Saturday Night In!

So, it's a Saturday night, and what am I doing? Blogging! Naturally. I actually had a really busy day, so instead of trying to chase down a sitter so I could go out, I decided to stay in and snuggle up on the couch next to my new space heater. Best purchase I've made in the last month, I might add. Anyway, this week was busy, and when you're starting a business, busy= awesome, so it was a good week!

She dressed herself before gymnastics. Can you tell?

I mentioned in my last post that Charley started school this week. It's been both a blessing and a curse. 90% blessing, and 10% curse, I would say. I mean, I love that she is getting to have time with other kids, and I know it's good for her. She's getting the mental stimulation she needs, and making friends at the same time. Meanwhile, I get time to actually focus and get things done! Those are the positives. There have really only been two negatives. First of all, since she started school, she's thrown screaming fits when I've left her with anybody else for over an hour. Secondly, she's had the HARDEST time falling asleep at night. It's not that school doesn't wear her out. It definitely does. But she's so stinking stubborn, she fights to stay awake, until she's overtired and ends up having night terrors once she is asleep. Now, I do understand that both of the negatives will improve with time, but right now, I'm still having some pull-my-hair-out moments in the middle of the night when she decides it's a good idea to wake up and stay awake until 2:00 a.m. Awesome. I suppose poor Charley is genetically screwed when it comes to sleep patterns. For as long as I can remember, I've had trouble falling asleep, and sleeping through the night. And on her dad's side? He was notorious for night terrors and sleep walking. The poor kid never had a chance of being a good sleeper. Lame!

Girls' Day!

A friend of mine asked me to watch his 9-year-old daughter today while he was at work. I'd intended to work all day, but my sitter backed out during the week, and I wasn't able to find anyone to watch Charley. Anyway, of course, I said I was happy to take his munchkin for the day. I took the girls to get their nails done, then for a playdate at one of Charley's friends' house, then to Michael's to buy craft supplies. In the car, we blasted Disney music, One Direction, and even some old school Backstreet Boys (I insist that the original boy bands don't go unrecognized in my house), and sang along all day. We brought the crafts home, and the girls did crafts during the afternoon, while I did some serious housecleaning. It was awesome to have a little girl here who was a bit older, and actually enjoyed entertaining Charley. As the day progressed, I started thinking. Most of the men I've dated are single dads, and I'm fairly certain that anybody I date seriously in the future will likely have kids as well. I thought about the day, and realized, that I think I would be better off with a guy who has a girl than a boy. Now, of course I know that's a generalization, and I would be perfectly fine if I end up with a man that has a boy. But I GET girls. When I took my friend's daughter to get her nails done, she completely lit up. She was so excited to sing along to boy bands in the back seat, and have me singing right along with her. With girls, I can read them, and figure out what they need from me fairly quickly. I think that comes from so many years of teaching and coaching. I can spot a girl from across the gym, crying in the lobby, afraid to come out on the floor, and figure out how to coax her into joining her class (whether that means I have to let her chase me around the floor, or sit with me during stretch, I can figure it out). I know when to tease and be a little sarcastic, and when to be straightforward and sensitive. A couple nights ago, I was subbing for a class where I didn't know any of the girls' names. Instead of learning their names, I gave all of them nicknames, based on what they were wearing, so I had Sparkles, Pinky, Purple Puff, Space Girl, etc. They loved it. That's because I GET girls! It's different with boys, though! Sometimes they look at me like, "Who's this chick, and why is she talking to me like I'm an idiot?" It's interesting, because when I taught school, some of my favorite students were boys! Some of them were well-behaved, helpful, and smart. Other favorites were still smart, but they could be troublemakers, and a little mouthy. I guess I liked that they had personality. But I didn't understand them on the same level that I understand girls. With all of that said, I would actually love to have a son. I look at my sister, and my friends that have boys, and they have the sweetest relationships with their little guys. I just think I would need to start with a boy from birth, because otherwise I'd be lost!

On a totally different note, I've mentioned many times that I think people come into your life for a reason. I've got a new friend at work, that I've totally clicked with. I really enjoy everyone that I work with. They're fun, they make me laugh, and they are genuinely great people. But it's funny how with some people, you can get coffee, spill your guts to each other, realize you have a LOT in common, and never have any fear that they're judging you. I'm very much an open book. I mean, crap, I write a blog that anybody and everybody can read! I don't share all the details, but a select few people know the ridiculous nonsense that has gone on in my life over the last year. For some reason, she and I jumped right into conversations about our lives, dating, the mistakes we've made, patterns we've fallen into, etc. It was like I'd known her my whole life! She made an "Oops," comment via text today that was almost identical to a text I'd send to a couple of girlfriends a couple months ago. I laughed to myself when I read the message. We were destined to be friends.

On that note, I'm currently enjoying peace and quiet, because Charley went to sleep at a reasonable hour tonight. Fingers crossed she sleeps through the night!