New Layouts!

Here are my latest additions from the www.Jessicasprague.com Now We're Rocking class I'm taking. It's a smokin' class and I LOVE it!

Stress Revisited

So last year I sold a breastpump on ebay. It worked and had a ton of "free" stuff included. I got a good price for it and was happy to pass it along to someone else. Little did I know what I was in for. The chick who bought it claimed it was broken and filed a paypal claim against me. I fought it tooth and nail but lost. I was pissed to stay the least. I sent something in good faith and paypal didn't back me up even though the buyer had no proof and wouldn't furnish the ID # or pictures to ensure she didn't bait and switch. Furthermore, she didn't even attempt to file with the PO.

So she had to send it back to me and received a full refund. What she sent back was not what I sent AT ALL! It was completely busted! Plus, she did not return any of the parts. So in essence, she received over $50 in parts for free. This all created a huge amount of stress for me. I hate confrontations of any sort and they create a lot of worry and turmoil. Paypal said I would have to file a police report and although I wanted to teach this chick a lesson, I didn't want to bother the police with something this small.

So anyhow, I moved past it though it still rankles me from time to time and I always have a bit of anxiety when I ship something off. The past week I've been cleaning out my email account and ran across all the emails I saved from this drama. Boy the stress flew on my shoulders as quick as that! I still get all bunched up inside thinking about it. I'll probably be one of those person who dies early because I bring all this stress on myself.

I am so glad I am past all that now -- what a difference a year makes. But man, if I ever run into her I'd like to beat the snot out her. I reported her to ebay. I wonder if I would get in trouble for listing her name here and telling everyone to avoid her like the plague?

And in thinking back on a year, I recall with fond? or maybe not so fond memories my first trimester in pregnancy. What I did enjoy was after dropping the biggies at school and doing a couple things at home, I was back in bed around 10 or 11. Mia would take her long nape of the day (like 2-3 hours) and I'd watch Ellen, Runway Moms, and other birth related shows. I'd stay in bed until around 2 then get Mia lunch and we'd pick up the biggies from school. It was a great schedule.

Now it's anything goes :D Today we ran some errands and then stopped at the park where I was snubbed. Oh well. You know I don't know why people have to be like that. Whatever.

The Stepsister

So I spoke with the stepsister three weeks ago as she had "scrapbooking" type questions about making her own wedding invites. She was going to have them in the mail that week and I should have mine by the end of the week.

Never saw an invite. So I figure one of three things happened. A. She never intended to send me one but wants me to know she's getting married and we're not really invited. B. It got lost in the mail. or C. Since she's so busy with three children, oh my gosh, that she hasn't done them yet.

I kind of think we're not going to get one. On the one hand, I wouldn't care that much really because I didn't particularly want to go and have to spend money for a gift on someone who treated my family and me so poorly. On the second hand, somewhere it kind of hurts a tad not to be included in a "familiy" event, especially since I know she'll lie to everyone about why we're not there and probably say something really mean about us like she's done before.

I guess time will tell. It's a shame that I was close with her extended family all these years because it would be really cool to have another sister. Maybe she's changed her ways. Something must have changed for a guy to stick with her for this many years and want to marry her. I still keep waiting for the phone call that she's pregnant. LOL

The Bassinet is Gone

and it's okay. I've been sort of grieving the passing of C's baby days and thought I'd be more upset about letting go of her baby stuff. I was certainly sad enough when she stopped using it, especially since she won't sleep in her crib and has stopped sleeping through the night LOL.

My BIL in called the other day to tell us that his wife was pregnant. This is dh's brother. I know they've been trying for at least as long as Charlotte's been born, so quite a while.

I am so excited. I haven't been this excited that someone else is pregnant in probably a decade. Sad commentary of events but the ravages of infertility made it difficult. That doesn't mean I wasn't happy for my pregnant friends but I can't say I was truly excited for them and certainly I was downright jealous.

Now, however, I mostly feel our family is complete. In any event, we really cannot afford another child, my body probably couldn't carry one and our home definitely has no room for one!

So after Charlotte was getting too big for the bassinet I asked my dad if we could store it at his house. Normally, I would have just sold it on Craigslist or Pennysaver or something but since my dad and his wife just bought it for Charlotte I felt bad about simply selling it for a cheap price. But we also don't really have room to store it.

It's only been a couple few weeks, perhaps three or four that we've stopped using it. And K is only about 13 weeks along but she seemed more than happy to come get it and store it in their basement instead LOL!

