For this post, I wish I had a video to go with. But alas, I do not.
Pappa Starbucks and I have been trying to get back to each other and figure out where we stand in this whole new baby thing. Between in-law’s, school, work, friends, and mentoring, we’ve really let our ‘us’ fade away a little. So tonight, we were kidding around and he tried to kiss me hello when I mentioned that no, really, I haven’t brushed my teeth today, and he was all but you went out? And then I reminded him there was a pack of gum in the car, duh, I wasn't totally unprepared. Some days, it is really that bad. But bad isn’t really the word I am looking for, it’s good. It’s been a wonderful day. I have a paper due tomorrow, dinner to fix for his mother and sister (and a vegan dinner at that, anyone got any tips? I’m tired of making vegetable stir fry : ) ), and a bazillion other things to do, and I just didn’t get around to brushing my teeth. Somewhere in there, we had one of those awkward pauses where we both kind of think...huh...do I really know you(all while I also tried to steal his ice cream with a fork)?
And I was all ambitious and tried to make that cricket noise...you know, the one that they put in cartoons, and it came out sounding like a squashed cow. So we commenced to think of ideal situations to use this hideous noise, and here are our top three NOT in order:
1) In class. Professor says something like “yeah, you know that’s what McCain thinks...” (insert freakish noise here, which is way better for awkward silences than the real thing we think by the way)
2) In the OB’s office, you know what I mean.
3) Tomorrow night at dinner. The whole time.
And so now I have a talent to try to learn and a jammed up noise to keep making because it’s funny, and we are one one closer to being our normal old selves again.
10/29/08
10/28/08
Money baby,money
A few weeks ago, Pappa Starbucks and I were talking about making our lives more user-friendly. We examined our budget, because we’ve been striving hard to manage our money better. And we found some large ways to cut our costs. First, we decided that much of what we do is destructive to our lives instead of constructive.
For example, we both need to eat healthier and take better care of ourselves so that in the long term, we get sick less, and will miss less school or work, and so the baby stays healthier. This means eating better, keeping our home cleaner (getting rid of and collecting less stuff). There are things that we need still and we cannot afford (for example, I need a new post-baby wardrobe for winter), but also, there are things we buy that we do not need (i.e. more pacifiers for the baby).
We also have started eating many more meals at home, and packing food to eat when we leave. He has started drinking more coffee in our kitchen, and much less in his car and at the local *$.The baby needed some hats, and so I made them from old onesies she outgrew instead of dropping $10 for three at Target.
As students, we’re still learning how to manage our money at all, but as new parents, there are a million things we never considered we would need to watch. It’s easy to get caught up in consumerism as new parents: for example, we recently went on a spree of spending, despite the economy’s bad shape. However, it was on a micro level, and our tab only came to about $200. We got the top things we’d been wanting as new parents, and I don’t regret any of them- we thought, and thought about each purchase and resisted a long time. But now that we have them, they DO help us enjoy being new parents more than having that extra $200 sitting in the bank. The purchases?
A car mirror for traveling so Pappa could see the baby when I’m not in the car to soothe her , a Bumbo seat AND tray, even though she’s just 2 months old (we bought that in blue, too, just in case someday we have a boy..). Then there's the Peanut Shell sling for me, something I had wanted since before I had her, and I wish I had got sooner. This isn't a product recommendation, but I will tell you...it was WELL worth it.
The only thing I would have done differently, is, silly me- shopped for these items second hand (like, for example, maybe on Ebay, if I weren't a dim wit). Since they’re all lightweight, I could have probably got them at great prices and shipped cheaply. We did search for coupons online first though!
The other change we are in the process of making is reducing our dependence on plastic grocery bags. I’d like to say it’s all because I’m environmentally conscious, but I really just hate having all those plastic bags taking up space in my kitchen. Currently, we use them for doggy poo...which sucks when they are a bit holy.
