I feel like I’ve been neglecting this blog because I’ve been having so much fun with the photoblog. At least you are still getting updates about us though! So here’s a progress report:
Charlotte’s therapy
Charlotte will be getting 5 hours of total therapy a week for speech, behavior, occupational, and physical. Approximately 30 min a week will be therapy between a parent and Charlotte to help teach us how to help more at home. We are noticing how many more sounds she is making and how much she is really attempting to say more words. Her speech therapist today also noted that she is finally mimicking different sounds as well. Yay for progress!!!
Potty Training
Charlotte is showing zero interest in potty training. Cooper seems to be training himself. He rarely wants to wear a diaper, lets us know when he has to go to the bathroom, and prefers to poop in the toilet. We don’t always get to the bathroom in time, so we still have accidents, but the kid is obsessed with sitting on the potty. We’re not pushing it with either of them and it seems to be happening naturally.
Our upcoming move
I had a phone conference with my potential new boss and his supervisor. The call went well and they seemed to really like me (and my answers to their questions). I enjoyed talking to them and I think they would be great to work with.
The one thing that came up that could become a big issue and prevent us from moving is the expected work hours. They point blank asked me how comfortable I was working 11-12 hour days, five days a week. I point blank told them I wasn’t capable of working more than 40-45 hours a week and if there wasn’t any room to find efficiency in the job, then I wasn’t the right candidate. I told them we would probably both be frustrated by the situation.
The good news is that they are now considering reorganizing the group and breaking the position into two roles to accommodate my request. This is a big deal. I think the VP of Worldwide Engineering really is serious about making these types of positions work for younger people and particularly for women. (I’ll be the first woman supervisor to take an international assignment. They don’t even have a maternity leave policy, so I’ve asked them to write one up…basically I would get 12 weeks leave, with half or 2/3 of it paid at 100% salary depending on the amount of time on disability.)
The other issue that has come up is the cost of Charlotte’s therapy. It costs about $100/hr for therapy there and if she needs 5 hours, that’s $2000/month. If we have to travel outside of the country, or send someone out to get special training, the cost goes higher. I’ve requested that the company help offset this cost through the educational reimbursement policy, since we currently get the services for free through the state. It doesn’t make sense to take the assignment and have to a good portion of our financial bonus to pay for Charlotte’s services, when we can just stay here and get them for free. The company seems open to the request and is willing to work with me.
The next step is more waiting. Waiting to hear back on all the issues and the changes the other business unit needs to make. Then schedule my site visit, which I’ll probably have less than a week notice of when I’ll be going. That will be so crazy since it’s a 23 hour flight, plus a 12 hour time difference. I have to go a couple days early just so I can adjust a bit to the local time. Lunchtime for them is way past bedtime for me! I expect to go on the trip around the end of the month.
And for fun…here are some pictures that didn’t make the cut on the photoblog!
Cooper concentrating on making a mad face
Charlotte’s alternate sad/pouting face
Just sit and think (Blue’s Clues) 
And this is what happens when you make him put them in the microwave
Eating sherbert
No comments:
Post a Comment