they never really outgrow toys

11 (and three quarters) months

I'm late as usual, 10 short days until Rylan turns 1. Oh and this is post #100. Hard to believe I had that much to say, lol. Or at least took up that much space saying that little.

Rylan still isn't walking, but I am completely okay with that, although is he is speedy on all fours. Walking means falling and well he is a big wuss, which means LOTS of crying headed my way. This boy cries if you look at him crooked. That is how he gets around, hands and feet. He does stand on his own but usually drops back down and cries the second he realizes he is on his own, lol. He has lost interest in walking while holding our hands he would rather run his own way. He will cruise all over on his feet with a push toy though.

He says mama, here (or at least something that sounds like here when he hands us stuff) and baba and huh, which I think means hello- he does that one when he is pretending to talk on the phone. Lots of other babbling but that's it in a language that I understand. Saige keeps telling him to speak English.

He is getting three more teeth on the top, two have poked through still waiting on the left front one, it's SO close. Hopefully happier days are ahead. He is still a whiner. He whines about everything. Cars are his favorite toy, he loves to drive them around the floor while making vroom noises to the best of his ability. Her will resort to pushing Saige's roller skates when the cars are missing, and even a shoe or a remote from time to time. He gets REALLY upset when he gets to a wall or a toy is in his way. He will drop down have a fit and whine. He stops immediately if you get up and move the thing in his way, but for the most part I just laugh at him. If I didn't laugh at him, we would not have survived the last year. I worry about him... I dread what will happen once school rolls around if he doesn't have a major change of attitude. I can see it now... "Mrs. Skinner? Can you come get Rylan... another kid in gym class threw him the ball on his turn three hours ago, and he has been crying ever since..." LOL

I WAS THIS close to announcing that it only took eleven months but he is sleeping through the night. But, I made the mistake of mentioning to Robby "I have to blog... I'm three weeks behind and Rylan has been sleeping great for almost an entire month" I should know better than say that kind of thing out loud. I guess I deserve it.

That was three days ago and he hasn't slept since. Mom isn't playing that game anymore. I can't bring him in my bed because he just wants to play and I am afraid he will fall and I am NOT holding him all night in the recliner. No sleep for mom makes everyone miserable- we are all much happier when I have had a good nights sleep. I've gone in to check on him and rub his back- it just makes him cry harder. He is stubborn he went for 2 hours straight Tuesday night. I think me going in made it worse. I let him cry for 10 minutes and then went back and tried to comfort him, everytime he screamed louder. Last night I went in once patted his back and left again without a word. He screamed bloody murder for about 15 minutes and went back to bed. That was it.

Yesterday was nice so we blow up Saiges bouncer and he had a ball. At first he kept sticking his head out like a game but then he realized the slide was FUN. He kept climbing up the slide part and getting to the top, flopping down and sliding back to the ground. I figured the little drop to the ground at the bottom would deter him but nope he kept on going. There may be hope yet :)

Last but not least his very newest trick is taking of his diapers. I keep catching him with the velcro undone and him playing with himself, smiling of course. I know he's a boy but I didn't realize it started so early.

pictures and pre-k

Uncle RJ, princess Saige and Sir Whines-A-lot


My Potato Heads

She has no fear, she happily swam along in the deep end most of the day. I think she thought she was invincible, she was convinced that since she was above water she knew how to swim. Almost like when she got her hooked on phonics, she looked at the box went off came back with a book and told us she would read it. Obviously the Hooked on Phonics taught her all she needed to know in the first glance.
At one point I had her put on her other non floating suit and she told my dad to let go. So he did- she sunk. She promptly got out of the pool without a word and put the floating suit back on and jumped back in. I figured she would be way to afraid to jump off the diving board- but no, she did it over and over again. I really need to get her some swimming lessons soon.

RJ got Rylan to go in and he was okay with it but he liked the turtle better. Saige kept getting out of the pool and going in the turtle with Rylan calling it a hot tub. It was really warm, lol.

