Too Fast

Caleb was almost 1 1/2 when he decided he was too big for his high chair. Apparently, Baylee wants to be an over-achiever. Today, I went to put her in her high chair for lunch, she started screaming. I set her on the chair, I thought for just a minute to calm down, and she sat down and motioned for her plate. She's only 16 1/2 months! She's moving a little too fast for me. I'm getting too old & too tired to have any more babies on a permanent basis, so I would like her to remain a baby for as long as possible!

Plus, I might be a little more excited about it, but I can't even get rid of the high chair since there are still a couple of daycare kids who will use it.

Sloppy Joes

My boy understands what Sloppy Joe's are all about:

Fashion News?!

So, first, I feel I should admit that I did not watch the inauguration on Tuesday. I really can't stand presidential speeches…or any political speeches if you want to know the truth. I really don't care what you say you're going to do, I care more about what you actually manage to accomplish. I realize it was a momentous event, the first black president & all, but I was still more than content to just watch the 2 minutes of it that made it on the nightly news.

What really got me, though, was that on Wednesday, during the combined 30 minutes that I actually got to sit down, or stand in one place, long enough to even see much of the Today show, and other news shows, is that on at least 3 occasions, they were discussing what Michelle Obama was wearing. And what their girls were wearing. In fact, in the total amount of time I did watch TV on Wednesday, I believe they only actually discussed the actual inauguration once.

I realize that the media does almost the same thing with what Hollywood stars are wearing to big events, too, and although I really don't like that either, at least that is an industry that is really known for how they look. But, am I really supposed to believe that what most Americans were wanting to know about the new president, is what clothing his wife & daughters are wearing? I find that mighty sad.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

I received an envelope from the MN Department of Health last week. I got a little excited, could it be the birth certificates I've been waiting four months for? Of course not. It was the application for Baylee's birth certificate being sent back to me because the Court Administrators office forgot to sign it. I called to see once I had it notarized it could be faxed back. Since I had them on the phone, I also asked to see if Caleb's was notarized. She informed me that there was a problem with the adoption paperwork that was with his, and so his had been sent back to the county.

So long story short, it took them three months to the day to look at the applications for new birth certificates only to decide they both needed additional information. I'm a little concerned that it might take them another three months to look at the corrected paperwork.

I did have an idea, though. Because I have our estimated taxes done and we're supposed to be getting a very nice refund back, which I would like to have sooner rather than later. So I decided to call the IRS. (I only decided to call because they do not give out an email address for tax questions.) I waited on hold for 15 minutes last night, only to be redirected to an area that could not take my call because their call volume was too high. I'm guessing they cut it off at some point so that they don't end up sitting there for 2 hours after they close to answer questions. So I tried back today. It only took me 10 minutes to get through to the area I needed to talk to this time. It took her another 15 minutes to actually give me an answer.

She didn't seem 100% sure, but I did get her employee number, just in case. According to her, I should be able to file my taxes on time using the social security numbers they were issued at birth, but I need to use the name that is on the cards, which would be their birth names. She said that the worst thing that would happen is that if their biological mother tried to claim them as dependents, too, using the same social security numbers, then we'd each get a letter later in the year. The person who had the legal right to claim them, meaning Chris & I, would just have to send in documentation that we did adopt them. She would be the one who had to pay the money back with interest & penalties. I don't think that would happen, anyway. Do you even file a tax return if you have no job, no income, and no children?

Back to Normal

After last week, when the school kids did not even have one full day of school, it is VERY nice to be back to normal! Last week, school was cancelled on Monday & Thursday and they were 2 hours late the other three days. Yes, it was mighty frigid around here, but it really wasn't warming up any between 8 & 10, so I don't quite get why it was late.

The big kids aren't bad, but they just seem to throw off our routine. Combine that with the two of them that like to think they are the ones taking care of the pre-schoolers and the ones who think their poor little sister is being picked on by so & so, and I was very ready for them to go back to school.

It will be somewhat short lived, though. They are off again Friday this week and Monday next week. I guess I better enjoy these four days!

Dear Wal-Mart Cashier

I am the customer you scolded on Saturday for going through the self checkout with 61 items. Now, I do realize that the self checkouts at your store do have a tag-board sign taped to them stating they are now for 25 items or less…that is part of the reason I chose to go to the lane furthest away from you, but also because that lane has a longer place to put the merchandise on. But, seriously, did you know that you are the only store I've ever been to, including many other Wal-Mart stores, that actually has the self checkout lanes labeled as 25 items or less? It was bad enough when your store moved the baby formula to the 10 items or less lane, and now you changed the self checkout lanes? I feel like you don't want people with large families…which usually means fuller shopping carts…to even shop there.

