling insurance for the remainder of my working life. *sigh* I really don't wanna, but the thought of starting over at something else just seems like an awful lot of trouble now.
5) I miss the beach. I know I practically never went, but knowing it was less than 30 minutes away was nice.
6) I talk to my mom more now that we're hundreds of miles apart than I did when we lived in the same town.
7) I find it really bizarre when people never live outside of the town they grew up in. It's one thing to leave for a while and go back, but to never have experienced life outside of your hometown...that's just weird to me. (Side Note: It always seems that these are the people that talk like they know everything and are so "cultured" and knowledgeable. Dude. You've never lived more than 30 minutes away from your mom. Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about.)
8) My kids have made me a much more patient person...but at the same time, I am MUCH less tolerant of b.s. than I used to be.
9) Having been both a stay-at-home mom and now a working mom, I've realized that no matter what you do, you can't please everyone so you may as well do what works for you. When I was at home with the kids it was inevitable that people thought I "didn't work." Yeah, because being at a kid's disposal 24/7 is like a vacation. Pfffft. And now that I work I get the, "Oh, but you're missing so much!"
10) I officially have a baby bump and wore maternity clothes all weekend. (Dee hangs head, sobbing) Goodbye, zippers and buttons. I will miss you. Elastic waistbands, here I come.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Obscure Celebrity Crush
Okay, this blog has absolutely nothing to do with my family, so if that's why you stopped by, sorry. My crazy pregnant brain will not allow any coherant thoughts to form, so I've been putzing around online most of the day. That's when I stumbled across my celebrity crush. The one guy that I can actually describe as "handsome." Not "hot" or "sexy"... how many guys get called handsome now. Over the age of 5, at least? Not many. Anywho, here he is. Anderson Cooper. *sigh*
I can't explain it, but the man is just dreamy to me. Maybe it's the steely blue eyes, the distinguished salt and pepper hair that he manages to pull off without looking old enough to be my father...I repeat, *sigh*.
Then I started to think, "Hmm...surely other people have celebrity crushes that they wouldn't mind sharing so I felt a little less like a psycho for finding a man that I've never crossed paths with so "dreamy." So, I pose this question to you: Who is your less-than-obvious celebrity crush. What I mean is, if you're about to answer this with "Brad Pitt" or "Justin Timberlake" or "Scarlett Johanson" forget it. They are so obviously "sexy" and I'm sure you're one in a bajillion in thinking so. I'm talking about the "handsome" or "beautiful" crushes that fly under the radar...c'mon...you've got to have at least one, right?
Then I started to think, "Hmm...surely other people have celebrity crushes that they wouldn't mind sharing so I felt a little less like a psycho for finding a man that I've never crossed paths with so "dreamy." So, I pose this question to you: Who is your less-than-obvious celebrity crush. What I mean is, if you're about to answer this with "Brad Pitt" or "Justin Timberlake" or "Scarlett Johanson" forget it. They are so obviously "sexy" and I'm sure you're one in a bajillion in thinking so. I'm talking about the "handsome" or "beautiful" crushes that fly under the radar...c'mon...you've got to have at least one, right?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)