Happy Six Weeks

My baby is six weeks old today.

I can't believe that it's been six weeks. She is growing like a weed, and she is a smart one, that's for sure. Between her and her brother, we're going to be in BIG TROUBLE in a couple of years. All she has to do is look at her daddy with her big blue eyes and he's a goner! (So is mama, to tell you the truth). She's starting to smile and really develop a personality of her own, and she's a joy to watch.

Technically, I only have two more weeks left on my leave, but I've decided to take the rest of the school year off. I'm not sure how I did it with Little Guy, going back to work after only eight weeks, but as my husband points out pretty regularly when I start pondering why this pregnancy this time around seemed more difficult, I had a desk job and left my job at home. With teaching, you are never 'off'. Even if you don't want to, the work comes home with you as you are always thinking about stuff. How to make this better, don't forget to do this, to fill out that paper, make sure this kid gets the testing he needs. I'm forever writing lists.

I think one of the best things I did was to take those two weeks off before Baby L was born. I got to relax. And now isn't so bad, because I can nap during the day when Little Guy is at school. My biggest worry is to finish this web class so I can go renew my teaching certificate. I think I'd have a nervous breakdown if I had to go back to work and get up at 5am when I'm giving Baby L her last bottle of the day at 11pm. Plus, when I went to show Baby L to my kids, I was still ready to strangle at least two of them, so I think it's a win-win situation all around that I stay home for the rest of the school year. (To give you an example, after lunch my kids get an opportunity to get a drink table by table, and if they ask me after that, most of the time I don't let them because it leads to everyone NEEDING a drink. My sub [who is a retired teacher] lets the kids go and get a drink as long as she's not teaching. Well, one of my little angels came up to me and, rather smugly, informed me that 'Mrs. H let's us go get a drink whenever we want as long as she's not teaching.' Like, he he, look what we're doing. No, I don't think I want to go back for only nine days and be driven nuts!)

And, I get another three months uninterrupted with my children to work on making my household run smoothly.

Not Really A Slacker

I'm not really a slacker... honest. I've got a bit on my plate right now with the new baby, feeding schedules, a five year old and trying to finish up a web class so I can renew my teaching certificate. Not to mention I'm just not in the mood to write right now. So, bear with me, as I begin to pick up the pace and get things under control, I'll get back to writing.

In Honor

Success

After much ado between me, the insurance company and HR, I have finally received my disability check. Now we can breathe a little bit easier knowing that money won't be all that much of a crunch this summer.

Welcome Baby L!

**Sticky post. Scroll down to see current posts.

Baby L joined us on March 14, 2007.

She weighed in at 8lbs. 3 oz. and 21 inches.

Big Brother is delighted!

More Pics!

Enjoy!

Frustration

Right now it seems like everyone is out to get me. I'm normally a very positive person, but I just feel behind the eight ball. It all started when I called the insurance company to find out about my disability. I paid into short term disability because that is maternity leave. The insurance didn't kick in until September 1st, so I waited until September to get a doctors appointment. They could get me in on September 1st, so great, I jumped at the appointment.

So fast forward to Wednesday of this week when I called in to find out what was going on with my claim. It had been two and a half weeks since I had faxed in the paper work. I had called the insurance company when I went out early to find out what I needed to do, and found out they had a 7 - 10 day turnaround on paper work (on top of the five day turnaround and $10 fee the Dr's office charged to fill out the form). I felt I had been patient and just wanted to know when...

Here's the good part.

Because I wasn't physically at work on September 1st (I took the day off to go to the doctor), my effective date for the insurance got pushed back to October 1st. Which by then the pregnancy had been diagnosed, and it is a pre existing condition that isn't covered. Which means that I don't get paid for two months of work and my summer paycheck isn't as big as it would normally be because I don't pay into the vacation 'bank' while I'm not earning a paycheck through the school district.

As you can imagine, I was just about hysterical. But, the girl told me, it was still in the review process and she'd send an email to the person who was working on it to get it resolved quickly. Well, that was two days ago, and with the time change, I keep on forgetting until it's too late (and quiet around here) to call and check. But I've written this off. I'm so upset it's not funny. It seems like I try to play by the rules and get screwed.

Then, to top things off, later that afternoon I'm checking my school email from home, and I find an email that I'm copied into informing our principal that I'm one of two new representatives for our Site Base Committee for next year.

Hello?!?!? Was I asked about this?

So let me get this straight, I'm at home on maternity leave, we have a grade level meeting and someone decides since I'm not there to defend myself, to assign me to a committee where I'm going to have to spend one night a month at school. Attend the meeting with my coworkers (not so bad, I can still make it home in time), but then to stay after that to attend the monthly PTO meeting. It may not sound like much, and if they had asked me, maybe I'd have done it. But I'm going to have a five month old when I go back to work in August, and it's on one of the nights that my husband doesn't work. I don't get to see my husband enough as it is, I'm not going to let this happen.

Not to mention that the supposed reason I was nominated for this was because I don't get involved enough with the team.

Again, Hello?!?!?!

I put together our team field trip (of which they decided at the last minute to make changes to, making me look bad to both the district and the destination for having to call the day before to change times!). I offered to do Christmas shopping for our principal, vice principal and secretaries for those who wanted to chip in (and got an earful about how you just don't do that, it isn't professional! {???}). Granted I haven't been volunteering for a whole lot, but I think I've got a valid reason (excuse?). I'm pregnant, major morning sickness, then the development of the Gestational Diabetes which made it necessary to go to the hospital twice a week for monitoring. Not to mention a car accident thrown in there. I kinda had my hands tied. But any time someone came to me directly and asked me to do something, I did it.

Please don't call me a non participating team member. And don't stab me in the back in the process.