Well, my final week of maternity leave is coming to a close...these 8 weeks went by too fast! I don't think it helped matters that I spent at least a third of the time either in the hospital or recovering. I wish that insurance companies would understand this, and view maternity leave as a time of bonding, instead of a time of healing--this is BS...I don't know if I will ever fully recover from the mental scars of my C-Section...almost dying kind of does that to a person. I look at Harper and Erich sometimes and think how lucky I was to be sitting there watching them. But, enough about that sappy stuff!
Speaking of insurance companies, the place that handles our company's short term disability--who shall remain nameless--has the worse customer service I have experienced in a very long time. My intital claim was quick and painless, as it was just maternity leave. I would be given 6 weeks of paid time off, then it was up to me to use my own vacation time for anything additional. This covered me until 7/20, at which time I was willing to use 10 more days of my own vacation time. I should also mention that in order to activate the claim, I had to use 5 vacation days, then STD kicked in. So, it worked out in my benefit that my gall bladder needed to be removed--since I hadn't returned to work yet when the condition began, it was considered in the same claim--yahoo! So, I was excited to learn that I wouldn't need to use any additional personal time.
Now, I had some follow up questions for my representative, who assured me I could call her anytime with concerns. I wanted to know if, a. they had received the necessary ppwk from my surgeon, and b. how long my STD was being extended (so I could decide if I wanted to further extend my leave). I began this quest shortly before the surgery was done...it has been almost two weeks (tomorrow) since the surgery, and I finally was able to talk to the gal...and I'm am sure the only reason she finally took my call (instead of letting all my previous calls go to voicemail so she could ignore them, as well as the email a coworker sent her asking to call me from another call) is because I pulled the manager card. Working in customer service has told me one thing, if you want action from someone who is on a recorded line, ask for their manager. 9 times out of 10, you will get some progress. I was able to get my questions answered, as well as a follow up call later this evening. I was glad to get this settled, and now I have like 17 days left to work with for the rest of the year, which never happens (I tend to squander my days off at the beginning of the year, and generally have none left to use at year end--let alone carry over or be conmpensated for). Hopefully Harper stays healthy and I can have some extra days next year. One thing I'll say for my employer, our PTO is excellent!
Tomorrow we're going to try and visit the daycare before the big day, so we can drop off some items and get the lay of the land...I say "try" because the gal hasn't returned my call yet...do you see a trend in my life?? I'd prefer to have things ready to go Monday so it can go smoothly, instead of getting last minute things figured out while I'm trying to hold it together and leave her there. I still haven't decided if I can handle dropping her off, or if Erich will get that lovely task.
We have instant stream on our wii, and I have become addicted to the show Weeds...I love it! In two days I've made it through three seasons; Erich asks if I do anything else during the day. Luckily Harper enjoys the show as well...I guess we're both Mary Louise Parker fans! I never really knew what the show was about (aside from the obvious) and I think it's pretty funny and addictive. A suburban drug dealer who gets blackmailed pretty much everytime she turns around--that plotline is getting kind of old. It also stars Kevin Nealon, who I never really found very funny, but I think he's great on this show...a pothead city official CPA who speaks his mind and hates chain restaurants :) Good show, check it out. Yet another show I'd need to get cable for! (The other being True Blood, which I buy the dvd before seeing the season because I just assume I will enjoy it).
I had a lot of tv watching goals while I was on maternity leave--this instant streamer left me with a lot of options. This has been the first week I've been able to sit and watch something other than bits and pieces of Greys Anatomy during the day. My boss had said I'd be getting lots of my TV watching done during the nighttime feedings, but I disagree. I prefer to feed Harper in her room, in semi darkness, with a lullaby cd. It ensures she'll easily go back to sleep. It sounds mean when I say it, but at night I'm like, "Don't talk to her! Shh!". Not that she wants to hear anything we have to say at that point, she just wants her food!
Speaking of, I hear her calling my name, so I shall leave you with this and some photos!
Speaking of insurance companies, the place that handles our company's short term disability--who shall remain nameless--has the worse customer service I have experienced in a very long time. My intital claim was quick and painless, as it was just maternity leave. I would be given 6 weeks of paid time off, then it was up to me to use my own vacation time for anything additional. This covered me until 7/20, at which time I was willing to use 10 more days of my own vacation time. I should also mention that in order to activate the claim, I had to use 5 vacation days, then STD kicked in. So, it worked out in my benefit that my gall bladder needed to be removed--since I hadn't returned to work yet when the condition began, it was considered in the same claim--yahoo! So, I was excited to learn that I wouldn't need to use any additional personal time.
Now, I had some follow up questions for my representative, who assured me I could call her anytime with concerns. I wanted to know if, a. they had received the necessary ppwk from my surgeon, and b. how long my STD was being extended (so I could decide if I wanted to further extend my leave). I began this quest shortly before the surgery was done...it has been almost two weeks (tomorrow) since the surgery, and I finally was able to talk to the gal...and I'm am sure the only reason she finally took my call (instead of letting all my previous calls go to voicemail so she could ignore them, as well as the email a coworker sent her asking to call me from another call) is because I pulled the manager card. Working in customer service has told me one thing, if you want action from someone who is on a recorded line, ask for their manager. 9 times out of 10, you will get some progress. I was able to get my questions answered, as well as a follow up call later this evening. I was glad to get this settled, and now I have like 17 days left to work with for the rest of the year, which never happens (I tend to squander my days off at the beginning of the year, and generally have none left to use at year end--let alone carry over or be conmpensated for). Hopefully Harper stays healthy and I can have some extra days next year. One thing I'll say for my employer, our PTO is excellent!
Tomorrow we're going to try and visit the daycare before the big day, so we can drop off some items and get the lay of the land...I say "try" because the gal hasn't returned my call yet...do you see a trend in my life?? I'd prefer to have things ready to go Monday so it can go smoothly, instead of getting last minute things figured out while I'm trying to hold it together and leave her there. I still haven't decided if I can handle dropping her off, or if Erich will get that lovely task.
We have instant stream on our wii, and I have become addicted to the show Weeds...I love it! In two days I've made it through three seasons; Erich asks if I do anything else during the day. Luckily Harper enjoys the show as well...I guess we're both Mary Louise Parker fans! I never really knew what the show was about (aside from the obvious) and I think it's pretty funny and addictive. A suburban drug dealer who gets blackmailed pretty much everytime she turns around--that plotline is getting kind of old. It also stars Kevin Nealon, who I never really found very funny, but I think he's great on this show...a pothead city official CPA who speaks his mind and hates chain restaurants :) Good show, check it out. Yet another show I'd need to get cable for! (The other being True Blood, which I buy the dvd before seeing the season because I just assume I will enjoy it).
I had a lot of tv watching goals while I was on maternity leave--this instant streamer left me with a lot of options. This has been the first week I've been able to sit and watch something other than bits and pieces of Greys Anatomy during the day. My boss had said I'd be getting lots of my TV watching done during the nighttime feedings, but I disagree. I prefer to feed Harper in her room, in semi darkness, with a lullaby cd. It ensures she'll easily go back to sleep. It sounds mean when I say it, but at night I'm like, "Don't talk to her! Shh!". Not that she wants to hear anything we have to say at that point, she just wants her food!
Speaking of, I hear her calling my name, so I shall leave you with this and some photos!
asleep during our first zoo trip
our first pair of pants!
I think she looks like a dolly here, still no smiles!
abbey loves bumbo time! harper isn't too sure about it
it definitely makes her sleepy!
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