Happy 30th!

So I woke up this morning wondering how I felt about being 30 years old. That age is one of the "markers" in life- "when I am 30..." The good thing is I have always wanted to have a baby when I was 30- in my 30th year. This started when I realized my mother's mom had her at 30, she had me at 30, so it became my destiny to have a baby at 30. And if that baby happened to be a girl, that would be perfect. I remember years where I looked at my future, and not being married at the time, saw this as a mere dream rather than something I had power over making reality. Then once I was married and beginning to "plan" when to start our family, waiting 3 years seemed like a long time, but I sure didn't want a baby right away- Jared and I only knew each other 7 weeks before we were engaged! We still had a lot of "getting to know you" to do. Additionally, I had always thought that I would have problems with getting pregnant, so the thought was, if we had not yet had a baby by that time, in my 30th year we would adopt. With the miracle of my pregnancy with Corban, that was how it was taken- purely a miracle (which I still believe is the case with EVERY pregnancy). I was quite amazed with myself that while still in the delivery room someone asked me if I would be wanting to do this again soon- my answer was "YES!" And all through Corban's first year I felt like I wouldn't mind being pregnant again, which then turned into "I WANT to be pregnant." Those first few months after having a baby I felt like I would be embarrassed if I was pregnant because it would seem as if Jared and I couldn't control ourselves. Proves my self consciousness. I got over that at about month 8 because I have plenty of friends that have close babies...and I really did want them close. Now I am not sure if that was because I was so set on the idea of having a baby when I was 30, or if it was just right for our family to start out with the first 2 being under 2 years apart. Whatever the case, it is nice to have that dream come true, which also makes turning the big 30 easier to swallow.
So after my thoughts of what I felt on my 30th birthday, this was all while I was taking a shower, I then thought about whether I should remind Jared. I have never been the type to make a big deal of my OWN birthday. I usually don't like to tell people, though it is really nice having people remember. I vacillated a little bit over the idea of reminding Jared because I didn't want it to be as if I didn't give him the chance to remember on his own (it was only 6:15 am) or that I had some sort of expectation from him since it was MY day. But the real reason I was even thinking about telling him is that we had our FREE frozen yogurt day in 3 of the stores today and the last thing on his mind would be my birthday. We have talked about it in the weeks leading up to this date, so I know he knew it was my birthday and that he wouldn't be able to do anything for me on the day. His mind is so entangled with everything that takes place on this monster of a day, that it would be practically impossible to have this be his first thought. So again, the point in me reminding him was so tomorrow wouldn't come and he was feel bad having not even said "Happy Birthday" to me on my special day. That thought won, and I reminded him before he left.
I believe he was grateful for the reminder, and he has remembered throughout the day. His gift to me is not letting me feel guilty for not being much help on this big day. I ended up getting sick yesterday afternoon and it has just gotten worse and worse every hour that passes, so after my morning shift, I have been NO HELP at all. In fact, I went to sleep when I put Corban down for bed at 7:30. Miche then called to wish me happy birthday at 10:00 and I haven't been able to fall asleep again. I can think of a million things I would like to do- but I don't have energy for any of them. In fact, I am sort of hungry, but going downstairs to get something to eat seems like too much of a burden. Unfortunately, this baby isn't going to let me forget about it so eventually I am going to have to give in.
Jared is pulling another one of those Superman days. With the 3 stores having a Free day, he has made a goal to be in each store throughout the day- just like what any good owner would do. Little did he know that he would be adding a forth store to the day. Why is it that things tend to go wrong when you have no time for them to? The Del Mar store had an issue with their water tower, which is a machine that helps cool the yogurt machines, which will not work without the tower. AND it just happened to be a problem in a store that isn't so easy to fix. The other 4 stores that have water towers can easily be changed over to "city water", which means you just use cold water running through the machines. Del Mar has to have a hose connected because the system was put in as an afterthought. The only reason we don't always use this "city water" method is that it wastes gallons of water each minute. Add up all those minutes that the machines are operating, and that is a lot of water. Not exactly GREEN.
Anyway, my Superman fixed the problem completely, which entailed scaling a wall to get to the water tower that is on top of the building, changing the fuses, and then switching the machines back to the non-wasteful water tower. Ta-da! Then back to grind of Free Days, while I got to come home and take care of our little tyke!
Our little guy is growing up so fast. Daily there is something he does that I realize is new. He is constantly entertaining me with his huge personality trapped in a little body. He had his 15 month appointment this week and he is still below the 3rd percentile for height, below the 25th for weight, and just below the 90th for head :) Just like his daddy with the "pumpkin head". I don't think his head looks that out of proportion, but it is something we laugh about because of the percentile it is in- Corban's and daddy's. He is still a little chatter box, with not too many distinct words being formulated. He knows what he wants and finds a way of getting the message across, but it isn't through language. And whatever I don't catch in the communication throws him into a tantrum- apparently right on schedule developmentally. It is so cute to see him throw his little body face down on the floor all of a sudden- okay, it isn't always "cute", but it usually is.
His favorites are toothbrushes (STILL- I wish this one would pass since it is a danger to have him walking around with a stick in his mouth), emptying this particular basket on the bookshelf, playing the hot glue gun and sticks that are in the basket, playing outside...in the dirt, seeing at mommy's level (usually wanting to see what I am working on in the kitchen, at the computer, or in my scrapbook space), playing with the hand mixer that comes from a drawer at his level, and tonight he was trying to climb into that drawer. It was hilarious! I heard him whining so I look over and he was high-centered on the drawer front- feet not touching the ground, but he wasn't completely leaning into the drawer either. He was trying to reach for a bottle in the drawer, which he could have easily got to had he gone by way of the side of the drawer rather than the front. The other day he discovered the little drawer in the first step of his step stool. He kept pulling it out and pushing it back in. Then he realized he could stand in the drawer. So then my attention had to be more focused on him because I feared him tipping the whole thing over and banging his head. Standing back a bit of a distance, I wasn't there to catch him when HE lost his balance and went backwards. However, his bum and head never hit the floor because the tops of his feet had caught the step (where the drawer pushes into)- so he was just balancing on the drawer front with his bum hoovering the floor. This then turned into a game for him- to sit back so his bum wasn't sitting on the drawer front anymore, but was hanging off. Words don't do it justice, but I didn't pull the camera out in time.
Bubbles are another fun thing I just recently thought to try. I am not so thoughtful when it comes to giving Corban experiences, he usually has to find them on his own. Anyway, we pulled out the bubbles the other day and I just enjoyed watching him and Nika trying to catch the bubbles. Nika was hilarious because she would jump to snap at the bubbles, many times knocking Corban over. Corban would run back and forth through the bubbles, being amazed when he actually touched a bubble.