Saige had her pre-K screening this morning. She got to meet a couple teachers and saw the school and a lot of kids getting off the school buses. She is now more excited than ever to ride the bus and go to school she has been talking about it all day. I have a feeling she will be talking about it all summer long. My parents are taking her camping tomorrow, leaving me here alone with the two boys. I hope I survive the weekend. Rylan adores his big sister and Zailor likes to play with her too. Left alone they "fight" in a toddler sense of course. They want the same toy, the same chair, the same side of my lap all at the same time.

It kind of funny I can sit there and watch one hand the other a toy and when the other one takes it the first one bursts into tears. Usually when the other one starts crying they give the toy back and then start crying themselves. They will go back and forth like that for 10-15 minutes at a time paying no attention to me laughing at them, just alternating a toy voluntarily and crying.

Soon I will get around to Rylan's past due 11 month post, hopefully before his birthday...

advertising rant

I remember a while back, they cracked down on ambulance chasers and their advertising, at least here they did. Suddenly all those catchy jingles about suing someone, even though your own stupidity was probably at fault just disappeared from the tv and the radio.

I want to know why the DWI guy is still on the radio. The only time I listen to the radio is in the car, and when I am driving it never fails this guy Tom Anelli who calls himself the DWI guy is advertising on how the equipment is faulty and that getting pulled over after drinking is not your fault, blah blah blah- call the DWI guy. You can read about him on his website here. UGGG this annoys the hell out of me. So it is wrong to allow the guys who promise to help you win big after an accident are bad (and I agree) but the guy who is saying go ahead drink and drive- kill someone, or a few people- it's okay call me- I make my living defending scum like you is okay to advertise? I would rather listen to the ambulance chasers.

I have a better idea. Call a cab, or drink at home, or don't drink at all. I think if your drinking and you get behind the wheel you don't deserve a defense- you deserve to rot. I'm betting the 13 bucks for a cab is far cheaper than Mr Anelli's fees.

Then there is this. Last summer this kid was drunk, driving a boat and killed a man. The kid drove off, neither him, nor any his passengers ( there were 5 or 6 of them) bothered to call 911 or report that they killed a man- they just left him. The kid gets 1 1/3 to 3 years? How ridiculous is that? Why aren't they making an example out of him? I think his passengers should be doing some time along with him. I find it sad that these kids getting DWI's are getting a slap on the hand and told not to do it again. Although I'm sure being a spoiled rich kid has something do with it also.... Hmm now I wonder if the DWI guy was his attorney, lol. I laugh, but I bet there is a special spot in hell reserved for him, at least I hope so.

These kids need to do some time- a lot of time. Maybe it would prevent another dumb kid (or dumb adult, there seems to be more than a few of them) from doing the same thing. Maybe they would think twice before getting behind the wheel. I can see why they wouldn't, read the news, no one does serious time for DWI's even when they KILL other people.

Another story sticking out from last summer, or maybe even the summer before- an old man got his 7th DWI before doing any time what so ever. SEVEN, I think maybe after number two they should chop of your legs so you can't reach the gas anymore.

:(

My dog died today. I got my wish and he died peacefully in his sleep at 14 1/2 years old.

I DID IT!!!!

I finally did it, I canceled dish network. I did it yesterday and waited to write it until today, in case I was dreaming. Living without a DVR seems a bit scary but I had had enough. Ever since the new receiver came it started cutting out and losing signal. I told Robby to call them if he wanted it, because my next phone call would be my last.

He put it off all last week, one day he spent the entire day on the ladder trying to get a signal. See two years ago when they upgraded our dish (because like all their equipment the first ceased to work after a couple months) they put it on the side of the house. Robby mentioned at the time that the trees would fill in before long. The guy shrugged, he said the roof was high, who cares it's his job, he didn't want to climb up there. sure enough the trees have grown and no more signal.

