Category: MLV

I was all on my own that day and it went surprisingly well. Well, except for the internet already being excruciatingly slow on the actual first day back. I had to use my psuedo manual check out worksheet on Excel, which meant that later, before I could do anything else, I had to add them into the system manually. I shelved all the books that I’d checked in and started checking in the huge stacks of dictionaries and thesauruses they’d brought to me the day before. Mr. Murphy helped a bit, even though he left half the books I gave him to shelve because he likes to talk about world events (the depressing ones), but he did push the cart of dictionaries for me to the shelf so I could put up. He had to leave so I couldn’t get him to help with that.

We had a meeting in the library that lasted about an hour, so I had to enter some stuff manually again. One of the top things on my to-do list was getting another bulletin board up and ready. We I have a total of 4 that we’re I’m in charge of. During the meeting Robert, Juan and Rudy showed up. I put them to work after they got permission from their teacher. They helped me staple most of the star border, which I’m grateful for because everyone kept scolding me the day before when I’d been reaching up to staple the letters on the other board. I asked why, what would happen? And the response I got was that the baby would wrap her umbilical cord around her neck if I stretched. What? First time I’d ever heard of that one!

I couldn’t get my darn letter of resignation printed out because the version of Word I’d used to type it up was different from the one at work. All I had to do was install the compatibility patch but of course we don’t have authorization to install anything. I e-mailed and asked Mary if she could print it for me and she did one better: sent it as a .PDF file so I printed a few copies out right away.

I went to lunch and a sub was sent in right when I was coming back. She was a lot of help. I found it the perfect opportunity to turn in my resignation. I was so nervous. I had to control my shaking limbs before I got up to go to Vero’s office to borrow an envelope and turn it in. I spoke to Vero, who was sad that I’m actually going to leave and then I went in to talk to the principal.

He was walking out as I was walking in. I felt my face flushing as I handed him the letter. He looks down at me with a curious expression and asks, “What’s this?” I’m following him into his office as he’s unfolding the sheet and watch as his face turns from a smile into a look of shock. He said it was coming completely left field, which I found weird because I could have sworn I was present when Mrs. V. had mentioned it and I know she’d mentioned it other times. He shakes the letter and with a smile on his face says, “You don’t have to do this!”

He asked if she’d tried to convince me to stay and I said yes, she did since the beginning but eventually she conceded. I said something like, “I don’t want to, but I have to,” and he held the letter in both hands and said, “I can still tear this up!” I almost ran forward and said, “No, no! I’ve made my decision. And I thank you for allowing me to work with you and all the wonderful people here. It’s been a great experience.” That seemed to calm him down and we started walking out of the office. I shook his hand and he says, “You still have 10 days to change your mind.”

I was so proud of myself. I did it without crying!

I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. And because I turned it in that day it was exactly a two-week notice. I picked the boys up and had them start working on their homework. I cuddled with Alaethia and as we were watching Noggin’ Sally called asking if Mario and I would like to join them for dinner to celebrate their anniversary since I was there for their very first date. How sweet of them to remember me :). I’m still so thrilled I got to be a part of the birth of their relationship. I quickly got ready, left the kiddos with Mom and the in-laws, who were already outside getting ready to bar-b-q, and picked Mario up (late-ish) from work. We were meeting Pete and Sally about an hour later so we went to Barnes and Noble to kill time. I wanted so many books, but I only walked away with the Lolcats one. Now I can look at it and feel happy instantly :P.

We had a great dinner. I ordered my usual spinach and artichoke dip and had the Shrimp Alfredo. Yum. As we were getting comfortable and had ordered our food, I told them, “You know what guys? It’s funny: I was pregnant exactly two years ago with Alaethia when you guys first got together and now on your 2nd anniversary I’m pregnant again!” Hilarious.

We had some laughs and I love our marriage talks LOL. We told them about Alaethia’s poop story and they couldn’t stop laughing. Sally says, “So that’s what we have to look forward to!”

I don’t remember what we were talking about—probably about how Mario’s out all night while I’m asleep—but Mario said he was thrilled when I called and asked if he wanted to go to Chili’s with Pete and Sally. He says that’s one thing he’s looking forward to when I stop working: spending more time together.

I can’t wait to get together with them again. I love our conversations!

I didn’t have to go into work till 8:00am, but I was up since 6:30. I brought Aly with me to the living room. She fell back to sleep, thank goodness, or else it would have been really hard to leave her had she started crying for me to stay. I got ready and made breakfast (French toast for everyone) and left to work. I’d kept telling myself to refill and take my water bottle with me but I forgot it. Oh well. I’d get a water from work.

We had the usual Workday meeting in the morning, and caught up with everyone over tacos. When the meeting was over I went to the library and started checking in books. Of course the boss stayed out talking to people and didn’t come to the library for another hour, but I had more important crap to do than stew and get in a bad mood. I ran tons of copies and then laminated crap after lunch. I ate lunch with a few teachers and the nurse. I spent the rest of the day using the die-cut machine to make letters for the bulletin boards. I really don’t know why I bother, though. They rip off everything anyway, sadly.

