Oh....and one more thing.

A squirrel has decided to take up residence in the attic above our room. 

He likes to run around at night and every morning. 

Just another nuisance of apartment living.  :) 

Time to vent.

I know that oftentimes my post's turn into mini vent sessions, and that must become tiresome to read.  But, this is a long time coming. 

There are two things as of late (ok the last 10 months..I told you this is a long time coming), that have been getting on my nerves just a little bit. 

Exhibit A:    

Screaming children.  But not just any children.  The toddler that lives below me.  If you have talked to me at all the past few months then you know exactly what I am talking about.  I've vented about this certain individual previously here.  I'm not exaggerting (ask Dave) when I tell you that this child screams every night.  And I'm not saying that all sarcastic like.  I mean it.  EVERY night.  He's like an alarm clock.  11:30 pm.....ding!  Time to start screaming!!!!  He cries, he screams, he wails...for 20-45 mins, and I've had enough...it's as simple as that. 

Dear toddler/spawn of satan:  I know you want attention.  I understand that.  We all do.  But do you know what I want?  SLEEP!!!!  We can't all sleep in until 11:00 am everyday.  We don't all get to have naps and sippy cups of milk all day.  Trust me, you have it good.  I've got plenty of things to cry about...and your incessant screaming everynight is driving me insane.  Trust me, you don't want to see me lose it.

Dear parents of screaming child:  I don't have kids, so I can't imagine what it's like trying to soothe your child while he's screaming.  I had sympathy for you....until you came up to my door and told me to ignore your childs screaming because you're trying to train him to self-soothe.  NEWS FLASH for you:  You live in an apartment complex!!  You share your walls with other people.  You live in a community.  You NEED to be courteous of other people.  It's NOT ok to start training your nearly two-year-old TODDLER to self soothe while living in an apartment.  That self-soothe business should have been started a LONG time ago.  So, instead of just sitting there and talking to eachother like nothing is going on (yeah, I can hear you), go PICK UP your screaming child and soothe him!  Cuz right now, a war's a brewin' and trust me...if you want a noise war.  I WILL WIN.

Just to clarify, I am well aware that by living in an apartment complex, I am giving up some of my privacy/sanity if you will.  :) I know it's unrealistic to think that I'll never hear my neighbors.  But I truly feel that Dave and I are very good neighbors and do our best to be courteous.  And I think that letting your child scream, fully aware that your neighbors can hear him is flat out rude.  

Moving on.....

Exhibit B:           

Barking dogs.  Clarification:  Barking dogs that bark at EVERYTHING!  Our parking area of our complex shares a fenced "wall" with our neighbors yard.  These neighbors have two BIG dogs.  I know one's a lab...not sure of the other.  That's beside the point though.  They bark.  At everything.  All the time.  It's as if every person, animal, or blasted blade of grass that moves is a mass murderer or something.  I've never seen the owners outside and they never do anything to stop their dogs.  Last night, they barked from 11:00-11:30 non-stop.  And then this morning...for another 30 minutes straight.  When they woke me up, I layed in bed dreaming about suffocating the stupid things.  

(I think it's pretty clear that I've lost it).  I haven't had a good, sound, uninterrupted sleep since last August.  And, it's starting to show. :)  Thanks for the vent...I feel better now.  Not looking for sympathy.  Just needed to get that out.