Watch Your Mouth!

*Disclaimer* There are religious/political views from others, not me, in this post that may or may not offend anyone who may or may not read this post. I just wrote it I did not say it. And for those of you who know me well, I did not write what I thought about the ones who said it or about what they said in general. Got all that. Okay, get on with reading!

I have every intention of revealing to you, my captive audience of five, my feelings and fears and what not of re-entering the dental field next week. But for now I will let you in on the woes of my corporate career that I encounter on a daily basis.

Like today when the talk of Chick-fil-a for lunch began brewing shortly thereafter began the talk of Chick-fil-a being closed on Sundays. I support Chick-fil-a for closing on the Sabbath and giving their employees the day to rest or worship or whatever is it they please. I did not vocalize my opinion. But in this vast pool of culture that I work in there are other opinions that began to surface. Like one who announced that he bans himself from supporting the fast food chain because they choose to close on Sundays. Or how about the one who said, "I cussed Jesus when I went to Chick-fil-a on a Sunday and found out they were closed." I am just going to move on from that comment and not even let you know what I thought about it! You can thank me later.

Then there was my superior who informed us that Catholics can "sin" so much because Jesus knows that they have it "right" and so He allows them to do those things without consequence (i.e. drink, smoke, cuss, kill, etc.). This is added to the fact that he constantly reminds us that the Catholics were, of course, the first Christians. So, you draw your own conclusions!

These are just two of the examples from today alone. Combine that bit of knowledge with the following idioms that are much more recurrent than the above...

Ol' Hook=the significant other

Um, well, as I sit here and think of the wild and crazy things I hear all day every day I think I should refrain from sharing them...in an effort to keep a PG rating!

I just feel it is appropriate to say...Watch your mouth!! But in this case, it would be a waste of time!

Pumpkin and My Punkins'

Fall is my favorite time of year. So many "greats" of fall! As I drive down the road I am just in awe of God's incredible creations that present themselves in fall. For me, seeing the orange and red leaves on the trees makes each day worthwhile. It is just bliss!

Speaking of bliss, tonight was full of it! We have so much fun when we carve our pumpkin each year. Granted Daniel does all the work with the knife but we still feel a part of it, even though we truly do nothing! Triston did help pick out the design this year. And he did a great job if you ask me! Presley got to see all the craziness and there is just no telling what she thought of it all.

I have to brag on my hubby's handy work. He did an amazing job! Didn't he?!

I have to also give props to the best pumpkin gutter there is...

Then of course there is our punkin' that is almost as big as the pumpkin (snotty nose and all)!!

And for memory sake, here is one of our past pumpkin creations with a lil' cutie posing!

Now, That's Just Being Greedy

This is exactly how the conversation went...

Me: I know it is so much better that Presley is only waking up one time a night but man am I ready for that first time she sleeps all the way through! It is still hard just to get up that once.

Daniel: Really, you think? At least it's not once every hour anymore.

Me: I know. I am just ready for a full night's sleep.

Daniel: Now, that's just being greedy!

STOP.

Did my husband really just tell me that I am being greedy for wanting to sleep a full night's sleep? I know I didn't hear that right. He must have meant something else, right?! Because no one in their right mind would tell me, a sleep deprived mother, that she is being greedy for wanting more sleep!!!

I hope my sarcasm burst out of your screen! Because I know what he meant. He was trying to make me appreciate the fact that she is not waking up every hour on the hour. When this conversation actually took place I thought nothing of it. But as I was lying in bed that night (not sleeping) I started thinking about it and it dawned on me how silly his comment really was!!

So, let this be a lesson to all of you who do get to sleep the entire night...you are being greedy!!!

For the Last Eight Months

I always hear parents say they wish their child would stop growing so fast or they wish they could just freeze time. Wait. For. It. I am not one of those parents. I cannot tell you how excited I am that today my baby is 8 months old! I am equally excited that Triston and I carry on such adult conversations now that he is 8 years old! Don't get me wrong I love holding my baby girl and I know those days will be gone sooner than later. Trust me...I can't hold Tris anymore!

But how many happy dances do I do a day when I see Presley doing new things. Ya know, big girl things! It is not so much bittersweet for me. It is just plain-o sweet! Bring on the growing up. *Don't bring on the so-grown-up-I think-I know-everything though.*

So, as of today Presley...

