In the Eye...

It's 1:27pm, and I am trying to find something to do. We're leaving today for TN, so I've "shut down" the house as much as I can do for now. I'm in the eye of the storm of last-minute stuff. The kitchen is clean, I can't run the vacuum without waking the baby...I can't pack the monitor and the rest of the baby stuff until Katie is awake...once she's awake, I can feed her...once we're totally ready, I can throw the cold food in our refridgerated box and turn down the heat. So here I am.

Money Talk: What Is Your Spending Limit?

Every couple has a different sensitivity to how much money one person can spend before consulting the other. Bryan and I have agreed that we could spend up to $100 without consulting the other person; but honestly, we usually talk to each other before we spend $10! (Groceries excluded)

My old Cabana neighbor, Ruth, shares a story of how her husband bid $250 on an Ebay item without asking her (see the November 21st journal entry).

Her experience makes me wonder: Do other couples set spending limits? What are they?

Have You Joined Your Craigslist Community?

Just yesterday, I posted five $5 Enfamil formula checks on the MKE Craigslist site. Because I don't list things for free, I asked $2 for $30 worth of checks.

Within minutes, I received four emails from willing buyers. Usually, I give the product to the first person who replies to my post, but I noticed a familiar name wanting the checks--an agent with whom I work! (It's such a small world). In keeping with the American Family loyalty, I called the agent and let him know that the checks were his (for free since the checks were free to me). He was surprised to hear from me, but grateful that he wasn't buying the checks from a crazy lady. Since his 8-month son is eating one of the most expensive types of Enfamil due to gassiness/fussiness, I happily and confidently passed along the checks.

Lately, I have been obessed with Craigslist. I've sold some things on it for Katie's Kelty backpack fund, and I've bought LOTS of diapers on it--just last week I bought 120 diapers for $6! That's about 5 cents a diaper for size 3 diapers. NOT BAD!!

Here are a few tips I wanted to point out in case you want to join the Craigslist Community:

1. Never accept checks. I read a post where a lady sold her crib and changing table for $225. She was given a check that bounced! Needless to say, she never heard back from the person who bought her items.

2. Never give away items for free. Every once in a while, people will "call out" others who might be scamming them. For example, one lady read a post about someone needing free baby items for her soon-to-be-born baby. The nice lady gave away some free baby clothes to the person in need...a few months later, the nice lady gave away some more free newborn stuff regarding a different post and the same "person in need" showed up at her door (months after the supposed due date of the baby). I theorize that the person collecting the "free" items usually tries re-selling them on Ebay.

3. Set up bulk or little-used email account. Because I don't want to share my name and real email to everyone with whom I do "business", I use a bulk email address for Craigslist communication. I prefer to use the most anonimity as possible until a buy or sell is definite.

4. Try to meet in a neutral place for item exchanges. Ok, I usually let this rule slide whenever I buy or sell baby items. Before giving out my home address, I call the person doing the pickup, and if I hear a baby in the background, I consider that person legit. Maybe I'm too naive, but I consider it safe to give a woman with a baby my home address.

Katie's New Toy

While getting the van's oil changed yesterday, I gave Katie a styerfoam cup to play with (instead of the germy toys available in the waiting room).

She really had fun with it, so we added this cup to her toy collection.

This is Katie watching us eat breakfast.

We ate peanut-butter-and-honey toast (Bryan had a brown sugar & extra fiber poptart).

Sleep Baby, sleep!

Katie has slept through the night for the last five nights! We give her last feeding at 9pm, and she's been sleeping until 6:30 or 7am. Keep it up!!

First Snow Stickin'

As long as Katie is warm and well-fed, she doesn't care much what happens outside.

Dinner menu for tonight: homemade pizza!

Happy Birthday, Mimi!

Hi Mom,

I made a chocolate chip bundt cake in honor of your birthday (the kind that Memommie used to make). It was good. Also, we had 5 friends over (and 2 babies) to enjoy the cake.

Guess what happened the year you were born?

• General Electric announces that all Communist employees will be discharged from the company
  
• The first color television sets go on sale for about USD $1,175.


• Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz sign an $8,000,000 contract to continue the I Love Lucy television series through 1955.


• Joseph Stalin collapses, having suffered a stroke. He dies.


• The United States Supreme Court rules that Washington, D.C. restaurants could not refuse to serve black patrons.

A Free Saturday!!

