Shoe Addiction, Oreck Air Purifiers, etc.

Well, I have a headache. I took Ibuprofin, so I think it's on it's way out. I am a little frustrated today because I wanted to order another Oreck Air Purifier. We have one in our room that I bought about two years ago. The damn things are INSANELY expensive, but they work great and you never have to replace the filter because it works forever and has a lifetime warranty. So It's $349 ON SALE for the holidays and if you buy one, you get one half price. I wanted to buy one for the baby's room and get rid of the old loud one from Kenmore that we have to buy filters for, because it's old, loud, large, dirty, and the filters are expensive and can only be ordered via this great big telephone process because the damn thing is like 5 years old and they never know what I am talking about and the part number is no good anymore.

Anyway, I called to order another Oreck, and they now have a new policy. When I bought the previous one, you pay like $30 a month for a year until it's paid off, and I gave them my debit card. Now they have this new "rule" (supposedly because the governement passed a truth in lending law) and they can't use DEBIT cards but only CREDIT cards... which is a royal pain in my ass. I don't run around with an extra $349 to spend on air purifiers... so to make a long story short, I don't have a new one coming now. Frustrating.

So while the Oreck works great, and they have a great payment plan, and I don't have to buy replacement filters, I can't get one and I blame the government.

So, enough of that. Now that I have my groceries bought, I need to make Sweet Potato Casserole on Thursday and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars on Wednesday. I also need to clean off the dining room table because there is a flower faerie factory there, from last night when I got started making flower fairies like this cottony candy pink one and this mandarin orange one... and this really cute one with a teeny tiny updo.

Last night I organized Ardyn's shoes according to size. My shoe addiction is getting crazy when it comes to her. But keep in mind that all of these shoes (which don't include any of her slippers) are in four different sizes, so she will be able to wear them for like the first year of her life, and they are all pretty much steals on ebay or on clearance at stores. And 5 pair of them were gifts. Many of them I bought before I was even pregnant, some of them while pregnant, and some more recently. Like the newest acquisitions... the Gymboree pink double strap mary janes, Gymboree furry leopard printmary janes, Gymboree Brown Puppy Boots, etc. The brown puppy boots are my stinkin favorite, as soon as she hits 3-6 months she should fit them, and I have all the outfits that match them, and the socks that match too although you won't see them under those lil boots! But the tag shows the retail price of $44.5o and I got them NWT On ebay for $3.25- that's cheaper than almost all the shoes at Wal-Mart!

So anyway, now you know what I've been up to. How about you?

And I need to find a home for the new crock pot while I try to evict the old one on freecycle.

Shoes!

Tonight I am really tired. I should be in bed right now! Soon. Soon.

We connected the co-sleeper to the bed tonight. Last night we made the migration to co-sleeper, and it worked well. The only thing I didn't like (and it isn't the co-sleeper's fault) is that she is a scooter and she can almost roll herself onto her stomach (because the mattress is so firm in it) and she can scoot herself so that her face is pressed up against the side. So until the sleep positioner arrives, I put her foam contour pillow into the co-sleeper and use it as a sleep positioner, since it is so firm. It keeps her on her side and prevents her from blocking her nose and mouth. She slept fairly well. She didn't get to sleep till just after 1 and I didn't get to sleep till almost 2am... but we did okay.

Today was busy. We got ready to go and Ardyn wore her first pair of shoes today! They are so cute and soft and she LOVED them. As soon as I put one on, here eyes got big and wide and she looked at me like "what are those?!" and then when I stood her up and her feet made contact with a surface, she was like "WHOA!" and stood up tall and looked wide-eyed at me. Shoes!

We were scheduled to visit Grandma Johnson today but when we got to her house she wasn't home. We left a note and then went off to visit Aunt Liz in Mineral instead, followed by Grandma Deb and Great Grandparents on the Rodgers side. It was nice to be at mom's, as always. She holds Ardyn unless I am feeding or changing her, and I have TWO FREE ARMS! Yay! By the time we got done with all our afternoon and evening visits, it was after 7 when we got home. Evan and I ordered Casey's pizza and Evan cleaned the dog kennels, then took the dogs for an R-I-D-E (we have to spell it or they go CRAZY) and put the seat down in the back of the explorer so they would have the entire back to roam in. They loved it.

I watched the pilot episode of "Dirty Sexy Money" and actually really enjoyed it. I boycotted the Grey's Anatomy Spin-Off because I just didn't feel like getting attached to another show and honestly I wasn't all that thrilled with the episode that we saw last year (that was Technically a Grey's episode.) Besides that I sat down to get an order together from Motherwear and discovered that the $30 shirt that I bought when I was pregnant, that didn't work out, had to be returned in 60 days, and because I bought it the beginning of July when I was pregnant, and couldn't really TELL if it would fit when I wasn't pregnant, It's now too late to return it. Ugh. So I emailed them and let them know what happened and asked them to make an exception and allow me to exchange it and place another $100 order. I wonder what they will say. I have never washed or worn it, it's in the plastic and I have my receipt. Bummer.

