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DH's group is going fairly well. As with any hospital DH has ever worked at, census increased it seems the second he started working here. They basically need to hire two new docs to keep up with patient load and acuity, but it's not happening any time soon. The group's business manager sucks. He thinks he should just post a job and that's the end of recruiting. If they're still down two docs, DH and I will be doing some recruiting at the national meeting in September. He is up for partnership at the beginning of September, so we're hoping for some bonuses to come along with that (and then I'll be getting some furniture). He generally likes the people he works with. Like any ED, there are some dinosaurs still hanging around, which I think frustrates DH, but I do think he's finally realizing that he's going to find those anywhere. He's also been spending a lot of time in court lately for criminal cases. It seems that the heat brings out the very best in people and he's had a ton of patients who are victims of violent crime. I think he's so over the district attorney here.
I am settling in to life in central IL. We just ordered our season tix to Illini football, and that makes me so happy! It's hotter than heck here, but I think it's like that all over the midwest right now. I'm also figuring out a routine that allows me to better get out and about (DD getting a little older probably has something to do with that). I've resided myself to the fact that once we get our mortgage secured, I'm going to have to start looking for minivans. I love my Veracruz, but with three kids, a stroller, and a dog, it's a little tight. I'm going to hold out as long as I can. I've met some friends, but I'm still struggling there. I had such an awesome group of friends in Ohio that I'm afraid I'll never find that again. I started hanging out with one of the nurses who works with DH and has three kids of her own. Unfortunately, she can't stop referring to DH as Dr. M, so I don't think we'll ever get to be great friends. I just can't picture venting frustrations about my husband, etc to someone who can't call him by his first name (and he's a very first-name basis kind of guy, even at work). Maybe when DD starts pre-K I'll have more opportunity to meet people.
DD #1 is 4 1/2 and as Peggy (I think) says, it sure is the f-ing fours! I swear sometimes she has a mental disorder. She'll go from a complete nightmare to the sweetest child possible in two seconds time. she starts pre-K this year, and I'm really nervous about making decisions about what school the kids will attend. We moved into an area with the best school in town where the kids can walk. now, Illinois has decided to just not pay any of their bills, which includes not funding the schools, so I'm nervous that class sizes are going to skyrocket. For now, we're sending her to the Catholic school for pre-K so that if the public schools get too crazy, she can attend Catholic school for Kindergarten. There is part of me that has thought about home schooling (especially with DH's schedule - a lot of EM families homeschool for that reason), but I just don't see myself as being able to do a great job with it.
DS is 2 1/2 and just starting the terrible twos. So yes, we have two kids going through really challenging phases right now, but I think that's kind of how it goes with three kids. He is potty training and has started some basic reading. I hope that DD doesn't realize, but DS is going to surpass her academically probably before either one of them even starts school. Watching him is like seeing an adult engineer trapped in a two year old's body. he spends his time trying to figure everything out around him. A few times, DH, and then DD have gotten in trouble for turning the TV on (which includes a sound system and four different components), and come to find out, it's been DS who has turned the thing on.
DD #2 is really growing up. I'm so sad watching her outgrow each stage, and she's our last, which makes it extra sad. I do realize, though, that as she is becoming less of an infant, our lives are easier. She's into everything and is working on climbing stairs and talking. why is my third child my most physically advanced???
I think we're off to Ikea today. We're supposed to have a heat index well over 100, so it's really too hot for the baby to be at the pool. DH has the day off, and Ikea is about 1 1/2 hours away. We need to go soon or else my shopping list will become bigger than what we can fit in the car.
The best news - we close on our house July 30th. We're getting a great rate, and I'm looking forward to doing some updates. This home was really well built 15 years ago, but everything was half-updated (I honestly think the homeowners realized that it would be easier to just move). We'll be replacing 5 toilets, putting in bamboo floors for the first time, doing some minor painting, replacing some bathroom vanities, and replacing a linoleum bathroom floor with a tile one. That's just the year one task list
. Oh, and we'll finally finish the brass-elimination project that the first homeowners started.And, as most of my posts end, without time to even proofread them - one of the kids needs something!