Now, in my defense, all of the other lanes with cashiers had lines with people waiting, and all but one of the six self checkout lanes were empty. Plus, I know that I can get my 61 items scanned through in about ½ the time that it takes most people to scan 25 items…I've been behind many of these people, and it is all I can do not to just walk up to them and say "please, just let me do it for you".

I realize you were just doing your job, and that's fine. But I promise you that if the situation arises again, I will do the same thing. (Thus the reason I did not actually tell you I was sorry, or that I would not do it again, I simply said, "no problem"). I just don't think it is good customer service for me to have to wait in line while 5 self checkout lanes remain empty.

Why do they make me be mean?

I mentioned that Tyler got a cell phone for Christmas – a pre-paid phone. The phone he REALLY wanted was $300, and since I am still relatively sane, there was no way he was getting that phone. So, his second choice was one he found online at Alltel. I was a little hesitant, because I had dealt with them when I worked for the City and did not have a very good experience. But, around here, they are the main carrier because they have the best reception (I do love the Verizon wireless "people" but even they have quite a few dead areas down here).

He loved his new phone, and started checking out the features as soon as it was out of the box. I got it all set up so we could see his charges & calls on line. As I started looking at it, though, we saw that there were several "Data Airtime" charges. It appeared initially that they had happened as he was finding all of the songs that he could download for his ring tones, so we told him he better just stick with the one he picked or he wasn't going to have any minutes left.

Since he had already said he would mainly be using it for texting, we decided to go ahead and add the option of 300 texts a month for $5. When I called to set that up, I also decided to ask exactly what the Data Airtime charges were for. I got a pretty vague answer about it having something to do with web access from his phone from a person who's first language was certainly not English, so I just let it go, figuring I'd call again another time and hopefully get somebody who spoke my language a little bit better.

I continued to check his account online, and came across more charges for Data Airtime, and this time there were nine of them all at the exact same time, totaling over $4.50. So I called again, and discovered that their call center must be located in another country, because this person also had a pretty thick accent. But I proceeded to ask her to tell me about these charges. She just kept repeating that it was for Web Access and we were charged .15 per minute for web access. But when I continued to question her about how we could possibly be charged for that nine time in the same minute, her answers again became very vague.

I asked her to tell me exactly what sites were visited during that minute, but she couldn't tell me that, and just kept repeating that it was .15 per minute and he must have kept going on and off to different links. I asked her if there was somebody else I could contact to find out what sites were accessed, she said no. Finally, I asked her to turn off the web access for that phone.

I checked the phone a day later, only to find yet another data airtime card, so I was forced to call again. The first time I called, I think I was pretty nice. The second time, I started out fairly nice, although, I admit by the end I was getting slightly irritated. I really do usually try to remember that the person answering the phone is just that, the person answering the phone; they really have no say in what or how things are processed. But, the more often I have to contact a company, the less friendly I get. So by the third phone call, I was not all that pleasant. This person did at least agree with me that the nine charges at the same time were obviously erroneous (his word, not mine) so he did credit me back $4. He did also confirm for me that the web access had been turned off. But he could not explain then what the data airtime charges were for.

I'm quite certain based on the times the charged hit the account that they are charging him when he turns on the phone if he has a text message waiting for him, because most of them have been at 3:07, which would be when he turns it on after school to see if I texted him changed with who is supposed to be coming to daycare after school. But, I still want them to admit that he is being charged for basically turning on his phone. No, the .15 per day is not going to break us, but by now, it's the principal of the matter.

So, I decided to turn to emails. At least then, every time I email, I can just add to what I've already said instead of having to repeat myself again. My first response from their email customer service? Sorry, we can't help you because that number is listed to another person . Huh? Who do you think set up that account? Me. Heck, Tyler doesn't even remember the log in information! And, they didn't seem to care whose name was on the account when they accepted a credit card for payment that had my name on it. But now, when I'm asking for an explanation & a refund, they can only speak with my 13 year old son???

I've emailed twice since them, the last time was earlier today. I just don't get why they make me be a bitch to them in order for them to resolve my issue. Although, after I've been trying to resolve an issue for a long time, it sometimes feels good to let off a little steam in their direction, but really, I'd much prefer to simply resolve it the first time I contact them in a friendly manner.

Update to Texting

After I spent all of that time learning to text Tyler, he didn't even get the texts! AND they did forget one of the kids. Luckily, the elementary principal only lives a few blocks away, so she brought him here. The funniest part is that his sister was in the truck...and nobody thought to ask why her brother wasn't there, too.

Thirteen

It was Tyler's birthday on Thursday. He is my New Year's baby, but he was not even close to being the first baby of the new year. And to be honest, I would have much rather had the last baby of the year, given that he was induced and all, but, I should probably let that go, since it happened 13 years ago and all.

