Thursday, November 29, 2012

Thrifty Thursday #6

Today's Thrifty Thursday* isn't something we'll need as soon as our baby arrives, but I hope we'll get some use out of it when he's 5 or 6 months old (or however old babies are when they start doing things). Here it is, a Fisher-Price Jumperoo from the Luv U Zoo collection:

Not that there's anything wrong with this house, but it isn't mine. This photo came from the seller.

Ebay Price: $59 (including shipping, which was 1/3 of the total price)
Target's Price: $90
Amount Saved: $31
Amount Left Before I Can Justify Buying My Joya Rocking Chair: $524

Still going after an awesome item on Craigslist, but the seller has a hard time answering e-mails. Hopefully next week!

*An explanation of Thrifty Thursdays:
According to my readers, I should spend approximately $300 on a rocking chair. I've already admitted that I'll be spending a whoppin' $1,000. That's a difference of $700.

To offset this $700, I plan on saving money elsewhere. Every week, I'll buy something for the baby from Craigslist or Ebay, and the amount of money I save will go toward this $700 difference. So, say I score a $200 stroller on Craigslist for $100. The $100 that I saved will be "banked," and I'll have to save $600 more to justify purchasing my glorious rocking chair. For a more in-depth explanation, see this post.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Perfect Heart

Yesterday's appointment went well. We got a bonus ultrasound because the tech wasn't able to get enough measurements of our baby's heart last month at our anatomy scan. My OB had told us that she was sure there was nothing to worry about; the tech just needs 3 measurements of every organ for her records, and if she can't get them, she has to do another ultrasound later.

Blurry Profile

According to my OB, after she reviewed the tech's report yesterday, our baby boy has "a perfect heart."

Yesterday was really strange for me—crying over my first angel's broken heart, while simultaneously celebrating this baby's perfect heart. Every day is kind of like that, though, I guess—missing my three lost babies, while being grateful for this one. Just a really crazy mix of emotions.

It was especially weird (I know there's a better word out there somewhere) when I was writing Baby Celis #1's post yesterday—sobbing my eyes out—and Guido was fluttering up a storm. A friend told me she thinks he was giving me some extra love when he knew I needed it. So sweet.

Anyway, I was looking forward to finding out whether Guido is still jumbo, or if we really had just caught him at the tail-end of a growth spurt last time, but that'll have to remain a mystery. There was no reason for the tech to take in-depth measurements again. She just needed to get a better look at his heart. His perfect heart.

I was also expecting to take home an amazing ultrasound picture yesterday because my doctor's office has a fancy new ultrasound machine with a 3D setting. Baby was partying it up in there, though—in true guido fashion—so the tech wasn't able to snap a very good photo of him. It was wonderful to watch him fist-pump and wiggle and kick, though.

Admittedly, this picture scared me for a minute, and Danny can't look at it without laughing.

Once I got past the fact that Guido looks like a hilarious pig-boy in that photo, thanks to his fist-pumping that just won't quit, I realized 2 things:  1) He's adorable and 2) He looks just like me. Danny finds both of these statements hilarious, especially the second one. Whatever.

We're going to one of those elective 4D ultrasound places next month, and I'm hoping we're able to get some better photos to take home.

And if not, April 2nd isn't that far away, and we'll definitely be able to get some awesome pictures then.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Baby Celis #1, Part Two (The Sad)

Today is the one year anniversary of the worst day of my life—the day we found out Baby Celis #1 was gone. I promised (my baby, Danny, and you) I’d share the sad part of Baby Celis #1’s story today. Here’s Part One, in case you missed it. 

And here we go—Part Two. 

Did I mention how happy Danny and I were? Deliriously. Ridiculously. Otherworldly.

But then, I started spotting. It was unsettling, but I definitely wasn't expecting the worst. When I was about 9 weeks pregnant, I had my first appointment with my (former) OB. She did an exam, assured me that my spotting was completely normal, and sent me on my way. Of course I believed her, so I breathed a huge sigh of relief and returned to my rightful place on cloud nine. 

The very next day, on Thanksgiving, actually, my spotting picked up—and the doubt crept back into my mind. When we prayed before dinner, I silently begged God to let my baby be okay. While our loved ones talked about what they were thankful for, Danny squeezed my hand and smiled at me, his way of letting me how thankful he was for me—and for our baby, who was still our little secret, for the most part. I fought back tears. 

The worry increased—along with the spotting—and then the cramping started. I didn’t quite believe I was miscarrying, though. I'm not entirely sure what I thought, but that Sunday morning, when Danny got home from work, I told him we needed to go to the Emergency Room. I'll never forget how hopeful he was, how crazy he thought I was for not thinking our baby was okay. Or maybe he was just really convincing because he loves me so much.

Our first stop was Metro Hospital, where they put me in a room and literally forgot about me for 3 hours. Nobody checked on me as I lay there bleeding, so we walked out, and went to another Emergency Room. 

The 7 hours (I clearly wasn't a priority) we spent in the second Emergency Room are a blur. I remember being pumped full of liquids and being really cold. I remember they wouldn't let Danny accompany me when the ultrasound tech wheeled me off to her exam room; I hated being away from him for those 45 minutes. I remember the same commercial kept airing over and over again; I don't know what it was for, but it was the holiday season, and the word "joy" was bouncing all over the screen. I remember telling myself that if our baby was okay, and if it was a girl, her middle name would be "Joy." 

