Some of you may know that I'm a little crazy. Like most women, I have my personality quirks that were perhaps cute and endearing as a child but have turned into full blown crazy as an adult. Some women shop like mad, excessively groom themselves, or perhaps watch too much reality TV. My crazy is a little different. Confession: I'm probably THE most impulsive person you'll ever meet.
In some ways, being impulsive works to my advantage. Once I make a decision, I follow through like you wouldn't believe. Bosses love me because if they ask for something to be done, I've usually already done it and, if not, I'll have it done before they can even think to check up on me. I have an incredible ability to set my mind to something and accomplish it quickly... and with quality.
That's the positive side... Ready for the crazy?
I changed my major 9 times in college.
I've attended 5 different post-graduate schools.
The day I decided to get a Master's Degree was the same day I enrolled in the school and I started the very next week.
I decided to get certified as a yoga instructor and started the teacher training program that same day.
While working a very stable, fulfilling job, I decided that I was being taken advantage of and, by the end of the week, found a new job... which I ended up hating...
And the latest...
After not hearing about the job I interviewed last week (they said it could be 2-3 weeks before they made a decision, it's been 1 week and 2 days), I started researching going back to school, becoming a massage therapist, and thinking about how in the world I could make enough money to keep me at home with my daughter.
I have a problem. I know this.
Thank goodness Ryan knows and loves my impulsivity. He lovingly calls it "impetuousness" which it is not but it's cute that he wants to spin it positively. So yesterday, after having not heard about the job, I texted him and let out some of my crazy. I sent several of those annoyingly long text messages that are actually two or three texts because there are so many words, just saying that I was nervous and I was thinking about other options and perhaps I could go back to school or maybe consider a career change because I've always thought it would be cool to be a massage therapist and they work 20/30 hours a week and it's considered full time and wouldn't that be cool with our schedule and what do you think?
Maybe I let more than just a little crazy out...
Anyway, he sweetly reighned me in, reminded me that we're almost $50,000 in debt from my last pursuit of higher education and that I really shouldn't start thinking I didn't get the job until it's been the aforementioned 2 to 3 weeks.
I'm better today. Much less crazy feeling. I'll wait till at least Friday to let the crazy back out.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Dream
I spent last week mentally and physically preparing myself for a job interview. I had plans to go shopping for a new outfit with my sister on Thursday because nothing in my closet fits me (yes my daughter is 10 months old and I'm not in my pre-pregnancy clothes yet and I'm beginning to think I'll never be a size 6 again and it's very upsetting but that's not what this post is about so STFU). Anyway, last Wednesday was a very hard day...
I don't know what Emma's problem was but she needed to be held all.day.long. And she was demanding to be nursed every hour on top of eating her 3 square meals plus 2 snacks. Growth spurt? Anticipating mommy's new job? Full moon? Drop in my milk supply due to PMS?
That night, I had a dream.
Anyone who really knows me knows that I RARELY remember my dreams. I used to say I simply didn't dream because I couldn't recall them. Now, I know better and I know that I MUST dream, I just don't remember what I'm dreaming. Totally within the span of normal sleep patterns, by the way.
So, last Wednesday night, I had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad dream. I dreamt that it was the day of my interview and I had completely forgotten about picking up my sister to go shopping days before. I called and apologized profusely for forgetting her. Instead of giving me a hard time for standing her up and calling to apologize 4 days later, she asked, "well, what will you wear to your interview?". All of a sudden, I was transported to the mall. I was carrying Emmaline and she was fussing like she did all day on Wednesday. No stores had my size. It was 2pm. My interview was at 2:15pm (in real life it was at 9:15am so I'm not sure what was happening here...). I realized that my hair was not done, I was wearing no make up, I had nothing to wear except the spitup stained t-shirt and yoga pants I often put on in the morning, and... wait for it... I had no sitter.
I had no one to watch my daughter while I went to the job interview I've been waiting for since July.
I sobbed.
I woke up breathing that awful dreamcry hiccup.
I went back to sleep and woke up on Thursday. I met my sister on time and we found two lovely outfits for me to choose from. Ryan watched Emmaline while I went to my interview which went fabulously in my humble opinion.
More details to come, of course. I'll keep you posted if I'm to be a Stay at Home Mom no more!
I don't know what Emma's problem was but she needed to be held all.day.long. And she was demanding to be nursed every hour on top of eating her 3 square meals plus 2 snacks. Growth spurt? Anticipating mommy's new job? Full moon? Drop in my milk supply due to PMS?
That night, I had a dream.
Anyone who really knows me knows that I RARELY remember my dreams. I used to say I simply didn't dream because I couldn't recall them. Now, I know better and I know that I MUST dream, I just don't remember what I'm dreaming. Totally within the span of normal sleep patterns, by the way.
