Menu Monday!

Since I went shopping tonight, I figured I would post my menu so I have a place to look back at it.

Monday - Taquitos & salad
Tuesday - Pork chops, potatoes, asparagus
Wednesday - Breakfast for dinner (eggs, bacon, juice, waffles)
Thursday - Roasted chicken, rice, broccoli
Friday - Pork tenderloin, potatoes, veggie (asparagus, broccoli, green beans - DH's choice)

DH is not going to be happy about the broccoli or the asparagus, but it looked too yummy to pass up.  If he really protests, he can have some green beans while I eat the other veggies.  I am craving green veggies right now so I am trying to get a good amount each day.

I was able to get to the store & buy food for us for the next 2 weeks for less than $75 :)  That made me pretty happy.  There was not really time to go from store to store, since all of the stores were packed.  Apparently the "Great Snow-pocalypse" is coming to the area.  It was weird to see all the shelves in the store so empty!!  Surprisingly enough though, the produce section was barely touched.  I was able to get plenty of fresh fruit & veggie options.  The frozen section was almost completely empty - pizzas, dinners, etc were cleared out.  Kind of sad :(

Perspective

SIL went into the hospital this weekend.  She's at 24 weeks and had gone into labor.  Fortunately they were able to stop it for now, but one of the babies' sacs is leaking.  Its a slow leak and the sonograms to check fluid levels all showed safe levels around the babies.  Their heartbeats are strong and so far everyone is doing well.  SIL will remain in the hospital until they are born, which hopefully will not be for several more weeks.  The next few days are critical - if she goes into labor again, they have to deliver.   I guess it has something to do with the medicine they gave to stop her labor - its really dangerous for SIL, and they can't give her any more doses or give any other drugs because of it. 

Our checkup last week was great - baby had a nice, strong heartbeat.  We also got to set up the appointment for the BIG ultrasound.  They do it right at the Drs office, so it will be nice to not have to go anywhere else.  I am planning to take at least half of the day as vacation because I will probably be so excited I wont be able to concentrate anyway :)  Only 22 more days....not that I am counting ;)

DH is going this week to talk to his friend that is a car dealer to see about trading in DH's car for something else.  His current car is rear-wheel drive, which means it does not move in the snow.  At.All.  We have to share a car when it snows.  It is not really a big deal right now, but once the baby is here I really want to not share a car.  It will be more of a hassle, and if something happens I would not be able to leave work to go get the baby.  We would not really trade up, just look for more of a lateral trade.  Hopefully his friend can help us find something that will be baby-friendly, and able to drive in the snow!

I went shopping for dresses this weekend for DH's work party, and was sadly disappointed.  I went up 3 sizes, and still could not get things to fit right :(  I apparently have grown a lot more than I thought, and not just in my belly.  I have a few more weeks to keep looking.  I found a casual dress that I like and I did buy it, but I think I will be returning it and saving the money for the formal dress if I can find one.  This is going to be a challenge, for sure!

YAY!

I found a dress that should work - and its only $35!!  That makes me pretty happy :)  From the reviews I read, it can also be worn post-partum, so that will be good.  Makes me feel better about buying something I know I can wear more than once. 

Now to find/borrow some accessories......

In 28 days

In just 28 days, we will hopefully be finding out the sex of this baby!  In some ways, that seems really fast.  But, it also feels like FOR.EV.ER away too.  I have a lot to do in 28 days!  At work, I have a whole training class to finish up before then. 

I broke down & got some maternity pants last night.  I found a great consignment store in Lee's Summit that had an ok selection, and was able to get 2 pair of pants for $30.  For dress pants, I thought that was a pretty decent price.  I am still looking for some dark-rinse jeans, but I think JCPenny has ones that will be good for work & casual (more trouser-leg than bootcut).  My sister gave me several tops to wear, so I might be ok for awhile.  The only issue is that I need to find a semi-formal dress for one of DH's work parties on the 18th of Feb.  I have not found a maternity little-black-dress that I liked.  Hopefully I can find a non-maternity dress that has a high-waist that will work out well. 