The other bit of wisdom we have learned is to earn our credit card points. I never had credit cars before, but now I am learning to use those cards in my advantage. (HOWEVER, we make sure to never, ever, under any circumstance even so much as think about carrying a balance. It's scares me so much to think about getting into debt that I wont use the card if I know we can't go straight home and pay for the item). This means store cards and other kinds, as well as those points’ cards stores give you, which often come with being put on a coupon list as well. Most mailing lists I loathe, but free coupons are always nice if they’re for something I will use. And for the rest, I’ve started sending them to a sister in law, who in turn sends me her unused baby coupons. It’s a win-win for all, except the cat: no one seems to have one, and you’d be surprised how many cat coupons we get each week. Maybe we should start looking for a kitten : )
For example, we both need to eat healthier and take better care of ourselves so that in the long term, we get sick less, and will miss less school or work, and so the baby stays healthier. This means eating better, keeping our home cleaner (getting rid of and collecting less stuff). There are things that we need still and we cannot afford (for example, I need a new post-baby wardrobe for winter), but also, there are things we buy that we do not need (i.e. more pacifiers for the baby).
We also have started eating many more meals at home, and packing food to eat when we leave. He has started drinking more coffee in our kitchen, and much less in his car and at the local *$.The baby needed some hats, and so I made them from old onesies she outgrew instead of dropping $10 for three at Target.
As students, we’re still learning how to manage our money at all, but as new parents, there are a million things we never considered we would need to watch. It’s easy to get caught up in consumerism as new parents: for example, we recently went on a spree of spending, despite the economy’s bad shape. However, it was on a micro level, and our tab only came to about $200. We got the top things we’d been wanting as new parents, and I don’t regret any of them- we thought, and thought about each purchase and resisted a long time. But now that we have them, they DO help us enjoy being new parents more than having that extra $200 sitting in the bank. The purchases?
A car mirror for traveling so Pappa could see the baby when I’m not in the car to soothe her , a Bumbo seat AND tray, even though she’s just 2 months old (we bought that in blue, too, just in case someday we have a boy..). Then there's the Peanut Shell sling for me, something I had wanted since before I had her, and I wish I had got sooner. This isn't a product recommendation, but I will tell you...it was WELL worth it.
The only thing I would have done differently, is, silly me- shopped for these items second hand (like, for example, maybe on Ebay, if I weren't a dim wit). Since they’re all lightweight, I could have probably got them at great prices and shipped cheaply. We did search for coupons online first though!
The other change we are in the process of making is reducing our dependence on plastic grocery bags. I’d like to say it’s all because I’m environmentally conscious, but I really just hate having all those plastic bags taking up space in my kitchen. Currently, we use them for doggy poo...which sucks when they are a bit holy.
The other bit of wisdom we have learned is to earn our credit card points. I never had credit cars before, but now I am learning to use those cards in my advantage. (HOWEVER, we make sure to never, ever, under any circumstance even so much as think about carrying a balance. It's scares me so much to think about getting into debt that I wont use the card if I know we can't go straight home and pay for the item). This means store cards and other kinds, as well as those points’ cards stores give you, which often come with being put on a coupon list as well. Most mailing lists I loathe, but free coupons are always nice if they’re for something I will use. And for the rest, I’ve started sending them to a sister in law, who in turn sends me her unused baby coupons. It’s a win-win for all, except the cat: no one seems to have one, and you’d be surprised how many cat coupons we get each week. Maybe we should start looking for a kitten : )
10/19/08
Baby generator
When I was pregnant with Cuppycake, I always wondered what she would look like. Part of me was horrified and convinced that she would look awful (no, really- I think it’s easy when you’re pregnant to believe you will think your baby is ugly),
And I was also convinced she might not resemble me at all.
I searched high and low for a baby generator- where I could mesh two photos of Pappa Starbucks and myself and find out what she would look like.
I never found one while I was expecting.
And then I forgot about it, simply because, well,she’s beautiful?
