ramblings of a housebound mom

We have decided to say no to fast food.

For the last four years, we have relied heavily on fast food since we didn't have the time or energy to cook. Now that I'm a 'housewoman' otherwise known as a stay at home mom, I have time to do a lot of things that I couldn't do before.

Even though I can't guarantee when something will get done, I am able to make sure that I get a few things done. My favorite part of cooking? Leftovers. That is definitely something we don't get through the drive thru and for, like, 4 bucks I can have spaghetti one night, spaghetti sandwiches the next day, and then some left over pasta during the week. It's day two and I think we've already saved twenty dollars.

The biggest perk is, i can plan out our meals so that we don't have to throw away a lot of food when we move.

My husband just got his official orders, so we will be out of here by the 15th of February.

WOO!!!

We're finally going to move and will eventually be in a real home again, rather than a two bed, two bath 950sqft storage room. We don't have a whole lot of packing left to do since we have been slowly getting non essential items packed since August. Why August? Well, we were first told that we would move in June, then July, Then September, then December.

In other news, I'm trying to transition Ally to her crib. Up until now, we've been co-sleeping. I want my be back. I want to be able to roll over and not worry that I'm going to crush someone too small to push me off. Okay, there's another reason. Ally fell off the bed. We were sleeping, then she woke up and crawled right off the edge. Fortunately, she landed on pillows and was fine, but still... it was terrifying.

It took about forty minutes of crying and me checking on her, but it sounds like she may have finally gone to sleep.

They say that tomorrow will be worse.

Fun, fun, fun!

Just another day

I have moved many, many times in my life but this is the first time I'm trying to get ready to move with an infant. It's a whole different ballgame. Packing has been a bit of a challenge since she has my near-constant attention so it's a really good thing I left my job so early. We were supposed to have been moved already but my husband's squadron keeps pushing back his orders.

With a military move, there are two ways you can do thing. Either they will hire a company to come and pack up all of your possessions, then move you to your new location or they will pay you to move yourself. They pay 95% of what it would cost them to have someone else move you.

So far, we have had the Air Force move us since we haven't had the time/energy/interest to do everything ourselves but this time we are going to take the money.

Some of our friends have already moved to the new location and with their numbers we estimate that we can make about 5-7 thousand dollars by doing it ourselves. Woohoo!

Other than actually doing all of the manual labor (okay, it isn't that bad. I've done it many times before. but it's still a pain!) the only downside is that we don't know where we will be living. We are trying to get base housing because it will simplify a lot of things but there are also a lot of drawbacks. We found a house that is well within our price range (the mortgage would be about $200 a month and since it uses an evaporative cooler rather than refrigerated air, the electricity costs would be fairly low.)

As much as I would love to own a house and be able to do everything I want, if there are openings within a reasonable length of time, we will probably live on base.

For the past 6 months (since they first told us we were moving. Thanks guys.) we have been living in a partially packed apartment. It's starting to drive me a little crazy so I can't wait for us to get to the new town and get settled in.

Oh! Look what Ally can do!







She did this all on her own without any help from me. Happy 7 months, Ally!

Update:

Ally is crawling, sitting up totally unassisted and is getting up on her knees to reach things. I blame her monkey toy. It sings a little song that tells her to "stretch up tall, like a giraffe!" No! keep her low to the ground! There are dangers!

She can also open drawers. And is trying to climb up on the couch...

Man, when they get mobile things move quick!

I have some videos to share but it seems that our Flip Video is missing. Hopefully I will find it soon so I can show you the awesomeness. :D

For now, check this out.
This was two days before she learned how to sit up on her own. How cute is that pose?

Uh Oh

So... my daughter is nearly 7 months old. Which means her birthday is coming up. Which means my birthday is coming up.

Aw crap, another year.

At this point, I have to do something freaking amazing or resign myself to the fact that I couldn't live up to my potential.

What do I mean?

Well, you see, when I was in high school one of my friends parents said the most peculiar thing about me. They said that they envisioned me becoming the next George Lucas. In what way? Doing something pretty cool and having it turn into this amazing, life altering thing.

