Thursday, September 21, 2006

Houston we have poop

While in the midst of potty training us parents just can't help but share the intimate details of our children's bathroom experiences. I suppose we wear it like a badge of honor... one that says I must be doing something right! This, of course, might be repulsive to some. In which case, sorry, skip below the dashed line. Otherwise, bask in my sunshine with me.

I am still in shock. We were sitting at the dinner table tonight and Leif started to get up saying, "poopy potty". Of course we go running. AB cautiously pulls the diaper off... in instances like this he has usually already gone. No poop, so onto the toilet he goes.

A little later he arises and sure enough... there is poop! We had a little party in the bathroom, there was chocolate involved and much cheering.

AB is at class tonight and Leif and I were wrestling on the couch. Ok, he was jumping on me and I was trying to catch the flailing arms and legs keeping them from colliding with me. Leif stops suddenly and tells me potty! We hurry to the potty where he takes off his diaper all the while saying "my help" (meaning don't help me, "my help you" is my sign). And we had a potty!

This weekend we are going to attempt underwear while at home. I am not brave enough to venture out in public this way yet. We will take it in steps. First at home in underwear, then to daycare in underwear, then life as an underwear wearing little boy. Somebody hold me.

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AB got a phone call today from the company he has been speaking with about a job in their lab as a chemist, or project manager, or whatever. Last week they asked him to write up a business plan, which he did... grudgingly and at the last minute it was due. They also asked for a salary request.

There was much hmm'ing over this. AB heard that they pay poorly, so he was hesitant to ask for much. Yet, the job isn't what he really wants, so why drop the number down? We finally settled on a number, a lofty one, with the thought if they are really interested they will counter offer. We also threw in a sentence asking for a week's vacation to start to accomodate the upcoming holidays. Then sent it off.

Today the company called him and told him that they had no problems with the salary request (!!!!), they really liked his business plan, they are not considering anyone else for the job, he can have the vacation he wants and they also work flex time, so if there is anything else coming up they can work around it... (like working the backroom at a particular wine judging).

AB was telling me all this and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. No offer yet, but they asked for permission to contact his references as well as a few of the clients from his former lab who he interacted with regularly. AB is not worried at all and is optimistic about an offer in the next few days.

Which also meant that he got busy and sent out a handful of resumes today. Just so if one of those "ideal" jobs calls him for an interview he can say "sorry I applied for the job before you offered me this job".

I could tell it in his voice all day, he is excited to go back to work. Even if it is in a chemistry lab. At least much of his job will be in business development and project management, and not as a lab grunt.

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