Random Randomness

It's been awhile since I blabbed on my blog about nothing of any critical importance, so I figured today would be a good day to do that.  Why?  Because I should be working, but I'm really not in the mood.  I'm also very sad that my blog has taken a backseat to life.  Yes, I know...as it rightfully should...but the huge, gaping holes in my posts is annoying.  For all you know, I could have had another baby (NOT!) or started some form of regular exercise (are you kidding me?).  So here goes...

My husband is sporting a mullet, which I am NOT happy about.  When he first told me he was going to grow one, I giggled.  Yeah, it was a funny thought...but now it's REALITY.  That thing has grown like you wouldn't believe and it is GROSS.  It's not even funny anymore.  The worst part?  Family photos are next week and he has no intention of hacking it off.  To tell you the truth, I don't like him with ANY hair.  A real close buzz cut suits him.  Plus, I like to pet his head because it feels like pussy willows.  I really hate that 'p' word, but I'm referring to NATURE here people.  So yeah, the pussy willow cut is perfect for him.  I'm hoping he will surprise me one of these days, but I'm also not holding my breath.  I talked to the photographer last week and he mentioned something about doing an ugly X-mas sweater family pic as a joke.  I thought that was pretty funny and now every time I look at Drew, all I can think of is how fitting that would be for his mullet...  The state of his hair right now gets my gag reflex going.

Outside of the mullet...Drew has been actively killing animals this fall/winter season.  Lots of ducks over the past couple of months and then last week he got a deer.  Last year was his first shot at deer hunting and he got one on opening day.  This year it took him a few days, but he did it.  Even though I won't touch the meat he brings home with a 10 ft. pole, I do get excited FOR him.  Maybe because it makes him so happy?  Not sure...  He continues to try to get me to try some of the jerky he smokes or other meat treats that he makes, but I just can't even comprehend putting it in my mouth.  Just typing about it make me nauseous. 

Is it bad that everything my husband does makes me want to puke lately?  Between the mullet and the dead animals...bleh...

Next week is Thanksgiving.  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?  I swear this has been the FASTEST.YEAR.EVER.  Guess what else?  A whole bunch of my family is coming to visit.  I know...I'm still in shock.  Some of my family members visit regularly, but not usually around the holidays.  Others I haven't seen in a REALLY long time!  My Mom, sister Kristen and her husband Chuck and brother Aaron, his wife Vera and their 8 month old, Sammy will all be here.  Aaron and Vera have never even met Will, nor has Chuck...and my Mom hasn't seen him since he was 9 months old!  I think it's going to be quite the shock for her to see this little boy.  I'm really excited to have everyone here, since holidays sometimes feel a little lonely...but I'm also a wee bit nervous.  I want everyone to have a good time and I'm also trying to get things cleaned, organized and stocked up at the house so that we don't have a lot of running around to do when they get here.  The photo shoot on Wednesday is for all of us, so I'm also hoping we get some good ones.  It's hard coordinating that many people!

