Worst Birthday Ever.

K is home again with an ear infection. The run around to get her seen today just about had me tearing my hair out and the issue with the pharmacy (not my own, I was trying to save time, HA!) just about had me in tears. What a horrible past 18 hours it has been, but at least k has meds now, and seems to be on the mend, and my birthday dinner is pending so that is a nice feeling.

Shaun and I decided today that I am going to start my maternity leave as soon as possible. I am eligible to begin it (with government $$) 17 weeks before my due date. That's Monday. I'll probably give my 4 weeks notice on Monday after I get some paperwork signed on Thursday at the doctor's office, taking the last 2 of the 4 weeks as my vacation before being done. It was looking unlikely that I would be going back to work after my leave because it ended in June when all kids would be home ($$$$ daycare!!!) and it also was looking unlikely I would get an extension because you need medical reasons, so I was likely going to have to quit anyway.

I've been off so much lately with the kids and illness that I really felt like I wasn't able to give enough to my family or my work, making me feel guilty and that I was coming up short on all fronts. At work, I am the only person who does what i do. When I am not there, things dont' get done - some paperwork, and some more vital like specalized medication packaging for 7 patients. No one else really seemed interested in learning, so I'm officially passing the buck.

I am planning to be 'on call' for them for the first month or so - I will allow the new tech to call me any day at anytime (except 12-2 since thats naptime) about anything and I will try to help over the phone. if that fails, and its possible, I will go in to help mostly out of responsibility to my patients, and a bit out of guilt for leaving with very little notice. I want the transition to be smooth and I plan to be available as much as possible to be helpful.

I am planning to keep the kids in daycare until March break. I will have them both home during March break (the daycare is absolutely crazy during these holidays) and after that I'll send Kathryn 2 days a week only - the same days that Patrick goes to school - until the end of June. Then they'll be home all summer.

I am thinking of enrolling Kathryn in a preschool program next September - a half day morning once a week. We'll see how things are going then. She needs to continue to be involved in academic things as she has little interest in them. She will get lots of social interaction with kids when I start going to the early years program again.

The biggest part of the drive to be home is the kids. I want to be with them. I hate it when they're not feeling 100% and I send them to school anway because i have obligations at work. I need fewer obligations, and work is the first on my chopping block. its very nice to have the upcoming maternity leave to help fund the transition, although if I wasn't pregnant, I would likely be slashing my hours or leaving anyway.