And anyway,I can’t imagine feeling any other way than what I do about her!! However, VW (yes, the same people who gave us the jetta and the rabbit) just came out with one. It’s pretty fun, and very cute, and it reminded me of my earlier searches on Google, half frantic, typing “baby maker” or “baby generator” and plowing through the results. This one is fun, though, even if it is to promote a car. It’s called the RoutanBabymaker3000.
Try it. It’s fun, and it will make you grin. I like that it allows you to adjust how much of each parent it adds, and try different photos.
And I was also convinced she might not resemble me at all.
I searched high and low for a baby generator- where I could mesh two photos of Pappa Starbucks and myself and find out what she would look like.
I never found one while I was expecting.
And then I forgot about it, simply because, well,she’s beautiful?
And anyway,I can’t imagine feeling any other way than what I do about her!! However, VW (yes, the same people who gave us the jetta and the rabbit) just came out with one. It’s pretty fun, and very cute, and it reminded me of my earlier searches on Google, half frantic, typing “baby maker” or “baby generator” and plowing through the results. This one is fun, though, even if it is to promote a car. It’s called the RoutanBabymaker3000.
Try it. It’s fun, and it will make you grin. I like that it allows you to adjust how much of each parent it adds, and try different photos.
10/3/08
This post is for you, "pappa starbucks"
Ahem.
My question is this...how are you going to find time to read my blog, what with all the election drama?
I mean, seriously. We all saw that debate last night, and I am sure you have the transcripts playing on your Mac right now, but what I don't get is why you enjoy it so much, over and over and over.
You listen to the NPR rundown of the debate. Then you turn on Hardball. And then, after that skit is over.... you watch the Daily Show.
With all that time you spend watching the same debate clips, over and over....and over...you could have really, I don't know, maybe have learned how to do advanced rocket engine science?
Just kidding.
But seriously, I am intrigued by your constant pursuit for political information, and yet you claim you can't stand being right in the middle of it. Most Americans, right now, either LOVE Sarah Palin and her "hand-licking bandits,"
or they don't. And you, despite LOVING politics, and despite being amazingly smart when it comes to economics, you haven't decided who you're voting for yet.
And while politics are a very edgy subject with most Americans, you like to dive right in, and show what you know. You came home every day last week telling me about the Mortgage crisis, and the bail out, and the way that Wall-Street works, and why we should KEEP OUR MONEY IN THE BANKS even though banks are failing, left and right.
Because, despite how aggravating you are, and the fact that you think MY breastfeeding OUR DAUGHTER is embarrassing, I am honestly, quite amazed with how dang smart you really are when it comes to all of this.
Love you,
Mamma Pie
My question is this...how are you going to find time to read my blog, what with all the election drama?
I mean, seriously. We all saw that debate last night, and I am sure you have the transcripts playing on your Mac right now, but what I don't get is why you enjoy it so much, over and over and over.
You listen to the NPR rundown of the debate. Then you turn on Hardball. And then, after that skit is over.... you watch the Daily Show.
With all that time you spend watching the same debate clips, over and over....and over...you could have really, I don't know, maybe have learned how to do advanced rocket engine science?
Just kidding.
But seriously, I am intrigued by your constant pursuit for political information, and yet you claim you can't stand being right in the middle of it. Most Americans, right now, either LOVE Sarah Palin and her "hand-licking bandits,"
or they don't. And you, despite LOVING politics, and despite being amazingly smart when it comes to economics, you haven't decided who you're voting for yet.
And while politics are a very edgy subject with most Americans, you like to dive right in, and show what you know. You came home every day last week telling me about the Mortgage crisis, and the bail out, and the way that Wall-Street works, and why we should KEEP OUR MONEY IN THE BANKS even though banks are failing, left and right.
Because, despite how aggravating you are, and the fact that you think MY breastfeeding OUR DAUGHTER is embarrassing, I am honestly, quite amazed with how dang smart you really are when it comes to all of this.
Love you,
Mamma Pie
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