A day of sorts

I think I will officially add my name to the NaBloPoMo ranks. I have been making an honest effort to post everyday, and although I have faltered twice, I have been pretty good so far about making good on my attempt to post every day.

Now, before you go and get your shorts in a knot my dear friend, Nej, yes, I went back and corrected the date on that first post - the one I put in a time warp to go back a day so I started on the first... yes. I sucked it up and made it the second, with two posts on that first day, which was on the second. I also missed posting yesterday, which I made up for by posting a moment ago, and this is officially today's post. So, even though I have missed two days, I have made posts for every day of the month of November.. so far. Nej, you were right. I really couldn't go get myself a badge unless I did it straight up. So, here it is. Me, in all my glory of just making a good attempt, stumbling, dusting myself, and moving on ahead.

Brandon finished up with his swimming lessons, and we celebrated with some A&W. I was told that he wanted a cheeseburger. And fries. And ketchup. And something to drink would be nice. It is cool as your kids age, but also a little crazy at how fast they start to string along ideas.

I see popcorn in my immediate future. That and the cross-over episodes of CSI. I can't think of anything else prolific to say at this time, except perhaps it is amazing how much B loves the movie Cars. He has a great appetite to see it again, and again, and again. And somehow, watching his reactions, as he remembers more and more, well, it is kind of magic the joy he gets out of watching his favorite characters come to life.

One to make up from Friday

It's been a bit of a rough week, and I must admit, I thought about sitting down and getting a post out yesterday, but it never happened. So here it is. I didn't even manipulate the dates to show that I made it in before the day ended.

A pear cider did happen as I played some Wii with my man, but that was about as exciting it got. It was one of those days that with the sun shining, I found that my mood was buoyed and life was moving along again.

I've also been back on a good book reading streak - I just finished a Turow book, The Burden of Proof, which was excellent, and I am reading a Lescroart book, The Motive, which is also a pretty decent read itself. It's funny, it does matter to me about having a good book on the go. I am holding on to An Echo in the Bone. I don't want to rush it. Book seven of the Outlander series, and it sits cherished, and signed, on the shelf. Soon.

A few call outs

One of the many things I have learned since becoming a mom, is the joys of receiving, and of the joys of paying it forward.

I am so grateful for all of the hand-me-downs that land on our doorstep, especially those from my favorite Kitten Whore. Even if I don't use all the clothes, and pay some of them forward, they are all a part of the great chain of moms helping out other moms, no strings attached. It is a cool thing.

I had a brainwave today about how I could pay something simple ahead. Another friend, having fun resolving her own time line issues, paid forward some formula to me, and then some coupons. I added to said coupons, since ultimately they were not brands that I use, and today, I dropped the lot off at the maternity clinic to my buddy there. She knew whom to pay them forward to - some of the coupons were $10 off a can of formula, which is nothing to sneeze at. We were also able to pay forward a bassinet that we had borrowed back in the day, to a truly deserving mom-to-be.

Speaking of which, holy batman does formula cost. If you go for the better kinds, or the "upper" ends of formula instead of the one that meets all the basic health criteria, you are looking at $30 a can. For some moms, that is one can a week. I am grateful Connor gets mostly me, because a can will last about 3 weeks. I watch for whatever coupons I can find for my brand, but it is not cheap. Thank god for the girls.

Connor's got a cold, bordering a croupy cough. Damn, that was almost an alliteration. So I am keeping my eye on him, Brandon also seemed to have a harder time coordinating his walking this afternoon - causing my heart to leap in all sorts of crazy directions. Seems to be sorting itself out, but me thinks he is going through a growth period again and it playing havoc with his muscles...

Remembering

This morning, as images of wars past flitted across the screen, I wondered, what do I tell my sons about war? About peace? These are not easy questions. Kids fight. Adults fight. But wars, and peace, how do you truly talk about it. There isn't really an answer, you just stumble along with these kinds of topics and find your own way in talking about it. Like sex and religion, there are no easy ways to lay it all out there.

I do think we need to talk about these things, and not bury wars and skirmishes in the past. I think much of wars are caused by fear, fear of the unknown. Part of breaking that down is being open to learning about new things, and new people.

It wasn't an easy morning. Brandon had a follow up appointment with his orthopedist, and yes, he will be getting new and improved super boots to help with his walking, he has officially outgrown the old ones. I hope we can arrange to have the extended coverage to pay as it happens and not wait to be reimbursed. *SIGH* Those boots aren't cheap and I am so grateful our plans cover the cost otherwise I am not sure how we would creatively finagle it. Yes, there is a little more tone right now in his hamstrings, and yes, we have to keep an eye on it and make sure we keep up B's range of motion. It seems certain doctors give me a fair bit of latitude right now about when to come in again, and are trusting my judgment on when it is time. Not only that, but being open to any questions or concerns. By that time in the appointment, I have already peppered them with a lot of questions, and then I wonder, am I missing anything??? Should I be asking even more, why at this stage are you looking me in the and eye and saying, just call if you have anything else - that is where doubt creeps in. A mom's instinct is pretty accurate, and I think we have things in hand. We have a good support structure around us.