~Is 8 months old.

~Weighs 12 pounds and 10 ounces and is 24 1/4 inches long.

~Has no teeth, but surely working on them.

~Has received her first haircut, but not professionally!

~Sits up on her own.

~Prefers solid food to a bottle anytime.

~Likes apple juice better than white grape juice.

~Would rather be in her walker than anywhere else so that she can throw all her toys on the floor.

~Only wakes up one time each night...hopefully that will change to zero times here soon!

~Laughs at everything her Bubba does and will not take her eyes off the dog!

Whachu lookin' at?

I'm always up to something!

Good night kisses!!

Wanna see my scar?!

It's Settled Then

Well, without too much deciding on my part my dilemma has been resolved. My boss called today to inform me that he spoke too quickly and could not follow through with his offer. Okay, no he didn't say it like that. But that is how I heard him! I blame him for nothing, except putting me on a roller coaster that was really unnecessary. Other than that things are happening just as I had planned them to originally. I will be leaving my current job next Friday to return back to dentistry. I think it is fabulous that I get to have a whole day off of work each week to spend with my kiddos and clean and well, just do nothing!! Now, if I can just find some scrubs that I still fit into we will be good to go!!!

Personal Predicament

So, I tend to steer towards the "this is what my kids did, aren't they cute" side of blogging more so than the "this is my intelligent insight on the problems of the world today" side. And, well, must to your dismay I am still not going into what I think the problems of the world are!! But...I am going down a different road than normal. I am letting you in on a little personal predicament I have been in the last few weeks. Maybe we can blame this as why my writing has been on freeze-frame lately.

So, I have this job, right?! I got this job when Daniel and I decided we would like to start a family. Before I got this job I worked in dentistry. I was/am a registered dental assistant. I loved/love that job. But...big but, I needed medical insurance and it is a rarity to find a dentist who carries insurance for their staff. So, we prayed and God opened some doors. And He pushed me through the door to this job that I have now.

I found out I was pregnant about 3 months after starting this job. Gulp! But I had/have great insurance and I had/have a flexible boss!! This boss tolerated my tardies due to the beloved morning sickness. He tolerated early departures due to doc's appointments. 9 months passed and he very graciously allowed me to take a little extra time for my maternity leave. He was very sensitive to the fact that my newborn baby was headed down the road to open heart surgery land.

So, there arrived open heart surgery time. And that same boss pushed me out the door and said don't come back til your ready! So, here it is 5 weeks later and I should be returning to work next week. He has allowed me to work from the comforts of my own home since we arrived home from the hospital.

Now, here is the predicament. I have this desire to be back in dentistry. This urge has been burning inside of me for months. I prayed about it and decided if God opened a door I would follow through until He shut that door. He opened some doors alright, and quick. I had an interview with a dentist last Monday. I did a working interview on Wednesday and was offered the job on Thursday. This job would allow me to be off every Friday, be back in the field I am passionate about, and still provide Presley and I with medical insurance. It seemed it was an option I could not resist.

Until, that is, today when I went to turn in my two-week notice. I presented my boss with my notification and he was shocked. He immediately began asking what he could do to make me stay. He said I could have Fridays off there, too. He was discouraged to not be able to match the pay. But he threw this out there and I heard it..."I will let you work from home permanently." Huh? What's that you say?

Ideally, I would stay home with my babies and not work at all. But our mortgage has to be paid somehow!! So, now I am faced with this dilemma. Do I stay or do I go, now?! Sorry, I am slipping!

I have done it all from pro/con lists to budget breakdown and I am just distraught. It seems the offer is too good to be true, but is it? Oh, decisions, decisions. I just can't figure out the right answer. But I am glad I am not alone in this process. I am trusting that God will lead me through the right door yet again.

Where Did She Learn That?!

Okay, someone needs to fess up! Who taught her this noise? It goes on for several minutes at a time and she thinks it's the funniest thing ever. Well, we think so too!! We think it sounds eerily similar to a scene in Forrest Gump! Whatever it is and wherever it came from you have to admit it is utterly adorable!!

But I Don't Wanna *whine*

Maybe it's the weather

Maybe it's my hectic schedule

Maybe it's the lack of brain cells

Maybe I just don't wanna!