My back hurts tonight, and it may be because I am tired.

I need to do my face treatment and get to bed! Take Care!

Shopping and Reading

Well, the pregnant thing is going well. I got new shoes to wear to work, my loafers and my mary janes were all busted uncomfortable, and my feet were killing me by the end of the day. So I looked for something that could hopefully work as comfort and could potentially be worn with skirts like Mary Janes.... and I picked some Sketchers Bikers in Black. They arrived (FINALLY) yesterday and I do love them. I love how the bottoms have great grip and traction, so I hopefully won't slip and fall while preggo. The only thing is that they don't have much arch support, but I bought my regular size and they seem to be a little bigger, so I think they will work well even if my feet start to swell or something.... and I may be able to add some insoles with some arch support.

I also ordered a pair of slides and a dress to wear to a wedding we are going to in May, for our friend Joe. I can't wait since I am pregnant I don't get to go "out" really. I tend to be at home crocheting or watching TV or organizing or sleeping. LOL. I can't wait to go! I really want to get a pedicure since I can't seem to paint my toenails accurately now. But my nail-doing/hairdresser friend is too pregnant to do pedicures... so I will have to find a new place for this one time. I grabbed a cute Maternity Wrap Dress for $24 from Old Navy, and some cute slides from payless for like $16.99, which will allow me to be comfy on my feet for the reception and hopefully be able to wear them all summer comfortably too. They have a low wedge heel, so I think they will be fab. I used to have a pair almost identical years ago, but they got icky and I tossed them. They have always been my favorite kinds of slides. The dress is super cute but it's hard to see details in the picture (click to make larger) since it's all black. it has turnback sleeves or you can wear them full length.... and it has a cute tie with a bow on the left side in front, and it wraps across the chest. The tie is just above your belly for an empire waist look. It also has a johnny collar neck. So that's exciting for me. LOL.

It's Wednesday, which I am happy about, but of course I can't wait for the weekend. The house is clean and I am working on laundry, Evan was so nice last night to help me by rolling the dishwasher over after I loaded it with dirty dishes and soap, and then helping carry clean towels and rugs up and then helping me fold them without even having to be asked. I just love when he does little things like that.

I got a new magazine called Mothering. I actually really enjoy it, although it can be a bit too granola munching, Latched on Babies, and Slings. I want to breastfeed. I want to have a sling.... but I don't believe that my baby needs to sleep in my bed for the first year to be healthy and happy, and I don't believe that I need to wear my baby all day long, and I don't believe that I need to breast feed for 5 years. The first year would be an awesome goal that I will try my hardest to do, but hey, Baby steps here! They can go really over the top about the whole thing, but they have good articles that do give out good information on topics that I find interesting as a new mom. I think 1 year won't be a bad subscription.

They are also very into natural or green living, and cleaning with vinegar and wearing all organic cotton, and in the back there are a few scary advertisements for things like washable cotton maxi pads and sea sponge tampons. (that may be taking it a little too far.) If I were a SAHM I might have more time to think of those things, but I do try to think of the environment. I don't like styrofoam and I recycle and I donate to arbor day and sign petitions and try to stay aware. But I don't feel the need to use cloth diapers or sea sponge tampons. Sorry. I have to draw the line somewhere. But they do have great articles about supporting breastfeeding mothers and allowing breastfeeding in public places, which I am all for.

They have a few things that I think are meant to scare the bejeezus out of you and force you to think you are a bad mother if you don't exchange your mattress and your baby's for an all organic mattress, because there is some chemical in your mattress that is found in ALL Mother's breast milk and how come you don't feel AWFUL for feeding your baby these poison toxins!? But I did read something else interesting... that wal-mart sells nursery water (marked as such, for babies) with Fluoride. And this is a HUGE no-no. Apparently babies are getting TOO Much fluoride because it's in their formula AND it's in their nursery water (in certain cases) and Dr.'s for the American Academy of Pediatrics say that it's too much fluoride and I can't remember the side effects or whatever it causes.... but it was like WHOA! So I learn things that are relevant.

I am coveting the La Leche League Book and a few other breastfeeding books at Amazon.com but I am too cheap to buy them now, since I am saving cash for our weekend to Milwaukee. But eventually, I will own them.

So since my mind is mostly consumed with being pregnant, that's all I can think of, and that's all I have to say.

Good Day.

Well, it's so far been a nice and productive weekend, even if the house is still a wreck. On Friday I went and picked up my glasses in Geneseo, then to Peru where I had an ultrasound just before lunch. The ultrasound was good, the baby looks good, heartbeat, pulsing umbilical cord, the whole deal.... but the baby was moving so much that he couldn't really get a good picture so I don't have much to "show." The specialist is releasing me to my midwife for care now, so that is good news.