So, last Wednesday night, I had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad dream. I dreamt that it was the day of my interview and I had completely forgotten about picking up my sister to go shopping days before. I called and apologized profusely for forgetting her. Instead of giving me a hard time for standing her up and calling to apologize 4 days later, she asked, "well, what will you wear to your interview?". All of a sudden, I was transported to the mall. I was carrying Emmaline and she was fussing like she did all day on Wednesday. No stores had my size. It was 2pm. My interview was at 2:15pm (in real life it was at 9:15am so I'm not sure what was happening here...). I realized that my hair was not done, I was wearing no make up, I had nothing to wear except the spitup stained t-shirt and yoga pants I often put on in the morning, and... wait for it... I had no sitter.
I had no one to watch my daughter while I went to the job interview I've been waiting for since July.
I sobbed.
I woke up breathing that awful dreamcry hiccup.
I went back to sleep and woke up on Thursday. I met my sister on time and we found two lovely outfits for me to choose from. Ryan watched Emmaline while I went to my interview which went fabulously in my humble opinion.
More details to come, of course. I'll keep you posted if I'm to be a Stay at Home Mom no more!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Nursing Bra Review and Coupon Code!
I was fortunate enough to have been contacted by the girls at Leading Lady to review a nursing bra of my choice and provide MoA readers with a huge coupon code offer! Here you'll find my review of the company and the bra as well as a special offer just for us!
First of all, the Leading Lady website is beautiful. Models of all shapes and sizes show off bras of all kinds. Leading Lady specializes in full figured and nursing bras. You can read a bit about the company's origins here or you can take it from me, they've been around a long time and they know what they're doing. They use recycled packaging and have eco-friendly practices which you KNOW we LOVE in the Mother of Ambition household! Also on the website is a guide on how to choose the right size nursing bra! Genius because most of us are wearing the wrong size!
My favorite, favorite part of the website is the breastfeeding support! You know that breastfeeding is so important to me and I love a good breastfeeding resource so imagine my excitement when I found the Breastfeeding A-Z section of the Leading Lady website!! Information on preparing for breastfeeding to when to get re-fitted to tips and troubleshooting (including issues like plugged ducts, surgery, and inverted nipples!!!) to a glossary of nursing bra terms and even an ebook that you can download for FREE! FREE PEOPLE! GO! NOW!
Then, there's Amy and her Corner. Leading Lady has a Lactation Consultant on staff who answers customer's questions and blogs regularly. Lots of helpful information here including a place to submit your own questions, search old Q&A's, and peruse the archives of the blog. Obviously, the company cares about breastfeeding. You had me at specializing in bras for nursing mothers and full figured women though, let's be honest here!
So, what bra did I get and how did I like it? A website with info can be a great resource but if the product sucks, forget about it, right? Well, I asked for the organic cotton wirefree nursing bra.
You know how I love organic cotton for sustainability reasons as well as to help keep my Eczema away so I was excited to learn that they carry organic cotton options! When I received the bra, I was really happy with the softness of the fabric. Good organic cotton has an amazing silky feel. I was really excited to wear it and was bummed that the directions said I had to hand wash! Boo... I looked back and realized that most of their products recommend hand-washing so that the elastic lasts longer and the integrity of the garment is preserved. I totally get it but I'm not going to lie, I put the bra in the washer on a delicate cycle last week and it turned out fine ; )
So, after hand-washing and line drying.... I'm amazed. I've struggled to find good nursing clothes, especially supportive nursing bras, so I was skeptical. Seriously, this bra is the most supportive nursing bra I've yet to try (and I've got some $60 nursing bras in my drawer... ahem...). With a shirt on, I felt like the bra gave me great shape (nursing bras are known to make the girls look a little saggy) and I was supported. Love! The pretty detailing along the band is an added bonus too. It's a beautiful bra.
So, you want to know about this great discount, eh?
Well, Leading Lady has generously offered Mother of Ambition readers free shipping for the continental US on any order placed before October 15th! These bras are affordable and great quality so Go shopping! Now!!! And because it's my favorite four letter word, I'll even link you up directly to the nursing bras that are on SALE!!!
The coupon code you will enter at checkout is: BLOG473629
Aaaaand, an extra special bonus... the first person who goes to the Leading Lady Facebook Page and mentions the Mother of Ambition Blog gets a coupon for $10 off a purchase AND free shipping!! Woot! Hurry!!
Thank you so very much to the girls at Leading Lady who showed me that there ARE nursing bras out there that are comfortable, supportive, and flattering! I'm a lifelong customer (and I'm using my own coupon code!!!).
First of all, the Leading Lady website is beautiful. Models of all shapes and sizes show off bras of all kinds. Leading Lady specializes in full figured and nursing bras. You can read a bit about the company's origins here or you can take it from me, they've been around a long time and they know what they're doing. They use recycled packaging and have eco-friendly practices which you KNOW we LOVE in the Mother of Ambition household! Also on the website is a guide on how to choose the right size nursing bra! Genius because most of us are wearing the wrong size!
My favorite, favorite part of the website is the breastfeeding support! You know that breastfeeding is so important to me and I love a good breastfeeding resource so imagine my excitement when I found the Breastfeeding A-Z section of the Leading Lady website!! Information on preparing for breastfeeding to when to get re-fitted to tips and troubleshooting (including issues like plugged ducts, surgery, and inverted nipples!!!) to a glossary of nursing bra terms and even an ebook that you can download for FREE! FREE PEOPLE! GO! NOW!
