Changes in the Seasons, Changes for the Wams

So I recognize it's been seven months since my last update, and for that I am sorry.  Man, time really flies by when you're having fun.  That quote exists for a reason.

In my last post I said that Kyle was working on finishing his degree to be an EMT.  He's been working in his new career for 6 months now and he absolutely loves it.  Parts of it wear on him, like working 24-hour shifts that are crazy busy and he rarely gets time to eat, let alone sleep.  A word to the wise, never require Emergency Medical Services at 6:30 a.m. for two reasons: 1) They get off at 7:00 and will be a tiny bit annoyed 2) They've been up for 23.5 hours and are a tiny bit exhausted.  Next year he'll finish school for Paramedic and then move up in his roles at his company and hopefully get on to a fire department so he can finish up with Fire school as well.

Because of his crazy days at work and their lack of time to eat Kyle has inadvertently turned me into my mom.  Anita was the Snack Queen.  Any time you'd look in her pantry there would be 30 boxes of granola bars, fruit snacks, 100 snack-packs and various other delicious treats that we never purchase for our own house...until now.  Now I go to the store and literally fill the entire bottom layer of the cart with snacks that he can throw in his backpack to eat throughout the day.  Nixon never asked for his cherished waffles anymore either; he's all about the breakfast bar. 

It's interesting that when I'm home alone I'll use the iPhone Finder to see what crazy part of town Kyle is in.  One day he was late getting home, so I used that app and it showed he was at St. Mary's Hospital.  A year ago I would have panicked thinking the worst, but my mind was settled knowing he just had a late call and was dropping off a patient.  

He also comes home with some insane stories - some I'd rather not know, like the day he came home, walked in the door and screamed "SOME THINGS JUST CAN'T BE UNSEEN" and proceeded to tell me about a man who had a blockage so bad, got a trach inserted and poo juices came out of his neck.  He also tells me about how many suicides, suicide attempts and mentally ill people he see's in a day.  You take for granted that you think most people are doing OK in life and you forget about all the other ails of the world.

This kind of leads me to a small rant that I have that I'd like to get off my little chest.  I think I'm over social networking.  I look at Facebook and all it is is people whining and complaining about the smallest things in life.  Oh, boo hoo...I have a cold.  Well, some people are dying of cancer, or starvation, or a debilitating disease.  Oh, boo hoo...I'm in my 7th month of pregnancy and I hate every second...well, guess what...I've been trying for 2 years and would gladly take that small inconvenience from you.  I just get so mad when I read everything on there and it's honestly making me hate my friends as an unintended consequence.  Especially the people who are so busy updating every stupid detail of their life on FB that they aren't LIVING LIFE!!!!  I have a new rule where I refuse to let my son see me on my phone/iPad/Computer when he is around.  He deserves every second of me and my time.  He's only little once. I got a new cell for work and I didn't even add the Facebook App on there. 

I have a new job which is pretty big news!  I'm doing Channel Management which for normal people means I basically act as the middle man between sales and marketing.  I create the voice of the brand/company for our customers (not consumers) and help to drive business through my bubbling personality.  Wish me luck!  I was actually doing the same thing at my last company (TIKI) so the job itself is not new, just very different since it is a new position at the new place so I have to help define the roles and responsibilities.  The other big change is that it is for a billion dollar publicly traded company and not my old little $70M privately held organization.  I love being back in a big corporation though, it's a lot like my old days at Milwaukee Electric Tool.  I also love that it's only 2 miles away from my previous office...so including Milwaukee and TIKI I've worked in the same 2 square miles in my 15 year career.  What can I say?  I like the commute.  

Some fun news for us - I got a half sleeve and Kyle got a full sleeve. Kyle's is of the evolution of graffiti.  It's about halfway done - all the outline is done and some of the color.  Mine is done, and it is to memorialize my mama - a Dia de los Muertos version of her senior class picture.  There is a black lung to represent the lung cancer that stole her, roses which are her favorite flower, and then a little "Fuck Cancer" message on her arm.  It's not a complete half sleeve yet, I still need to have the inside of my arm done, but I will probably do that after the new year.  I think I'll fill in the inside with Sugar Skulls and more flowers.  I liked the Dia de los Muertos theme because my mom's birthday was in October, and also because having grown up in Phoenix I relate to the Mexican holiday and the way it is designed to celebrate the lives of those who have passed, not mourn their loss.  

