Cycle break

Sherman presented an interesting challenge today. He was napping peacefully on the kitchen floor when it was time to put Cass down for her nap. Since he didn't get his usual outside time this morning b/c of rain, I decided to leave him loose instead of kenneling him like I normally would. Chase was on the couch watching cartoons, so I figured he couldn't wreak too much havoc while I put Cassie down for her (one, she takes one now) nap.

When I was almost finished putting Cass down, I heard Chase shrieking and carrying on. I wasn't too worried b/c he's such a drama queen. So I finished and came downstairs to find him on his way upstairs and Sherman on the couch (a huge no no). Sherman wanted to play. And he hasn't figured out yet that Chase isn't another puppy, so he plays w/Chase a bit differently than he plays with Jamie or me. He approached him while he was lying on the couch and began chewing his hands. Chase freaked out and Sherman hopped up on the couch, encouraged by all the freaking out. The second he heard my voice, he was off the couch, but mama was not happy. He'll be back to see Miss Kari this week. I know he's just being a puppy, but in five pounds, he'll outweigh Chase, so my puppy needs to be controllable...

I had a mini-meltdown, walked him twice tonight and watched him play w/his neighborhood buddies. The best thing is talking to my neighbors who have a 2 year old golden though b/c their mellow girl was once nuts like Sherman (and I remember when), so they give me the "this too shall pass" perspective. And they like to remind me that he's nothing compared to raising teenagers! ;)

Jamie wants his laptop. I'm hoping for one for Christmas...if the economy hasn't melted and we're not destitute, of course.

"Birthdays"

So Cassie was 15 months old on Thursday and Sherman was 5 months old on Friday. We went to Chuck E. Cheese in CoMo w/my sister and kids on Friday (just b/c Chase is on cycle break and Mik is on maternity leave), so Shermy went to Kennelwood for a little refresher training course w/Miss Kari. Pics of our Chuck E Cheese adventures are on Mikki's page (www.hodgefamilyhappenings.blogspot.com).

When I took him in, I explained the challenges we were having. I've been ridiculously consistent w/his training. I'm a type "A" anal retentive housewife--I'm so consistent w/his training that I drive Jamie bananas. He doesn't think it's a big deal if Sherman's legs hang over his bed. I'll correct him 10 times in as many minutes for that b/c his legs aren't allowed to hang over his bed. IDK why, I didn't make the rules, but it's my job to follow them so my dog is well behaved and not a 90 lb out of control monster in a few months. Not to mention that the amount we've already spent on training is a small fortune, so I'm not going to waste that money, I'm going to do what I was told to do.

When we went to pick up Sherman, Miss Kari was walking him. The first thing she did was explain that while she knew I'd been consistent, often the dogs don't misbehave for her b/c their owners aren't quite as consistent at home as she is at school. IOW, they aren't as consistent as they think. But Sherman proved that wasn't the case and did EXACTLY what I said he would. In a perverse way, I was pleased to be right. So he's going back for a weekly "refresher" for the next month to reinforce what I'm doing at home. I was really pleased with him today, Kelly came over to pick up Dylan and I put him in a down/stay. Even though his tail was thumping like mad, he only tried to break the down/stay once (I was standing on his lead, so he couldn't actually get up) and then held it for a reasonable length of time before I freed to him to greet Kelly. He didn't jump on her at all and was quite respectably behaved for a five month old pup. I think the day training is good b/c while I work on his commands all day in a practical sense, the intensive training he gets there really hammers it home, KWIM?

In other news, I had Cub Scout Den Leader training today. Cass was up at 5:30am screaming, IDK why. She fell back asleep on me, but I didn't sleep much after that (go figure, I only had 25lbs of toddler on my chest) and then had training for 7 hrs today. Chase had baseball today, so Dad watched Cassie for a few hours. I do not know what we'd do if we didn't have Dad to help out--I guess I wouldn't get to volunteer quite as much... I'm actually looking forward to this Den Leader thing, scouting is actually quite a bit like sororities (except I'm working with first grade boys instead of college women) in regards to programming and community service, so it isn't quite the odd fit you'd think. I think we're going to have a GREAT year!

