The Price of Business

6 markers. 1 roll of scotch tape. 1 dining room table full of marker. 2 foil-wrapped caramels. 18 saltine crackers. The headband off your head. 1 in-operable Blackberry. 1 load of laundry. A milk and juice soaked Onesie, AND a herniated disk from being 9 months pregnant and repeatedly picking up a 25 pounder yelling "up! no down! up!", while leaning for optimal cell phone reception. THAT. That my friends is the apparent price of doing business with me at 6:30 PM when my husband is at the Celtics game.

On the phone while dropping blanky.



Where'd those wrappers come from?


I am not sure there really is such a thing as an after-hours call, but when I told the partner there were 2.5 hours out of 24 that were really not a great time for me and he chose (after much polite protest and gentle encouraging otherwise) 30 minutes smack in the middle of that time, well, I can't say he wasn't warned. And I can't say, I was quite prepared for what ensued. I thought I could entertain Elliot with special paper pens & crayons. I set her up at the table (where she has previously played quiet and contently for 10-40 minutes at a time) right next to me and my computer and cell phone. She tore threw the paper, unraveled the entire scotch tape roll and marked up the place all during the 7 minutes waiting for the phone call to begin. Clearly I could not sit next to her, so I lugged my stuff to the kitchen counter, leaving her strapped in her chair. My call came in. 9 minutes late now and Elliot is already done with all the special activities I planned for her. She starts yelling to get down. I have to comply to keep her quiet and hear my client. She drags her chair to the kitchen counter. Climbs up and is banging on my computer with me. I take back the mouse and am "calmly" trying to explain to Mr. Partner what all these spreadsheets mean to him. Out of the corner of my eye, Elliot has a mustache. It is chocolate. Unraveled and being stuffed in her face from a Christmas basket leftover on the counter. OK, I think. So a little chocolate caramel before bed was not in the cards. At least she is quiet. The second piece I practically unwrapped for her. She wants down. She wants up. She wants my headband. She wants the phone from my ear. I am 6 spreadsheets in with only 4 to go. Elliot has not interrupted in at least 2 of them ... oh! because she found another phone and a bag full of saltines. She is a very busy girl and is looking forward to our next call and all she can pull off then. Oh, and I am pretty sure this one was only about 12 minutes. All photos were taken after the call (I am not THAT good, or irresponsible to take them during), though she was not sure we were off it yet.