I just can't believe he is 13 already!! I mean, he certainly acts like a teenager...but I'm just not old enough to have a teenager.

He finally rolled out of bed around 11 and was ready to open his gifts.

He got a MN Twins titanium necklace (which I didn't get a good picture of), a Packer's collectible figurinewhich Caleb claimed as his and a glass Dale Jr Nascar car, but his favorite by far were the Packer's tennis shoes. They were a little big, since he has small, skinny, size 5 or 5 1/2 half feet, but the smallest size the shoes came in was a 6 1/2. He didn't mind, though. He wore them all weekend.

The nice thing about him getting older, though, is that he picked Green Mill for his birthday meal instead of Happy Joes.

We hung out and played some games at home for a good share of the evening. And then it was cake time. Tyler had requested a Dairy Queen cake, and lucky for him I made it to the DQ on New Years Eve at 7:47...because they closed at 8 and were closed on the first.

First Tyler blew out his candles. Then Caleb had to blow out candles, as did Amata, of course. (Yes, it's blurry, it's hard to get that girl to be still for 1/2 a second to get a good picture.)

Once the candles were blown out for the third time, we finally got to enjoy some.

Texting

I just don't get it. Tyler got a cell phone for Christmas, but he doesn't actually like to talk on it, he just wants to text. So today, I needed to remind him who needed to come to daycare after school, and since he can't have the phone on during the school day, and he hasn't even set up the voicemail on it yet, I was forced to text him that information.

So I just spent the last 15 minutes texting him, "don't forget brian and kyle. no halle. hope and jacob too. and karli". Actually I had to send him 2 texts, because I forgot about Karli. How is this quicker or easier than just calling and actually speaking to people???

Now, I do realize that there were probably abbreviations that I could have used, but I didn't know where to find the symbols, nor do I have a texting dictionary. And, sure, it took longer since it was my first time....but still, I really don't think that texting is all that wonderful!

Snow Mean

Well it is officially the second week of Christmas vacation around here, which means it is the second week now that "big kids" have been in daycare. I am very much looking forward to next week when school resumes!

Today, most of the older kids asked to go outside. About 10 minutes later, another boy came upstairs and asked if he could go outside. I said, "Sure", and he walked away, but then came back 2 minutes later.

He said, "I can't find any boots to wear."

I asked if he brought his, he said no.

So I said, "Well, you can't go outside without boots, snow pants, a coat, hat & gloves."

He responded by saying that he had planned to use Cameron's, but one of the other kids who also didn't bring any boots was already wearing Cameron's.

I said, "That's too bad, you'll have to wait until he comes back in."

He said, "Well, he'll probably stay out there the whole time."

I said, "He might." At which point, I think he finally started to realize that I really didn't care.

My question today is this: How does it become my problem when the kids don't bring their boots & snow pants? They all know the rules, they are the exact same rules that the school has for playing outside. I'm pretty sure the school does not have dozens of boots & snow pants on hand to loan out to the kids who don't bring those items to school. So why do the kids think that I should have a bunch of extras?

And besides, this is winter…in Minnesota. And even if you haven't lived her all your life, there is snow on the ground right now, and it has been there for weeks. Why would you not bring snow pants & boots to daycare if you thought you might want to play outside at some point??

Oh well, I'm just a big meanie anyway. When they asked to go outside for the third time…after I had gone into the porch to find all of their coats, hats & snow pants thrown on the floor, I said that nobody was going out for the rest of the day, because I have enough to do around here without having to go behind them picking up their stuff!

Santa was here!

It took a little while for all of us to wake up realize that Santa had been here.



But once the kids got started...they were all into it. It was even more fun this year, since all 5 of them were very interested in the actual unwrapping process, as well as with the toys they were receiving. I had it on very good authority that Baylee would love her presents...she played with them almost the whole time we were in Fleet Farm.


Caleb's favorite gifts were probably a tie between his new guitar & microphone & the Sing Along Spiderman. Although, for some reason, Spidey brought out the aggressive side of him. Every time Spiderman started swinging, Caleb would punch him & tackle him.

Amata's favorites were her Barbie guitar & her new Leapster game.

Cameron's big gift from Santa was an electric scooter. He liked it, but with it being winter in Minnesota, he won't have much riding time for a while. His second favorite gift was probably the heat/massaging chair pad that he wanted very badly for whatever reason. I guess there are a lot of stresses for 10 year olds these days.

Tyler favorite gift by far was his cell phone, even though it is prepaid, so we don't have to worry about him running up a huge bill. Of course, when I told him to call his aunt & let her know what time we'd be there, he said, "But I don't like to talk." I guess he'll be mainly using his phone for texting!

All in all, I think everybody was pretty happy with their gifts! And we still have 2 more Christmases to go!