Thursday, September 12, 2013

life lately




hey girls,

is it just me or has it been crazy lately?
i feel like life is zooming by and there isn't a minute of down time to document it.
we've been busy with kate's ballet and acrobatics class, preschool, the gym [whaaaat?? we're gym rats now??? impossible! but true] and work.

dad has accepted a job with a neurologist here in yuma- he signed a 2 year contract and starts at the end of september.
he likes his job in primary care, but couldn't turn down the opportunity to learn about neurology. [plus a pay raise and better hours were part of the contract. we'd be moronic not to accept]

i recently accepted a part-time job in the LDRP unit [labor, delivery, recovery and post-partum].
i'll be working mostly there with a few shifts a month back in the ER.
i'm burned out. what else can i say?
the ER here is rough. it sucks the soul out of you if you're not careful.
i'm hoping that LDRP will offer some positive experiences.
i've been forewarned [numerous times by numerous coworkers] that LDRP is not all roses, which i know from past experiences.
we have quite a bit bad situations here in yuma: babies born to drug-addicted mothers, teenage pregnancies, and generally uncaring mothers who aren't all that excited to have another kid.
these problems exist everywhere, but are more rampant here.
i'm hoping i can stomach the horribleness i'll see and be able to focus on the happy deliveries of babies born to stable and loving parents.

this time of year is always hardest on us [mostly me].
september is supposed to be about cooler temperatures, crisp breezes, jeans and cardigans.
instead we have temps in the hundreds and we're still hibernating.
i'm a little sick of swimming [did i just say that?] and sadly haven't been in the pool in more than a week.

good news is, "winter" is coming.
october is when life starts getting really good down here.
i'm excited for daily walks and trips to the park and bike rides.
it'll be great to be able to open the back door and let you guys run and play in the yard without worrying about heat exposure.


love you both.
thanks for reminding me what life is really about.
[popsicles and tea parties]

 ~mom.



Thursday, September 5, 2013

sticker charts are the solution to all life's problems



my kater-rooskie kater-rama,

welcome back!
it was a little bit rough there for a bit huh?
thank heavens that rotten behavior is over and done with [at least for now. wish it would stay away but i know better]
in retrospect, i think there was a whole lotta sibling jealousy going on.
mixed in with some emotional growing pains,
combined with schedule changes and the start of preschool at a new school...
that's a lot to throw on a 4 year old.

your dad and i realized that part of the problem was your increasing dependence on the iPad.
once we started limiting your time to a few short periods a day, we saw a marked improvement in your behavior.

we also implemented a sticker chart [which i swear is magic] and i believe it is the key to your turn-around.
you get a sticker for positive behaviors such as listening to us the first time we ask you to do something [instead of repeating ourselves 50 bajillion times] and for picking up your toys, making your bed and helping with evie, practicing your letters/sight words, etc.
we don't take stickers away but we do still take blankies away if needs be.
i can't remember the last time i had to threaten you with the loss of your beloved blankie
[it used to be at least 5 times a day]

once you fill up your sticker chart completely,
you get a new game on the iPad.
this has helped decrease the amount of times you ask for a new game [which used to be roughly 75 bajillion gagillion times a day. see also; in-app purchases are of the devil]


i don't want to toot our horns or anything....
but way to go all of us.
we're so awesome.

just kidding.
[kind of]

i'm just happy you're back to be our sweet, sensitive, fun-loving katers.
it sure is nice to be hugged instead of having a door slammed in my face.


love you more than sunshine kiddo.