More Notes to Share

• I'm no good with anxiety.
• I detest waiting for people to call me back.
• My bedtime is at 9:30. If I stay up later than that, I am crabby. Today, I'm crabby.
• I don't always follow directions, but it really irks me when other people don't follow my directions. Grr.
• When it rains, it pours. And usually hails.
• I don't like it when guys (that I've never met) hit on me over the phone. It weirds me out.
• I'm a procrastinator. If anyone needs tips, let me know later.
• I don't believe that my brother and I would get along well enough to be roomies.
• I'm poor.
• I don't spend mullah like I'm poor sometimes.
• I hate cleaning.
• I love Fridays.
• I have a three day weekend coming soon. Halleluah!
• My older brother can tell incredibly funny stories at 11pm on a weeknight when I'm tired and slap-happy.
• I'm blunt and quiet. I think people think I'm rude.

I think that's all for now. I think it's a little bit of a downer, but I'm not very perky today. I'll be better next time. I promise. Have a nice day.

Tractors, Tractors Everywhere.

So I get home last night with a nearly grumpy 1 year old. She always wants to stay outside and play as soon as we get home. Lately, I have had to help with dinner more, and I like to get out of my nice work clothes before we run amok outside. But last night, I was out of fight and Grandpa was in his shop attempting to change a belt on his lawn tractor, so we ventured that way for a visit.

A frustrated grandfather greeted us. He had been working to change the belt for a total of over two hours. He decided to take a break and visit and give Maddie a tractor ride on the bigger Ford tractor. He started it and the sound spooked her a little with the echo inside the shed, so I held her until Grandpa got situated.

He hopped on the tractor, put it in gear and started to back up. And kept backing up. And kept backing up. Into his year old John Deere Lawn mower. It slides off the ramps and skids through the gravel to a sideways position where my dad has to finally cut the engine to get the tractor to stop. Hmm. That's not good. I am far away from the tractor and this point clenching my daughter with my hand over my mouth. When he cut the engine, she pulls my hand down like, "Don't do that, Mommy."

He starts the tractor again. Still in reverse the clutch won't engage. This time, the tractor's headed up the side of the lawn tractor. The Huge back wheel of the tractor is 2 feet off the ground and rising. I yell,

"Stop, Dad!" Really beginning to worry.

"I Can't!" is his reply. I was seeing visions of upsidedown tractors flashing in my head. Once again, he cuts the engine. My heart slows down to normal.

One more time he persists, and the tractor (clutch and all) are doing fine. He went forward and backwards two or three times. No major damage to the John Deere (surprisingly enough), and no tractor rides for my daughter for awhile. That was scary. And if Madeline had been on board, it could have been worse. But all is well now. Nothing is parked behind the Ford tractor though.

Loony bin, here I come...

First of all, I'd like to say... My daughter is OFFICIALLY a toddler and my parents are officially laughing at what I will go through with her in the time near. The latest: my darling 16 month old threw an animal cracker on the floor last night. Playfully, I asked her to retrieve it and "hand it to mommy." She shook her head no. Ok, breathe, Rachel. "Madeline, pick up the cookie." Here begins the first sign of a screaming, raging fit that I have only seen once or twice when she wants me to pick her up and I cannot for one reason or another. I grabbed her arm so she wouldn't bang her head on our hardwood kitchen floor. I sat her up and told her again, "Madeline, pick up that cookie, now." Same kind of response. Then I swipe her precious "binky" and tell her to pick up the cookie and she'll get it back. Yeah... That made her really mad. She laid down, face down, on the floor and cried. I stood up and did dishes and continued with dinner. She got up and walked around the island looking for someone to save her (i/e a grandparent). No one else was near. She sat down, laid down and started over. I asked her to come back to the cookie. I got a verbal, "NO" that time. So I walked over to her, stood her up, and made her walk to the cookie, lean over and pick it up. Now, if that didn't take enough work... She picked up the cookie, and THREW IT AGAIN. Breathe, Rachel, Breathe. I hold her hand, pick up the cookie, and hand it to myself in the other hand. I told her thank you, handed her the stupid binky and continued with dinner. A few minutes later, my dad comes wandering in the room, Maddie runs to him, he scoops her up, she starts jabbering and pointing at me. She goes on for a good minute. The only word either of us caught from the jabbering was, "Cookie."

Point to ponder: Who's more stubborn? Madeline or her mom?

Labor Day Weekend

So I planned sooooo much for this last weekend, and I got my laundry done. That was it. Nice, huh? Oh well. Such as Life. I got to hang out with my daughter more than usual which is wonderful. I hate that her daycare provider gets to spend more wakeful hours during a work week than I do. Wow. Never thought I'd hear myself say that. Or see it in writing. Whichever. However, at this particular moment in time, she is NOT making it easy for me to type. She's pulling at my shirt sleeve, and I know that she just wants to type on the keyboard she doesn't really want me. So I'm reduced to peek-a-boo and typing at the same time, and it's difficult to not type what I am saying. So if you get a "where's Madeline?" or part of that randomly, I'm sorry.

I had a full day of training today in the CLT Harrisonville office. It was great. I really feel like I learned more. There are still things that I am going to be uncomfortable with for awhile, but I know that some of it will come with time. The rest I will just have to ask about.

Check out the new CLT website. See if you can find where they are advertising my blog. Fun, huh?

It's almost someone's bedtime. And I think Maddie's getting sleepy too. HaHaHa. No, really, she hasn't slept all night in about a week. A new aversion which I refuse to get used to. I am thinking it's the crib, and she's wanting a "big girl bed" (a toddler bed). Or simply something that she won't bump her head on as she does her spherical rolling at the wee hours.