Dresser Shopping

Holy Cow Moment?:  I apparently am clueless on what a dresser should cost.

Thanks to a new baby we have to redistribute throughout the house.  While going through the: what we have and what we need, we decided that maybe a new dresser for our toddler was a better option and recycle the old to the new baby.  The dresser is mine from being a child and is a tank – but isn’t exactly cute.  So off we go onto a new hunt for a dresser.  Let me start out by saying that I refuse to pay over $300 for a dresser.  My ideal price is under $200. 

As I scour the internet, what did we do before the internet? Anyway,  as I scour the internet, clicking on different store ads, using Google to find new stores, it becomes apparent that dressers cost a whole lot of money.  Dismay fills me as I realize we can’t get our child a new dresser, but what about a new to her dresser?  Craigs list here I come.  My jaw drops as I click on one ad link to the next.  Wow is there some ugly out there.  Just because you saw some value in that dresser in the 70’s does not mean it is still worth that today.  Sitting back in my chair I have to wonder where do I go now?  Do I twiddle my thumbs or sit an wallow?  Who knows.  What I do know is my daughter is a proud new owner of a toddler slide that craigs list had.  I shake my head.  Why is it that you give up on what you were looking for and somehow find something else you didn’t really need.

Holy Cow do I have ADD.  I look for a dress and buy a slide.  Well at least she is having fun. 

Warning Labels - Caution You are Now Entering Parenthood

Holy Cow Moment:  If your job came with a warning label what would it be?

Parenthood:

Warning: May cause severe heart issues, nervous twitches, lack of energy, unexplained weight gain, loss of adult vocabulary, disappearance of time, unidentified stains on clothing, homes may suddenly appear tiny, hair loss or unexplained hair-styles, lack of patience, leaky bladders during sneezes or extreme laughter, uncontrolled laughter, millions of smiles, a weak spot for a tiny human, loss of concern if your house is messy, overwhelming pride, and complete disregard for everything else wrong with your body now. 

The Joys of Pregnancy

I have officially broken out the elastic pants.  Why?  Well who wouldn’t want an excuse to wear elastic pants? 

So what if I can still get into my normal – pre-baby pants.  They are getting tighter every day and why put the baby and myself in discomfort for the sake of saying “I’m still wearing my normal pants.”  My response is generally going to be “good for you.  Want a cookie?”

So great news for me.

I no longer need to hide my, never been flat, stomach.  Now I get to flaunt any rounding-out there is. 

I get to wear elastic pants – as stated above. 

Your libido takes a jump for the better – well you think it is for the better while going through it and I doubt any husbands complain.

Your chest has a tendency to grow – okay not great for you if you are larger busted but once again no spouses seem to complain.

You get to gain weight and have something to blame it on.

You have a great reason to eat the extra serving of pie at Thanksgiving OR turn down that nasty casserole your aunt makes every year.  Just claim you will toss your cookies due to its ingredients being an aversion. 

Your hair and nails grow better and faster than ever before.

People claim you glow.  Frankly that sounds radioactive and unhealthy, but what woman doesn’t love to feel attractive.

You have an excuse of why you are tired and need to nap.

You have an excuse of why you DESPERATLY need to go to a burger joint of ice cream parlor STAT.  (Who doesn’t want to use the word Stat.)

You get a whole new wardrobe.

Everyone is nicer to you, including the public, but not your next door lesbian neighbor.

I know there are a million more things that make pregnancy rock but I will stop there for now.  I am ignoring morning sickness, constipation, exhaustion, food aversions, crying all the time, bloating, swelling, having to push a boulder through a straw sized hole, prenatal diabetes, preeclampsia, and the fact that you will have to someday deal with a toddler.

Holy cow I love my elastic pants.

The Cost to Raise Our Kids

I had a different post in mind for today but thanks to MSN I had to change my mind. 
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Holy Cow Moment #?:  We all knew raising children had a hefty price tag but who knew Colorado (the state in which I live) could make that cost even more.  Don't worry Illinois, Massachusetts and 7 other states you all got recognition too.

Thank you MSN for brightening my day.  Colorado is number 4 on the list of most expensive states to raise a child.  Yes you read that right.  NUMBER 4. It's enough to make me want to cry.  I knew raising a baby - well 2, wasn't going to be cheap but when the average of childcare is as high as it is that just makes it all the more worse. 

It's bad when I saw the MSN post today and all I could think was "oh please let my state be on there."  No it wasn't because I wanted bragging rights.  It was because I feel like I pay A LOT for childcare and I just can't believe we are 'cheap.'  Well I suppose I feel vindicated - or robbed.  I suppose I have mixed feelings on knowing the truth. 

Oh well.  What can we do.  Like they say.  If you wait to be able to afford a child you will never have them and I can't see my life without my daughter.  Sorry baby two, I don't know you yet to say the same. 

Holy Cow its highway robbery.  Everyone says you can't put a price tag on the value your child adds to your life too bad we can put a number to what they take away.  I did just say she was worth it right?

When “Advice” Goes Wrong

ADVISORY: This is a rant.  Do not take anything personal - but if you notice you may be a culprit or a victim then you may laugh with me.  Culprit's learn from your mistakes.

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Holy Crap Cow Moment ?: When is enough enough? How do you stop the "advice diarrhea?"

  How much advice is useful?  Well, when the advice in unsolicited sometimes none.  While you are pregnant you hear everyone’s thoughts and opinions, which can get annoying, but what happens after the baby is here?

 

For the most part you will always hear the “if you just did this, that wouldn’t happen.”  Although most likely a lot of parents you know or run into will say “oh, we had that same issue and this is how we dealt…”  Which is advice based on experience, okay, I think that can be helpful.

Sadly though there are some that step over the bounds and criticize.  Maybe criticize isn’t what they mean to do but when they can’t approve of a single thing that you are doing to raise your child that is exactly what they are doing.  Easy to overlook one or two comments, harder when you reach the fiftieth.

How do you handle the grandparent/parent/family member/friend/etc that know everything? 

• Sure you can ignore the advice, but at some point they get offended.  (Yes I know, I tried)
•  So next step, explain how your parenting is different.  Now you are being disrespectful and saying they are wrong (which you probably are but not on purpose. People giving the ‘advice’ usually will take any disagreement of their views as rude). 
• Maybe you can avoid them as a last resort?  No, that means you are being rude and once again, disrespectful.

But what other passive alternatives are there?  Now, the above is assuming you care about the relationship with the over-advising party.

If you answered no to that last statement then my suggestion is to block the caller ID, avoid any place that person may hang out, and when all else fails run them down with any motorized option of your choice – by accident of course.
 

I would like to remind involved parties that advice is an option, not a must.  Too bad this rant will fall onto the ears of those that have the same issue opposed to those that are guilty of the crime.
 

Dictionary.com says:

 ad·vice [ad-vahys] Show IPA noun

1. an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc.: I shall act on your advice.

2. a communication, especially from a distance, containing information: Advice from abroad informs us that the government has fallen. Recent diplomatic advices have been ominous.

3. an official notification, especially one pertaining to a business agreement: an overdue advice.