Return of Superpucky

First of all let me apologize to anyone who may still be reading this blog for my absenteeism. I am back! YaY!
Lots of things have happened since we last spoke. Working and being pregnant and a myriad of other things have stood between me and my blog. Which has been tough for me because I find it to be a great stress relief and creative outlet.
I have quit my job! Hoorah! Much joy and rejoicing. This was not by any means an easy decision. There was lots of prayer, tears, gnashing of teeth, tearing of clothes, wailing, examining of budget etc.. While I worked I managed to pay off five credit cards and a truck load of hospital bills. Unfortunately I still have about 900.00 left of my ER/surgery bill.
We had to decide on sacrifices for the cause. We have discovered the joys of TV without cable, cooking almost exclusively at home, going to the park, you know...things that are cheap and free. Cutting out cable was a savings of about 120.00 per month...thank you very much. It is amazing how much a person will pay for TV huh? I have slashed pretty much every luxury item in my budget. Buh-bye eating out, pedicures, going to movie theater, new clothes, vacation...you name it. We have discovered the library-checking out books and free movie rentals. I have discovered baby sitting in exchange for services such as hair cuts, future baby sitting and a little money.
The catalyst for quitting working was looking a the cost benefit ratio. I was floored to find out that the crappiest of daycares in my area would have been about 600.00-700.00 per month. I wouldn't be able to express milk at work to breast feed due to time constraints. So add in money for formula. My shift at work would have been 3:00 PM to 12:00 midnight off Sunday and Monday. YUCKO! My husband's shift is 11:00 AM and 8:00 PM so my poor baby would be in daycare from 10:30 AM -6:30 PM and then someone would have to watch him until 8:30 at night. Then my husband would have to watch him solo from 9:00 PM to 12:30 when I got home. Sounds delightful doesn't it?
I would be working to net an extra four to five hundred dollars per month and to allow someone else to raise my child. Not to mention all the stress that would place on me, my baby, my husband, my family, my marriage. All so we could have extra money for the next few years.
December of 2012 we will have a loan paid off that will give us some wiggle room in the budget. One of our vehicles will be paid off four months later. If we can just make it through this year and the next without major financial disaster life will be MUCH more comfortable. Hopefully there may be some raises for my husband in the mean time as well. We managed to squirrel away a little "oh crap" money in savings for insurance deductibles and expenses above and beyond our monthly expenses. I have paid enough off on the few credit cards that we have left to have some additional cushion.
This was truly a decision to step out in faith. The thought of being able to be with my child every single day is much more comforting to me that having padding in the bank account. I really had to examine my priorities. I don't care about having pricey clothes and presents and extra perks. I have gone through tougher leaner financial periods in my life, and knowing it won't last forever is reassuring.
On to more fun subjects. I have found out I am having a boy, his name will be Robbie. At my last ultrasound the sonographer exclaimed that my child had really big feet. Sure enough she brought his little tootsies up on the monitor and they were quite gargantuan. I even have pictures to prove it.
Monday I am going for another ultrasound to see how big Bigfoot Jr. really is. We are going to determine if C Section will be necessary or if we are going ahead as planned. Right now the plan is just to bring him into the world the old natural way. I am hoping that will be the case as I don't really want to have another surgery within a year of having ye' old evil gallbladder removed.
I have purchased just about everything I need for him. We even have about four or five months worth of diapers stockpiled up. The crib has been put together, the car seat and stroller are in his room. All the little clothes are washed and put away.
I have gained 40 pounds...not so hooray and huzzah. I don't think I am having a 35 pound child...at least I hope and pray I am not. Physically I am doing ok, my stamina is in the pooper and I get tuckered out pretty easily. A trip to Wal Mart really takes it out of me so I have to pace myself. I am getting up forty thousand times a night to pee. Everything is giving me heartburn right now so I should own stock in rolaids. Other than that I am feeling pretty good. I am having Braxton Hicks Contractions periodically now. My OB says that is a good thing it means I am progressing nicely. Robbie thinks the best place to keep his enormous feet are tucked under my left rib. He will push against my ribs and bounce his noggin on my poor bladder.
I am nesting like a maniac right now. I have managed to deep clean every room in my home. Now I am working on organization and fine tuning. I am happy to say that I have managed to accomplish all the major projects I wanted to.
Now I have to look in to pre-registration at the hospital, and a tour of the maternity ward.
More to come later I promise.