So after wasting hours and hours he finally called. I dialed the phone and got him on hold for tech support and went outside to save my sanity. Not even three minutes later he comes out and says well I told them I would call them back he said 30 dollars to get a guy out here and if teh dish needs to be moved it will be 100. This is where I get confused, I payed once to have the dish moved, the guy they hired to do it did a shitty job- that's on them, not me. No way in hell.

So I called, got some guy in India again. This beyond frustrates me. I told the guy across the world I wanted a box to ship it all back I am finished. So I get transfered to a guy here in the states who offers to knock even more off my bill to make up for the lack of customer service and promised to send a guy out Tuesday(would have been today), free of cost. Fine.

The more I thought about it, the madder I got. I thought about how many times I had said this is it- next time I am done, just to give them another chance. The more I thought about it, the stupider I felt. So yesterday I called and told them to cancel the appointment ( if you can call between 8am and 5 pm an appointment) and ship out the boxes. First she wanted to know why I wanted to leave, so I gave her the list- it was long. When I got to the outsourcing jobs part, she told me there was no need to be racist.

How in anyway is the phrase "you outsource your jobs, and when I need help here in NY I get some guy in India that I can't understand not to mention he just reads off his screen what you tell him to, not listening at all to the problem" in anyway racist? I swear they hire the stupidest people, I told her as much.

I listened to all her offers and said no a hundred times, I must say three free months was tempting but in the end I thought of my sanity. I felt SO relieved when I hung up the phone. So relieved. It's over.

I thought maybe today I would be regretting it, and missing my DVR. But, it's summer, there isn't anything on anyway. We have antennas hooked for the time being. I'm sure come fall I will call up time warner and at the very least get basic channels, so I can switch form one to the other without getting up and playing with the damn thing. They cost a bunch more but it's a better option. In the 4 years we have been here my roadrunner has gone out once, I drove there, lol. Having vonage, without internet I have no phone to call, and the cell gets no reception here at home. Turns out they shut us off for non payment- but it was a mistake they shut off the wrong one. Very quickly fixed. Plus I do know if I have an issue I can call and get someone here, local and speaking English well enough for me to understand. call me whatever you want but when it comes to our hard earned money I WANT to understand the conversation.

I feel so much lighter! Now if only I could quit the damn insurance company.
They denied Saige's last doctor visit, for her 4 year check up. They payed for the shots, and the echo (well all but 303, but I knew that beforehand), but refused to pay for the office visit itself. I guess she was somehow suppose to get the rest without going in the actual building. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

They transfered me to three different people, none of which could explain why, short of that's just the way it is. So now I have to learn how to appeal. Absolutely freaking ridiculous, we pay every week, we have no way come near (thank god) our max benefits yet they tell me my FOUR year old has reached her lifetime maximum for office visits? How could that be even remotely possible? If she were sick it would be okay but preventative health care? Why would we want that? What in hell are we paying over a hundred bucks a week for? I would so love to cancel it and just take our chances paying as we go, but the second I did that, something would without a doubt happen.

On a good note there, the doctors office was terrific. Told me as long as I send them 5 bucks a month on it, there is no problem and when the appeal is finished if they do end up paying they will give back whatever I sent in. It's 155, not the end of the world but 155 more than I want to pay for something that was suppose to be free.

all good things must come to an end

Robby's vacation is over, he went back to work today. It flew by. Despite the fact he drive me insane, I don't get sick of having him around. I don't know anyone else I could spend 9 days straight with, day and night with and not kill. Then again I don't know anyone who could put up with me for an entire 9 days either.

