Career Hat-Check

For the past two years, even just yesterday, I had only one job. A job that consist of working long hours, no pay, no sick time, and certainly no vacation time that doesn't include the boss. My life has been consumed of this job. A job I love, but has only defined a part of who I am.

Being mom has been the best job ever. For the most part I think I am pretty damn good at it. Seeing life through Rylan's eyes, and never missing a moment has been a blessing. When he was so sick as an infant I was grateful that Pete could carry the weight and I could care for our child.

Today I have three jobs.

One still not paying.

Two others that I start next week that will pay.

I had an interview today for a sub position in town. The woman looked at my credentials and couldn't understand why I was sitting there saying I wanted to sub when I was WAY over qualified for such a position. She asked me if I tried to apply other places with my credentials, and if I knew the teacher websites to look for a job. I said "yes yes", and explained to her that I wasn't ready for something full time, nor was I willing to spend another year out of the classroom. Most teachers and administrators in this career may see it as about 100 steps back. It is like being a doctor for a few years and going back to your residency. I was ANTI subbing since Rylan was born, saying it was "beneath" me. The fact is I have to humble myself. I have been out of work for two years, and I had only taught for two years. I am a newbie, and newbies can learn from subbing. I also get to make my own schedule, and still love my number one non-paying job. It also gets me connected to the towns school system so that when I am ready to go back full-time, maybe just maybe, I will have a shoe in.

Sitting in that school today and seeing kids run the hallways, made me miss it. As much as I love being mom, I really love being Mrs. Dos Santos, the teacher.

As for my other job, it is a tutoring position that is paying me peanuts for my time. Ironically the entire staff has to be certified teachers, but yet they pay $13 an hour. I was going to pass on it, but the flexible night hours, and the fact they have waited for me for two weeks while being on vacation, doesn't really set it up nicely without burning bridges. So I will attempt both...and if I can't do both, I am sure you can figure out which one I will let go.

So I turn a new leaf in my life--back to the one I used to be. I once was so career minded that I lived and breathed work and getting degree's. Now I will be balancing that hat, and the other roll I have since taken on as mom.

Stay tuned to see how this plays out!

What the ....

Ok so I am going to state for the record this may be in fact rated PG 13 and NO Pete and I do not, will not, EVER own this :-)

So I was turning the pages in one of my rated PG parenting magazine learning about toddler discipline, new ideas for foods, and how to be a well balanced mom, and then suddenly I see THIS. The add states" Sex during pregnancy? Trying to conceive? See how the Liberator Wedge/Ramp combo can help you", and can I just mention that it is called the "OOH comfort the human machine". You don't know how to use such things? Have NO fear it comes with a FREE instructional video! (AKA free Porn)

Who is buying the contraption? Is it really the average stay at home mom who is reading parenting mags, or people who use cash at places that sell blow up dolls? I mean I could think of at least a dozen places in NYC that could sell this down in the West Village. What is going to appear in the adds next in the back of my parenting mag--light porn for Mom, or how a vibrator can cure your at home stress as a parent? Lastly, WHAT married couple, who has been married more then six months because lets face it Honeymooners are in their own world, have time and energy to "experiment" with the OOH Human Machine? 

Although I would never purchase it for our household because it would just take up too much space. I mean how do you hide such a contraption from family gatherings? Go ahead grandma put your coat in my bedroom, just don't mind the Liberator--got to keep the hubby happy! wink wink....yeah I think not. I guess I could use it for extra seating at a party (ewwwwwwww)

So I think I will buy it for my sister for Christmas instead. She will thank me endlessly.

(no worries Kelly I got your Human Machine back yo) Seriously my sister is probably reading this and shaken in her undies because she knows I WOULD be the type to give such a gift and laugh about it forever and a day.

For those in the internet world that have purchased this item, or contemplating such a purchase...have you ever heard of a few stacked pillows, or a book of positions maybe?  Looks nothing more to me then a souped up doggy pose.  And lastly....just HOW may I ask...can this help me to conceive? I may turn into Mom the porn star...but help me conceive? You all know I have been desperate to conceive--but thankfully I know the Liberator isn't the answer! Can you imagine conceiving on that thing? Picture years later..."oh little Johnny, see this thing mommy and daddy have in our bedroom that you and your brother use as a slide by day?...Well we bought it to make YOU". 

Parenting magazines--note to self: stick to nursing bras, toys, and maternity wear :-)

Rainy Runny Days

It has been raining since we woke up this morning, which set the mood for our day. 

I had great plans for today that included some Halloween fun at Gymboree which was sure to please Rylan since he had missed it so much while away. 