I have had various opportunities to be a part of something huge, but for some reason I couldn't pay attention to anything long enough to actually do anything.

Sure, I have tons of great stories. But do I really have anything to show for it?

Instead of wowing the masses, I got married to a great guy and we have a pretty cool little lady. That's great too, I mean.. I wouldn't trade it for anything... but what if I had followed one of those random, twisting life paths. Couldn't I still have ended up with my husband and my daughter? Plus a fat stack of cash? Er... I mean

I want to do something!

I have lots of great ideas but there isn't much I can do with them. Maybe I can sell them on Ebay?

The biggest thing is... I kind of think that my work/efforts/stuff will be worth way more once I'm dead. What kind of kick in the teeth is that? 'Oh, you were really awesome and all when you were breathing but now that you're dead, everyone wants a piece of that.'

I don't know. Maybe if I throw myself at everything, something will stick.

Okay, I'm an award winning artist. I guess that counts for something. Too bad I really suck at art. The one thing I've been recognized for is the one thing I feel least good about.

Bah. This is probably just the lack of Zoloft talking.

For those that aren't aware, there was an issue getting my prescription refilled. And don't even be all "well you waited until the last minute, you were asking for it." No. I waited until I had 8 pills left, which was more than enough time to get a refill. Then once I realized this was not going to be an easy task, I started cutting them in half and skipping days. Now I'm totally out.

Zoloft withdrawal is rough. I've been working really hard to get a refill or a temporary prescription but I seem to be caught in the middle of this huge catch-22. the earliest doctors appointment is in almost 3 weeks, so I'm just going to have to rough it.

Expect lots of mindless drivel.

Then again, isn't that what a blog is for?

Goodbye, insecurities

Hello, total pre-life crisis.

Okay, so I'm a fairly crafty person. I have sold a handful of things here and there for side cash.

I'm about to take this to the next level.

To fund my stay-at-homeness, I'm becoming a crafter-for-sale.

It won't happen in the next few days, or maybe even months due to the move, but before the year is out you will see pictures of my completed projects and you will hear all about my mistakes.

I'm nervous. I know my work is good enough to sell, but how do you even begin to price handmade goods during a recession?

I'm going to start out working through the crafting supplies I have on hand, and shipping will be charged separately from the item... that way I don't feel like I'm overcharging too terribly much.

I know that my time is technically worth more, but I'll be making things (which I love) and then getting rid of them (which my husband loves) and putting back some money for Alyssa's future (which she will love when she's old enough to appreciate it.)

If I don't sell anything, I can always say that I tried. With any luck (and a lot of hot glue) I'll be able to make a little bit of money.

What spurred this? I saw a poor-quality, not that interesting wreath sell for nearly $75. Apparently, wreaths are expensive! I make good wreaths. I've had people try to buy the wreaths off of my door.

If I can even make $10 over cost, I'll be very happy.

Plus, I can knit, sew, paint... I can do all sorts of things with paper, and I know what moms are looking for when it comes to kid friendly items.

Nevermind that half finished quilt, I've got more important things to do now!

I'd better start small.

The Many Adventures of an AllyMonster

note: AllyMonster is a game that we play where we growl and she growls back. This has nothing to do with her behavior. She is a good baby.

I have eaten a lot of my words since Alyssa was born. Before she arrived, I said that I didn't want the epidural (I'm soooo glad that I got it when I did. Being maxed out on pitocin for nearly 24 hours was hell. Plus I had to have an emergency c-section. Yay epidural! Can I have another?) that I would not coddle her (yeah, like that was going to work) and that we would not co-sleep.

That one lasted about two weeks.

Growing up, I was 100% sure that when I had a child, we would not be co-sleeping. I often said "If the bible has taught me anything, it's that you don't co-sleep! It's dangerous!" Oddly, of all the bible stories I read/heard growing up, that part of that particular story is what really stuck with me. Not that being a mother means making hard choices for the good of your child, but that you will smother your baby if they sleep in your bed.

Well, after accidentally falling asleep with Alyssa while nursing, I realized that you can co-sleep and not have to choose which end of another kid you would rather have. Mostly it has been pretty uneventful.

