the daddyman

next week is our 7th anniversary. this weekend we get to go out on another date (1 of THREE.3.TRES! in the past few weeks). our budget is shouting things like 'not good!' or 'go to mcdonald's' or maybe even 'i give up'... but it's not like we're high rollers or anything. we went to see a dollar movie the other night (inception--very interesting. i think it reminds me of too many movies for me to like to so much, though. & i just don't like leonardo dicaprio, so there's that also...)

a few things about wes that have struck me this week:

he likes to replace or fix things--but only if they're already damaged or broken. me suggesting that we spend $80 to get new pulls for our kitchen. NO! (this is why: my finger gets caught behind it & pinches. yes, OUCH. plus i think i don't like the style & color anymore & since they are oval & never stay tightened, each one is in a different place on the rotation. ie: one can be at 3 & 9 (think a clock, here folks). another at 12 & 6, another at 8 & 2...get it? they drive me crazy. so instead of spending money frivolously on new knobs, wes decides it's time to replace two toilets. now don't get me wrong--i really like these new toilets! the seat goes down very slowly so no more BANG of the toilet lid & resulting cringe from me waiting for the cracking noise. & they are dual flush, high efficiency which hopefully means less water used.

it just cracks me up. we see things differently. that's what makes things interesting, right? 

then i may suggest since his tools are out, can he hang that mirror that's been leaning against the wall for 2 years now? so not only will he hang that mirror--in perfect measurement--he'll suddenly hang 5 out of 7 pictures, a shelf & two glass shelves.

i don't think nagging is the right way to do a marriage...but it seems to get results at times, eh? i wouldn't even call the last one nagging. it was just a simple request. maybe it was b/c i was wielding a hammer w/ a screw in my hand looking dangerously at the wall while asking...

wes loves a good routine. & i love to throw it off, just to see him squirm. mostly, i don't do the routine-kibosh purposefully. last night i wasn't feeling well & went to bed early (he was still installing a toilet) & he has this rushed look on his face & was all "okay, i'll be there soon." & then proceeds to finish most of the toilet (he & addy are putting the seat & lid on together tonight, per her request to help daddy do work) in record time, then nearly run around getting ready for bed. just to sit in bed & read, saying things every once in awhile. & i have *no clue* what he's saying b/c i'm laying on my right ear (the ear i can fully hear out of) & have a pillow over my left ear--so even if i could make out what he was saying, the pillow muffles it all so that it just sounds like a charlie brown adult character.

then there's the routine wes does when getting in the car in the winter: air temp: cold. air flow: off. adjust seat. adjust air vents to blow right on his face. check mirrors. seat belt. drive. then he will check the car temp gauge constantly until it reaches a magical number & suddenly air flow: high! air temp: hot! & a few minutes later air flow: low. air temp: cool.  he will adjust the temperature controls for me--which drives me BATTY! b/c i totally forget to turn the air flow on & temperature to hot. so there's something we bicker about, gently, of course. (to wes: hands off the mom-mobile temperature controls)

okay, i'll stop rambling about my husband.

***

i have no desire to clean my house this morning. toys are strewn everywhere! preschooler toys. toddler toys. baby toys (from the nannied baby boy).

so this is what i'm thinking about right now: sounds. i've been told that my right ear is going to become hyper-vigilant in hearing sounds & this is true (now that my left ear sucks & all). so to honor that, here are some sound thoughts. (ha ha ha, sound-noise or sound-true/wise.)

best sound: toddlers singing. more specifically, amelia singing. she does not have the most bird-like singing ability. more like tone deaf or w/ crackles. but it's the best sound i've heard recently. but she knows quite a few songs. i think she may even be learning bad romance, as is adeline. & they are both learning to raise the roof in the car! 

worst sound: sucking snot out of a baby's nose with a nasal aspirator. also accompanied by a 2nd worse noise: baby screaming obscenities at me in baby language. i do not like snot. i can deal with finding poop on my hand 5 minutes after a diaper change...but getting brushed by a wildly flung snot line...instant gagging.

annoying sound: tinnitus. hands down. it even beats preschooler whining (which is very annoying, yes?). some days recently my tinnitus has become so bad that it's making music again (when it's so loud for some reason my brain turns it into music. cool but still highly annoying--talk about getting a song stuck in your head!)

***

so thursday i start CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) for chronic pain management. last friday i told dr im that i need to do something. either i start another pill in addition to my other 30 or i try a non-pill approach. i am even willing to do acupuncture! me! with needles all over...i don't care anymore. stop the pain. so i asked him what gets the best results for most of his patients. he said CBT is what he seen get the best, long lasting results...b/c all the other stuff (massage, physical therapy, chiropractor, acupuncture, even oils) is temporary. i would need to go back & back & back & back forever to keep the results. this is something i learn that will hopefully help me always. 

it's worth a go. at this point in the year we've reached our family deductible (that's a no brainer w/ our medical crap going on) so for the cost to us now, i'm willing to give it a shot. 

the only thing i'm a bit hesitant about is that these folks are not actual therapists. that threw me...i guess that's why they call themselves 'coaches' & say the will coach me. he made it a point to say they're not going to approach it like a therapist or psychiatrist would...but i want to make sure they know that even if they did, that's okay! therapists are good!

& then i'll look into how much they're making & try to get a job there *wink*

then next week we have a family dentist appointment (not amelia, she just gets to play in the waiting room). i'm nervous b/c if they have to give me novacaine i will FREAK OUT. adding that to my already half numb mouth is just very bothersome to me. i already catch myself drooling...for those who have an always half numb mouth & face, you will understand this fear. :o) i mean, what if they hit a nerve again somehow & it will be even more numb? or the other side will also stay numb?! somehow i think it will just trigger too many horrible post-surgery memories & i will explode into tears in front of my dentist.

which might be okay b/c they are some of the nicest group of women i've ever met. really! i ENJOY going to the dentist. except for the novocaine possibility part.

& now amelia just poured cereal all over the floor, so here it ends.