Hello everybody! Rick was kind enough to pay for my subscription (Thank you! ), so I’m back to peek over the shoulders of the intellectual giants here on the Dope and put in my US$0.02 occasionally.
The Mouseling is now six months old. While playing with a giggling baby at 1pm, it seems like the time have just flown by. At 3am, with the little one wailing like a miniature banshee, the months feel like eons.
Being a mother has been a big change. I had many worries. Thankfully, the little mouse is doing well and I haven’t killed Mouse_Spouse (though there were moments where I really wanted to). One change in my behavior is that I sing more. Between exhaustion, half-remembered lullabies or whatever song that pops into my head, results can be amusing.
Hush Little Baby – with a twist
And if that diamond ring turns to brass
Mama going to kick some salesman’s ass.
To the tune of Physical by Olivia Newton John:
Let’s eat cereal, cereal. Let’s eat cereal.
Come on make your body grow, body grow!
My version of Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money:
We’re going to clip your nails tonight.
I’m not going to let you go until we get it right.
We’re gonna clip that little baby.
This one is pretty obvious:
Gentle, gentle with the cat
If you hurt him, he may scratch.
Don’t pull his tail or poke his eye
Best to let him strut on by
Mouse_Spouse Sings!
“Hey baby, you and me are nothing but mammals. Let’s do like they do it on Discovery Channel!”
“Have Mike Rowe narrate?”
Mouse_Maven, I swear to you that this morning, as I was getting ready for work, I thought, “I wondered what’s happened to Mouse-Maven? I haven’t seen her post for quite a while.”
Mouseling has Teh Cute in a big way. (And I’ll also admit to being a deranged lullaby singer.)
Thank you! We have a very beautiful little girl. (We’re not biased at all. )
Its fun, isn’t it? I have been banned from singing my own version of “Princes of the Universe” by Queen. (I am immoral. I have inside me syphilis. . .)
As expected, I was laid off from my job once my maternity leave ran out. I had a job offer from another facility, which was very flattering. Sadly, the salary would pay for daycare, with nothing left over. Not sure what to do next.
Mouse_Spouse has been encouraging me to go to nursing school - the local community college has a program, my biology credits could be transferred over, it’s a high demand job. I’m not sure. Between losing my lab position and my academic struggles, I don’t feel confident about more schooling. Also, I’ve been moody as hell. A lovely combination of hormones, fatigue and anxiety.
Not much else to talk about. After a long break, I’m back to jogging and hope to take the Mouseling hiking soon. I really, really need some intellectual stimulation and laughs, so I’m very grateful to Rick and TubaDiva.
On the job front, consider your emotional needs - if you really want to be home with the mouseling that is a different decision than craving something else. Then if you get a job that just covers daycare, that isn’t necessarily a horrible thing. You’ll likely get some benefits, experience - and daycare won’t last forever - in fact, you’ll be surprised how quickly your baby needs the car keys.
(Nursing is a demanding job - but not all nurses nurse.)
Not to push my profession on anyone, but have you considered the med tech route? You’d still be in a lab, although definitely a different context than you’re used to, but your bio credits would surely transfer over, and you might find it to be an enjoyable sort of work. It’s also hugely in demand, just for some reason not quite as publicized (we lab rats live in the hospital basement and nobody seems to know we exist till a result takes too long getting back to the doctor). You also have the option of various shifts, like in nursing, which may help the childcare issues.
If you’ve got questions about it, PM me anytime.
Oh, and the Mouseling? Cutest freaking kid ever and I don’t dare let my boyfriend see me looking at those pics or he’ll probably sneak me extra birth-control pills at breakfast just to be safe.
I love the unhappy pumpkin. I myself have photographic evidence of a slightly larger unhappy dragon.
She’s gorgeous. And I love your lyrics - I may have to add them to my repetoire. “Something something something” gets used a bit too often in my house.
I can truly appreciate those songs. I was just thinking of some new lines to sing with my daughter (15 month old) at school next week for wheels on the bus, and I think I found some new inspiration.
If you want to hear them sung you can find them in listenable form at the Mad Music Archive. (But you’ll have to listen to a segment of the show, not simply individual tracks…)
Full-time mom at the moment. There are days when I miss the silence of the animal facility!
Yep, I’m trying to gather information. I’ll happily pick your brain sometime.
While nurses are in high demand, I’m not much of a people person. If an animal is unhappy with you they let you know - bite, scratch, piss or poo - and that’s the end of it. An angry person may do these things, then demand to speak to my supervisor.
Nice! Thanks, this looks like fun. I’ve been trying to memorize the Elements song Mouse_Spouse is a big fan of Bob Rivers. Our kid may rebel by listening to classical music.
I agree with this. I just went back to work myself 2 weeks ago, my baby is 3 months old now. I only work part time, and after daycare and gas and all that I don’t come home with a whole lot. But, I do get a 401K, plus a mental break and stimulation, and I keep my job skills current. Plus my employer pays for me to take classes and such that I want. I plan to work more and hopefully advance my career once the kids are in school. There are lots of reasons to work, one of them is money but that’s not the only one. I am still adjusting to being back, and I am much busier, but emotionally I felt much better after getting back to work. It was a loooong gray winter cooped up in the house with a newborn and a 3 year old.
Of course, if you don’t want to work that is fine and great too. No point going someplace you hate if you don’t have to. I admire those who can stay home full time (I realize everyone says that…but really, I do. I start to lose my sense of self after a while.)
), so I’m back to peek over the shoulders of the intellectual giants here on the Dope and put in my US$0.02 occasionally.
)
Not sure what to do next.
