Summer

I cannot believe school is almost over and summer weather has already arrived. Miranda continues to grow into a snarky preschooler and Annaliese is quite a monkey, climbing in and on EVERYTHING. I cannot keep up with either of them.

I have 2 potential jobs in the works, hoping to get one asap. Gas here is $4.39/gallon and my van is not the most fuel efficient. Everything else has gone up too, no news here, but at least I can still get milk for $1.75/ half gallon and $1.29 for a loaf of wheat bread at Stews. As long as daycare doesn't go up, we might get by the summer.

I think I just want to sit on the beach with a juicy book and mojito and forget grocery shopping, cleaning up, and buying gas for a while...

Um, hullo

I am alive, surviving. I exhausted my unemployment benefits and am still home wondering what the heck to do. I am on Facebook a lot, connecting with old friends, but mostly just picking up the house daily (after the kids wreck it). I am just blah, enjoying the weather and trying to make improvements. I will write more soon.

Unsolicited Baby Advice

I had a falling out with some very close friends 6 years ago. To say that I don't regret how things turned out would be a lie. I still miss their friendship and reached out a few years ago to see how it would go, and the door was politely closed, not slammed, for which I am thankful.

So while I was looking up a baby registry for a coworker in November, I stumbled upon a gift registry for one of those friends, S., and I took a chance and sent a very short but polite note to her parent's house (I didn't have a current address) along with a gift card for the baby and one for her to pamper herself. I received a nice thank you note. Door wasn't closed with this person, but I didn't take the opening to catch up and hopefully get together. I would need to mend 2 other bridges before I got to that point.

Anyway, while looking up another baby registry, this time for my cousin, I find out that J., the person I really hurt the most, is expecting. I am thrilled for her. She will be a great mother. But now I am stuck. Do I send her a gift as well, even though she closed the door? I don't want to stress her out, especially when being pregnant is not the best time to add to the emotions.

So in lieu of sending a long note (like the one I wanted to send S.) I will give my short list of mommy-to-be recommendations, because I have no other outlet to do so and hopefully, this will get it out of my system. Decision to send a gift will be made later.

Pregnancy:

1. Get a body pillow. Meet your new husband.
2. Get a prenatal massage as often as possible.
3. Keep up pedicures, preferably by someone else doing it.
4. Don't buy too many maternity clothes. Stick to the basics and check out the line at Target.
5. Have the boogie bag ready early.
6. Bring the boppy to the hospital for the delivery. It makes breastfeeding easier.
7. The maternity floor is nowhere near as great at L&D.
   
8. Get familiar with the breast pump.

Baby stuff:

1. Don't register for everything. The expensive bottles that you like might not be the ones junior likes.
2. Same goes for binkies.
3. Skip the diaper holder thingy.
4. Get the BEST glider/rocker/ottoman set that you can afford. You will be spending a lot of time in it.
5. DO get the bottle warmer. I still use mine as I never microwaved bottles or baby food for my kids.
6. Get a bottle sterilizer if you don't have a dishwasher.
7. DO get blanket sleepers (kids kick off blankets).
8. Don't bother with baby shoes until the kid is starting to walk. Get the leather booties (at an outlet or discount store)and progress from there.
9. GO TO THE OUTLETS AND TARGET! No reason to pay full price for stuff the kids will outgrow in nanoseconds. Both of my kids didn't even wear 9 month clothes.
10. Use Craigslist, Zwaggle and other site wisely for used stuff. Don't buy car seats or cribs used.
    
11. Don't expect to get your hair or body back right away.
12. Check out baby movies at a local theater. They allow babies and keep the sound lower, and no one cares if you happen to be breastfeeding in the middle of it.
13. Get a 529 account set up right away (and link a Upromise account to it). Start early saving for college!
14. If family members give you US Savings Bonds, have the bond made out to your name and SSN with the child as the beneficiary. This wont count again the child for financial aid for college.
15. Keep up with the baby book as often as possible. Print pictures as you can. Preserve memories as soon as you can. The first birthday will be here before you know it.
16. Don't save everything (like the umbilical stump). Be selective. Save the firsts, but don't get crazy. Too much clutter will make you nuts.
    
17. Get help for the first few weeks. You wont be yourself for a while.
18. Donate or sell stuff that you won't need as soon as you can. It will free up space and you can feel good about helping others.
19. Find a lullaby CD that you can stand to hear over and over again.
20. Realize that you cannot control everything and that people only mean well when they give unsolicited advice.
    

Rest In Peace

I am probably the 1 millionth person to comment on this, but, I cannot believe that Heath Ledger is gone. I cried, people, seriously welled up tears when I heard on the radio. I felt a pit in my stomach. I haven't felt this way about an actor who was gone too soon since River Phoenix. I am completely blown away. Maybe it was his deep voice and tortured soul roles that he played but man, I love his movies. He was a great talent and will be missed. What a shame.

Happy New Year!

Annaliese's first Christmas (above)


OK, I don't have a lot of time, I just stole a few moments before I have to pick up the kids.

1. Annaliese is walking at 9 months. Oh boy!
2. Miranda LOVES The Electric Company and tells me "Sorry. I can't hear you. There's a banana in my ear. " when she doesn't listen to me.
3. I am done with my work contract, home at the moment and looking for other work.
4. Honey is SUPER stressed, I hope that me being home now will lower his stress levels. I might even be able to get a hot dinner or two on the table when he gets home...
5. I went vegetarian and am taking yoga. Time for a better me.
6. Holidays were great. How were yours?