I'm off to bed. Sherman is wiped out on the floor next to me, so I suspect he'll be happy to retire to his crate for the night, and my bed has never looked so good.

I love self-medicating. My thyroid meds WERE out of whack. I'm on my placebo week of pills and better now. That means I'm stopping the BCPs. And if one more person warns me about infertile people who've conceived accidentally, I'm going to graphically give details about our infertility...I haven't conceived w/o medical intervention since 2000 and neither of my intervention-free, natural pregnancies were viable. The older I get, the more intervention I've required. Jamie and I are both of the opinion that if we wind up with an "accident" then we'll accept it for the blessing it is. But the chances of that happening are slim to none, so we're not losing sleep over it. In the meantime, I've had six months to remember why I quit the pill a decade ago and if there is a silver lining to six years of infertility hell it's that I shouldn't have to worry about birth control when I'm NOT trying to get pregnant.

Famous last words...right?;)

So I may be in a better mood. Two reasons (1) the rugs are back in front of the back and garage doors (they had to be moved when we got Sherman b/c he would eat them) and Sherman isn't trying to eat them. That's serious progress on his behavior b/c that means he's learning what he can eat (his toys) and what he can't eat (everything else). (2) Jamie pulled out all the overgrown shrubs in the front landscaping this evening. That's HUGE. Now I can figure out what I want to do w/the new retaining wall! And I'm going to plant a ton of bulbs for spring, I love tulips and daffodils! I've hated the front landscaping since we moved in...I'm so looking forward to doing something I like out there.

The Cowboys are playing and losing to Green Bay. 6 to 3. That does not make me happy. I like Green Bay, but I love my Cowboys. Cass and I were watching the start of the game and I had to laugh that the girls were watching football while the boys were outside landscaping. My boys need a touchdown. Oh, and Cass likes Cowboys football just as much as mama and big brother!

Let me preface this post by saying that I believe my thyroid meds are out of whack again and that my period is about to make its quarterly appearance. So I may be the teensiest bit out of sorts. ;)

When Jamie walked in on Friday afternoon, the first thing he said was "Wow! Look at how clean the house is." And while I didn't think about it while he was gone, honestly, the house WAS clean b/c I wasn't cleaning up after him all the time. Seriously. He's worse than Cassie--it sort of reminds me of Pigpen in the Snoopy cartoons. It's like piles of dust and dirt and clutter and crap just follow him around and he is completely oblivious.

This morning I tried to sleep in. I tried, but Chase was too loud. When I came downstairs there were muddy footprints all over the hardwoods (b/c Jamie didn't wipe Sherm's paws w/the towel next to the door for that purpose). There was burned milk on top of the stove from the hot cocoa Jamie made (but didn't clean up) last night. The kitchen table was covered w/clutter, the cereal from the kids breakfast wasn't put away (and on the island)...it was ridiculous. And while I missed Jamie terribly last week, I didn't miss being his maid. This morning after he got ready, I had to clean up the bathroom after him b/c God forbid he wipe the spit off the mirror or wipe out the sink when he's finished...you get the point.

This absolutely infuriates me, but after over 11 years of marriage, I'm kind of used to it. Every few months I throw a tantrum and threaten to hire to maid, but we both know I wouldn't actually do that. Ever see the episode of Friends in which Chandler hires a maid for Monica? And Monica winds up showing the maid how to clean? I suspect it would wind up like that. Plus, I don't DO one big weekly clean--I clean all the freaking time. So having a maid clean once a week really wouldn't do much for me w/two little kids, a huge puppy, and a slob for a husband. The results would last about five minutes and that's not worth it to me.

What I can do about my frustration is teach my kids to pick up after themselves so their spouses don't feel like unappreciated servants all the time. And that is actually working. Chase knows what a laundry hamper is and how to use it (more than I can say for my husband at the time of our marriage). And he picks up after himself and willingly uses a bleach wipe to wipe down the bathroom. Even Cassie likes to "clean" tables and floors (she wipes them w/paper towels)--she's learning. If only husbands were as easy to train as children (and dogs).

