It only now dawns on me as I'm planning to share my "sob story" here, that many of my amazing peeps that will even glance at this - will feel absolutely no pity for me. Yet they may, just maybe relate? So just know that I am not looking for empathy, yet instead a good ol' venting session, so let's pretend there's a glass (or bottle) of wine between us to lighten the mood......
Chaos Contributors:
Temper tantrums, potty training and a big girl bed. While God has blessed me with a beautiful, bright and loving lil' girl - I am also convinced she is the most trying toddler to date.....EVER. Is this true or am I a wimpy Mom needing to step up my game? I've concluded it's a little of both (just to give us both credit where due). Tempter tantrums come at every turn, or more precisely anytime ANY thing is needing to be done, that she's not on board with (this is everything outside of sugar and cartoons). I am doing my best to stay calm, focused and strategize like crazy......yet she still manages to stay one step ahead of me some days. In addition to the strong independent (sure to translate into success someday) will (yet now translates to the incessant use of "no" and hitting when resistant), I've decided to get even crazier and bring on the potty training! Fun. stuff. OR NOT. Truthfully I now realize she was ready awhile back, yet I wasn't and was hoping to hold out until you know, I had nothing better to focus my extra time and energy on :-) The good news is that the process is moving along quickly. The bad news is that the process involves regular daily laundry, clean up of both #1 & #2 on carpets, furniture and other places it should NOT be, and a constant vigilance of time and liquid consumption. To top off the "raging party" we have going on here, she decided she was ready for her "big girl" bed (ok I did), after she met me in the kitchen one morning (post climbing out) as proud as can be of her big girl self. This one I didn't mind......I knew I was living on borrowed time (she's a climber as it is) yet she loved her crib and you know what? So did I. Now that it's done and we're moving forward the new discovery is - she's also a wanderer........why would you EVER stay in a boring ol' bed when there's a whole room, bathroom, shoot - floor to explore????? Well I am currently working on reasons, and if you have any to contribute please do so as I am stating my case to her daily.
Acquisition after acquisition ........ why not - another acquisition?!?! So many know one or two already, yet few know of all four. Few know what I even do to be honest (family that is) and in turn, I'm not an expert on what most of my family and friends actually do professionally day and day out either. None the less, the fourth did me in. The long story short: I started as 1 of 20 back in 2007, we bought a company and grew to shy of 100 by 2011, a company them bought us and doubled our size in 2012.......as we just can't get enough, this past fall we decided to place ourselves under the Accenture "umbrella" and I am now simply 1 of 240,000+ globally. CULTURE SHOCK?! Yes.
This is just working venting ....... constantly changing processes and procedures, 3 benefit enrollment periods in one year, ever changing and more confusing org charts and different expectations - dependent on whomever we're trying to make happy that day. This is just work biz and MANY of us have it ....... what's yours? Yes, I'm grateful I have a job. Trust me I AM. That still doesn't mean I have to like it right? Between the constant shifting and high demands - added on top of my ALWAYS moving daughter......these people (young and old) are driving me to drink! (note: 2014 resolution = replace with prayer. Much cheaper and more productive).
Family fun and fevers. Part of the fun of parenting toddlers and beyond is that you get to live joyfully through their eyes.....as well as through new eyes of your own. The holidays bring a whole new world of possibilities in way of activities, crafts, seasonal décor and gifts. While going into this season with high hopes and a solid plan (ok .... so I thought), I somehow only managed to go half of the places I intended, and completed half of the crafts I had in mind (ok ok I lied: NONE) wait - do cookies count? To be honest I just could NOT keep up.......yes - Cora and I getting the 2 week flu mid month didn't help matters, yet I don't think it would have mattered and perhaps that was an indicator that my "over achieving" fixation was a little ridiculous and needed to be put in check. Besides - as you are already thinking I'm sure ..... that is NOT what the seasons' about. So screw you Pinterest.
As we head towards a new year I am still very much on the hunt for my "calm". Perhaps I will learn/am learning, to seek and savor it differently so that it doesn't seem so distant. And please don't misunderstand that while chaotic, I'm very much thankful for all the chaos that 2013 has brought. After all - my trying two year old is the love and light of my life (yes she's that cute it makes up for it all), my job is a means to support a life of abundance, and all the holiday stuff??? Well that's just silly. Besides, the reason for the season.....family family family. Were it is at. And yes, I had that the whole season long.....fevers and all.