Will is a whole new bundle of C.R.A.Z.Y these days.  We've been getting lots of naughty reports from daycare about his behavior.  Not listening (shocker), hitting, biting, screaming, etc.  A couple of weeks ago I actually had to go pick him up early because he was throwing such a hissy (2 hours!) and they didn't know what to do to calm him down.  They said that I didn't need to pick him up, but I was worried something might be wrong and when you hear your child screaming like that.........  I took him home that afternoon and he was happy as a clam.  Told me that he screamed because, 'I wanted my Mommy.'  Huh.  Very sweet, but that can't be happening every day.  Since then we've had 2 other calls from his teacher informing us of certain incidents...like biting......HER!  Yes, he bit and scratched his teacher...twice.  I have asked him a MILLION times why he is acting this way and why he is doing these things and his responses are, 'Because' or 'I don't know' (with a shrug of his shoulders).  So what are we doing about it?  Well, not a whole lot.  We talk to him every night...give reminders every morning...but none of it seems to phase him.  We've tried taking special things away from him, but other than a little bit of whining, he doesn't put up a fight...nor does it encourage him to behave any better.  The other morning as I was dropping him off at daycare, I took him by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes and reminded him to put his listening ears on today.  I told him no hitting, biting or kicking...and only nice words to his teachers.  Despite me focusing on him, he didn't appear to be focusing on me, so I said, 'William?'.  He said, 'Yes Mommy?'.  I asked, 'What did I just ask you to do?'  His final response?  'To sing.'  He said it SO matter of fact, without any question in his voice...as if he truly believe that I had asked him to sing.  Is this our disconnect?  Is he just exhibiting signs of selective male hearing early?  Probably not, but it certainly isn't helping.  The latest plan is to implement a sticker reward chart at school...where he can earn stickers throughout the day for good behavior.  If he gets so many stickers, he can choose a surprise out of a bucket of goodies that I will be supplying at home.  I'm hoping to hit the $1 bins at Target one evening this week...  I honestly don't know how it will go, or how long it will motivate him, but I'm willing to try anything at this point!

Lili has also had some behavior issues at school recently, but luckily they seem to be getting better.  She moved up to the purple room (Pre-K...yes, she goes to Kindergarten next year!) at the beginning of September and I think the transition was a little hard on her.  Although I want to shake her sometimes when I hear about the antics she pulls, I also realize that she is a mini-Andrea.  I have vivid memories of my Mom yelling at me to settle down and to quit being so hyper and crazy when would have our Girl Scout meetings.  I was a nut...and so is Lili.  Her goal in life is to make people laugh...and she doesn't give a rat's ass about when it's appropriate and when it's not.  At the end of the summer gymnastics program she purposely fell to the floor in the middle of the routine and rolled around to make the other girls giggle.  In the dance class I enrolled her in this fall she tried to get the other girls to chase her around the room, rather than listen to the teacher.  This resulted in timeouts and eventually we quit the class because she told me she didn't like dance and wouldn't behave.  At home she whispers to Will when she wants to do something she KNOWS she shouldn't be doing and convinces him to join her.  The two of them form a team and laugh maniacally as they do whatever it is they shouldn't be doing.  At school we get reports of similar behavior.  Not listening, doing things to be funny and make people laugh, encouraging others to participate in the naughtiness...*sigh*...  Being a Mom is exhausting. 

Tonight I have parent/teacher conferences at daycare and as bad as it sounds, I have no desire to go.  I get DAILY reports from their teachers about so much of what they do and don't do, I feel like I already know what they're going to say.  Besides that, I'm at the point where I just don't want to hear it anymore.  I already know my kids are smart and on track...and I live and breathe the behavior issues every day.  We should be covered then, right? 

I have so many funny things that Lili and Will have done or said to share, but I think I'll save those for the next post! 

My job is the same...hell on earth...so nothing new to report there.  I've decided that I'm going to fight my way through the next 6 months with humor.  If I can laugh at it, it won't be that bad, right?  I've never been brought to tears quite like I have with this job, but I guess it's good for personal growth...and for confirming that my future plans to spend some time at home with my kids is the right decision.  I just have to make sure I don't go crazy before then, which is quite possible!

My new goal as an 'adult' is to look into ventures that will give me the time at home, but also force me to think occasionally and hopefully allow me to be creative.  I'm considering opening up an Etsy shop for all of my crafty things.  The canvases I like to do and other crippety-crap that I'm hoping some sucker will buy from me.  I'm also looking into becoming a consultant for Thirty-One.  Yeah, it's one of those crazy businesses where you have parties and sell cute, girly things...but I love the stuff so far!  Lots of cute organizing and gift ideas!  I'll keep y'all posted on when and if that happens, since I will be begging and pleading for everyone to host parties and spread the word.  Don't worry though...the products are cute AND reasonably priced.  Plus, the hostess benefits are good!

I guess that about says it all...I'm sure anyone who reads this will feel richer and more enlightened!