"I want to wear underwear."

So Beanie woke up this morning and told me she wanted to wear underwear. First off, a Saturday wasn't really the day I was planning on doing intense potty training. And that its Halloween pretty much seals the deal. But, do you really tell your kid no when they are insisting to wear Dora panties and basically begging to be potty trained? Um, no.

We'll see how it goes. So far she's gone in the potty once. Zero accidents. I'd say that's a pretty good start.

I'm just wondering if I should lay a waterproof tarp over my leather couch???

NaBloWriMo

So, do you think I can do it? I've pretty much sucked at blogging in October, so maybe this will help light a fire under my lazy, got-nothing-to-talk-about behind.

November is National Blog Writing Month...care to join me?

www.nablowrimo.org

"No, I sleep in carseat."

*Sigh*

Beanie fell asleep on the way home from our playdate today. Well, barely. By the time we were almost home she was snoozing lightly so I drove around a little more to really konk her out. I thought the mission was accomplished until, when driving up the hill to our house, she says "Go see Dada!!!" to which I replied, "I thought you were asleep?"

So we get home and a half-awake Beanie says hi to Dada. I go to lay her down. Yea, I don't think anyone was getting sleepy except me. I asked her, "Aren't you sleepy?" and she said "No, I sleep in carseat."

Ugh, somehow I don't think her twenty minute nap is going to cut it. For anyone.

To crib or not to crib.

Sigh. You never thought you'd see this post from me, did you?

I am sort of going back and forth on whether I want to get a new crib for Baby 2.0. We sold our last one (which was pretty much never used) to my brother-in-law and his girlfriend, who are also expecting.

Part of me thinks, Man if Baby 2.0 is a better sleeper than Beanie it might be really nice to have a crib. I mean, maybe Baby 2.0 won't want to nurse all night long or need to cuddle with mommy to sleep.

The other part of me thinks (maybe even knows) that I will want to sleep with the baby, or at least in the baby's room (or the baby in our room) for the newborn stage. We've talked about using the bassinet attached to the pack and play and having it in our room. That is something I am happy with, but I wonder how well it will work out with a hubby that goes to bed at 6 o'clock at night.

We found a crib we liked and, of course, it was the most expensive one in the store. I really don't want to shell out a bunch of dough for something we're not going to use. Again. I suppose if it didn't work out to have the baby in our room because of Glenn's sleep schedule, then we could move the pack and play into the baby's room and get a twin bed. Sort of the same set-up we had in Beanie's room when she was little.

I don't know what has caused this crazy change of thought on my part. If you've read this blog for any amount of time you know I'm a pretty die hard co-sleeper. But hubby isn't and I am trying to be more accomodating of what we all want. And, let's face it, if somehow I did end up with a baby who liked to sleep through the night I wouldn't really complain. As long as nursing was established first. lol.

"Crunchy" defined.

Last night as we were sitting and eating dinner (eggs benedict...yum!) we were talking about the H1N1 vaccine. I was talking about how, if I'm ok with getting the regular flu shot (for the first time ever I might add!) that why not be okay with the H1N1 vaccine. From what I've learned recently, its the same process and ingredients as the regular flu vaccine (someone correct me if I'm wrong) just with the swine flu strain added in. A friend had said something yesterday saying that her pediatrician had told her that if the swine flu "threat" (I use that term loosely) had been realized before the regular flu vaccine was formulate this year that the swine flu strain would've just been thrown into the regular vaccine. So, if after a lot of thought I am seriously considering getting the flu vaccine what do I have against the H1N1 vaccine? I'll be the first to admit I haven't done a ton of my own research on it and am probably influenced by cries on my mommy boards that it hasn't been tested, who knows what effects it may have on pregnant women and developing fetuses, etc etc. Hell, I confess to saying those exact things myself. But, if the H1N1 vaccine is a regular old flu vaccine just with the H1N1 strain in it, then what kind of hypocrite am I if I get the flu vaccine and yell from the rooftops how I would never get the other. If they're the same.

Anyways, as we were talking about all this I referred to my friend's pediatrician as "crunchy." Glenn looked at me and said "I don't even know what that means. You realize you're speaking a different language right and its not just because you have a vagina?" I was trying to explain that if you breastfed past a year or coslept or cloth diapered, etc others would probably label you as "crunchy." He was just laughing and so I shut up about it. We ate some more and then he asked me to explain some more.

So, I started off by asking if he had heard of "granola" in reference to hippies. I imagine that's where the term "crunchy" comes from although, really, I have no idea. I explained that a lot of things I/we do are probably considered crunchy. He said, "So if you breastfeed you're crunchy?" No, but breastfeeding until age 2 (or beyond) is pretty crunchy I guess. Homemade babyfood -- check. Cosleeping -- check. Natural birth -- check. Of course there are many things I do that aren't so crunchy too.

I told him more...cloth diapering, home birthing, baby wearing. Then he made me quiz him. I'm totally serious here. He wanted me to name off things and he would say "crunchy" or "not crunchy."

Ah, it was one of the best dinner conversations in a long time. Do I really speak Mama-ese?

It was funny. I saw him updating his facebook status and knew it was going to be about our crunchy conversation. I shouldn't have said anything because he ended up not posting it. I would've loved to hear his take on our dinner conversation.

I can't be the only one...

...whose daughter eats her peanut butter & jelly like this. Can I?

***Seriously Blogger, why oh why do you rotate my images??? I hate you.***

Up.

