Well, let's get the money thing over with first, shall we? I am really not doing so badly but find it hard to be as meticulous as I'd like. Hey, I have a one-year old!

Today I went to the Dollar Store (note to those of you with any disposable income, this is a store where everything is a dollar!) and got some favors and paper goods. Got out for $15.

Then, went to the grocery store for whole milk, cream and butter (hello, Julia!) for ice cream and frosting for cake. Spent $16 (I had a coupon for two gallons of milk for $1.99 each, which is an awesome deal but who knew cream was so f*cking expensive?).

I did not go to local coffee place for triple iced latte, but wanted to really, really badly. See! I have restraint.

More Toothiness

We now have five teeth.

Not spending money is hard! I am thinking I'm going to have to implement a few strategies. One thing I need to do is keep all receipts in a place that I can make sure I record my spending. Another is to print off a weekly report from Microsoft Money to review. I respond well to goal setting and charts, lists and stuff (a strategy I also implement to lose weight) because I think it makes it very visual for me.

I did not spend much money over the weekend, but we were in Austin for Iain's MBA graduation so it is a bit tricky to really gauge. Back to normal this week. I do have D's birthday party on Sunday and am really trying to spend as little as possible (for instance, passing on the personalized, light blue M&M's...so cool!) while having a really nice party. I am a hostess at heart and it's easy to overspend in this arena. I am going to try to get some nice flowers to plant in the yard, inexpensive favors, stick to cake and ice-cream (both from scratch) and not freak out that I am not having the back yard professionally landscaped by Sunday.

Because, really, doesn't this kid deserve an awesome party?

Okay, spent a few dollars today. I had gotten ten dollars back at the grocery store, as an instant rebate of sorts. I bought myself a coffee with some of it. I also had to buy formula and diapers, but found a good deal on them so I stocked up and spent about $100 total. But, had to have them and now wont have to buy them for weeks!

The Boy went to sleep at 5:45! Oh shit. He did not have an afternoon nap (we were at Granny's and Aunt B's and he was excited) so he was too tired and could not stay awake. My night will suck. And it's the season finale of Lost.

From January 25

First I felt it. No, first I suspected it. Then I felt it. Then I saw a glimpse of it, tonight while putting on jammies (by the way, love bug, why oh why do you hate putting on your jammies so? ). A tooth! Down in front, as is the norm. I've been expecting it, because of the river of drool and such but tonight, January 22nd, it was confirmed. Your first tooth! Still barely visible to the naked eye, but oh my little banana-breath baby, I saw it. *snif* And Happy 18th birthday cousin James!

From January 21

So, last night, for the first time I noticed Duncan experience some anxiety when he left my arms and went to those of someone who is a dear friend to me, but a stranger to him. I had mixed emotions. No one wants to see their baby experiencing anxiety, but to see him want me like that made me feel all warm and gooey. I see him want me daily; to pick him up or feed him…basic need type stuff…but this was different. It’s supposed to be a healthy sign and show that he is truly attached to me but it was more than that to me. It was the first indication that we have a unique relationship. That I am different to him than almost anyone else, if not anyone else. I am mom.

Another From January 19

I am going to love being an old lady. I put on my nightgown and robe at 7:00 tonight, just after I got Duncan to bed. Then I had a bowl of cereal.

7:02 a.m. No money spent so far today! I did check the account and it seems just fine. I am a bit paranoid now. I am supposed to get a new vent hood for M.Day. Can I buy it? Must check with husband.

Will post another old post from old blog while boy grunts very hard into his diaper. Then must change boy!

So very tired. Still have not spent any money that was not necessary. Did go to grocery and pick up dry cleaning. I almost got a frozen yogurt, but did not. Yay for me!

Had rocking good Mother's Day. Slept until 8:00! Husband went for lattes while baby slept and I read Sunday NY Times. Then, to Home Depot in hopes of a new range hood. Got wonderful card and tulips.

Love Mother's Day! Cannot wait for next one.

So tired. Babykins not sleeping much past 5:30. Am also missing season finale of Grey's Anatomy due to stupid basketball game.

From January 19, 2006

This morning, after waking at 6:30 with Duncan (an exceptionally happy child in the morning, which really is a good compromise since it is so freaking early after you’ve been awake at 1:00 am and again at 4:30 am), playing for a bit, eating, changing poopy diapers, then putting him in his crib where he happily blows raspberries and plays with his feet until he falls asleep by about 8:30, I put on my jeans. And they felt loose. Can I just say how happy this makes me? Now, they are not falling off me loose, but they are not as yes-I-can-wear-these-even-if-it-hurts tight that they were at Thanksgiving. Small victories sometimes are the best. This changes my entire outlook on the day. Really. Because yesterday I got so frustrated when I stepped on the scale but today it’s a whole new day. It’s a loose jeans kind of day, even if those jeans are 3 or 4 sizes from where I want to be…
Other things of note:
Duncan, at 7 and a half months is sitting by himself for longer and longer periods of time and with less and less support. This gives me conflicting emotions. Happy that my boy is getting strong and growing and that he doesn’t have to lie like a stranded turtle on the floor but sad because my sweet, tiny baby is turning into a more independent little boy. Sniff.
Did I mention the part about my jeans?
Husband Iain has only four more months to finish his MBA. This is VVG. Now we pray for big, important job. Time to go back to church.
Adult acne has come to roost. Why?
This weekend is triple coupons up to and including 75¢. The fact that this thrills me also frightens me.
I have a meeting next week at the university where I worked for six years before having
Duncan, about teaching a class in the fall. Can I lose ten pounds by Tuesday? What about really good undergarments?
Am also secretly thrilled that American Idol is back. It is my guilty pleasure.

