My Baby Boy Goes to School

This picture was taken during Goob's first day of pre-K.  Mama is both excited and happy for him, and a bit heartbroken, but at least he loves the new change in his life. 

Randomosity

I feel like blogging, but don't really have any cohesive message to share, so I'm just gonna ramble and see where it takes us.
The other day, I was changing seven month old Bean on the bed in her room. She's rolling now, so I placed her perpendicular to the edge of the bed, thinking that, if she rolled, she'd roll down the bed, and not off of the bed. I took my eyes off of her for two seconds as I reached for some baby blue jeans in her dresser not more than a foot behind me, and I heard a sickening THUNK followed by a wail of epic proportions.
My baby gal fell off the bed.
I snatched her up, and once I calmed her down and checked her out, I called the doctor's office, where the nurse assured me Bean would be just fine, and that this happens to every mother. But, I was sobbing. I never thought it would happen to me because I was "smarter" than that. And yet, no matter the preparations, the good intentions, it happened anyway.
Which got me thinking about just life and motherhood and children in general. Life is like that when you're a parent. You can prepare kids, you can nurture them, you can have the best of intentions, and think you know it all. But, we don't. Parents goof up. Children go off the beaten path. They screw up, too. I think it's just the nature of parenting and growing up. As long as we do our best, and try to make it through slip ups, it'll work out somehow. Kids fall off the bed. Sometimes, stuff happens, and it's what you make of it.
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We registered the Goob for pre-K today. We tried to prepare him by telling him he was going to take a look at his new school this morning. When we got out of the car, he happily proclaimed that he wanted to hear a school bell, and his excitement made me both happy for him, and a bit misty eyed at the same time. When did he grow up? When did he stop being my little baby? I watched him as he looked around at all of the children, the gymnasium, the playground, and he was enthralled. I sat back as he played with other little kids waiting as their parents signed paperwork, and I knew that I was making the right choice for him and for what he needs at this point in his life, even if it does make me a bit teary-eyed and slightly sad inside. It will be a transition for both of us.
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In other less emotional news, I snagged some more freebies this week. Some of the haul includes more digital magazine subscriptions (stuff like Kiwi and Harper's Bazaar), three six-ounce tubes of Jason all-natural whitening toothpaste, which retails for just under seven bucks a tube, and I got three for free plus free shipping, a personalized travel mug, a photo calendar for my desk at work with pictures of the children, two more personalized humorous birthday cards, and I sent away for a free sample of body lotion from the Burt's Bees company. One of the lessons I have learned in scoring free stuff is that I don't need everything just because it says it is free, and also, if you want to get free stuff, but have to pay for shipping, it can start adding up fast, and before you know it, it isn't worth it anymore. So, like everything, it's a balance.
Cheers!

Back to (Financial) School

I've been struggling a lot with my goals to get out of debt and spending less money.
It's difficult. There's pressure from all sides--commercials tell us we need more, more, more. Friends don't always understand why you don't want to spend even a few dollars and sometimes joke and criticize. If you're an emotional spender, like myself, in times of stress, you find yourself nickel-ing and dime-ing your money away in a futile attempt to feel better for a bit. When money is tight, and you get behind on bills, the feelings of inadequacy are like a kick in the teeth.
And then there's the shame of getting into debt in the first place.
Needless to say, there's a mountain to climb, and it's often terrifying and daunting.
However, my wise hubby shared an analogy with me. I spent six years in college, doing a lot of drudge work, doing things that I didn't want to do, sometimes facing the criticism of others, stress, mistakes, failures, and so forth, all in the pursuit of something greater that would benefit myself and my family someday in the future. I didn't always want to keep going, but I did, and it was worth it.
Finances are very much the same thing. You spent years learning from mistakes, picking up new skills and habits, doing things you don't want to do, making sacrifices, dealing with stress, often for years, all for the sake of a future benefit.
And the thing is, stress and all, I loved being in school, and even contemplate going back--and a lot of times, while in school, I wanted it to be over so badly, but the success and the end goal makes me want to go back. So, when things get me down when it comes to financial goals, maybe I need to relate it to my schooling--something that will take years to accomplish, and strength and hard work I often don't feel capable of--all to ensure a comfortable future for me and my little family.