Really pissed

My folks have really pissed me off right now. Dad is all pissed because he thinks that Riley doesn't speak as well as he should. He thinks that we're ignoring a problem. Apparently, mom agrees with him. Of course, the pedi who thinks Riley is fine, is apparently an idiot. Let's see, he's spoken to speech pathologists, his mother, THE TEACHER, thinks he is fine, the pedi thinks he's fine, the special ed teacher thinks he's fine, the preschool teacher thinks he's fine. But apparently we're all idiots.

So I've been thinking

which I know is a scary thought. But seriously, I've been thinking. And I'm frustrated. There just is NO WORK. The state screamed for YEARS that we need teachers. I finally finish & I can't find anything. Not just here either. I'm looking in other districts and there just is NOTHING. It's all support staff . . . aides, bus drivers, janitors, stuff like that.

So I've been thinking about what I can do. I can sew. Not super well, but I can. So I was thinking of an Etsy shop where I make cloth wipes, wash cloths, maybe blankets for toddler beds. Then I started to think about soaps & bath salts as well. So, we will see. I am thinking that I want to start making the salts & soaps & selling them at local boutiques. I think it could be fun.

So we will see what happens. Who knows, something could come of it, something may not. We'll see.

9 years

9 years. Yesterday was our 9th wedding anniversary. We've been together almost 13 years though. Some reasons I love my husband:
He's cute!
He's sweet.
He believes in "old fashioned" roles, as in, I get to stay home with Riley.
He supports me in whatever I do. Be it a new job, school, nursing, cloth diapering, no matter what it is.
He is helpful. No matter how stupid it might be to him, he will drop what he is doing to help me.
He is loving.
He is gentle.
He is smart.

I don't know, he is just wonderful! :) I am an amazingly blessed woman to have him.

OMG!!!!!!! IT'S A PANDEMIC!!!!!!!

Please, this is just getting stupid. Guess what folks? Swine flu/H1N1, whatever you want to call it, it no more of a risk than the normal seasonal flu. Get over it. Media, how about you stf about it and stop trying to make people afraid? Oh wait, then why are you here? Oh, I remember . . . TO REPORT REAL NEWS!!!!!!! This is beyond stupid. I am so tired of hearing about this crap. I understand that people are dieing, I really do. But they die every year from seasonal flu as well. No more have died from this than from seasonal. Why the rush oh wonderful government to get that vaccine out? Have you forgotten what happened the LAST time you rushed through a vaccine for this flu? You killed more people with the "prevention" than died from the flu. And you ruined the lives of many many more people by causing a chronic disease as a result of the vaccine.

It just amazes me how over reactive things are about this. I just don't get it. Maybe because I don't worry about illness. I guess I'm weird.

The things my kid says

"I like to go to 49er (restaurant) because they have cute girls!"

"Bismarck's nose is juicy, like a watermelon!"

I thought of another way we aren't normal

We don't care about nudity in our house. Riley showers with us, gets dressed with us, whatever. We don't hide nudity around here.

We also only hold hands if there is a safety issue. Like a busy parking lot or a busy street to cross. But encourage Riley to just stay next to us. If it is a busy area we do hold hands.

We allow him to walk away from us in stores, at 4 years old. Even to go into the next aisle without us! *GASP*

We allow and encourage him to talk to strangers!

We encourage him to do things that push him. For example, climbing up & down the ladder. We help if he needs it, but we encourage him to do new things without help.

He got a chore chart when he turned 3. And is expected to do the chores.

When I tell him to do something, he is allowed to say no. He needs to do it, but he can express that he doesn't want to. Guess what, some days, I don't wanna do it either!

I'm sure I'll think of more!

Another thing I never thought I'd say

"Don't put the screwdriver at the cats head!"

I don't think I'm normal

I have realized something. I don't think we parent like most people. Here's where I'm seeing that we're different.

1. Riley has a lot of freedom with media. If he wants to watch tv, he can (unless we're watching something). We don't edit what he watches on tv or listens to with music. He watches Tim Burton films and listens to punk music, complete with *gasp* swearing! On the other hand, he also watches Veggie Tales and loves their music. He has a broken iPhone (no sims card, can't get online) for music, movies and games that he plays with. He also has his own log in on dh's computer and can go to his web sites when he wants (as long as dh isn't on the computer).

2. He doesn't have a set bedtime. He goes to bed when he's tired or when we are. Sometimes he is in bed at 9, sometimes 10. One night, him & dh were playing with trains in the garage and I woke up at 1:30am! They were still playing! But he never goes to bed before 9.

3. He sleeps with us. If he feels the need to be in our bed, he is.

4. We don't worry about what he eats. If he wants ice cream, he can have it. He asks for carrots. We have never had a fit in a store over him wanting candy, instead he approaches the produce man and asks for carrots. Obviously it is working! We do not fight him on eating things. Yet he is an amazing eater.

5. He plays on his own, and is expected to. He goes in his room to play by himself. At the park, I chat with other moms, talk on the phone, read a book while he plays.

6. We don't do time outs. Instead I will tell him to go to his room until he can behave. He can play in his room when he's there. He doesn't need to sit in a corner to calm down.

I know that there are more ways, I just can't think of them right now!