Happenings in the Land of Erin

Ok... I am sitting at work, where due to the economy I have had to revert to my original job at Onthank plus my current jobs with a few modifications. The problem with this is the fact that they had to lay people off. I know that if that hadn't happened, we all may have had to take a salary cut, or worse, I could have been the one laid off. So, I am still thankful to have a job given this economy. But... here is the most current problem: it's not that I find myself above my old job or above the customer service people, it's that I was only on the Order Desk for six weeks two and a half years ago (!!!) the first time around, and the last 2 weeks of that I was learning my Purchasing position. So, basically what I am saying is that I feel sort of under-qualified for my Customer Service position. That, and I hate being on the phone. Since business is basically as slow as it can be, I am generally just bored. I mean, it's a completely vicious cycle.
Speaking of vicious Cycles: our economy sucks. People are spending less money due to rising energy, food and what used to be gas costs. Companies are selling less due to lack of consumer demand. Because their sales are down, companies are forced to lay off employees and streamline all of their work in order to stay afloat. More people become unemployed as lay-offs rise. So now, people have less money and what little money they have, they aren't spending because you never know when the next round of lay-offs will occur. Less people doing more work, so general morale is down - people don't even have enough money to drink! And now we're back at the beginning of the cycle. Welcome to the New and even Suckier Millennium Depression. How will the world dig itself out? Who knows... I keep hearing that the US owes China tons of money... is that true?


So... next week is Scott and my 4th wedding anniversary. We usually celebrate by going out. And this year, we actually have 2 sitters lined up, so tradition can continue. But will we have the $ to do anything? Who knows? Let me get to the point... does anyone have any brilliant, yet inexpensive, ideas for what Scott and I should do on our special day? We need a refresher coarse on the fun of being married... if you know what I mean.
By the way... Save the Date for Halloween Next Year. It's our 5th Anniversary, Scott turns 40, I turn 30 and Weston turns 1, it's a big year for us!

Speaking of Big years and birthdays... check out this article on the Slate. Hilarious and totally true! Though, no one ever paid for my birthday dinners or even offered. Then again, I never expected it of my friends. But the general idea is true and it's very well written.
http://www.slate.com/id/2202646/

Mid October Blues...

This week has been... uneventful? no... thrilling? not exactly... depressing? a little. I don't know what's going on exactly, but this week has gone on forever. The beginning of the week was very promising. Work was going fast, and there seemed a lot to do, but then someone was out sick for 3 days... 3 whole days! That's like being on your death bed (or maternity leave) for Onthank. Then West got sick with Croup. (Basically a nasty cold that settles around his tiny , still growing, vocal cords.) He never appeared sick other than the congestion and the barking cough. He really seems on the mend right now. Today has been the longest day of my life. I swear. I'm covering for another sick person on the order desk, so you'd think I'd be busy doing another person's job... but alas, it's not quite busy right now. Hell, it's not even steady right now in the distribution business. Get this... the economy is so bad now that Scott's job at the State Liquor Warehouse is slow! And October is their busiest month of the year. Yeah... as a state, Iowa is so poor that the people cannot afford to drown their sorrows in something stronger than beer, and the stores are barely buying. Now that's when you know America is in trouble.

On a side note... I really feel that my whole life right now is completely wrapped around a tiny little boy. I feel like I used to have something to say, but now everything is about Weston. And not that there is anything wrong with that, but I feel like I used to be more involved in the world. And now? Now I just don't care. I'd rather sit at home and look at my son. I don't even care who wins the election. I don't want a republican, but I'm not sure if I trust Obama or more precisely, Obama's experience. I don't feel like I know enough about either of them, and if either of them can do anything to fix our problems. I also have this sick feeling, that one way or the other, whomever is elected President will not be able to serve his 4 years, so I am almost ready to choose a President based solely on the VP candidate. In which case, I hope Sarah Palin is ready to head back to Alaska... you know, Russia's neighbor. I might just go to the library and vote early tomorrow, just to be done. So I can stop thinking and talking about it.

1 minute until I can leave work. Phew, another week of my life gone. Sad, really.
If you get a chance, please check out the South Side Confidential blog... my boss Ed's daughter Kelli is the author. She is high-larious! and very conscientious. trust me... read her blog. She's the type of write I used to dream of being. Now... I just dream of writing a cook book.

Work...

Ok... so I am back at work. Day # 2.

They have rearranged my responsibilities, supposedly for the better. But I have to learn how to do all of the Pricing for our system... as a back-up! This is a huge undertaking for me, it's a lot to learn, only to be a back up. I personally think that they are afraid that the man doing Pricing is going to get hit by a bus (God forbid!) and they will lose all knowledge of their system. I am also taking on Samples for flooring... also a lot of work. The funny thing? I am once again taking on portions of a manager's job (just like I did 2 years ago) just to alleviate the pressure off of him.It's insane. And he doesn't even have the time to teach me his job!

But when I came back yesterday, I brought lots of pictures of West along. Check out my office! Still reasonably clean! I did come back to an easy day in all fairness... everyone had done my job well enough to get by.
West did great at daycare. They love him, saying he is just the easiest baby. Which is generally true. He gave me the biggest smile! And he has a little girlfriend!

West had his first round of shots Tuesday at 2 months old. He screamed so badly. We both cried. It was horrible. But he was such a good baby all day. Smiling, sleeping, eating - on and off all day.