It was a huge healing tool for me and I really feel like I'm finally getting my feet underneath me for the first time in a long time.  I love when I'm at the gym and people ask about it.  I feel like it's giving me an opportunity to talk about my mom and keep her in my life.  I have also met cancer survivors who see it and it becomes a very emotional time for both of us and it opens up great conversation.  I can tell some people in my life don't really like it, but, true to my style, I don't give a shit. I love the comment "What is that going to look like when you're 80?" and I say, "Well, the same I'll look, fat, wrinkled and gross.  Who cares what it looks like, no one will be looking at me anyway I'll be sitting in a corner pissing myself and talking to a shadow."  I have 5 other tattoos and that question never came up but apparently people forget about those since they are hidden.

We also finally got her headstone which came out amazing.  My buddy is the director of sales at a memorial/headstone place and he was able to help me have an artist hand etch my mom's portrait and all of her favorite flowers.  When I saw it in place for the first time I had the best ugly cry ever.  It was all done, everything was settled.  It took almost a year from the day she died until the stone was placed.  It took me forever to design it because I didn't want to put the period on the end of that sentence.  Then once they had the go-ahead, it took 4 months to import it, and it took the artist a while to get it done.  I could never have imagined a more beautiful tribute to her, and now when me and Nixon go visit her he points at the picture and says "That's Gramma Anita" and I just melt.  

Well, on to happier topics, like my little pride and joy, Nixon.

Nixon is a peach as always.  He's so smart it's unbelievable.  He has never owned a skateboard, but he wants one, so he made up this elaborate story about how he lost his skateboard, he can't find it...maybe monsters took it, he's not sure.  It might be outside.  Either way, he lost it, and he really needs a new one.  Kyle did actually get him one for Christmas, like a legit full blown adult Blind board, Independent trucks and Spitfire wheels, and we can't wait to see how excited he is on Christmas morning.  

Nixon says crazy things like "Mom, what are you talking about?" and then he will rest his arm on the table, rest his chin on his hand and just stare at you while you elaborate.  He will also say "Sorry about that Mom..." like the other day, I made lunch, and he walks over, looks at it and then looks at me very sincerely and says "Sorry about that Mom, I'm just not hungry...Sorry about that, ok?"  I can't help but just smile and say "That's cool buddy, have fun playing".  

If you sneeze he immediately says "Bless you", and when you reply "Thank you" he says "You're welcome mom".  It just kills me how polite and smart he is.  

He counts to 13, he almost knows all his ABC's, he sings a couple songs, he can recognize his name when it's written, and he can independently work the iPad, iPhones and the DVR.  Yikes. He insists on the TV being shut off at dinner time, and when we pray at dinner he screams "AAAAMMMMEEEEENNNN!!!!!" at the end.  Who knew a Catholic and Lutheran would birth a Baptist.  He's still just a tiny little thing, just barely fitting into 2T when he is nearly 3.  It's kind of nice though, I really get use out of our clothes.  Don't tell him, but I've been putting him in girls skinny jeans because I like to dress him like a little hipster.  In fact, at the gym, they call him the Hipster Baby and he's all of their favorite.  They get a kick out of seeing what he's wearing every day.  

He's been potty trained for about 4 months now which is LIFE CHANGING.  It's been so great to not have to worry about bringing diapers.  He never went through an accident phase either so I never had to bring extra clothes anywhere.  I remember one day this summer I put underwear on him and took him to the zoo with my friend Annie and I asked him 50 million times if he had to go, made him go twice, and no accidents.  Every day after that we just wore underwear and it was done!  

His favorite foods are breakfast bars, apples, pears, clementines, popcorn, pasta, sandwiches, pizza, rice and quinoa.  His favorite toys are his Thomas Trains, Mr. Potato Head, Woody from Toy Story, and Doc McStuffins.  His favorite movies are Toy Story, Monsters University Cars and the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland.  I have also successfully gotten him addicted to Christmas music, movies and Hot Cocoa.  I was so proud the other day, we were driving home and he said "Mom, I want to eat popcorn, have hot cocoa and watch Elf".  Yep, yep we sure can do that later tonight buddy.  

We got our tree tonight and tomorrow we are all going to decorate and watch Christmas Vacation.  I can hardly contain myself.  

Well, that's my so-called life these days.  Pretty fun huh?  New jobs, new ink, new chapters. Until next time friends.

Cj