Surviving the week, barely

We really had a great weekend. Very relaxed and nice since AB didn't have to work. Leif was a lot of fun. It was just what I needed.

Enter the week of February 6-10. AKA, the week from hell.

I spent Monday working on my presentation. 82 pages of presentation with 40 some additional pages hyperlinked (I have 2 hours and 15 minutes to speak). AB picked Leif up from daycare and I made it home from work at about 6:30pm, braindead. I landed on the couch and crashed shortly after scarfing some pizza that AB had ordered lest he have to make dinner.

This morning I got up and went to my Conflict Resolution class. I was less than impressed. All of it was really textbook and IMO, common sense. Schedule a meeting to address a conflict, don't catch the person in the hall, don't accuse, be friendly, choose your words, etc., etc. Yeah, I know, a lot more to it than just that really. But I am not sure there was much profound there. I will go through the book and see if I glean anything else, but otherwise I don't feel that there was much that would have helped me with dealing with my former post-doc mentor OR in my recent attempt at "firing" a couple worthless underlings.

Something that did strike me as poignent was when they listed on of the top fears that people have regarding confrontation, one of them, which is my favorite is "Being afraid to hurt someone's feelings". The instructor said that this was an interesting one because it is really a power play and puts you in a position of power. Why? Because you assume that the other person is unable to deal with what you are about to tell them. Interesting.

I also did find out that my style is "competitor". I was a touch surprised about this (maybe I shouldn't be?). I hate, ok LOATHE avoidance. It ticks me off more than anything in confrontation. I have a close family member who is an avoider and there is nothing that sends me reeling more than when I confront this person about something and he/she just ignores my e-mails/comments on the phone and goes on like nothing has happened. I don't know why I expect change, I grew up with this and truly believe that this is probably why I am a competitor because I was bound and f***ing determined NOT to be an avoider. In some regards this is my downfall too, because I immediately assume and read into things, that people are confronting me and go into my backup mode too quickly. I have to learn to slow down, ask if I am actually being confronted or not, and then proceed instead of assuming.

So an hour from release from class and my phone rings (vibrates actually). I knew it wasn't AB, he knew I was in class, so I checked to see who was calling. Daycare. Damn. I had to take the call. I got up and left and was subsequently informed that Leif had vomited copious amounts at daycare and would I please come get him. I called AB and we agreed it would be best if I bailed on the last little bit of class (darn) and retrieved him.

I got there and he looked awful, pale, miserable and completely lacking in energy. I got him out to the car (immediately stressing about my week from hell and a sick child). We get in the car and Leif starts asking for crackers. Well I figured, as long as he is willing to eat, he shall. (After hearing stories of C's 5-day tummy bug).

5 hours later and Leif has eaten crackers, Pedialyte, macaroni and cheese, pears, blueberries, green beans and a bottle... he is in bed after falling directly asleep. I don't know... he may just be (do I dare say it?? crossing my fingers...) not really sick?

His teacher told me that he kept coming to her bugged by his throat, signing that his throat hurt, he was breathing fine and she held him. He had just eaten pineapple and black beans (OK now... I at least send snacks that make sense... cheese and pears, melon and cottage cheese... but pineapple and black beans???) , when he threw it all up. (Which was very evident on the drive home, P.U. regurgitated pineapple!) Could it be that wacky combination just didn't sit well with him? Please, oh please. A sick and vomiting child is the last thing I need during this hell week. I am wondering by him signing that his throat hurt if he didn't have something hung up there?

I got home with Leif and spent about a half hour on the phone with my PM discussing the next few days. We worked out a plan for tomorrow so I could get a little lab work done (I think he was close to offering to come to the house and watch Leif for me so I could get in and do the labwork the client "needs".) And I am working from home tomorrow on my presentation. Phew. Even if Leif is better I need to give him 24 hours to make sure. It is what I would want other parents to do. Plus, I know I will accomplish just as much, if not more on my presentation at home during Leif's nap as I would at work with interruptions.

Ok, so that is nearly it. I have to close with one brag... I really try not to brag about what a genius I think Leif is. I remember when I was on maternity leave watching Dr. Phil. (Shut up.) I remember a woman talking about how smart her son was and Dr. Phil responded saying "yes, I know, everyone thinks their child is a genius". LOL. But afford me this luxury today, during this awful week. Leif is 1 week over 18 months and he has mastered his wooden puzzles. And not just one... nope all of them, including the 2 of the 4 that say 2 years and up. I was shocked on Sunday. I was pointing and telling him where to put the pieces when I noticed he put one in by himself. I backed off and watched him do the entire puzzle. Then I called AB over, pulled all the pieces out, and we watched as he did it again. He turns the piece so it is matched up with the position (and the underlying picture) and slides it around until it falls into place. (And claps after each piece.) He matches them up on the first try and attempts a sound for each animal. (Ok, so giraffes don't *always* say "squeak squeak"... he is being inventive!)

And AB has reassured me that he will NOT cut Leif's hair without my approval, even though he has talked about it extensively for the last 4 weeks since he has actually started getting "length" in the back. I was getting worried, I refuse to cut his hair until it needs it on top, despite the mullet that is becoming apparent. At this point any barber would just laugh us out of the place.

Everyone have a good rest of the week. Think about me Thursday afternoon as I stand in front of my clients for 2 hours and 15 minutes of speech and then 1 hour of question and answer (oh they call it "brainstorming").