Then there was a diaper. or two. or three. or fifty.

He is plagued with diarrhea. Not just the average diarrhea either--he has the kind that when he toots--a little present spills out. To top of this beauty of a diaper bug--he has a nasty horrible diaper rash, which makes him scream each and every time I change him. He also refuses to eat anything on the BRAT diet which takes away from any chance I have from binding him back up. So I wait. I wait for an hour without 10 diapers to change.

I also assumed homeboy would sleep the day away since he wasn't feeling well, especially since I am in well need of a squeezed in nap, NOT A CHANCE. 

As if the rain, and some runny diapers could make the day as ho-hum as it could get...I to feel like a nausea nelly. All I want to do is sit in bed and have a sick day off. Too bad for me, I have about fifty more diapers to change until my day is over.

I adore this smile:

The Story Of Our Florida Vacation

The beginning:

on the plane

giggling at the birds
The boys with Grandma Dos Santos
A night out at City Place in West Palm
Feeding the birds



Swimming with Mommy in the pool

The first few days we enjoyed the beach, the pool, and some dollar store shopping (Florida has the BEST dollar stores!) Rylan also enjoyed daily morning walks to the local pond that was filled with birds to feed. Rylan also realized he much rather sleep in a big boy bed then a tiny hard pack n play and decided to join Pete and I every night in the middle of the night! We can not wait to move and get him settled in his own big boy bed!

The Middle:

On the flying Dino ride

Us with the Fairy God Mother
The Fam with Mickey
Waiting for the Playhouse Disney show to start

Rylan and his dad with Leo

The Family with Mickey
Rylan and his dad with Quincy and June

On the Magic Carpet Ride

Wearing Mickey ears for about 30 seconds
Tigger and Pooh
On Main Street in front of the castle
The fam at the Halloween dressed entrance of the park

Rylan pointing out Minnie's nose

Rylan and Pete with Goofy
Pete, Rylan, and Donald Duck
The Dos Santos Clan
Rylan on Tom Sawyers Island

Rylan and Uncle Charlie in the "jungle"

Here we are in front of the "tree of life"
Rylan pointing out Chip's nose
Rylan and Pluto

Highlights of Disney Days:

Day 1 Hollywood Studios: 1. Seeing Rylan's face when he saw the Little Einsteins characters 

                                               2. Watching Rylan run, hug, and kiss Mickey Mouse

                                               3.  Our tour guide on a ride that toured the scenes of the studio asking Pete and I if we said he should be "fired" when Pete was just warning me that there would be fire and to hold onto Rylan in case he was scared. Since when does Disney employees get to "set up to" visitors? Even if we said he was horrible and should be fired, what was he going to do?

Day 2 Magic Kingdom: 1. Going on rides Rylan loved--especially the Magic Carpet ride.

                                          2. Minnie getting frisky at dinner with my husband and father in law

                                          3. Aloha pineapple floats....they are so good I made a mental note of exactly were they are in the park a few years ago, and get gitty thinking about getting one. They are the BEST.

Day 3 Animal Kingdom: 1. Watching all the animals up and at em' in the morning on the safari

                                            2. Rylan enjoying his first real show of the musical of "Finding Nemo"

                                            3. Pete and his brother running around like teenagers riding all the roller coasters, while the rest of us "old folks" waited for them (this happened at ALL the parks)

note to self: three days in a row was WAY too much. By day 3 I was done done done. Next time consider 2 days, or 7 days with some well need pool break days in between.

The end:

Enjoying a day at the beach

father and son
Not afraid of big waves
Rylan feeding the cat fish at the restaurant

The cat fish....hundreds of them feasting on bread

Pete took this winning photo:--apparently in the boys bathroom you got to pee on a terrorist

Last Days of Vk:

This included a few sad rainy days spent inside, and a last hurrah at the beach capped off by our favorite place to eat down there, the Old Key Lime House.

Quick Update

We just got back from Disney last night! We are back in Lake Worth Fl enjoying our last few days in warm weather!

Disney was a blast! Rylan LOVED the characters---and even got to see MICKEY! He also is a dear devil and his favorite ride was the flying carpet ride which he made up ride twice!

We did a day in Hollywood Studios, a day at Magic Kingdom, and a day at Animal Kingdom! We are not sleepy :-)

I am surprised on how much the two year old actually LOVED Disney! I can't wait to take him back there again soon!

I took plenty of pictures--not to worry! And more updates to follow! :-)

For the loyal readers of the bunch...