She looks great and isn't showing at all yet. But I think that's how it usually goes with the first one. After that you're stretched out and show sooner, in my opinion. Heck, with Charlotte I couldn't fit my shorts before I even knew I was pregnant. I thought I was just getting fat and started exercising more. How's that for a laugh for someone who's known or not known they were pregnant long before the end of that vicious two week wait.

K is very excited. M, her dh, is very excited and we're just ecstatic for them. They are rather laid back and seem to have their priorities straight. I think they'll be great parents. K said she doesn't have any mom friends in the area so she'd probably have lots of questions, want to go shopping and the like. I'm happy to oblige LOL!

The plan is to shoot all our outgrown baby stuff to them as we finish with it. They are NOT finding out the gender (or at least not sharing it) until the birth. So we have a long way to wait (May) regarding all our pink things from C but that's okay. Again,she offered to store whatever and if they have a boy or they don't use it, they'll send it back here. Did I say how excited I was?

DH teased and told them they had some time to get their basement ready for the 'rents. That got a good laugh. So I guess we won't be buying any pink or blue but that'll give us a good excuse to buy something after the birth.

Wishing you well, K. :)

I'm so excited!

I signed up for Jessica Sprague's Now We're Rocking online course for using PSE for scrapbooking. I haven't told dh but I can't wait to get working again. In all honesty, I should probably run through the first course Up and Running beforehand to refresh my memory since I haven't done anything since the class ended last month. The cool thing about her classes are you have permanent access to the lessons and materials so it's a great investment. Plus you can watch the tutorial videos anytime you please. I really like her as an instructor. Yahoo!

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

October is pregnancy and infant loss awareness month. The commemorate, light a candle today, October 15, at 7:00 pm to remember those who have lost a beloved child before or after birth. I've met many women in the past couple of years who've lost infants or whose babies have been born just too soon.

My own loss happened very early on, approx. 10 weeks gestation. I don't think anyone but myself even remembers. It was the first time I got pregnant without medical intervention. It was a very planned and wanted baby conceived shortly after dh's birthday and due on FIL's birthday. Seemed meant to be.

But what was really meant to be was to find out a couple days past my birthday that the new little life had left so swiftly and to physically let go of the pregnancy just before Christmas. It was a subdued holiday and we spent the month of January that following year just hunkered down together.

But every Halloween I remember that one Halloween I was pregnant for such a short time. The month of December never passes that I don't recall what happened those few years ago. July passes and I recall that we could be celebrating an additional birthday. I see friend's children who were born around that time as we would have shared pg and I always wonder what my child would have been like. Would I have had a boy or girl? For some reason I think boy. What color hair and eyes? What type of personality and temperament?

And then I look at my beautiful daughter, Mia. If things were different she would not have been here and she's wonderful. It's so strange how life works out sometime. With my melancholy personality, I can't help some days to think how different things would be right now had that pregnancy gone to term but it wasn't meant to be. What's meant to be is what we have now and it's a full quiver! I think the Lord for my many blessings.

Please light a candle tonight at 7:00 to commemorate all the lives that were much too short.

Cup of Milk

Here's my funny story of the day.

Yesterday dh took all four kids out for the day. Woohoo! I went back to sleep at 9:30 and slept until the phone woke at 1:00. I can't remember the last time I had that much totally un-interrupted sleep. It was great. Unfortunately, I paid for it last night and today but it was nice while it lasted.

While dh was gone I pumped over five ounces of milk. Woohoo! Even though he was gone 9:30 - 5, you'd think I would have pumped more. But anyhow, I only have two four ounce bottles and dh had one to feed the baby. So when I filled up that bottle and wasn't finished pumping, I poured the milk in a sippy cup, put the lid on and stuck it on the top shelf of the fridge with a sign attached.

Today I had to run to the store to get some ground beef at the last minute for dinner. I left the kids in the basement with dh and his helper as they were working on the basement. I was gone about 30 minutes and when I got back the cup of milk was sitting on the counter.

I thought perhaps dh had taken it out to feed the baby but he was busy working and the baby was fussing. SO I took the cup down and asked who took that out of the fridge. Mia tattled on herself. She drank my pumped milk! Only about an ounce tahnkfully. I asked if it was tasty and she said; "No, it wasn't tasty, mommy."

ROFL! I could only laugh. I knew she wouldn't like it LOL but I found it funny that she drank it and didn't like it even though she breastfed for over 18 months. I'm sure she doesn't really remember but it's funny nonetheless.