Well, when your mood is down it can't really go anywhere but up, right? At least eventually. I'm trying to be optimistic here.

Glenn and I talked today. I feel better about things. He talked to his new district manager and things just may work out better than we thought for his new route. For one, his name isn't on the route (some technical business for bread dudes) so when one opens up closer to home he can apply for it right away. Also, the pay may be a little better than initially thought. See, things are looking up already!

And, the house. I'm sure I sound like a whiney ungrateful bitch, but, you know what, this is my blog so I can whine and be as ungrateful as I want. I don't know why its been getting to me so much lately. Maybe because I just can't (right now) see us growing as a family here. It already feels too small. Sure, its about 500 square feet bigger than the condo was, but living in here day in and day out it seems much smaller. I have so many big ideas for updating and remodeling this place. I forget that we lived in the condo for almost ten years before doing any sort of updating. But, as Glenn reminded me, there are things I like about the house. Like that I like right now. I need to remember those instead of constantly focusing on all the areas that can be improved. I love the yard. I love our dining room. The master bedroom is pretty sweet, especially with the new furniture we got (for a killer deal I might add). Someday (hopefully) we can do all the remodeling we envision but, for now, this is it. I might as well focus on trying to be happy about it instead of crying about it. We decided we'll save our change and set it aside for smaller house projects. Like finishing the paint. Also, since Costco is so cool and has a coupon right now for their laminate flooring we are going to rip out the god-awful purple shag carpet in Baby 2.0 and Beanie's rooms. Maybe the master too. Definitely the kids rooms though.

So, anyways I thought I'd update tonight since we did get some good news about Glenn's job today that makes me think things will be a little easier. Still planning on budgeting like a mad woman though. Things are looking up!

If Money Grew on Trees....

...things would be a hell of a lot easier. *sigh*

Well, the (sort of) good news is that Glenn finally got an offer for a permanent route after all the layoffs & temp work we've dealt with this year. I encouraged him to take it. We need to know what is in our future with a kiddo on the way and knowing he has a job is BIG. The (sort of) bad news is that its not at the depot he was hoping to be at & he'll have to drive a lot farther to work, he'll be working longer hours and he'll be making less money. The less money thing we knew about because he is pretty much on an awesome route right now working with someone who is on light duty. We knew any permanent route he had wouldn't make what he was making now (they're base plus commission), but the route he's taking is a lot less than we were hoping he could get. I know he's not happy about all this. I feel like he blames me for encouraging him to take it (even before we knew all the details). I just didn't want to be sitting around ready to pop a kid out and wondering if he was going to have a job, where he was going to be working, how much he'd be making etc etc. We need to know those things and be able to plan beforehand. I do think, even with all the negatives about the route he was offered, that it is a good decision in the long run and the best for our family.

But....

I guess I probably won't be quitting my one-day-a-week gig at the grocery store anytime soon. Well, at least not before March or April. I had been hoping for a quit date more like December. We'll likely need that income as long as we can now.

I'm really going to start budgeting and watching our money. I've talked about it before, but now its a necessity. Last week I grocery shopped on Monday and had all our dinners planned out. That's my new plan. Monday = grocery shopping. We had very recently cut down to dining out only 4 times a month (I say only when for other people that is probably a TON!!). We'll try to cut down farther. I need to start making Glenn lunches again. No frivolous spending. I know we can do it, its all in our mindset.

So, yea, I went from over the moon happy that Glenn had a permanent route (even if it wasn't exaxctly what he wanted) to being a little worried about how everything is going to pan out. Add in my crazy pregnancy hormones, the fact that I freaking hate this house & its really getting to me right now for some reason, and a just general blah feeling about life and things are pretty rough.

What is it with little girls and princesses?

The other morning Beanie was waking up and she said, "I'm a princess." I said "What did you say???" and she repeated "I'm a princess. I'm Princess Pea."

See we don't really fully embrace (or embrace at all) the princessy stuff. On the other hand, we pretty much try to avoid it. But Beanie, who's seen Super Why on PBS like twice (maybe three times) decided that she's a princess.

Good lord. What is it with little girls and princesses? Are they just naturally drawn to their cute dresses & tiaras?

Day One of Turn Off Week.

So, yea, I didn't realize TV Turn Off Week was during the week of premieres until a few of my loyal readers told me. Man, they are kinda ballsy, eh?

Today went marginally well. Beanie watched a little TV this morning while I checked my email and made breakfast. Then we headed out to the grocery store. When we came back she watched a little more TV and then we went outside and played. Lunchtime and nap. Then out to meet a friend of mine for coffee and some more outside playtime. Back home and a little TV and some time in the playroom while I made dinner. Then, after dinner it sort of tanked. See, I was exhausted and suffering from a horrible headache (gosh when will this thing go away??!?!). So she watched a little more TV after dinner, then we read some books, and then it was back to TV. An integral part of Beanie's night-night routine is The Good Night Show on PBS Sprout. Seriously, like that show has magical powers. As soon as Caillou is over with Beanie runs down the hall and jumps into bed. I about died (figuratively of course) when we were on vacation and there was no PBS Sprout. So, that screen time I'm just not willing to give up.

All in all, we probably watched about 3-4 hours of TV today which I'm sad (and a little -- okay a lot -- embarassed) to admit is probably a drastic reduction from normal. Seriously, I don't know why but we have the damn boob tube on all. day. long. So, I do feel like we're making progress.

And mommy cut down her online time too, although probably not nearly as much as I should....