I said I wouldn't blog...I know.  But for those select few that are still checking, and hoping...here I am.

Pete took the computer with us on a whim of finding free WIFI! Thank go for Dunkin in Lake Worth Florida! I only have a few moments to tell you all...

I did not barf on the plane.

My son flew in the air like an angel on the plane.

I have been to the beach twice already.

It is 85 degree's here and I am wearing shorts while the rest of you suckers up north wear a jacket.

We are off to Disney tomorrow.

I am missing my e-mail, facebook, and my blog SOOOOOOO much. I have alot of extra time on my hands that are normally sucked into the Internet world.

and lastly...

Lots of great stuff happening here in the Dos Santos fam..pictures and updates to come!

ps. don't get upset if this is the last post while on vk...our time is limited here at D&D but I WILL TRY! :-) 

pps. Halloween time in Florida is just weird. Made up pumpkin patches, a witch decal hanging from a palm tree....just odd to me.

We Are Leaving....

Packing is a nightmare, even with my spread sheet of a list. I hate it, and I am bound to forget something important.  With the amount of stuff the toddler needs, I am wondering how families of more then three, travel without paying a fortune for extra bags.  I loathe packing. However there is one more part of vacationing I loathe even more.....traveling.

The rushing to make a plane, checking bags, keeping the kid calm on the flight, trying to kill time in the air with 100 Elmo dvd's, getting luggage, taxi's, and then unpacking...is the WORST. Every time we have to do it I get so anxious. I can not understand for the life of me how Mom's actually travel with their kids ALONE! Hello Emily Valentine I am talking to YOU! If you don't read the Valentine blog--let me just get you up to speed that Emily is nutso and travels with little Sammy all by herself and this is NOT the first  time. While reading her recent blog I almost puked thinking about the stress of the situation--after getting off a plane on the way home, getting luggage, and finding your car in long term parking to find it dead and needing to be jumped, ALL with a 6 month old---shoot me! Emily Valentine I salute you...this Mom just couldn't deal--I would have had to take a Valium!

So we are leaving on jet plane...luckily unlike the song I know when I will be back again. We are away for a week and a half. A week and a half with the extended Dos Santos clan, three days in Disney, and the rest in West Palm Beach. Sounds like fun right? I am sure for the most part it will be, but I am quite sure I will break out in hives, a rash, and need  IV of fluids or something when we hit day 5 without a computer. YES. It it true. Unlike my very vivid, fun, and very popular blogging from Aruba....we will not have such luxuries this time. It PAINS me. Not only about not being able to blog--but not being able to read other peoples blogs! And FACEBOOK...YIKES how am I going to live without writing my daily "Aimee is..." and being nosey into every Tom, Dick, and Harry's life that I ever knew? E-mail I can live without...but the rest of it....Heart Breaker (I can totally here Pat Benatar singing "Heart Breaker"). 

The only good news is, when I get back we have a lot planned, and going on, and I will have WAYYYY more to blog about. You will have much more to read then browsing through me packing, or thinking about shampooing your hair instead of reading about our lives! I hope you will miss me enough to return to this spot when I get back Oct 26 for some more juicy details! I may, along the way during vacation, be able to find a computer, and if I do I will be here!

Until then...As Paris would say...

Peace out bitches.

ps. yes I have indulged in the intellectually challenging show about Paris finding a new BFF, and also watched in horror as P Diddy broke up Danity Kane last night on Making the Band. What can I say--I am 31--and stuck on being 14 with my love for MTV shows!

Blog Cheater: Check her blog out yo!

It's ok I am getting therapy. I will be alright.

You all know my friend Sarah that I have written about on here like a million--gazillion times? You know the one I found on MySpace after years of missing her crazy ass? The one I rocked NYC with--Sex In The City style in our younger years? Lives in Cali? One of my Project Say letters?...that chick that is missing New England Fall foliage and dedicated an ENTIRE picture on my blog for her ass? ...ringing any bells?

Yes HER.

She has a blog and it is open for business--go check-check it out. 

I know she is a devoted to this blog. She reads it, comments on it, and feels the "whoot whoot" love from the East coast on here. But apparently--I am NOT her favorite. I KNOW horror! I thought I was the only blogger filling her blogger needs--but according to her first entry on her new one...not so much. HELLO BLOG CHEATER. 

I will feel better next time I see her and force her to eat an entire plate of calamari with me (must see her blog for joke).

It is ok. I will just have to put it on the list to talk to the therapist about how "crazy Sarah" loves em and leaves em. I am sure she will blog cheat on her favorite blog in no time! 

