Monday, June 19, 2006

Up to my armpits

...in kids, that is.

I haven't really written that much about Diva Daycare lately - I've been too busy! Notice how sporatic the posts have been? Yeah, me, too. It's called "I Couldn't Tell You The Last Time I Peed By Myself But I Can Cook A Meal For Eight Kids While I Bounce A Baby Like An Olympic Athlete To Keep Him From Busting A Vein Because Of The Screaming Emitting From His Tiny Little Body And Why Can't My Children Just. Stop. Fighting. And OH MY GOSH Someone Help Me I Am Starting To Talk Baby Talk To Grownup Strangers In Wal*Mart." Yep, it's a clinical term. Look it up.

The newest addition to the lineup is JackJack - he's tiny. So tiny that he'd rival Waldo in one of those crazy books obviously written by someone on meth. Not that I'm comparing him to Waldo because he wears funky striped scarves and a sockhat even at the beach or because I'm on meth - not at all. I'm just saying he's tiny. Tiny like a picture of Waldo in a book. Annnnnnyway. Just nod and smile - that's what everyone else does. (And by the way, his mother did not really name him JackJack.)

This summer has been more relaxed and more hectic all at the same time. There are less kids here some days, more here others. Some days are early starts, some days are later ends, just depends. I haven't gotten to lay out but once, so I have only a moderate start on my summer freckling. I don't usually leave my house except for Monday nights for Ladies' Night at Buffalo Run, which I thought was going to stop since my husband works The Shift From Hell now, but Bub kindly offered to watch my kids while he watches his own on Mondays. He's so thoughtful - he offered and when I said thanks, but no, he said, "Isn't Monday night your only night out of the house?" When I answered yes, he said, "Then you are not going to stop going." I love that man. My sister is lucky indeed.

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Last week was Paul's first week at his new job at Buffalo Run Casino. He had his 40 hours in by Thursday so from Friday to Sunday - including the 14 1/2 hour shift he pulled on Saturday - he was on straight overtime. WAHOO! He loves the job, loves the work, loves the people. He's happier, we're happier. He didn't get to meet Big & Rich, but then again the concert itself was rained out, so when they come back to do the concert he'll get to meet them, they say. He did get to meet the guys from Frank's Custom Cycles out of San Antonio and Franko himself said he'd build him the bike of his dreams (for the low, low price of only $30k *gasp*), gave him his card and made my husband happier'n all get out. Since he's in Security, chances are he'll also get to meet Ronnie Milsap, Dwight Yoakam, Lynard Skynard and Brad Paisley in the coming months, to mention a few. Lucky.

Last week they had him on the day shift to train him, so today is his first day on The Shift From Hell - 4 to Midnight. Bleh. This means that he's here during the day griping about the noise of the children, continually walking in and out of the daycare room door which invariably makes one or more of the kids cry, he doesn't like to eat Spaghetti-O's and peanut butter and jelly so now I'm cooking not only for 8 or 9 kids, but I'm also cooking our big meal at noon as well. It also means that once school starts he'll see our kids, the ones we created, only two evenings a week and during the day on the weekends. That's going to suck. The perk of the whole thing is that once the kids go to bed, I will have 4 1/2 hours all to myself. My mom says that when Tater and I were kids, my dad used to work that schedule and that she accomplished so much in the evenings; the house was clean, she cooked and did laundry......Me, I'm just hoping I can get 4 hours of sleep in the bed by myself.

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Abby's foot is healing fine. We're still a little leary to let her go swimming, but hopefully by the time we leave for Girl Scout Mom and Me Camp this weekend, it'll be fine. Because we all know how much I love swimming and can't WAIT to just jump right into the pool.

9 comments:

Melessa Gregg said...

Lucky Bastard is right! We're opening a big casino in my neck of the woods in mid-July. Maybe I should apply for a job. Oh wait, there's already one of us on the 4-midnight shift. Props to your mom. By the time my four are asleep, it's all I can do to sit catatonic on the couch for half an hour before passing out myself. And why is it DH always thinks finding me passed out on the couch is an open invitation?

Anonymous said...

What a summer! Sounds like mine. I really wish I could have come to your party, but had to meet my m.i.l. in springfield to get my girl back! right about now I'm wondering why I missed her so much! (shame on me!)
Later
Christy

Jennifer said...

I want to come watch JackJack - good name by the way :). He's so cute granted I like hearing newborns cry - well, when they wern't mine that is and I could give them back but besides that... I will have to come visit you at lunch time this week sometime just to hold him.... Hey, what all was I going to bring out to you? The party was fun. Next time I will stay later or try if mil isn't in town that is. I had fun. I know the girls did!

Queen Of Cheese said...

Mr.Coach worked at a Casino while going to school, don't worry about the schedule now, it will change by the time school is back in. His changed almost weekly! I hear Lil Divinity isn't so sure about the new guy, who could be cuter than he is???????

Politically Homeless said...

A weedeater eh? Oh the imagination!

Gotta love that overtime. I'm glad Mr. Diva is enjoying his new job.

Redneck Diva said...

Melessa, both parents on the 4-midnight shift might cause someone to alert DHS. You better find a different shift just to save yourself the hassle, lol.

Anon/Christy, for the last week I have seriously wondered if keeping the kids out of summer school was a good idea.

Jen, I'm not so much a fan of hearing newborns cry. He sounds like a squashed cat or a goat in labor; I can't quite decide which one.

Mrs. Coach, from what he's heard all over the casino, he'll be stuck on this shift awhile. And after our first evening at home and Kady bawling for an hour and a half that she missed her daddy, I'm wondering if I can really do this...

Li'l Divinity is mostly ambivalent about JackJack, but on the days that he's got an opinion, it's not a good one! He growls at me when he sees that baby in my arms!

Brian, he really did say that! And after he said it, I replied, "Ya know....I think you're right!"

Overtime rocks!!

Carmel said...

Glad to hear the Divas are doing fine. Hubby worked that shift for years while in the military. It beat the heck out of him being in Germany, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Russia or where ever the heck else he had to go. You'll get used to it, and then it will change again. And, it's definitely better than graveyard shifts.

Anonymous said...

Good Lord, give me 25-30 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th graders. Too many little ones would really send me over the edge and many think I have gone there often anyway.

My hubby has worked the evening shift for most of our almost 35 years together. We have adapted. You really have to make the most of the time that you do have. Challenging when you have only one child. Can't imagine having to deal with more. Yes, I am spoiled.

Glad I am old and my life has slowed way way down. Your blog makes me tired.

Cap'n N's Mom

Stacie said...

Diva, two words for you....rechargable batteries.

Oh, and Mikey says mine sounds like a chain saw. And he's right, too. hee hee

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