Happy Birthday Eva!

Lemons into... Babies.

My little poppy seed is all grown-up! Not really, but he has transformed himself into a lemon, or at least the approximate size of one. I am now 14 weeks along and officially in my second trimester. I have more energy, am mostly well, and beginning to enter what is generally referred to as the 'honeymoon phase' of pregnancy. This does not however, preclude me from taking my afternoon naps, providing Bella does as well.
I assume all is well, but in reality I have not seen a doctor yet. In an ideal world I would have seen one a couple of times already, but as I am without health insurance and still lack an appropriate substitute, I am going on faith.
I don't want that to sound as irresponsible as it may- I am in the process of applying for Medicaid, after the discount program that I thought was our saving grace turned out not to be. After spending an emotionally taxing 3 hours in the social service department last week it was determined that we probably will not qualify for Medicaid, meaning that the total sum of approximately $20,000 will rest on our shoulders to pay. Somehow. And the hospital (of which most of that sum can be attributed to-) charges interest. In short, we will probably be paying for this child until he graduates from high school, and that's just the portion of money it takes to actually bring him into the world.
I probably won't be able to see a doctor until about half-way through my pregnancy, when we will know definitively the status of our Medicaid application. Most likely, that will only come in the form of a rejection letter, signifying the point when we can try and muster some tax money for our first visit, most likely the ultrasound where we will learn the sex of this baby. (a boy.)
Last week I would have painted a different picture and outcome. I now enjoy the perspective that things will work out. We are in no way an ideal financial situation, or even a feasible one right now. However, I was prompted for so many months that getting pregnant at this time was the right thing to do despite my misgivings and reluctance. I know we are supposed to have this baby, and things will work out to enable us to do so. I would prefer that miracle comes in the form of being accepted for Medicaid, giving us a free baby (at least the birth!), but however it pans out, it will work. So please keep praying that this mantra I keep repeating is true. :)

Little Reminders

I love these little signs and reminders that I share my house with a toddler- and not just any toddler...Note her careful placement of each Fruit Loop- color coordinating with the cupcakes, and nicely centered. I see a creative, detail-oriented future for her.

Love that girl.

A thin line between responsible and ridiculous.

With all of the financial woes we are experiencing and anticipating, I have been researching various methods to 'stretch the dollar'. Here are some of the decisions I have made, some sounding so absurd you would be sure I have made them up. I have not. All of these are documented tricks of the trade of proud tightwads.

What I am willing to do:

-Shop around for deals
-Watch for sales
-Compare grocery store circulars for the best prices before making a menu plan and grocery list
-Shopping at various stores to acquire the best price
-Use generic brands
-Go without
-Make it from scratch
-Buy end of season or clearance clothes for my kids
-Buy good-condition used clothing
-Receive hand-me-downs in many forms
-Do-it-myself
-Get by with less
-Shop at thrift stores, yard sales, and Craig's List


What I am not willing to do:*

-Save leftover birthday cake, freeze, then reuse for a later birthday by scraping off the icing and adding a new name to the iced birthday greeting.
-Scavenge used dryer sheets from a neighbor's trash to reuse for myself.
-Paint a discarded milk jug black, fill with water, and collect 'free hot water' on the deck.
- Use junk mail and saran wrap as gift-wrap.
-Use any dumpster-derived food, be it canned or otherwise.
-Reuse tin foil.
-Live in a cheaper place (the ghetto-) only to sacrifice safety and well-being
-Separate my two-ply toilet paper
-Have or host a pot-luck wedding reception
-Use discarded tires, or better yet, children's potties, for planters
-Collect bills from neighbors and save on postage by sending them all in one envelope
-Make 'Refrigerator Casserole/Stew' from various leftovers in my fridge

*much, but not all of this information has been obtained from a book called 'The Complete Tightwad Gazette.' As I have only skimmed the nearly 1,000 page volume, I am sure to come up with many more fantastic ideas. I will share them as I uncover them.

More to come on aforementioned financial woes, it being one of the primary reasons I have not posted sooner. The information is whiny and boring, but I may finally have a good story or two to humorously accompany my strife.

I need a 12-step program.

I really need to buckle down and just post some more- I know. I don't know what my problem is, except that I have a hard time... disciplining myself and being consistent. Those are pretty major flaws, so I'm working on it. Slowly, slowly. I need a blogging program to set me on schedule. Whatever, I need that for my whole life. I need a task-master who will schedule my day and make me stick to it. I don't think I'm very self-motivating...at least lately.
But- this week I received the most cheerful package I think I have ever had the delight of receiving, from none other than our Good Mail Queen, Jill. Who else? It definitely made me smile, and I had to photograph it, something I usually am too lazy to document. LOVED IT!! (in drawn-out sing-song voice.) The contents did not fail the exceptionally cute exterior, but with Jill at the helm, I was not worried about an anti-climactic surprise.
She sent me 4 orange and green Tag tea towels for my kitchen, with matching washcloths! Okay, for one thing: she knows the colors of my kitchen: green and orange. For another thing, Tag is one of my favorite brands of one of my favorite things, tea towels. And to top it all off, it also included a three-pack of my favorite gum, Mint Mojito, (sp?) which she could not possibly have known, all held in a green photo box, which I really needed! (Again, she could not have known.) Green matches my studio (no accident, I am sure-) and I need a new photo box for all the new prints I plan on getting to 'catch-up' before the baby comes. What a package. What a complete little box of happiness. Brought to me by, Jill. Thank you. The tea towels are all presently on display.
And speaking of anti-climactic, here's Bella. (It's no offense to Bella- I mean, who could really compete with those tea towels? But so it goes...)
This is the cutest 3T dress of all time, I am convinced of it. Complete with a knit shrug, courtesy of Mom and Macy's, it was a sight to behold. I think I was a little more intent on photographing the dress than actually capturing the moment for Bella- oops. But seriously, did you see the dress? You can't blame me.

I got a bunch of great shots through her Easter basket, but her expression here makes me smile.
Speaking of expressions, I love this one as she discovers a dollar bill in her Easter egg. (Courtesy, of course, of the grandma and grandpa Easter bunnies...) Bella is very expressive and often gestures with her hands when she speaks. I don't know where she gets it. ha.

Lastly, we had a nice but short visit from nana and papa last weekend, and we went to a museum-ish place downtown called Discovery Zone. Or Place. I can't remember now. It cracks me up how her hair naturally organizes itself into these perfect ringlets. I don't have to train them at all- Usually I just comb her hair, put it up, and as it dries it forms these perfect curls that people always ask if I've done. I know my hair was this way when I was her age, and if I had a scanner I would show proof. I still don't know how it does that.
She's into the fish.
So that's all folks- I will try to post again soon. As in, within a week. ha.