One Dollar

We have the best cleaning crew around. This place looks utterly spotless every time they come around, and you would never believe 4 kids lived here.

They do this by hiding things.

Missing a big pile of junk? Look in the china cabinet. Legos missing? Well, they are under the stereo, of course.

The lesson I have learned is this: if you want to know where something is, you had best put it away BEFORE they clean.

Unfortunately, I forgot this rule when it came to Leo's blanket this morning. Bed time rolled around tonight, and that thing was no where to be found.

So, Omar and I puttered around looking for it for ~15 minutes to no avail. Finally, Omar announced to the kids "I will give ONE DOLLAR to the kid that finds Leo's blankie!" Max gasps - "A WHOLE dollar???" Calvin starts saying "I am going to get that BIG dollar...." And the search is on.

Now, of course, you know who ends up finding the silly thing. That would be me. In the bottom of one of the laundry baskets. So, I toss it in a fairly findable place, and Spencer "finds" it. Well, then Max starts in with "but I SAW it first..." And in the distance we hear the wailing cries of Calvin.

".... I ..... NEVER.... get.... the.... dollar!!! (heave sob)."

Mind you, this is the first time this offer has been made, ever.

Last thing Cal says as I tuck him in 1 hour later: "Mom, I never get the money."

It is so hard to be cheated out of such cold, hard cash.

Brothers

Part of the daily routine is getting Leo packed into his backpack and getting a slick ride to the JCC on mom's back. But, with the snow melted and the sun shining, today was the first day Leo got to put on his big-boy legs and walk there all by himself. (Ok, not BY HIMSELF, but you get the idea).

Big brothers were there to make sure he did it right!

Also today, Omar and Max took off the the annual father/son ski trip. They returned to the scene of last year's crime, Big Sky Montana. Max, with his endless empathy, yet again made me want to squeeze him until his head pops off this morning. He came in at 6:30am to wake me before they headed out to the airport. He looked at me very seriously and said:

Mom. Don't let Leo cry because I'm not here.

or was it

Mom. Don't let Leo cry, because I'm not here.

You see, Max is the first in Leo's room every morning, the minute he hears a peep. He sloggs his lanky 7 year old body into the crib and plays with the baby he loves so much. Then he climbs out, lugs Leo over the rail, and brings him into our bed. So, I don't know if Max was telling me that it was MY turn to make sure someone tended to his brother since he wasn't going to be able to this morning, or if he was concerned Leo would cry because he was going to miss Max so much.

Either way, I just think that kid is such a good egg.

Sweet mother of Abraham!

I did it!

I survived the 9 of 11 working days. It was extra grueling because it was almost all evenings during the week and then days during the weekends. I have today off and I already have a nap in the rear view mirror! (of course I also have Leo, who was sent home with a fever at noon.... good thing that nap was the FIRST THING on the To Do list).

Sweet LORD that feels nice.

I must say, if I hadn't considered that whole "cutting back my hours" thing until now, this last 11 days would have pushed the issue to the fore. Max came up to me this past weekend, all droopy-dog eyed, said nothing as he came up and hugged my waist. Then he pulled back and dropped the ol' "when are you NOT going to be going to work, mom?" bomb. That hurts....

I know this is basically what residency was like, and that lasted 3 years. I have become weak. But I just want to be home with my family more.

I can't wait to have them all get sick of me when I'm around all the time!

First Text of the day

I am currently sitting in Maple Grove at the new hospital. This shift starts at 6:00am, which means I got up at 4:45am. This is coming off the night shift the day before. And I am currently in a stretch of working 9 out of 11 days.

I am a little tired.

However, at 8:03 I was very happy to be at work. This text came in from the hubby:

"Where is the carpet cleaner?"

Leo, the diaper removing baby, had struck again. Little man, thank you for doing the one thing that puts this current scheduling black-hole in a friendlier light....