ARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

I feel sick to my stomach.

I got offered a great job with a great school district with the caseload I was looking for - elementary-school aged kids.

So what's the problem?

They pay nearly $17,000 less per year than the district in which I live. That district also has a job open, but in a mild-to-moderate preschool class. Since I see preschoolers in my private practice, I was kind of looking forward to working with older kids again.

But I had a problem with getting paid $17,000 less per year. For nearly the same job.

Of course, since I'd only be part-time, the difference is less than $17,000 per year. But it's still a major difference.

I couldn't put off a decision any longer, so I called... and got HR's voicemail. So I left a voicemail and explained that the job sounded like a WONDERFUL fit except for the fact that, since my children were of daycare age and not school age, the amount offered to me wouldn't cover daycare for two kids each day. Another district could pay significantly more, so I had to consider that. I hoped, perhaps, that when my children were in school, I might re-apply if they had an opening at that time.

So I guess that's it.

(sigh)

When speech therapy gets down and dirty

Eight-year-old student making a sentence from a picture of a bed:
"My mom and dad kiss in the bed."

Three-year-old student, when shown an ear of corn:
"Porn!"

14 months old... and signing!

Wow... I guess the year has been very busy... I haven't posted since January! Here's my list of reasons/excuses:

(1) At the beginning of January, Colin went on a five-month binge of waking up four times per night. We couldn't break him out of it... and we tried everything. Finally, around the end of May, he started sleeping better and only waking up once per night. Hurrah!

(2) I was starting up my own business.

(3) I was teaching baby sign for my friend's business while she was on maternity leave (http://www.keikiscorner.com).

(4) Did I mention that I was sleep-deprived?

On a good note, I *have* been working on my scrapbooking. :)

Colin is signing A LOT now. I had almost given up hope that he would sign... he understood sign but didn't sign himself. Now he's learning almost one sign per day. Today, it was "book"... two days before that, it was "bread"... the day before that, it was "water"... a few days before that, it was "cheese"... and the other day, he signed "more cheese" -- a two-word phrase. That's ahead of the curve!

But no, he's not walking yet. ;P

I've had fun chatting with my cousin Amy, who is expecting her first baby. We're going to see her and meet her husband - and see my aunt and uncle and other cousin - this weekend. Big trip! More later!