It's (almost?) scary - that unknown. Working as hard as I can to keep Brandon limber, and moving, and improving his range of motion. It's hard holding it all in at times. I come off so strong and confident, and at times I am a trembling leaf that is just trying to stay stable in the wind. Big picture, Brandon is doing really well. What does the future hold? Who knows. For me, moments of strength and weakness. Moments I want to cry and make it all better - and I can't. All I can do is my best, be supportive, work with him, and enjoy him. My son is such a treasure and he is a wealth of strength with his quiet fortitude and oh so funny sense of humor. He humbles me.

One day I would like to think there is a book in me about our experiences, something that will help guide other parents who have to go through this. If there is no true book of how to be a parent, there is really no book of how to handle it gracefully when there are a few more hurdles in the way for your child. Chin up, take life on, and just learn how to laugh, and love as much as you can, and for me, be as honest as I can. I stumble, I fall, I make gaffs, I am not perfect. But I am trying, at the end of the day, that is the true accounting.

Not the outcome I expected.

Until today, our mobile, internet, and home phone have all been with the same company. Our mobile has been going to hell in a hand basket for the few months. In a ten minute conversation, our call is dropped about three times. Sometimes more, sometimes less. We have a fairly decent new smartphone, and we are version numero two on it, so I don't think it is the phone, it is the network. We signed up for a three year contract back in the day and are just over our first year in. I have been with said company since 2002.

Well, they finally got the phone we want, on a new network, and they wouldn't deal. They would give us a $200 credit off of a new phone, but that was it. I tried some negotiating, but there was no room. I mentioned we have everything with you guys, and that didn't help. I was dealing with the "loyalty" tier of their customer service, and frankly, I got more customer service on their "lowest" end. I was disappointed, I figured they would try to keep our business, or in their eyes, I guess call my bluff. Well, we spend a lot of money a year on those three services. So before today's call, I had started to do some research, and I was finding some better deals. So this phone call ended up having a lot riding on it.

The CSR's kept coming back to the fact we were only 14 months in to our current contract and that they weren't really getting much from us to give us the new phone at the current rate for a new three year contract (which I would have happily signed up for again, and paid perhaps a little more than asking price with the three year contract to recognize we were getting out early) and that the $200 discount off the phone was quite generous.

Looking at the plans from other companies, and from what we pay now, we could actually end up saving the cancellation fee for breaking our contract over the next year. Plus, when looked at what perhaps switching our home phone and 'net over would also save, I felt like I actually had some bargaining room for the mobile.

Nope. The phone call was anticlimatic, and I found myself ready to make the switch for all three, not the outcome I expected. I told the CSR, well, I guess we are done then. After hanging up, I switched out phone and 'net, and well, we are now going to save between $50-60 A MONTH. The only thing is, we can't call 1-900 numbers. Damn. Can't call the psychics.

Now the ironic part. Said company called tonight to see if I wanted to get their digital TV. I laughed, I asked the guy on the phone if he was serious.. he was like, why, and I told him my story. Needless to say, I told him he wasn't making a sale tonight.

So, on we move. New email addresses to come, new cell phone number to learn.

It is like in the 90's when you had to switch long distance plans to actually get the better deal. Now you have to be willing to move and switch companies to get the deals. It looks like the timing was good. Adios old company, and on with the new.

damn old cell phones.

Did you know you can actually recycle your old cell phone??

I didn't!! We are currently really displeased about our cell service, which could spill in to other areas in terms of making decisions on what providers we go with in future for cell, phone, internet... and I wonder why it took looking through the Virgin website to find this site and to discover how I could unload all of our old cells... I am going to be having one of those hardball playing type conversations with the highest tier of their customer service soon, and well, I am prepared to switch if I don't get my way.

Maybe I am just an ignoranus, but I didn't know about this service. I try to do my best when it comes to recycling, but didn't know there was one for used cells. I am surprised that this isn't front and center with the other service providers, it is responsible...which is a small reason why I do like Virgin.

Amazing how disposable this technology has become. It is brutal. Speaking of which, we switched out our new headset and went from Vtech, to a refurbished Uniden, to a Panasonic. Yes, I bit the bullet and bought the better phone. After having the cheaper ones crap out way too damn fast, and the batteries continually die, it will be interesting to see how these ones hold up. Joy! But back to cell phones, yes, technology is changing really fast, but it would be nice if a cell phone could last out your contract.

A three year old's taste buds...

At times, Brandon has been what you could call a picky eater. I really have not tried to cater to his eating whims, but sometimes it comes to "picking your battles".

Brandon has liked hamburger, and has slowly been okay with roast, but has always turned up his nose at steak and bacon.

Well, that changed this weekend. My son now loves bacon. It being's my DH's birthday, we had steak. I made Brandon a piece of chicken, which has always been a favorite of his, and well, he didn't want it. He wanted steak. Bloody hell. So, he got some of my amazingly marinated and nicely cooked steak. Lucky dude.

I will be making chicken noodle soup tomorrow.

Carts of Darkness

We try to catch a show about the Northwest when we can. There are interesting travel tidbits, and arcane Northwest (north and south of the border) insider knowledge (places, people, etc) that get showcased.

Last night, the focus was on a local film maker from the North Shore, and his tale. After a hiatus from film after an accident that left him paralyzed, his latest work is called "Carts of Darkness". A really unique look in to poverty, and freedom with a wet coast flavor. We haven't seen the whole video, but what we have seen, is really compelling. You can check out the NFB website for shorter clips... but what we saw was a real jaw dropper.