Well, my tummy is still asking for food, so I better sign off. Here is it 12:30 am and I still don't have a husband. Hopefully very soon!

What a day!

Yesterday was the day we started out with excitement, leaving the house at 7:45 am- that is early for the both of us. We were off to the Best Start Birthing Center to have our 20 week ultrasound...that means to find out the gender! I really can't explain the excitement. I had been looking forward to this day for the past 5 weeks, if not even longer. I have been imagining the day and just how it would go- including the experience of drinking 32 oz and water and not peeing before the ultrasound. It isn't my favorite feeling, but considering the circumstances, completely worth it!

As we were about 1/2 way to the appointment, which was quite a ways figuring we have to drive about 25 minutes to get there, I got a message on my phone. Jared listened to it, since I was driving. When I heard the words "reschedule your ultrasound" I was completely disappointed.I couldn't really think happy thoughts. Since I had a regular check up, we continued on to the birth center. It may have just been the over-arching disappointment I was feeling, but the entire experience there was not so good. The mid-wife seemed to be not-so-knowledgeable- stuttering through her questions, not really providing any information, taking forever to find the heartbeat, looking at a chart and asking "did I get everything" as if she wasn't sure all she should be checking on me. Luckily I remembered to ask her for the referral for an ultrasound from another place because I sure didn't want to wait until next week. THEN, as I was standing at the front desk to reschedule the ultrasound for the following week and for my next check up, I waited and waited and waited. Until Jared came up to the counter and asked what I was doing- apparently he was looking at the lady that was suppose to be doing the scheduling because she was on the phone. That must have caught her attention because then she asked the person on the phone if they could hold, and as she put the phone down she said, "Sorry, I am trying to take care of some airline tickets." WHAT? What kind of customer care is that? Needless to say, we both walked out of the office talking about the lame experience that was. I immediately called the number on the referral slip- XDI Ultrasound. I talked with a nice lady that scheduled me for the next day and brought my spirits up a bit.

So this morning when I woke up, I went through the same feelings, but even more intensified because I had now waited even a day longer than originally anticipated. This time we took Corban with us, so we had the whole family together. As we drove up to the building- a converted home in the University Heights area, I was very impressed. Walking in the door was another positive experience, with a very nice lady behind the counter, giving me her full attention, a sweet couple sitting in the waiting area looking at some pictures and being all excited. It just felt right.

The ultrasound tech, Sergio, was more than personal and friendly. He was very clean cut, nicely dressed and had mannerisms to match. He made the entire experience OUR own experience- with everything was suspend-release type humor. I didn't feel like I was having a medical exam being done both because of the non-technical way in which he talked and because of how he showed and explained everything that we wanted him to.