From January 14, 2006

Today I am off to my second belly dancing class and am looking forward to it, which is unusual for me. My normal pattern is to be excited about an exercise class where I will have to be in front of other people something, and then the closer I get to it, the more I start to chicken out and rationalize not going. Not this time, America! I will shimmy and I will have fun.
It is hard for me to leave my boy, though. It doesn't matter that he is in the best of care with his dad, it's just hard for me to leave him. It is still a little inexpclicable to me but I think I know where a great deal of it stems from (from where a great deal of it stems?) More about That later.
Duncan is now seven months old and is really becoming his own person. He is rolling over, in one direction only (to his left) and only from back to tummy. Once on his tummy, he really doesn't know what to do with himself although occasionally will have a good time for a few minutes. He eats some solid food, mostly rice cereal with bananas in it, baby food pears, squash, peas and sweet potatoes. He doesn't seem to like apples or peaches at all and makes a "WTF" face when fed them. We even tried some of my mom's black-eyed peas on New Year's Day and got the same, WTF face, along with mushed up black eyed peas mixed with saliva on the table in front of him. He's really cute! But, as someone I once knew said to me, wont it be great when he's big enough that we can say "honey, go get yourself a banana". Yes, it will! But, I do love his babyness and don't want to wish it away.
My husband is on his last semester towards his MBA from the University of Texas at Austin (hook 'em). Hallelujah! For the last year and a half, he's been gone every other weekend and many nights to study groups, as well as having to go to Thailand two days after Duncan was born for an international trip/class. He's loved it, but I think we are both ready to see it end. But, today, he is watching Duncan while I go shimmy my little heart out.

From January 9, 2006

I am going to copy old posts, from my other blog and put them here...just to preserve them. I'll do them in chrono order, starting with this one and will always indicate it is an "old" post in the title.

The boy is asleep; I’ve reheated my tea…twice…and now am going to try to get a post done. He’s teething, so sleep is sketchy these days but I’ll see how quickly I can do this.
I had my first belly dancing class on Saturday and it was hard as shit much more fun than I expected. I do think I had more belly than anyone, well, almost anyone, but I still felt very comfortable and that I was among peers. I even got singled out by the teacher for doing very good hip circles! They were the wrong kind, but they were very good. Yay me! We shimmied and circled everything from our heads to our hips, and I think I may have actually burned some calories. I am looking forward to this Saturday. By the end of our four weeks we are supposed to know a 2-minute dance. When I told my dear friend Wendy this fact, she told me she can’t wait to get me drunk. As long as I can wear one of those cool scarves with the tiny coins all over it I may not even need to be drunk to do my dance!
The boy turned seven months yesterday and is such fun. He’s trying to sit on his own, but topples easily. He puts everything in his mouth, and really loves to drink from a glass. He laughs when I pinch my forefinger and thumb together, perhaps at me…perhaps with me. Who knows for sure? He’s a dream and getting to be so much fun. I still, though, don’t like to drag him everywhere I go. I’m just not one of those moms. Maybe it’s lack of confidence or over protectiveness but I don’t see the benefit of taking him everywhere at this age. It’s not fun for me, and I don’t think its fun for him. We do go places, because I know he needs to get out and see things and experience his world, but I think I know his limits and try to respect them.
Want a good book? Read The Big Rumpus by Ayun Halliday. Soon I’ll learn how to do those cool “what I’m reading” lists…

Day 2.

It's 11:24 a.m. and have not spent any money! I have, however, been up since 5:30 (after waking at 10:30, 12:30, 3:00 and 4:30), fed the baby (twice), rocked him, changed his diaper(three times), changed his clothes, swung him outside, cleaned windowsills, cleaned windows, disassembled the baby swing (indoor), put blind cord thingies on the blind cords so he wont strangle himself, done two loads of laundry, unloaded the dishwasher, played!, kissed boo-boos and gone to the bathroom.

Well, it's been a while. I had my blog somewhere else and am going to try to figure out how to move old posts but am not sure I'll be able to.

But, to stay current for a moment, I am about to embark on another adventure. Not weight loss (although I'll catch you up on that, later) but money. You see, I had a real Lucy moment yesterday. Long story short, I messed up...big time. I neglected our checking account and got my husband and myself into a real bind. All my fault. So, we had a little "Lucy and Ricky" meeting last night and I am now on a budget, with an allowance.

Don't panic my friends! The allowance was my idea. My husband is not the dictator you are thinking he must be. I think I need some structure, since I gave up my own income a year ago to stay home and raise our boy. I'm feeling kind of hungover from yesterday (lots of crying, guilt among the whole raising a human being thing) and am quite pooped but will get started on my blogging of this today.

First of all, I need to spend less. So, my struggle with that will be put to written word. I think I'll do okay, but must get out of the habit of nickel and diming us to death. A coffee here, a magazine there, a six-dollar t-shirt, etc... You get the picture. It does add up. So, I am on a no-spending binge. What would you call that? Can there be a binge if it is a lack of something? I am not sure.

I need to find things to do that don't cost money, and I know they are plenty. It is spring and about to be summer and the boy and I need some free things to do.

I also will keep you updated on how I do with the allowance thing. Right now I'm giving some thought as to how much I really need. More later.

10 pounds lighter!