After the ultrasound I went shopping for a new mattress. Lay's in Peru had the BEST Prices and a huge 40% off sale. I grabbed a Sealy Posturepedic Plush (King sized! YEE!) that was originally $1600, for $944, so with tax I came in just $11 over my tax return budget. The sales people were EXCEPTIONALLY nice. Not pushy, very informed and polite. Did you know that if you get a stain on your mattress it voids your warranty? Jeez! Nazis! So they wanted to sell me a $75 waterproof mattress pad, but I found one at Sears in the mall for $40. I can just picture my water breaking on the new bed someday, or baby spitting up all over or something like that. Even though we don't have kids, I have already had one kid pee in our bed since we've had it. So I bought a waterproof protector. My friend Anya said that when she was pregnant, she put a plastic shower curtian under her mattress pad in case her water broke in bed. Smart! So the only issue I do have, is that the bed frame was $75, over my budget, and more than I wanted to spend. So I have two weeks to find a metal king sized bed frame. If ANYONE in my area has one to get rid of, please let me know!

Friday afternoon I grabbed my Ultrasound Roast Beef (Arby's is my ultrasound tradition) and then went to Menard's to buy green and antique white spray paint to match the baby's room. I have some wall things that need painted. I also picked up the safety 1st blind cord wraps, which I have wanted for a while, but they are hard to find in a store. I got 8, that's enough to do all the roman shades and mini-blinds in the house, as well as the roman shade we plan on getting for our bedroom very shortly.

After Menard's, I ran through the mall. The plan was to pick up a new Penney's catalog, since my card came in the mail and look at the mattress pads. When I got to Penney's they had a huge maternity sale, and they had $16 t-shirts by Duo for $8, so I grabbed a turquoise one, a hot pink one, and a red one. Great deals. I also grabbed a little JC Penney Maternity Catalog. Cute Stuff in there! There weren't any waterproof mattress pads in Penney's so I walked the entire length of the mall to Sears. My feet were killing me. That was when I remembered that I keep promising myself new tennis shoes for this pregnancy, something with lots of support since my feet have been hurting already. So in Sears I bought a pair of New Balance on sale, that you don't have to tie, they are regular tennis shoes but they have this cool elastic tongue and elastic laces. White with Pink and light silver accents. They are super comfy. Before I walked back across the mall I put them on and was so much happier!

Friday night I spent 5 hours making 6 loaves of Italian Sweet Bread. I watched my TIVO'd episodes of The O.C. and Grey's Anatomy. Anya and Ava stopped by for a while.

Saturday I had my scrapbooking potluck day. It was a snowy and blustery day. I took my gondola bread and we turned it into garlic bread with cheese. I made a baby brag book for my mom to use once she has her first grandbaby. It turned out really cute. It just took a cereal box to make the covers, cardstock and coordinating paper, and 3 notebook rings. And some embellishments.

Saturday evening I put together the new glider and ottoman. They forgot to send the allen wrench! I had a set of allen wrenches that look like a swiss army knife, and was able to tighten all but two of the screws because the allen wrench I had was too large to fit into the tight space, so I hand tightened them. One of the padded armrests had the velcro sewn on backwards and had a dime sized stain on it. Otherwise it was a very nice set. I called Target and the only way to fix that is to send me an ENTIRE new glider and ottoman. For an arm pad and an allen wrench. She said the parts orders take upwards of two months. So they are sending me another glider, I take out the pieces I need and ship it back, all at target's expense.

Saturday night I finished the assembly of the Changing table that Evan had started. Then I put stuff on the shelves and in the drawers, which helped with the clutter in the nursery. Eventually I will probably unpack all the sleepers and put them in one of the drawers, and socks and stuff. The more furniture we get in there, the smaller that room looks and the more I think we might not be able to keep the twin bed up in there after all. That is kinda bothering me, but since there is no closet, I REALLY want to have room for an armoire. I don't think it will all fit and not be too cluttered without taking the twin bed out. Only time and a crib will tell me that.

Of course I was awake at 7:30 again today (ick) and couldn't get back to sleep although I tried for two hours. Evan's snoring was driving me nuts, so I just decided to get up. Now I need to clean the kitchen and do laundry but I refuse to do it alone while he sleeps. After all, I did make bread, clean the living room and the spare bedroom, and assemble the furniture. By myself. So I think cleaning needs to be a joint effort today. So until then.... I will just kill time.

Decisions, Decisions, HNT

What shoes to wear today?

Check out my Booty!

Oh another reason why I am jolly today, the ordering of my newest shoes. I can wear them with my pirate wench costume, and then, Beyond! I can not wait! Stripey socks, pirate hat, and now, Jolly Roger Mary Janes!