Every once in a while, I think I'm doing this right...

It's been a rough week. Perhaps I don't give Jamie enough credit for as much as he does...he's been sorely missed this week while in Wyoming! Last night the kids and I walked around the neighborhood and then we walked up to McD's (w/Sherman in tow, of course) so Chase could get an ice cream cone (btw--from now on, Cass needs one too b/c she figured out that big brother had ice cream and she didn't and she was NOT happy). Long story short, halfway through the ice cream cone, Cassie and I got it b/c he wasn't listening. Which isn't safe when you're on a walk.

So anyway, he ended up going to bed early after all that. This morning we were running late again (note to self: getting up at 7:55am is NOT working, must set alarm for 7:30am). Cass and I were upstairs and Chase got dressed and came downstairs. I figured he was watching cartoons, but he wasn't. When I got home from taking him to school, I realized that the tv hadn't changed from last night (muted HGTV) and that my full dishwasher had been emptied. He put all the dishes away--in the right spots, no less, all by himself. Without being asked. I was so very proud of him. So we're heading to Monkey Joe's for dinner tonight b/c I want to reward behavior like that. I've already been to his school for lunch, but he's getting a special night out tonight, just b/c he did a special thing.

Of course, it would helpful if his sister wasn't boycotting her afternoon nap...aye yi yi. Can't have everything, right?

Sherman lost a canine tooth today--despite the 4/26 birthday we were given for him, I wonder if he's really older than that. He's lost almost all of his baby teeth and he's not even five months old! I'm so glad those sharp canines are leaving us.... He's also getting his adult coat/fur and he's rather curly! I've been testing him lately when the kids aren't around--letting him hang w/o his pinch collar and leash and seeing if he'll obey. He's doing rather well. He needs a new buckle collar though--he's rapidly outgrowing his!

Why, oh why, won't my daughter nap? I know she's tired...but she refuses to sleep. Another early bedtime for her tonight...

Self esteem and more...

Last month at my Aunt Ianthia's funeral, my cousin Dan and I had a discussion about self-esteem and how much of it the current generation of youngsters in college have. Daniel teaches at a state university and community college and I've been volunteering w/my sorority since my graduation over a decade ago, so it's safe to say that we know college students. We both agreed that the "self-esteem" movement has done more harm than good.

I was reminded of this movement when I went to Chase's parent teacher conferences this evening. They no longer use letter grades in grades 1-3 in his school district. Instead, they get a number: 1--not meeting grade level expectations 2--developing grade level expectations 3--meeting grade level expectations 4--exceeding grade level expectations in depth and complexity. I kid you not--THIS is the report card I'll get for the next three years. In case you're wondering (and you know you are), Chase got all 3s. Now, this annoys me. He hasn't gotten below a 100% on a spelling test this year (b/c of bonus words, he usually gets over 100%). I'm looking at a test w/a 93% on it and I've seen lots of those. He's a bright kid and he does well in school. But instead of As and Bs on his report card, he gets 3s. This whole nice-everyone-is-equal-crap drives me crazy because we aren't preparing our children for the real world.

Jamie's compensation is commission-based. He is rewarded when he does well at work w/a big fat paycheck. When he doesn't do well, his paycheck sucks. That's pretty powerful motivation. If he were salaried and make the same $$$ regardless of how he performed, do you think he'd work as hard as he does? Of course not. So as long as Chase is "meeting grade level expectations" he's fine at school--what is his motivation to do better? I don't see any. And that makes me mad b/c once again the need to make kids "feel good about themselves" overrules the need to prepare kids for the reality that is life. And you don't always feel good about yourself in life--that's something you need to learn (and learn to deal with) when you're growing up.

I love Chase's teacher. He loves his teacher, he loves school and he's learning and thriving. But it bothers me the way kids are coddled in our public education system these days...it really bothers me!