Then, there's Amy and her Corner. Leading Lady has a Lactation Consultant on staff who answers customer's questions and blogs regularly. Lots of helpful information here including a place to submit your own questions, search old Q&A's, and peruse the archives of the blog. Obviously, the company cares about breastfeeding. You had me at specializing in bras for nursing mothers and full figured women though, let's be honest here!
So, what bra did I get and how did I like it? A website with info can be a great resource but if the product sucks, forget about it, right? Well, I asked for the organic cotton wirefree nursing bra.
You know how I love organic cotton for sustainability reasons as well as to help keep my Eczema away so I was excited to learn that they carry organic cotton options! When I received the bra, I was really happy with the softness of the fabric. Good organic cotton has an amazing silky feel. I was really excited to wear it and was bummed that the directions said I had to hand wash! Boo... I looked back and realized that most of their products recommend hand-washing so that the elastic lasts longer and the integrity of the garment is preserved. I totally get it but I'm not going to lie, I put the bra in the washer on a delicate cycle last week and it turned out fine ; )
So, after hand-washing and line drying.... I'm amazed. I've struggled to find good nursing clothes, especially supportive nursing bras, so I was skeptical. Seriously, this bra is the most supportive nursing bra I've yet to try (and I've got some $60 nursing bras in my drawer... ahem...). With a shirt on, I felt like the bra gave me great shape (nursing bras are known to make the girls look a little saggy) and I was supported. Love! The pretty detailing along the band is an added bonus too. It's a beautiful bra.
So, you want to know about this great discount, eh?
Well, Leading Lady has generously offered Mother of Ambition readers free shipping for the continental US on any order placed before October 15th! These bras are affordable and great quality so Go shopping! Now!!! And because it's my favorite four letter word, I'll even link you up directly to the nursing bras that are on SALE!!!
The coupon code you will enter at checkout is: BLOG473629
Aaaaand, an extra special bonus... the first person who goes to the Leading Lady Facebook Page and mentions the Mother of Ambition Blog gets a coupon for $10 off a purchase AND free shipping!! Woot! Hurry!!
Thank you so very much to the girls at Leading Lady who showed me that there ARE nursing bras out there that are comfortable, supportive, and flattering! I'm a lifelong customer (and I'm using my own coupon code!!!).
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
No Big Post Today
But... some very awesome things coming in the next week or two.
Be on the look-out for reviews and a couple HUGE discount offers by some incredible retailers including Leading Lady and ecoSTORE USA!!!
In other news, Emmaline climbed a mountain today.
Be on the look-out for reviews and a couple HUGE discount offers by some incredible retailers including Leading Lady and ecoSTORE USA!!!
In other news, Emmaline climbed a mountain today.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
A Great First Impression
I wrote yesterday about a potential job that I've been working to get over the last month and a half. It's really hard to get into this place and it would be such a blessing for our family (hello! better benefits means we get to have another baby!!!) for me to go back to work, especially here, especially doing something I love.
Anyway, I hadn't gotten an e-mail saying that my application (submitted in July) had even been processed so I haven't been expecting anything to happen soon.
Today I got a phone call from a 505 area code. Who do I know with a 505 area code? Ryan's lovely aunt and uncle. I answer the phone, "Hello!". I hear, "Is this Amanda?" I'm thinking they meant to call Ryan and called me by mistake maybe? So I say, "Yup!". Awkward pause....
The woman proceeds to tell me who she is and that she'd like to set up an interview with me.
Smash palm to forehead and act as professionally as possible for the rest of the conversation. Be overly accommodating and ask if I need to bring letters of recommendation (of which I have none since they were all written 8 years ago and are completely irrelevant). Immediately regret that decision when she says to bring them.
Ugh.
So I said "YUP!" and made a strange first impression AND have to scramble to get some current letters of recommendation.
I better WOW her at the interview is all I have to say... I'm not off to the best start here...
Anyway, I hadn't gotten an e-mail saying that my application (submitted in July) had even been processed so I haven't been expecting anything to happen soon.
Today I got a phone call from a 505 area code. Who do I know with a 505 area code? Ryan's lovely aunt and uncle. I answer the phone, "Hello!". I hear, "Is this Amanda?" I'm thinking they meant to call Ryan and called me by mistake maybe? So I say, "Yup!". Awkward pause....
The woman proceeds to tell me who she is and that she'd like to set up an interview with me.
Smash palm to forehead and act as professionally as possible for the rest of the conversation. Be overly accommodating and ask if I need to bring letters of recommendation (of which I have none since they were all written 8 years ago and are completely irrelevant). Immediately regret that decision when she says to bring them.
Ugh.
So I said "YUP!" and made a strange first impression AND have to scramble to get some current letters of recommendation.
I better WOW her at the interview is all I have to say... I'm not off to the best start here...
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