If you don't know me well enough...this is my odd sarcasm at its finest and I love Sarah dearly and totally excited she is a blogger now--because she is 100% the funniest person I have ever known! She is going to blow my blog away--I am sure of it.

Mall Musings: Lesson Learned, People Judged

As I was passing by the Build A Bear store, I was thankful that Rylan was satisfied with admiring the ones in the window, and didn't want to wait in the long line filled with kids and parents with the day off, to pay an ungodly sum to stuff your own bear (I mean shouldn't you pay extra to actually have it pre-stuffed?). That place is making a killing, and I am sure my mom is thankful that it wasn't around in my stone age, as I totally would've been one of those kids 100% intrigued by such adventures. 

Two things I can no longer avoid in the mall with Ry is McDonald's and the play area. He demands BOTH every time we go! Thank the god lord for the McDonald's dollar menu!  

So there I was standing in line for a cheeseburger and fries, when I noticed this mother who was all hooched up. Her two daughters ooh'd and ahh'd over the Barbie figurines that were being featured in the happy meal. The girls discussed how they hope they can be as beautiful as Barbie someday. The mothers response, "You know girls it is hard work to look like Barbie. Look how hard mommy works out, and how long it takes me to do my hair?"....it took all of me not to burst out laughing....seriously lady you are comparing yourself to Barbie and coaching your kids on the how to's? I couldn't help but stare at her high heel wearing self in McDonald's the whole time, making up stories in my head about her being like Mommy Dearest or something.

Then we went off to the play area. I tried to avoid this since it was filled with older kids, being a bit menace with little kids around. However, Rylan felt brave today and went in for battle. As Rylan climbed up the stairs to the tree house to go down the slide, a boy who seemed about nine years old, decided to Karate chop a kid about Rylan's age in the face! He also said, "I Karate chop you in the face jerk". The mother of this loving child, LAUGHED at him. And we left....longing for mall days without older kids around to bully little ones, and parents who think it is funny. I am not sure if it was my son getting karate chopped in the face, I would of held ANY type of composure. 

Don't get me wrong..I wasn't a picture of perfection myself--as I strolled the entire mall with deodorant rings all down the side of my shirt and was oblivious to it. However I much rather LOOK like a hot mess--then ACT like a hot mess. At least everyone knew I at least didn't smell, and actually remembered deodorant today! 

Note to self--when trying NOT to be judgmental of others, avoid the mall on a holiday!

Poetry is not a strong point of mine

I was wishing today that I was a poet since life is so poetic.  The saying that you learn something new everyday is so darn true, and man does it help to be bursting with sunshine when it happens to be a beautiful day outside. Who would have thought in the middle of Oct. we would be enjoying 70 degree weather in New England--is it a joyous mother nature or just too much hair spray killing the ozone layer (if it is the latter reason I am sure that my roots of Rhode Island and people from Long Island are the sole reason thanks to their teased "stuck in the 90's" hair!)?

All I know is...I was waiting for a day like today.

Why the sunshine beaming from where the sun doesn't shine you may ask?

Maybe is it the weather?

The cute smiling toddler that sings songs in my back seat?

The beautiful golden hues of the tree's this time of year?

Starbucks?

Oh I know...4 pairs of  name brand shorts for vacation only costing $34 at Marshals?

Going to Florida and taking Rylan to see Mickey for the first time in less then a week?

Watching the new show "Kath and Kim" on tivo (I love me some Molly Shannon)?

Having two potential part time jobs when I get back from vacation?

Spending day 3 outside in our backyard blowing bubbles and soaking up time with my baby?

...yes...all of it.

Today life is grand.

A Beautiful Day

I thought we would have to wait until next week when we are off to Florida to feel the sun, and be jacket free! I was wrong! Today was a perfect day! We attempted to go to the local orchard to play with our moms group, however Rylan seemed to want time on his own today! Here are some shots I took:

Posing for mom

Checking out a caterpillar

Smelling a dandelion

Looking for rocks
Pondering

Rylan Is Already Playing Footsie

This Week On The Life Of Rylan

All the million things I had to do this week--told in pictures!

Read Books (I am a teachers son...it is expected)

Match Magnets
RUN
Cook My Own Breakfast
Check out the pets in the pet store with my friend Melody
Do Laundry (Or I should say undue laundry)
Enjoy FALL
Mow the stinken lawn

Take time to smells the flowers

Swing

Catch a pretty leaf (Mommy says this photo is for Sarah W. on the West Coast who is missing the Fall Season)
Drive back to my next destination....              A Little Mans Job Is Never Done.