His big to do list? he did maybe three things, lol. Robby is a special kind of lazy. It will never cease to amaze me, the things he will do, the huge projects he will take on, in an effort to avoid doing something simple I asked him to. Who would have thought, climbing the side of the house six times (I'll explain in my next post- big news deserves it's own post, lol) when it's 100 out would be less work than hanging a tiny shelf.... We got the air-conditioners in, but he still hasn't sealed the new windows so basically I'm just pouring money out them. I HATE this about him, to me that is top priority, to Robby that is something he should get around to in the next six months. grrr. I know you're thinking so do it yourself.... I don't climb, I physically can not climb a ladder. I get on the second rung and my entire body freezes in fear and I am stuck shaking, a half a foot off the ground. Smart thing to do would have been to seal them BEFORE putting in the AC, I swear my exact words when he asked if he could put the one in our room in were.... JUST AS SOON AS YOU SEAL THE WINDOW. At least everyone here listens about the same. Someday I will give up and lower my expectations.

He hid up in our room for most of the second yard sale. This time we did Fri and Sat, the weather was much better and we made a bit more money. Not a whole lot, but enough to make the past week "free" We ate out a few times and did a lot of fancy coupon shopping, and got gas (only in the car though). We even got Robby his very first library card. Seriously very first, never had one in his life. He hates to read but wanted to rent free movies, lol. It still amazes me, I LOVE to read, I hope my kids take after me on that one. We visited Fort Stanwix, seen it a few times a week for the last 20 years, and had never gone inside. It was a gorgeous day and Saige thought it was pretty cool, as did we.

On a good note, with him back to work, and not having Zailor today. I am almost caught up on laundry, there is still some but not a whole load of any one pile. My kitchen is clean, and has been for over 3 hours (in a row!) now, and will be for another hour. That can not and does not happen when he is home. I swear if I cleaned it while he was sleeping, he would sleepwalk in and spill something.

sailing

Robby's on vacation!!! I'm so excited I can't figure out which projects I want him to tackle first! LOL I gave him a huge list. It was long but with Robby I have to write down things like put away your tools when you're done, most of it was a large list of what to move out for the yard sale. A couple things that get thrown on every list in hopes that one day it will work, like put your laundry IN the basket and put your tools away. All together it isn't THAT much work.

We had a yard sale yesterday and today. We are going to do it again, just haven't figured out when, yet. Tomorrow we are going to go do something for a change and it's suppose to be yucky out. Yesterday was yucky, it didn't rain but it looked like it was coming any second all day long. Today was much nicer and despite being a weekday we had quite few people stop.

Saige came from my moms Sat while we were getting stuff together. She immediately started pulling toys out of the pile, toys that she HAD agreed to sell. She wanted this stuffed bear back, so I told her it could go back in, but she had to give up a different one.
She says "okay I will give up Rylan's"
I told her it didn't work that way. She spent the remainder of the day bringing me each and every one of his toys, saying " I don't like this no more sail it in the garage sale" As tempting as it was, I didn't sell either one of them and I didn't sell all his toys either, lol.

Sunday she woke up pleading can we start sailing now? can we start sailing? Everyone was greeted with her screaming on the top of her lungs that we had a customer like grammies house. She is so loud, all the time. Both my kids are, poor Zailor it still takes me a minute to register when he cries, it's like a barely there whisper compared to my little monsters. I had to keep telling her to quit bugging people. A couple of them wanted to humor her... I think they were sorry after she was showing them the tenth thing one by one and giving instructions too.

Last night Robby and I went to the drive in and saw Indiana Jones and Iron Man. It's hard to stay up and watch a movie until after 1, lol, I feel old. I love the drive in, I can go in my pajamas, sit any way I want, talk as loud as I want, adjust the volume anyway I want, no one complains when I bring Subway, and we can even drag the kids along and leave them sleeping in the back. Where else can you watch two movies for 7 bucks?

It's past my bed time and I haven't even loaded the dishwasher or folded the laundry. I still have to sit down and match up my shopping list for the week. I really need to make a menu, I say that, in fact I say that every week, I have yet to start. I usually buy whatever I get the best deals on and wing it from there. Not the most frugal way to go since it usually ends with me last minute having to buy one more thing.....