Uncle Nathan kept propping West up on the couch taking pictures... for almost 30 minutes! This is my current cell phone wallpaper.

Reflections

I'm gearing up for my 10-yr high school reunion this weekend. One... I feel so old! Two... I feel like I'm 17 again. You know what I mean. Worrying about what to wear, what everyone will be thinking about me, etc. Why is it that after 4 years of pretending to have tons of self confidence, another 4 years in college trying to claim that self confidence, that after an additional six years I feel exactly the same as I did when I was just pretending? I think it would be different if my closest friends were coming... but for various reasons, I seem to be doing this alone. And I'll admit it - I'm a little scared. The 3 women I've grown up with, the ones who won't judge me or the person I've become, the ones who will understand my "observations" and comments and will respond accordingly, will not be there. They won't even be close, each is 2,000 miles in a different direction. Yes, my husband will be there, but he didn't know me then. He met me after I had matured, quieted down (I was very loud in high school), after I had made the decision to be happy inside instead of career-successful, after I had found it sort of natural to smile - rather than fake it. And then there is the worrying over clothes... ugh. I actually returned the dress I had been planning to wear for months yesterday. Trying to dress more indiscriminately I guess. Ugh! Why is high school so threatening, even 10 years later? I can see why people stop going. But, I'll be there, sending reports back to my friends.

Gangsta Baby

Weston turned 7 weeks old today. It's amazing how fast the time really goes. And how you don't realize how big he is getting until you look at the pictures from the day he was born... He's so long now! West was initiated into his first Sorority dinner on Monday with my Chi Omega sisters - April, Jayme and Melissa. So, of course he had to sport an Owl onesie and beanie hat in honor of the sisters! (For those that don't know, the Owl is the symbol of our Sorority.) West was rockin' it old school... he looks so "Gangsta!" On a side note, he was the perfect baby, I don't think he cried once. And he just hung out while we ate, let everyone hold him, and even tried to have a conversation with April. It was a blast, and very relieving to know that he is such a social butterfly. Just like his Mama!!!

A Day in the life...

Who knew it could be so tiring just to be at home?

I love hanging out with West, but seriously, if I were a "stay at home" mom, I'd probably age at 4 times the normal rate... I'd be 40 in 2 years. Your life just flies by hour by hour. I mean... there are the reruns of "ER" while I feed West. There are the Soaps in the afternoons while I try to get in a load of laundry, and oh yeah - feed West. You also can't forget trying to plan dinners, because i feel like I should still be the Kitchen Goddess, since I am home after all, but then again, it's hard to coordinate anything while holding a squirmy baby.

But, I have to say... I really do think that we have the most brilliant baby in the world. He can almost control his head (he holds it up by himself almost all of the time, and he's only 6 weeks old!) He's been "talking" for a week straight, and today we had a conversation for almost an hour. I taught him to do the "Indian Yell," You know, when you sing/yell and tap your hand over your mouth. He opens his mouth, and about once or twice a day, will actually manage to make sound while I'm tapping, usually his timing is off. He smiles... he plays... he dreams... and my favorite part? He laughs! A full bodied laugh that begins just above his diaper and "rolls" up to his mouth, usually when he is asleep, but it's the best sound ever.

I'm adding more pictures... most are from the past weekend. We met my parents in Iowa City, just to hang out. And we saw our friend Beth, and her baby Sybella (Bella), at the Coralville Mall. It's odd to see your long-time friends with babies... and to have her holding yours. I mean, we talked about it for years... but it's still weird. I mean we've known each other since we were 11 or 12 years old. Whatever, I'm dealing with it. :)

West & I with Beth and Bella in Iowa City

West and I in Iowa City, posing for Grammy

Scott, West and I in Cherokee over Labor Day Weekend

West with Grammy and Grandpa in Iowa City

West in Auntie Shannon's laundry basket... he just wanted to help!

West posing in his Baptism outfit, so I could take pictures for the invitations!

Welcome to September!

ok... so i have been so bad about blogging. And it's not the baby's fault. i swear. Our computer is being ridiculous and so it takes days to upload photos and navigate the internet.

But, one month into Mommyhood, and everything is generally going well. Weston is a very good baby. He doesn't cry without reason, i.e. diapers, hungry. He's mastered the Power Nap, sleeping for 15 minutes, then is up and going for an hour. He is eating all the time. And i swear he has to weigh at least 10 pounds now. Here are some of the latest pictures from our day to day life.

1st bath! He's not very fond of bath time yet.

3 weeks old, watching the Cubs with Daddy!

My new Deacon's Bench, handpainted by our friend Eva Maria, who did this all free hand!

Enjoying my 1-month birthday with my Great-Uncle David!

Look, West can kick the ball!!!

It's been a crazy, busy month, but we love it. On a side note, I'm going to be an Aunt for the first time! My brother Nathan is expecting his first baby next year. It was a shock, but we're very excited!

The 10 yr reunion for the CHS class of '98 has been set for September 26th and 27th. Football game on Friday, and the big shindig at Buck's Barn on Saturday. It should be a blast. I already have a new dress (much smaller than the size i was wearing back in November when i got pregnant. Very exciting!!!!)

Well, West and I need to leave Shannon's and get home. I'll try to update more often.