Bryan doesn't have to work today! We celebrated the morning with stuffed French toast, yummy 8-o-clock coffee and playing with Katie (go figure!). The day is hardly half over, and we shot some cute pictures of her.

Anywhere but the Camera

Katie enjoys her playtime! Lately, we've been exercising together. Obviously, I can't take pictures of this--maybe Bryan can get some pictures tomorrow of us doing arm lifts and crunches.

Work and other things

Today was Katie's first day with her new babysitter, Mrs. Denise. Mrs. Denise runs a part-time, in-home daycare in our neighborhood. This works perfect for us since most of my work can be done from home--I just have periodic meetings. Today Katie became friends with 2 three-year-old girls. They enjoyed touching Katie's foot. Katie did well for her first day there! She slept an hour and a half during her nap and ate 4 ounces for her snack!

I (Ashley) had a meeting at the state office. For those of you who care to know...we reviewed a third party, contractual recruiting business and learned how to use our new online security file system. The meeting lasted 3 hours, and we ate a yummy catered lunch: pasta, salad and cheesecake.

Veterans Day

Above is a picture of the military park of Shiloh. Where in April 6th and 7th in 1862 23,746 Americans were killed, wounded or missing during the battle. I am glad that here in America we set aside several days each year to honor our men and women who serve our country, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice. So if you see anyone today that has served or is serving our country let them know you appreciate all they are doing, I know I will.

Play Date with Peyton #2

Katie met up again with her friend, Peyton. She watched him most of the time, while Peyton tried eating her bib and pulling on her hair. Peyton is only 2 weeks older and 3 lbs heavier than Katie, but he feels so much heavier!

Saturday Morning Breakfast

We usually try to make something special for Saturday breakfast--hashbrown casserole, pancakes, etc. But since Bryan had to work this morning, I toasted some English muffins and spread them with peanut butter and honey.

After we were done eating, Bryan started gathering our dishes. In our effort to lessen waste (along with Michael Bloomberg), I pointed out two slithers of food left on his plate. Here's how our next conversation went:

Ashley: "Honey, you haven't eaten all of your muffin."
Bryan: "That's the crust. "
Ashley: "But the English muffin is round."
Bryan: "I deem it the crust."

Dressing Like Minnie

Katie's 4 month check-up

This was an exciting morning--a quick breakfast, coffee, and hearing about our new president-elect. We journeyed down the interstate to Dr. Sawall's office. It's always nice talking with him! He and his nurse kept repeating over and over how beautiful Katie is; he thinks Katie is on the road to be either a superstar swimmer or a supermodel. Here are her latest stats:

Height: 25.75 inches (90th percentile!!!)
Weight: 14 lbs, 1 oz (56th percentile)
Head circumference: 38.6 cm (3rd percentile)

Mom--there are no worries about Katie's small head. Dr. Sawall said he only worries if the baby's head grows too big too fast (a sign of fluid buildup).

Katie's Rings

Here's a look into our master plan--to surround Katie with rings in order to prepare her for her (Bryan's) olympic dreams.

Color-My-Yard Beautiful

Plug for Box Tops

My neighbor and I are collecting box top pieces for West Suburban Christian Academy. So if you're one to toss your cereal boxes before clipping, please reconsider and send your box tops to me! These can be found on products such as Hamburger Helper and General Meals cereal.

Monday Morning Fun

Katie sent Daddy off to work this morning with a cup of orange juice and banana nut muffins.And then she played in her new favorite toy while Mama watched The View.

Weekend Work!

What a weekend!

Bryan...painted the border of our patio door; finished cleaning out the garage; fixed the handle on the closet in the upstairs bathroom; grilled a pork loin; swept the kitchen/foyer floors; did some plumbing work in the basement; went to bed on Sat. night with a headache; went to church; ate a Big Guys cheeseburger; walked Shadow; bathed and played with Katie; assembled the exercaucer

Ashley...fed Katie multiple times; cleaned the kitchen; cleaned the family room; made chocolate chip cookies; washed multiple loads of laundry; walked Shadow; ate a Big Guys hamburger; went to church; watched Devil Wears Prada; blogged; bought tylenol at Walgreens for Bryan's headache

Happy Birthday Jim!

Congrats Dad!! Only 7 years until you're eligible for Social (in)Security and 10 years until medicare kicks in--unless, of course, Congress changes its minds...