Until last night.

This morning I was woken up, not by the usual infant hand hitting me in the face, but by inconsolable crying. I was half asleep so I tried feeding her and rocking her, but neither would work. I finally got my eyes good and open when I realized that there was a weird smudge on her leg. "Is that what I think it is?" You may remember the Olive Garden incident from several posts back. Yeah. It was.

We had woken up a little bit before that and I noticed that she was grunting and straining, but since I was half asleep I didn't really think much of it. Apparently, the force of her expulsion was so great that it blew straight out of her diaper and onto our bed... and pillows... and a little bit on the wall.

I jumped out of bed and swooped her up, trying to contain the mess as much as possible. We both got hosed down and got our outfits changed, then she played with her fancy toys, happy as a clam, while I tried to get our bed back into shape. I stripped the sheets and threw the pillows in the wash, then scrubbed the mattress and wall.

Crisis contained.

A little while later, while we were in the living room, I was keeping an eye on Ally while trying to take a nap. She's on the floor, entertained. What can go wrong, right? HA! Just as I was about to doze off, there was a thud across the room. I jumped up and ran to the baby but she was fine, then I looked over and noticed that our cat knocked all of the glasses off of the bar where the kitchen sink looks into the living room. One of them was half full, as I had been using it earlier.

Did I mention that I haven't been able to get my anti-depressants refilled?

While I was trying not to strangle the cat, I cleaned up the mess. Then I came back to see Alyssa scooting across the floor as fast as her little body would let her. (She hasn't really grasped the concept of crawling, so she just throws herself in the direction she wants to go, then scoots.) What was she after? The cat.

Now, the cat has no claws and has been neutered, so most people probably wouldn't see a problem with this situation.

Our cat's formal name is Professor Chaos Alastor Moody; Eater of Crepes, aka Mr. KittyFace, aka Bitey.

Alyssa does not understand that you can use your arms and hands for more than just beating your singing toy into submission or punching mommy in the face until she sings the right song. She has no idea that you can be gentle. She has no idea that this cat is twice her size and could smother her with his massive paw.

The cat does not understand that this tiny being is in charge.

Alyssa would shove her pudgy little fist into Chaos' side and Chaos would get mad. At first he was just swatting at her with his paws, then she grabbed his paw and tried to put it in her mouth. That was her way of saying "Hello, Mr. KittyFace. My name is Alyssa. Would you like to help me play with this toy?"

I lunged at Alyssa and shoved my arm between her and the cat just in time to get some lovely teeth marks in my forearm.

By the way, does anyone want a mountain sized cat? He makes a great belated holiday present!

The rest of the afternoon was spent saving the baby from certain doom, trying to get her to to take a nap (she refused. I am sooo paying for that right now.) and wondering when my darling husband was going to walk through the door and rescue me from this zoo.

Tonight, rather than skipping the Zoloft all-together until we sort out this refill business, I took half of a pill. Hopefully that will tide me over for a day or two. I only have a pill and a half left, so we'd better get this figured out fast.

Who knows what adventures are in store for tomorrow.

The Aftermath

I just realized that I never made the obligatory Christmas post! It was a very good year. First off, I got my baby back-- which is really all I needed-- and then I got to see my parents and got extra presents on top of it! Best. Christmas. Ever.

I found some killer sales and used my work discount to my advantage when shopping, so recession Christmas actually ended up being more fruitful than 'good economy' Christmas.

For my husband, I got him a Flip video and a 14 piece stainless steel cookware set (then a few small things like a version of Jenga that's got the pieces shaped like bones and a stuffed, mounted Cthulhu head), and then he got a buttload of giftcards. I got a metal detector, an awesome ring with Ally's birthstone, matching earrings, the Wizard of OZ 70th anniversary collectors limited edition set, and Princess by Vera Wang.

From a coworker, I got a muffin pan that makes dino shaped muffins! How awesome is that!?

Then there's Ally. She hit the jackpot. I think she has just about every toy made for her age range that V-Tech makes, plus the Fisher Price educational toys. She got a high chair, a bunch of books so that she can have bedtime stories, and several stuffed animals larger than she is.

