Happy Friday

This has been a busy week, so I am glad it is Friday!  We have been having very cold temperatures but fortunately, we were able to get out and go for some nice long walks, before it got too cold.  I wanted to go this morning after our music class, but it is just too cold out for Cole. 

 My in-laws got sick on Wednesday, so I had some last minute shuffling for child care.  Our wonderful child care provider J, who the boys go to for the mornings on Thursday, was able to take them for a half day on Wednesday, so I went to work in the morning, and then had the afternoon “off.”  I played with the boys, read them lots of stories, and then indulged myself with a 2 hour nap, while the boys took their nap too!  It was wonderful.  After the boys went to bed, I worked for a few more hours. 

Yesterday, as I was getting ready to leave work, my boss asked to speak to me.  Without getting in too much detail, her biggest client, and the one who she has had the longest (18 years) needed some help preparing their 2008 budget reports for their board meeting in two weeks.  She is absolutely swamped with work, and she asked me if I wanted to take a shot at preparing these budget reports.  She explained it to me briefly, and I told her I would try.  Fortunately, I can do all the work from home.  I wasn’t really sure, if I had bitten off more than I could chew, so last night I reviewed exactly what I was supposed to do.  It is fairly complex, but I think and hope I can manage it.  Of course, my boss said to let her know if I have any questions, but I am really hoping I can get it done in the coming week.  I am really happy and surprised, frankly, she asked me to take this on, since this is her most important client, but it also feels good to have a mental challenge, and be able to put my skills to the test. 

Tomorrow we have some dinner plans “in the big city” with my brother and sister-in-law, and my dad and step-mom are going to babysit the boys, while we go.  The boys are already super excited.  Joe has another busy work week ahead of him, and at the end of next week, my youngest sister, who lives out of state, is coming for a long weekend visit.  She will be staying with me for a night, so I am very excited to see her.  It has been over a year, since she has been able to stay with me, when she comes to town. I think we will go shopping- we always love to do that.  Sisters make the best shopping partners too, because they can be honest and don’t worry about hurting your feelings. 

Ryan has just turned into a little chatter-box.  He just goes on and on about everything, and he comes up with the funniest things.  The other night he told me he was going to go to dinner with some friends, and he’d be back, when he got back.  (say, that doesn’t sound like something his mother would say, does it?)  When I asked him who his friends are, he just said, that was his business! 

He has also learned somehow, somewhere how to pee standing up.  Neither Joe nor myself had taught him this, and to tell the truth, I like him sitting down- let’s just say it is less of a clean-up for Mommy.  Anyway, when I asked him where he learned to do that, he said, “At my work.”  OK then!

Ryan always asks Joe and I how our days at work go.  Last week, he was whining and he said he was tired.  This was after my work day, and I told him I was tired too, and that I had to sit in a hard chair all day (not really, but my regular chair was broken, and the chair I was using, just wasn’t as comfortable).  The next day he was very concerned and asked me if I was tired after work.  I told him no, and he said, “Oh good- you didn’t have to sit in the hard chair then?”  It is just amazing how much they process.

Cole is blooming into his own little person- very determined, but also very sweet.  When something happens that he doesn’t like, he sticks his bottom lip out in a major pout, and then crunches up his forehead, and looks down at the ground.  He is saying “mama” a lot, and says “da” for yes.  Funny, how he has his own language, and funny too, we know what he means.

 Those are all the updates for now- I hope everyone has a great (and warm) weekend.