Alex Laments. Episode 522.

Well hello, Dear Reader. Fancy meeting you here...I really shouldn't say that. I'm not entirely sure what it means, and obviously you're here because you read, and you like reading what I write. Soooo...

I believe some time ago I had promised I would write more when things calmed down in my life. Unfortunately my life has just gotten crazier and crazier. I finished out my last term in school for the year, in August, while working full time. That was, um, fun? But I did it, and I finished with like a 3.6 GPA. So pat me on the back and tell me I'm special. Because I am special, dammit. Now I'm working all the time. No seriously, like 6 days a week. That has not been fun. But it is necessary. There is hope on the horizon though. My employer has hired more staff, so I shouldn't be at work all the time anymore, and I've been working the job market a little. Pimping out my resume, if you will.

Wait, can you pimp out a resume that isn't impressive? Isn't that the point of putting your goods on the street? Because they're impressive and everyone wants them? I have no idea. My milkshakes DO NOT bring all the boys to the yard, so I'm probably going about this all wrong.

...anyway...I've been searching for gainful employment. Which basically means I've been thinking about how I wish I could work part time while receiving benefits and getting paid at least $1000.00 per hour. #realisticlifesgoal #igotsem. Obviously that is not going to happen. But I really have been considering what to do next, and what will be beneficial in my career path. I think I mentioned before that I had previously been majoring in surgical technology, because I couldn't afford the nursing program, but when the school announced it was closing I decided to pursue a creative writing degree? I still want to do that, but my heart is very much people oriented, and I need face to face interaction with folks to survive. I love people. So I've been tossing around majoring in healthcare admin or maybe a business focus of some sort, and minoring in writing. I mean, I've got to brush up my composition skills if I'm ever going to publish something note worthy. I still need to remind my brothers that I am better than they are and that I'm famous, and they're just butt faces. So a minor in creative writing is important. But trying to figure out my actual career path is hard. My heart  wants to be a healer, my wallet wants to be full, and my soul wants something that has family friendly hours. It's been a rather large task weighing the benefits and downfalls of everything, but doing so has made me realize just how much I really need more balance in my life.

I have NEVER been a balanced person. I zoom from one extreme to the next. I'm a workaholic and I prefer to always be busy. So when I started my current job, of course I offered to step up and work myself in to perpetual sickness (no really, since I started I've caught illness after illness, along with the majority of my coworkers). While this personality trait was a blessing before I had my daughter, it is now a curse. It leaves no room for family life, but it does improve the quality of the little bit of time we get together. The TV is playing more music, and we are all spending our time together instead of vegging out in front of Bob's Burgers re-runs. I just need and want to be home more. I'm missing out on so much. 

This time last year I was waking up to watch the sunrise and drink coffee while Robbie slept peacefully in bed. I was spending afternoons snuggling and playing with my little love. I was cooking every recipe I could get my hands on, and baking a new treat on the weekends. I didn't place enough value on those moments then. I knew they wouldn't last forever, but I didn't realize just how much I would miss them once they were gone. Now I am gone before Robbie or Cameron are awake in the mornings. I get home in just enough time to slap together dinner and spend maybe half an hour playing before it's time to go to bed. There is no meal made out of love. There is no baking. The sunrise is viewed in my rear view mirror. There is no rocking my girl or playing tea party with her. It's a strange place to be in. It isn't miserable. It is just unsatisfying. 

Which is sort of ironic, because this time has taught me so much about myself I didn't know. It has somehow made me into a better mother, a better person, a better student, a better employee, and strengthened my soul and my faith. I find myself almost admiring my growth. I am proud of who I am. 

I just want to enjoy who I've become with the ones I love more. 

So now I'm facing a very the very large project of making a path that will allow me to soak in those special moments again. I have no idea how or where to start, but I am going to make it happen. Some way, some how, I will get that balance that I need between career and family, and I will continue to grow. 

It's Only Bed Time! These Tears Aren't Needed!!!

Bedtime routines are extremely important for babies. It gives them idea of what to expect is going to happen at the end of everyday. This helps them settle down in the evening, develop a sleep pattern, and eventually they will sleep through the night. Unless they are my kid.

As always I am very lucky my kid is actually VERY content, but the things that make her unhappy, she gets super unhappy about.

Our bed time routine is pretty simple but is spread out over three hours. At the start she wakes up and eats, we jack around and watch tv for an hour, she then lays on the floor and we play then she does a little tummy time, by then another hour has passed so I get her ready for a bath, then jammies, we read a book, I rock her for maybe 5 minutes, then she's out shortly after I put her in her crib.

Simple. Same time every night. Same thing every night. After almost two months of the same thing she should be cool with this. Nope. The first half is fine. But after the bath it's all down hill until she's asleep.

She likes bath time. No problem. She knows exactly what I'm going to do next. She even lifts her head so I can has under all her chins, but once the water is turned off and you're taking her out of the tub, the crying starts. 

It's more like a scream than a cry. Almost like you broke her leg, but all you're doing is wrapping this wiggly, screaming child in a towel. It's HORRIBLE. I'm sure the neighbors hear her and think I'm the worst mom ever. "Hey guys! Don't mind me. Just took the baby out of the bath, I swear. She's totally fine!" Insert a face similar to this one =|.

The screaming continues until she realizes that "hey, Mom put lotion, a diaper, and jammies on me while I wiggled so much you thought I was dancing to a Jason Derulo song." and then cue the "I'M NOT GOING TO BED YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" Cry/whimper flailing mosh pit.

This girl can throw some bows man.

I'll get her all propped up in my lap with her boppy pillow, start reading whatever book it is I picked out and she goes ham sammich. (I'm not entirely sure what going ham sammich is. I just thought it sounded cool, and I like the word sammich.)

Flailing, kicking, the whimper/cry, if she could talk she'd probably tell how she's never sleeping again, and I'm so mean. This goes on for a solid 15 minutes. I just keep rocking and reading to her, and try to address any needs she might have, and then BAM! She gets all limp and I think "GOOD LORD SHE'S DEAD! BED TIME REALLY DID KILL HER!!!" And she sighs and then it sets in that oh she's just sleepy.

All of that to just go to bed. You would think I was pulling teeth because it can be so difficult. And I'm surprised I don't have any black eyes or a missing jugular vein from all the baby violence. I'm sure one day she won't be so against bed time, but that will probably be when she's a teenager, and all she does is sleep....I think I have my work cut out for me. =|.