I finished a bulletin board in 10 minutes and then it was time to come home. We all chilled out at Mary’s where I shared the story about Alaethia and her poop. After everyone stopped laughing Mary and I went to pick up some chicken from Church’s. When we were done eating I cut the boys’ hair. I figured I’d start doing it myself because the lady never does it right. I always have to fix it when we get home. She once left these long, over-the-eye emo bangs on Eenan. Grr. It was dark already so the boys were giving me trouble because they wanted to spend the remainder of their time playing, but they lived through it. They took showers and then I took one and made lunch for the next day and washed dishes.

My feet. Are. Killing. Me.

Mario and I were in the kitchen talking when I grabbed a glass and was about to pour myself a glass of water from the cooler. Before I push the pump I notice there’s something on the spout. I lean over and ask out loud to no one in particular, “What the hell’s that?”

Mario leans in and says, “I don’t know.” Horror rises through me when I notice that it’s POOP!! Alaethia must have tried to “wash” her hands the night before during the whole poop fiasco!! Mario got this really sick look on his face and softly says, “I had a big glass of water last night…” I almost rolled over and died laughing!! Good thing I forgot my bottle in the morning and was just barely getting my first drink of the day at home!

It’s so sad that it’s my last day of vacation today. I’m so not looking forward to going back to work; not because I feel lazy but because I just don’t see how I’ll make it through the day since I’m exhausted by the end of the day and that’s because right now I’m at home! Granted, I’ve been sort of overdoing the housework and am constantly on my feet, but I’ll probably be on my feet and running errands all over the place at work, too. We’ll see. I just have to keep telling myself it’s only 4 days this week, then 3 weeks and that’s it!

I didn’t want to go anywhere today but, like I mentioned in my previous blog, I have to visit Gramma, have to deposit at the bank for my online bills, have to get milk and a few other things like trash bags, and as for home: I still need to do laundry, sew the valance (at least) for the kitchen window, and mop. Although I didn’t get to paint Alaethia’s room pink like I’d wanted to, I can always get that done during the almost-month that I’m going to be off before I have the baby. I’m hoping to finish painting the trim (white) for the kitchen and all the doors. I feel pretty darn good about everything I managed to accomplish in the last week.

Later…we visited Gramma and she’s doing just fine. She was laughing with the kids and we even talked about Aunt Sylvia and some stuff Aunt Nora told her about when she visited. Mom had seen me searching for sometime a few days before and I got the guts to tell her I’d been doing research and found out what her father’s name is and I was going to get in contact (again—she doesn’t know about the first time). She told me no, that I had the wrong name, but when we were at Gramma’s she asked her and Gramma gave me a knowing look. I nodded inconspicuously and she told her the real name. And Mom took it well!

We stopped at H-E-B for a few groceries and then I rushed home.

When we got home I left all the kids with the in-laws and then rushed to the salon to get my hair cut. It was down to my waist and the pregnancy hot flashes were becoming unbearable—I HAD to get it cut. They let me in even though it was late and I asked the lady to hack my hair up to my shoulders. It’s still a little longer than I wanted, but it’ll do.

I had so much to do before I went to work the next day and I was so tired. I still had to shower and straighten my hair and Mario decided that he was going to go to sleep early. How convenient. I hate when he does that. He fell asleep on the sofa and Alaethia sat on the other sofa watching Noggin’. I asked her if she was okay and she said yes. I told her to pound on her daddy’s head if she needed something. I took the quickest shower in history and when I was done I peeked my head out the door and told her I was almost out. She said okay and turned back to Wa-Wa-Wubzy. She starts knocking on the door while I’m drying myself and I ask her to please hold on. She knocks two more times and tells me something about her diaper. I’m thinking the worst. She starts jiggling the door handle and I finish putting on my clothes. I come out and look down at her and she gives me that sweet smile that only means she’s up to no good. I lift her pajama top and sure enough: she’s naked…and the most putrid smell starts wafting in the air. I scream, “OH MY GOD!!!” and Mario, of course, is woken from his sleep. But does he move? No. I’m running around cleaning her up (hands, feet, butt) and realize the offending diaper’s nowhere to be found. I ask her, “Where did you take your diaper off? In the living room?”

She tilts her head to one side and says, “I dunno….um, yes!”

I ask again, “Or did you take it off in the kitchen?”

She smiles again and says a happy, “Yes!”

Gosh. I had no idea where it was. There wasn’t anything on the floor in the living room, but once I’m in the kitchen I see little toeprints of poop. Lovely. I lug my tub of Lysol wipes around with me and clean up the whole floor. There’s a trail all the way to the trashcan. Thank goodness, the diaper’s in there, but it’s empty. Upon further inspection I notice that she’d shaken her poop into the trash can and managed to drop some on the floor and scooped it back into the trash. I re-washed her hands for good measure and remembered that she’d been messing with the door handle so I wiped that and re-washed my hands as well. It was now 10:30pm. I was so angry. And Mario just sat there all drowsy looking not saying a word!

He got up and took a huge drink of water. I wanted to hit him, but quietly blow-dried and flat-ironed my hair. What a night!