It was seriously the most PERFECT miracle to have follow the previous day's disappointment. It just goes to show how God knows what he is doing- we just have to wait, or be patient long enough for him to prove the happy ending. And to top the perfect experience, I didn't have to drink the 32 oz of water before hand :)

Here's what else has been happening:

Corban has a new table that he LOVES to sit at for meals. His little legs are so cute when he kicks them while sitting there. So little, yet so big!

He also has this fascination with boxes lately. They keep him busy for quite sometime because there is no limit as to how many times you can get in and out of a box. It started with the Free Day when I put him in a box and drug him around the store to keep him entertained for a while.

Is this not so sweet?
And isn't this even sweeter? I sure do love my boys!

Jared is Superman

Yesterday this man pulled 17 hours of work between 2 stores. It was our annual Free Day in just 2 of our stores (the next 3 are soon to follow on March 28th). There are very few people who know what actually goes into pulling off a free day in one store, let alone 2! In fact, in our organization, there are four people that have an idea, and only 2 who REALLY know. Here is an idea (mind you, this is all in addition to a regular work week among all 6 stores):
Months ahead there is the planning before it goes to the store level.
Weeks ahead it goes to the store level- outlining to managers how to prepare for the day and giving a heads up as to when they will receive their materials and need to start in-store marketing. Those materials then have to be prepared to take to the store level. Even though we have done this time and time again, there is still about 20 hours of work that go into just the material prep and distribution (store signs, count downs, fliers, and more)
10 days before starts the in-store marketing to customers. We also begin marketing out of store because the idea is to get new customers out of the deal :) The hours spent on out of store marketing are about 10-15 hours within the 10 day time period.
The week of the event starts preparation of in-store supplies for the day of (decorations, food for employees, signage, ordering of product, employee and manager training, organization of sign wavers, store cleaning, and more).
The day of the event starts as early as your body will let you get up...or as soon as you can force it out of bed. For Jared, that was 5:45 am.
Before Open, Banners have to be hung, POS system has to be updated to match promotions, streets signs have to be placed, in-store decorating, inventory counts, and regular opening procedures all have to be done, sign wavers have to arrive and be instructed (sometimes this includes providing the ride), and extra cleaning that didn't happen the week before must get done now. It is best to start the employees in the neighborhood of 8 am to be able to accomplish it all.
Once 11 am rolls around, it looks like this:
Serving a line out the door for the rest of the day (a few 2-3 minute breaks from customers in there)
Filling machines constantly- the minute you get done with all 12, the routine starts over again.
Filling toppings- these don't run out as quickly and we have learned to have extra pans of the ones that do.
Cleaning the store front- tables, chairs, and floor- around the crowd of people. This gets tricky with the floor, seeing how it is EXTREMELY dirty, yet there are people standing on it, so a mop is out of the question. On your hands and knees with a rag (saying "Excuse me sir." Excuse me ma'am", "Move it kid", you get the idea) is the only way.
Dealing with outrageous customers- complaining just about any complaint you can think of over FREE yogurt.
Enjoying grateful customers that tell you how wonderful it is for us to do this- they show interest and concern for the work that is being put into the efforts of the day.
Remembering to inform customers about a list of things for which there is no time to tell them- gift card promotion, Bounce Back week, how the promotion works, explaining the flavors, find out if they are a new customer, etc. If it is a new customer, which we always hope it is, this list is a lot longer.
Getting employees to take a break.
Feeding employees
Tipping out employees at shift changes.
Handling the changing out of sign wavers and directing the next shift where to be. (Again, this sometimes includes giving them rides to/from the store).

Needless to say, at 10:00 pm we are more than ready to close the doors! And then the routine looks something like this, and takes all of 2 hours:
Telling customers for the next 30 minutes that we really are closed as they bang on the doors and windows.
Normal closing procedures.
Inventory count (cups and yogurt).
Taking down of all the signs.
Bringing in the street signs.
Taking down the banners.
Cleaning up the food brought for the employees.
Getting total sales, hourly reports on employee labor and register count-out to calculate the success and losses of the day (greater losses translate as greater success).

Now those 17 hours don't look so easy to handle. Add to that the addition of a Girl Scout Cookie promotion in ALL of the stores, which went really well. Now that alone would make a Superman, but there is another piece to the story.
On Thursday evening Jared said he was feeling a raw feeling in his throat. Corban had been experiencing a runny nose since the beginning of the week. Since Jared has been teaching him to kiss and he doesn't quite understand the concept of pursed lips, so you get the wide mouth kiss, that would explain Jared picking up the sickness. Friday he was completely wiped out, but still worked from morning 'til night. Saturday wasn't any better. About 2/3 of the way through the day I was telling him that I really felt bad for him and that it must be really hard. He stopped me and said, "Don't say that. Just call me Superman and it will help me get through it." And that he did!