My "To Do" List

It is planning time at work which means we are deciding the budget, creating a forecast and overall predicting the end of the world...OK that is extreme but it sometimes feels like we are about as accurate.  This process is also a good time to do a little self-reflection on how things are going both from a work and personal perspective.  I often review my master "To Do List" of things I wanted to get done this year and wonder if I even looked at the list during the year since it is so woefully incomplete.  Did I really think I would get my Five Year Plan for Underwriting put together THIS year...I really did plan on getting all of the closets cleaned out and actually unpack the boxes from our move two years ago...sigh...there is always next year. 

That is the funny thing about lists they never seem to be complete. We are constantly adding to them just like we often keep piling on the pressure as a working mom to be perfect and to be everything to everyone.  A lot of this pressure is self-imposed and I really don't believe there are conversations going on behind closed doors judging me because I work and send my children to daycare.  Rather these conversations happen more in the form of jabs of passive aggressive comments in front of me...like how is Colin "handling" daycare...this was asked by a male customer.  After he told me it must be hard to leave him everyday.  Really how am I to respond to that?  Colin is doing great by the way, we met with his teacher this week and she explained what they would be learning in the 2 year old room...how to count to 10 in English, Spanish and Mandarin (yep I said Mandarin).  Along with their colors in all 3 languages...hmmm...not sure how much help Kyle and I are going to be on the Mandarin front.  The funny thing is that the teacher asked Colin to say her name in Mandarin and he said it like it was no big deal. 

So as you can see Colin is wonderful.  We are getting his hearing aids on October 5th.  I think they are going to make a big difference in his communication.  We met with Lynn from Hands and Voices who will serve as our Co-Hear coordinator.  The program is amazing and is going to provide us great resources to help Colin not get behind although he does speak more languages then Kyle but...whatever:)  We are deciding if we are going to learn some sign-language to help Colin communicate more effectively.  He is being assessed on October 25th by Child Find/Developmental Pathways to decide what specific type of assistance he will need which could include everything from speech therapy, physical therapy etc. 

His soon to be brother Hayden is growing like a weed.  We had an ultrasound on Tuesday to make sure his left kidney was growing like is was intended.  At our 20 week appointment the tech felt the kidney needed further monitoring.  The good news is the kidney is now within normal range and he is already weighing 3lbs 8oz and I have gained 17 pounds.  Which is huge progress from the prior pregnancy since I barely gained 20lbs total with Colin. 

So as I review my "To Do" list and make plans for the upcoming year, I comforted by the fact that there is always next year and amazingly life seems to go one without my Five Year Plan for Underwriting, the closet door can just stay shut and whatever is in the unpacked boxes I must not really need.  Just like I probably really don't need the list...