On the debt paydown front, DH and I are doing pretty well this year.  In a couple more months we should have some bills paid off, and start in on the maternity leave savings.  Once that's done, we will start saving for our trip/s to NM to go see his grandpa.  I want to go in April, and then again in October if we can swing it.  If not, we will just go in October to make sure the baby gets to meet DH's grandpa.  Should be a fun trip!

Bump!

Yep - there's something going on there!

DH and I went to a pre-screening of "No Strings Attached" tonight.  Yay for a free date-night!!  Some movies lately tend to show all the funniest parts in the previews, so that when you see the movie its pretty disappointing.  I was pleasantly surprised with this one.  It was more funny/clever/sweet than the previews led me to believe.  I wouldn't have minded paying money to go see it :) 

All through the movie I got to feel little flutters & rolls :)  Baby apparently enjoyed the soda I had before the show.  I have been really limiting my soda drinking (like once per week or less), but I was just craving one today.

I go to see the Dr next week, and we should set up the BIG ultrasound date then.  This is feeling more & more real every day!!

Hopeful :)

Ok, I need all of you to keep your fingers crossed for me.  MIL might agree to watch our little one, which would ease so much of my stress right now.  DH and I can not agree on any other forms of daycare, and we dont agree on any close-by options, so we would be driving at least 30 minutes for any viable choice.  MIL is less than 2 miles away!!  There are some other details to work out, but if it happens I will feel so much better.  Its so weird - the kid is still 6 months away from being here, and already I am stressing out about feeling comfortable having someone else watch him/her all day while I have to work.  Of course we would pay her, but it still works out to be less than our other options.

And incase we have a boy (fingers crossed!!!), I have decided I want to do an outer-space themed nursery.  I am in love with this bedding set from Target (and it matches the current blue color of the room, so no re-painting needed!):

Bedding (wouldn't let me upload the pic)

Light

And if we have a girl....I will have to start looking again :)  Its funny, DH is convinced its a boy, and that's what I am leaning towards as well.  We have decided on a boy's name that we both really like, and every time we pick out things we like they are definitely boy-themed.  Watch this kid be a girl.  We don't agree on anything girl-wise.  :)

Sneak Peek :)

See that lil' one in there?  That's what our baby looked like...but imagine the arms & legs going 90-to-nothing.  The kiddo was moving around too much for the sono tech to get a good picture!  He had to get a couple blurry ones for the measurements & try to do the best he could.  Unfortunately there weren't any good clear pics, so he didn't print any off.  Looks like we have a pretty active kiddo in there!

It was really cool to see the pic of the baby.  Makes it seem more real :)  It stinks that we have to wait 2 more months to peek again, but that time we should be able to find out if we are having a boy or a girl.  DH and I decided we wanted to find out.  Really, its not like we could pre-order the kid, so its going to be a surprise when we find out either way.  I would just like to have my surprise sooner rather than later :P  We are planning on having another kid in the next 3-4 years, so the big baby gear will still be gender-neutral.  But I really want to start making some blankets and buying some fun clothes. 

I ran a tax estimator to see if we will owe this year or not.  It looks like we should get a decent refund.  I know the big PF thing is to plan on not getting a refund, but I over-withheld since DH is self-employed, and I didn't want to get hit with penalties for not paying enough.  Next year we will probably do the same thing, until his income stabilizes more.  The refund should be enough to pay off a couple CCs.  If its on the high-side of the estimate, it will also give us a start to our maternity fund.  I want to take all 12 weeks, so we need to save up 4-6 weeks of pay (work will be paying part of my leave). 

I also have a coupon class that is next Saturday.  Hopefully that will bring in some $$ too - if I am lucky, it will be enough to pay off one off the little CCs :)  We might just make some progress on paying down these bills this year!  Maybe...just maybe.