finally!

Alot has happened since I've bothered to post.
Our house is nearly done framing, roof should go on this week, weather permitting. We're a little concerned because one transom window is not framed in, and our shower in the master bath looks like they've framed it for the small version when we requested the larger one. Saleslady promises that will be fixed, she says they can't pass inspections to go to the next step unless everything matches the plans. But we're keeping our eyes on it.
AND!
Sissy is catching on to the potty training thing. She did not have any accidents today, made it to the potty each time she needed to pee. To our delight, Boo is trying it out as well. She still isn't comfortable sitting bare-tush on the potty, but a couple days ago she ran down the hall, sat on the little potty with pants still on, and a moment later announced "my peepees come out! my peepees come out!". So my 42 and 23 month old daughters may well potty train at the exact same time. It'll be nice to not buy diapers anymore... Sissy has been wearing pull-ups at night and at naptime, but when she's awake we've had her in training pants (the kind with a vinyl outside)(and I somehow melted one in the dryer, luckily it peeled right off). We've told her if she makes it a couple more days doing as good as today, she can start wearing her 'real' panties- Dora and Curious George and pretty flowers.

bleah.

Here we are, back in burn-out mode.
I have a perpetual project at work (shelf assignments- keep your section neat, orderly, and most importantly, make sure we actually have the quantities indicated in the computer!!!), but kept blahing around on the few news websites we can get to in my spare moments.
Yesterday was a union steward meeting/training. We've had a little influx of fresh blood, one of whom has YEARS of experience so he helped us all get motivated... that'll last for a month or so.
now husband is putting around getting antsy... oooh, we might actually get out of the house as a family group! WOW!

a brave woman

A dear friend of mine just had her first child last Monday. I asked her how delivery was- better or worse than anticpated, etc- and her reply email told me to sit down.
30 hours.
30 loooong hours, 20 of it back labor.
The 30 doesn't even include 12 hours of pre-labor.
wow.

Then I got a birth announcement in the mail. She had her baby at home, assisted by a couple of midwives. Her husband was right there and caught the baby as she came out.

I was blown away. Now, my second was born at home, but that was BOO's choice, not mine at all. I felt the first (what I thought was random) contraction at just past midnight, didn't decide something-might-really-be-happening-so-maybe-I-should-wake-up-hubby until 1am, and at 1:30 as paramedics are walking up to our door, my husband was catching Boo.

I have always respected this friend, she is even the originator of 'ptooie'. It was her word of general mild disgust or frustration, similar to 'phooey'. We were first and second chair bass in high school orchestra, plus had german and some other classes together. She's the tallest woman in her family at 5' 1.75". We are both only children raised by single mothers who all happen to be cat people, though my mom and I only had 3 and they had something like 7.
I am at a whole new level of repect now.
Saturday I get to go visit. I asked what I could give them to welcome the bundle of joy, and was told "NO CLOTHING! We have been innundated with onesies!" so I suggested giving them our pack'n'play, jumparoo, and swing. That struck her as a fine way for them to not have to spend money on larger items, so that is my gift to welcome little precipatation (fancy name for child's first name).

puhple caar! puhple tuck!

Boo has a fascination with all things purple (and green, to a lesser extent). She is always on the lookout for purple cars when we're going someplace.
Tonight, she would have loved to be with me on my drive home.
First, I was behind a purple minivan. Then I caught up to a purple Pontiac Vibe (and I thought they were freaky looking just white). Then I passed a purple Ford Ranger, then an F150, both going the other way. Next I saw a purple Cougar (parked), and a lovely lavendar Corolla (also parked) then 3 Chevy Aveos at a dealership. Last was a purple Cavalier.
She would have loved it.

a brighter day

Literally and figuratively!
Yesterday went well, all in all. Did fabulous on the last 2 tests for training class (well, duh, I only use the stuff maybe every other day at work so I'm gonna be familiar with it!), finished class with a 99%. Got out of there in time to not only get the oil changed in our truck but also stopped at the bank and finally deposited the $100 my mother gave me for Christmas (that would be approx. half a second sink in our master bath. The teller was chuckling as I peeled off the picture of half a sink my mom had taped on the bill). Came home, ate a quick sandwich on bagel, found my insurance card, and left in the car. Dragged Sissy from hiding in a bed at Grammy's (she had put herself to bed for a 'rest' at NOON, tell me my kid feels good if she's doing that!) and we went to the Children's urgent care. 2 hours later we left, having been told we had double ear infections and the freaky eye thing is still unknown but as it was much improved from the night before, go to our own doctor today to follow up. The urgent care doctor was super nice, she did a little neuro exam on Sissy (follow my finger with your eyes. move your head up, down, side to side. make a big smile. make a sad face. make an angry face.). The eye was still noticeable, and when Sissy did the big smile, the doctor thought that side of her face may have been lagging some, but she wasn't sure if that was related to the eye or just part of how everyone's face is asymetrical. I had Sissy smile big at me and couldn't decide if it was because it was a forced smile or because of whatever made the eye get weird.
Today the eye is WAY better, it's almost back to normal. Still no clue what could have caused it, perhaps a little palsy of some sort but Sissy's awful young for that. We go to our doctor in a few hours, so we'll see what she says.

ta da!

That last little blurb was done on my cell phone, while being bored stupid. Pretty cool that it worked.
I have now completed 2 days of my 3 day annual shipping class. Got a 96 on the first (of 3) test. Passing for the class is a 90. The other 2 sections are much easier because we use the material much more often at work.
Went past my new house on the way home and the blocks are all in, there's some insulation-looking stuff around some of it, so maybe we'll have a basement floor poured soon. Once that's in and dry the fun will really start- framing!
Sissy's got us a bit worried tonight. This morning when I got them up, she was crying and said her head hurt. Since I was ready to bash my own head in from sinus pain, I thought maybe she had some too. Warned Grammy the babysitter when I dropped them off, and went to class. This afternoon, Sissy told me her head was all better now, and she smiled at me, but she was moving kind of slow and her right eye won't open all the way. It's not goopy or tearing, and maybe just a teeny tiny bit puffy, but it won't open up fully. I'm not sure what the heck to do about it. She does not have a fever at all. The other odd thing about her tonight at Grammy's is she was sitting with me being pleasant, then got down from the couch and announced she was ready to go home. Right now. Want to go home.
To say that never happens is an understatement. Typically I have to coerce my girls to leave my mother's house.
So we found Sissy's socks, shoes, and coat, and by then Boo was mostly awake and down from Papaw's lap where she had been snoozing. Poor thing, she was caught off guard by the wake up instantly put on shoes & coat. But they both stayed pleasant on the way home, even with the sun shining in their eyes a good chunk of the way.

stuck in a training class

stuck in a training class for work and it SUCKS. at least I know the material already so I don't have to pay attention...