Current score:

Pees in the potty – zero

Pees on the floor – two (including one behind the Christmas tree)

I’m off for another 5 days (intentionally planned with pt-ing in mind) so here’s hoping for future success.  Any tips from the more experienced are gratefully welcomed.

3 free polishes, just pay for shipping (~$7 to the continental US) with the code FB2011.

Oh, and Zoya’s polishes are toluene & formaldehyde & all that nasty stuff-free.  And vegan-friendly, if that’s your thing.

I’m getting Snow White and Grace for French manicures, Sarah, Charla and Valerie for my toes, Gilda for the twinkies (they’re polish fiends already, and sparkly pink should be right up their alley) and Robyn for Starbuck (the undying Colts fan.)

Go.  Shop.  Have fun nails.  Do it fast, because I’m pretty sure the code expires on the 7th.

Our ER tracking board has a “comments” section, often used for “needs xray” or “needs lab” or “hospitalist coming to see” or whatever.  The other night we were so busy that we had patients waiting in the lobby outside triage (vs in the typical waiting rooms, as they were full) so they were noted as “in the lobby.”  Fair enough.

Well, you have to click on these little comments to deactivate them, or they’ll stay on the board for the patient’s entire stay.  So after one unfortunate lady was put into a room and assessed, the phrase “set up for pelvic exam” was added to her comments, which still contained “in the lobby.”

We figure that the speculum light can be plugged in next to the Coke machine, no problem.  All part of our continuing services as a “no-wait” ER!*

*A marketing tool used by the higher-ups.  Ah, how we laugh.

Ah, New Years, a.k.a Amateur Drunk Night.  Every bozo that hardly touches a drop all year gets plastered, and either comes in bleeding due to a fight, bleeding due to a knife-related incident after “trying to make a sandwich” at 0200, or puking his/her guts up.

Just remember, gentlemen, you can swear at me all you want while I’m irrigating your head wound, checking your pupils or ordering your anti-emetics, but don’t call me Baby.  Bitch is fine*, I’m good with Ma’am, or, hell, Doctor’s ok if you get confused, but no Baby.  I’m not your Baby.  Your Baby dropped you off at the front door after you puked all over the floorboard of her car, and if we’re both very lucky she’ll come back and get you when you’re released in a few hours.  In the meantime, lie back and behave yourself, and let the miracle IV fluids and Zofran do their thing.

*(We’re contractually obligated to be called Bitch at least once a month, to maintain our ER status.  Failure to do so may result in being reassigned to the recovery room or possibly <cue creepy music here> the clinic.  Shudder.)

Unfortunately, the tail end of the year has been overshadowed by the tragic death of a much-loved uncle in a traffic accident in November.  I’m still processing it all, and am very much ready for 2010 to be behind us, so that our whole family can start fresh in 2011.

See you next year!

I’ve started planning our weekly meals lately, both to keep the “what are we going to have” panic at 4:30 at bay (too often cured by picking up something convenient and therefore fattening) and to keep things organized for my small army of babysitters.  If the menu’s planned, and the food’s in the fridge already made, it’s easy for them to reheat and serve to  the monsters.

I’d like to add some new recipes to our repertoire, too, so making a plan helps with that, too.  (I can pantry-cook my old standbys easily, but new things often need, duh, new ingredients.)

This week’s plan:

Monday: chili, cornbread, raw veggies (carrots, cauliflower, peppers)

Tuesday: crockpot chicken stroganoff, broccoli

Wednesday (work): leftover chili

Thursday (work): leftover chicken

Friday: out with Auntie Starbuck

Saturday (work): pizza, salad

Sunday (halloween): Autumn Sausage Casserole in the crockpot

Lunches: PB, turkey or grilled cheese sandwiches

Breakfasts: cereal with bananas & milk

Little People animals (2)

Winnie the Pooh

Stuffed rabbit or duck

Loveys (2)

Handknit baby blanket

Dolly (in partial state of undress)

One sleeping toddler

All x 2 cribs.  And people wonder why parents of toddlers can’t pack light?

The stats:

Sleep: 11-13 hours at night, 2-3 hour nap each day.

Food: Chloe’s loving anything spicy these days, or anything that she can extract from the refrigerator herself. Don’t ask about the toothmarks on the apples in the fruit drawer, please. I just keep inspecting the fruit and make fruit salad pretty regularly. It helps that Emma’s on a fruititarian kick, forgoing such former favorites as mac n’ cheese and french fries in favor of dinners consisting entirely of apples and peaches.

Teeth: Both at 16 and holding (until those dreaded 2-year-molars show up.)

Apparel: 24 month clothes, size 5 shoes, size 4 dipes.

Dimensions: Emma’s 29 lbs and 33.5 inches, Chloe is 26 lbs and 34 inches.

Words: Chloe – punky (pumpkin), soft, shirt, pants, boon (balloon). Emma – “he did it”, nonononono, sit.

Likes: Chloe – one extra hug at bedtime, the Wonder Pets, running away from me down the sidewalk while laughing maniacally. Emma – her (young, male) gymnastics coach, answering any question with “No” (she got the memo that she’s two, apparently), making jokes (all 4-legged animals say Neigh.)

Dislikes: Chloe – the carseat, having to hold hands in the parking lot. Emma – waiting for anything, having fewer than two of any item.