I'm Cheap

There. I said it. I'm cheap. I'm not even going to pretend and say "frugal" or "thrifty." I'm cheap. I pretty much have to be. Unfortunately, it is becoming alarmingly clear that unless I want to wear maternity clothes that look like this 

I am going to have to get over my cheapness because I cannot find cute, trendy, flattering maternity clothes within my financial comfort zone. I went to Kohl's today thinking, "Kohl's...it's pretty hard not to find something I like at Kohl's." Well, by the time I tracked down their maternity department hidden away in the back behind the racks of bras and panties, I find that the "department" consists of 4 racks of tacky, tent/bell-shaped items made of synthetic fabrics that made me sweat just looking at them. Side note: Why do they design some maternity clothes to look like the same styles you find in the old lady section? How many retirees do you see that are knocked-up?! Come on, people! Ugh!
In my frustration over the lack of selection at Kohl's I then began searching online at Old Navy, Gap, etc. and their prices...obscene. I absolutely refuse to spend $50 on a pair of pants that I won't be able to wear this time next year. It's ridiculous! For Pete's sake, I'm expecting a baby...something that will be a financial parasite for at least the next 18 years. Is spending a small fortune on clothes that I'll only use for 5 months really a sound investment? I think not. I've tried looking at Goodwill, and their maternity stuff is usually jeans (of which I have plenty) or really outdated, floral tops. GAG!
So, long story short, if any of you know someone that designs maternity clothes, kick them in the shin for me. Trust me...they deserve it.

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!

That's right, boys and girls...as one of my friends put so perfectly, "Team Estrogen takes the lead in the Rudegeair house!" I'll try and write a longer post later this week, but wanted to spread the word asap.

Random Monday-ness

It's Monday. I have a headache. My thoughts aren't coherent enough to form paragraphs.

1) Waking up 15 minutes before your alarm makes you tired all day. Doesn't matter if the 8 hours before were the most blissful sleep ever experienced by a human. That 15 minutes screws you for the rest of the day.

2) If you buy tickets for your husband and 4-year-old son to go to Monster Jams, be prepared to listen to nothing but monster truck talk for the next week of your life.

3) My daughter demands to have a dry shirt put on if she spills even the slightest bit of water on herself, but will sit in a soaking wet diaper until you drag her kicking and screaming to change it. ????

4) I have come to the frightening realization that I will most-likely be selling insurance for the remainder of my working life. *sigh* I really don't wanna, but the thought of starting over at something else just seems like an awful lot of trouble now.

5) I miss the beach. I know I practically never went, but knowing it was less than 30 minutes away was nice.

6) I talk to my mom more now that we're hundreds of miles apart than I did when we lived in the same town.

7) I find it really bizarre when people never live outside of the town they grew up in. It's one thing to leave for a while and go back, but to never have experienced life outside of your hometown...that's just weird to me. (Side Note: It always seems that these are the people that talk like they know everything and are so "cultured" and knowledgeable. Dude. You've never lived more than 30 minutes away from your mom. Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about.)

8) My kids have made me a much more patient person...but at the same time, I am MUCH less tolerant of b.s. than I used to be.

9) Having been both a stay-at-home mom and now a working mom, I've realized that no matter what you do, you can't please everyone so you may as well do what works for you. When I was at home with the kids it was inevitable that people thought I "didn't work." Yeah, because being at a kid's disposal 24/7 is like a vacation. Pfffft. And now that I work I get the, "Oh, but you're missing so much!"

10) I officially have a baby bump and wore maternity clothes all weekend. (Dee hangs head, sobbing) Goodbye, zippers and buttons. I will miss you. Elastic waistbands, here I come.