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MoneyMoneyMoney

Recently I tracked how much we were spending to get a sense of where we need to make changes and what kind of budget is realistic.  Even typing that I just recently did this is somewhat embarrassing.  I know tracking and budgeting is money 101- but being comfortable as a DINK (Double Income No Kids) meant we didn't have to watch every penny.  Obviously with me not working and having L- our situation is way different.

So what did I learn after tracking our spending?  We need a major overhaul- it was BAD!  Way too much on going out to eat, random shopping trips to Target, home improvement projects, and our groceries in general.  It was nice that it gave us a baseline so we can get started with budgeting and ultimately saving- but it was also a little depressing.  After the initial shock of our materialistic expensive ways wore off- I made a plan.

1. Get quotes on car and home insurance
2. Switch to cheaper health insurance plans (Wont be able to change L's till January- damn open enrollment billing cycle drama)
3. Decrease going out for food (restaurants, fast food, coffee shops, etc)
4. Make more mindful grocery choices
5.  Use what's in the pantry (this is hard with a kid- he is picky sometimes and then he is a terror when he doesn't eat)
6. Utilize the library (more)
7. Obey the budget! Within reason...
8. Eliminate debt
9. Eliminate stuff (garage sale, ebay, craigslist)
10. Search for cheapest places to buy products we use regularly- possibly buy in bulk

A disappointing realization was that couponing isn't really for us.  Yes it's popular now, saves some people A LOT of money, and gets a little obsessive (extreme couponing soon to be part of a DSM diagnosis?!?!).  But have you looked at what coupons are for?  Boxed, unhealthy, processed, even toxic products.  Basically, I could coupon but I would be sacrificing the quality of foods and products we use.  I have found a few organic, healthy coupons here and there- but it's almost a waste of time looking (time=money sorta).

Red Ball

I don't know if you can tell, but I haven't really felt like blogging- the writing portion at least. So I will just keep posting cute pictures of L.  I'm so glad Fall is finally here, soon I should have an update on the laundry room (it's 99.9% complete).  L is over 14 months now (woah!).

 

 

Happy Halloween

We took L trick or treating down town.  He was very serious for the most part, but really loved placing his candy in his bag.  He probably had the most fun walking with his cousin- they have such a great connection and the pictures of them melt my heart.

Duck

 

Running Joke

D thinks it's hilarious that I commented on how these "little bears" are in group therapy....he can't read it to L without a chuckle.

1 down, 1 to go...

I wrote this last night:

"I'm taking my first licensing test tomorrow- I am in a way freaking out, in a way checked out.  I didn't study for this the way I studied in college.  I listened to some friends and just took a ton of practice exams through a test prep agency.  I also looked at the flash cars a bit.  I haven't told too many people when I am taking the test- D knows, my parents know, my cousin- thats about it.  I hope I pass and will be devastated if I don't."

Well I passed!!!

I expected more relief, but there is a second (said to be more difficult) exam.  I am so close to licensure I can almost taste it.  It's surprisingly terrifying, freeing, emptying, and exactly what I have been working towards.

To be continued...

In the trenches...

Thats where I am right now- L has been cutting his first molars and it's rough.

We also decided to attempt night weaning because he was waking up 3-5 times a night to nurse and sleep in our bed.  As much as I believe in the benefits of co-sleeping and love having L close- I don't enjoy it very much because I don't sleep well and end up in very uncomfortable positions.  Plus in 1 month L fell off our bed twice.  He had never fallen off the bed in 13 months, then bam, TWICE.  And the last time was bad!  Poor guy had a fat lip.  So we decided to loosely follow Jay Gordon's night weaning plan.  Our goal was to not nurse or bring L into our bed between the hours of 11pm and 6am.  Before of after that he could nurse and cuddle in our bed.   But between those hours we would walk him or rock him back to sleep and place him in his crib.

Of course right when we start this L starts cutting molars.  So we have caved in a few nights and nursed/co-slept- because honestly it was a night where nothing worked (actually even nursing and our bed didn't help till the tylenol started working).  Last night was one of those nights...

L went to bed around 7:30, but awoke at 9, then at 10, then again at 10:30.  Fortunately all those times were easy to put him back down.  Then he woke up at 12 and D went in to put him back down and L was inconsolable.  It's so frustrating when this happens- it's supposed to be a time when D steps in and I get to stay asleep.  But then I just lay in bed extremely stressed and upset because I hear L screaming his head off- so no sleep for me.  Last night I was not having it and even screamed out some overly dramatic statement about ending my life because this was absolute torture.  It really does begin to feel like torture when awoken so many times a night to a screaming child.  So I helped D give L Tylenol and we tried the oragel (but L hate it so I doubt we got it on his gums).  Then we brought out the big stops- a cup of water.  When nothing else works L instantly clams down when he can put a hand in a cup of water- he should have been born in the water.  D was able to walk him down after all that.

We are just exhausted over here.  I have never been a great sleeper (yes, I'm sure L gets it from me), D lays his head on the pillow and falls asleep instantly.  Even as a small child I appeared to be an insomniac.  It takes me a while to settle in at night, quiet my mind, calm my body, and actually fall asleep.   So if I am waking up several times, I am also having to re-acclimate myself to falling sleep each time.  It's a frustrating process and I hope that once these molars come in our night weaning plan will bring us some benefits.