Plus clothes. She got lots of clothes.

Naturally, about the time we give up on the move and start settling in to our household again, my husband finally gets his order. They are supposed to arrive tomorrow.

Awesome!

We think we found a house (well within our price range. With my husband's living allowance, we will actually be making money by owning a home.) it's modest but it has a really great backyard!

Thanks to the internet, I found instructions on how to make a solar panel and wind turbine, so if we get the house we're going to give that a shot and take advantage of the eco friendly renovation tax break. We have also decided that with me staying at home, we can save on certain expenses by doing things the old fashioned way. For instance, we will be line drying our clothes rather than using the clothes dryer. We will still have one in case of emergency (I need pants in an hour! Why are there no clean pants!) but since the house uses an evaporative cooler rather than refrigerated air, it is in our best interest to keep the house as humid as possible.

Plus, I will finally have a garden.

The goal is to be as resourceful as possible, so we will be building rather than buying and upcycling whatever we can. Fortunately, this will lead to greener living and hopefully give Alyssa a better appreciation of the world around her.

Or she may just thing that we were cheap.

Either way, it'll be a good thing for us, I think.

Happy New Year!

So far this year, I have taken a lovely nap with my daughter, watched a few movies (most recently, Elmo in Grouchland, which I had never seen. Surprisingly, I liked it. So did Alyssa.) and talked to my parents for a bit.

We discussed, among other things, how we want to spell the shortened version of Alyssa. So far, no one seems to agree on the spelling. I've been using Allie, my husband was doing Alley, my mom uses Aly, and everyone else can't even spell Alyssa much less something shorter. I think we'll go with Ally... then again, that's already a word. Maybe I'll just call her Alice.

Aside from that, I came up with some resolutions. Normally, I don't put a lot of thought into them because I figure it will never happen anyway, but this year I really want to put some effort into it. Mostly because I'm starting to notice that I'm getting older and I feel like I should have done something more with my life. Anyway, here goes!

1. Spend more time outside.

Currently, I'm nervous about taking Ally outside since there's so much smog and it gets really windy and people here are crazy. When we move, I want to get bikes so that we can go riding on the weekends. I want to invest in some good camping equipment so that we can instill an appreciation for the outdoors, and hopefully show our daughter that we need to preserve nature.

Also, it's fun.

2. I want to read at least one story per day to Ally.

This seems pretty easy, but right now she has the attention span of a turnip and the energy of a hummingbird, so it's a lot harder than it sounds.

3. I need to curb my spending.

I'm not sure if we've discussed this before, but I have ADD and one of the less fun symptoms is compulsive shopping. In the past it wasn't much of an issue because my job always covered the rest of our expenses and we still had enough left over to shop every now and then. Thanks to my wonderful ex-job, we have been able to fully pay off the last remaining student loan and put enough cash into savings that we can live comfortably without me having to work. As long as we stick to the budget.

4. I want to start making gifts rather than buying them.

I think this might help me curb my spending a bit. When I go shopping I see a lot of awesome things that just scream someones name at me. So I buy it for them. I love giving gifts. I also love making things. I think handmade gifts are more special than store bought ones, but I never really had the time to put into really making something awesome for someone. I hope that I will be able to now that I have an awesome little helper.


Isn't she adorable?

By the way, she got her two front teeth for Christmas. How awesome is that?

5. Stay on top of the chores.

We have a habit of letting things get a little piled up before we declutter/do laundry/clean out the fridge. It's so true that if you just spend a little bit of time each day, you can keep the chaos to a minimum and still have a happy, functioning household. However, life gets in the way. My biggest goal of the year is to get organized and stay organized. If I just take an hour each day to make sure everything gets put in it's place, I can keep the housework caught up and we will all be able to stretch out and have some breathing room. This is going to be the hardest thing on the list, so don't you dare wag your finger if you stop by and the clothes aren't put away and I have to clean off the couch for you to sit down.

If you want to see me, you're welcome to drop by any time. If you want to see my house, please call to make an appointment at least three weeks in advance.