I can't seem to force myself (not sure I would even do it if I got paid to) to write a blog post these days. I have a lack of motivation, lack of things to talk about even though I am busier than ever, lack of strength in my fingers to type, lack of whatever may bring about a new blog post!!

I hope this leaves me as quickly as it has found me but for now...you are loved (whomever you are that reads my blog!) but I just don't wanna write anything today and maybe not even tomorrow!! But when I do feel like writing again...you will be the first to know, hehe!!!

Wordless Wednesday...The Good Ol' Days

The New Normal

Today was a big day in the O'Neil household. No, it was not nearly as big as a month ago but big enough for me to feel the need to write about it!!

We had our follow-up appointment with the surgeon today. It has been almost a month since Presley's surgery. Dr. C was very impressed with how well she is doing. She is eating two more ounces each feeding and has added one more feed per day. Woohoo!!! Her heart beat is just as normal as can be. Amazing!!! She weighs, wait for it...12 pounds and 2 ounces. But let me just tell ya, she looks fatter than that! Can I just say how excited I am to hear all this great news!!

And this great news leads to happy endings! Because, now we can stop the medication she has been on for the last 6 months! And we can start mixing her formula regularly now!

I am so thankful for Dr. C. She may not have the best bedside manner but she can perform an open heart surgery with the best of them. I am thrilled to start this new routine with my baby girl.

Bubba Bear

Have I mentioned before when we found out we were expecting lil' miss Presley that I had an underlying fear of my blended family? Well, I had one...a big one.

Triston was seven years old when we told him he was going to have a baby brother or sister. Of course, initially he wanted a brother in hopes for a little play mate. But Daniel and I figure this little sister thing is probably better for him!

So, let me take this time to introduce to you the best brother in the world. Okay, I know you have already been introduced to him but I gotta brag on my boy!

Yesterday at school, Triston got to pick a prize out of the treasure chest in his class. Ladies and gentlemen, that means that he had a good day! It's a rarity...but too much to explain now! So, he picked out this cute little guy...

...and no it was not for him. He picked out a prize for his sister. It was the first thing he showed me when I picked him up. He was so proud. He exclaimed, "I got something for Presley!"

Therefore, this is me, taking a dose of humility for ever thinking this boy could be a "bad" big brother.

A Million Questions

I read a friends blog the other day about how unnerving it is when her son (the little cutie pie) doesn't give the charming smile that everyone so dearly loves in pictures. Well...this got me thinking and I feel I owe an explanation.

I have had people ask me before why all my pictures are of Presley and you rarely find one of Triston. Well, let's see if I can show you why this is...

Just to name a few!!

So, I can't help but feel a little guilty for not having tons of pics of my lil' man. But as you can see he is a hard one to photograph. Especially because I don't do the silly face pictures often. I like an all-smiles family photo!

So, in absence of pictures of him let me share with you what I do get a lot of from Tris.

Question after question after ever-so-annoying-but-gotta-love-em question!

Like this morning (at 6:30 a.m. might I add) I got these...

"Is today Fall Break?" ** He knew he had school today, why did he ask that**

"Is there a football game tomorrow?" **He already knew the answer to this one too**

"Why does everyone like Aeropastale so much? Abercrombie is wayyy better." **My 8 year old just said Abercrombie is better than Aeropastale. Serioulsy?! We don't even buy Abercrombie. I value food on our table more than $150 pair of jeans. Give me a break. I digress!

"What are we doing tooday?" **I get this one every day when I pick him up from school..and generally the answer is the same each day. Then we get it again each night when we tuck him in for bed and generally the answer is the same each night**

"Who is that"? "What is he doing?" "Why is he doing that?" "When is he going to stop doing that?" "Where does he live?"

They go on for days. Most of the time I don't know the answer to the question to begin with. But he feels like he has got to ask. And if there is a football game on you better be ready cuz he will keep 'em coming the whole game.

Now, because I am such a good mommy *ahem* I am finding the good in my little curious kid. What does this mean he will be when he grows up?? I have put a lot of thought into this and the best thing I can come up with is, well, a detective? A researcher? An attorney? I don't know but he good at asking questions. And...

every once in a while we can force him to take a really good picture!!!