I think he was a boy, though, and I always refer to Baby Celis #1 as such.

People talk about defining moments—moments they can pinpoint that truly changed their lives, made them who they are. My defining moment? Hearing the doctor (I call him "Dr. Maroon" because he was wearing either a maroon shirt or a maroon tie) say the words “no heartbeat.” I don't remember his entire sentence, what came before or after. I just remember those two words leaving his mouth, and driving into my soul, into my core—into my own heart—and shattering everything in their path.     

Danny let out a wail that haunts me to this day. I’ve never heard a pain so deep. He collapsed against me and buried his face in my arm, and I know he wished he could crawl right through my skin and get the fuck out of that room. Get the fuck out of that hospital. Get the fuck out of that nightmare. All I could do was stroke his hand with my thumb and cry with him. I can still feel his hand in mine. I can still feel his face against my arm. I can still feel my own body being shaken by his sobs. 

Dr. Maroon kept saying, "the fetus.” Each time he said the word was like a sock in the gut. The fetus, the fetus, the fetus. My baby, you heartless bastard. My baby.

We didn't get so much as an "I'm sorry" from anybody working in the ER that night. Everybody was so nonchalant, and when I say that nobody cared, I'm not exaggerating. We'd just found out that our baby was dead, and nobody was the least bit fazed. Our entire world had just been turned upside down and set on fire, and nobody could take two minutes to offer us a few words of consolation. Not that we could have been consoled anyway.  

Dr. Maroon told me to call my OB on Monday to decide what our next steps would be—most likely a D&C, since the baby had been gone for 4 weeks, and my body wasn’t recognizing the loss like it should have been.

But we didn’t make it to Monday. By the grace of God, just hours after Danny wept all over my belly, telling Baby Celis #1 goodbye—and that it was time for him to physically leave us... he did. 

I'll do my best not to get too graphic here, but I am going to mention it because people tend to forget about the physical aspect of miscarriage. I know I never thought about it until I experienced it. The baby doesn't just disappear. I'll spare you too much detail, but suffice it to say that on November 27th, 2011, with Danny by my side, I spent 3 horrific hours in labor with our tiny baby. As if the emotional pain weren't enough, wave after wave of burning pain ripped through my body. I know I've heard this comparison before, so if anybody ever tells you a miscarriage is "like a period," please know that they're sorely mistaken.

I remember every single second of those hours. More tears than anybody should ever have to cry. More blood than anybody should ever have to see. More physical pain than anybody should ever have to feel in their own goddamn bathroom. And the heartache... 

Danny and I didn't leave the house for 6 days. Those days are a haze. We stayed in bed and cried together. My body still hurt, and for days, all I could say was, "Why? Why our baby?" We didn't know which way was up or which way was down, whether it was night or day. We finally left the house on Saturday to buy me a birthday present, since my birthday was the following day. (My own birthday is just another reminder of all we've lost, along with Thanksgiving, of course.) I picked out a pendant to honor Baby Celis #1, and aside from when it was on hiatus due to a broken chain, it hasn't left my neck since. It never will.

My 28th birthday. Danny made me let him take me to dinner. This picture makes me sad because I remember how torn apart I was.

I’ve spent a million hours wondering what this child would have looked like, who he would have been. I’ve thought about him every single day since October 27th, 2011—the day I found out about him. I’ll always wonder, and while my crying isn’t as frequent as it once was, I know I’ll never run out of tears for my first baby.

My sweet, sweet June Bug, whenever I think of my first baby, it won't be the first baby we bring home from the hospital; it will always, always, always be you. You are the one who made me a mommy. You are the one who first changed my life forever. You are the one who made me and your daddy love each other more than anybody's ever loved anybody or anything.

And I hope that in the short time we had together, which I’ll always cherish, you could feel how much we loved you. 

How much we love you.

Monday, November 26, 2012

21 Weeks = Carrot

Today, I'm 21 weeks and 1 day pregnant—closer to the finish line than the starting line!—and our baby boy is about 10.5" long, approximately the length of a large carrot. This carrot is exactly 10.5":

Night + Flash = Psycho Lady

We have an ultrasound tomorrow (yay!), and I'm curious to see if Little Man truly is the length of a carrot, or if he's still measuring way ahead of schedule.

Anyway, this week, Carrot's eyelids are present, his tongue is fully formed, and his skin is opaque instead of transparent. What a busy little bee!


Can't believe our baby is (at least) that long!

I've felt pretty symptomless lately, so I'm grateful for the little flutters in my tummy that let me know Little Man is okay.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Black Friday

I'm not usually a Black Friday shopper, but I couldn't resist Carter's 50%-off-everything, then-20%-off-that-if-you-had-the-right-coupon, then-10%-off-that-if-you-arrived-by-noon sale. Danny actually enjoyed picking a few things out, and I even let him deviate from today's gray and blue color scheme because I love him so much.

So much cuteness!
Happy Black Friday!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving: A Letter to Baby Boy

Dear Baby Boy,

Your daddy and I are so, so thankful for each other—and for you. You obviously don’t know this yet, but you have a lot to be thankful for, too. 


For starters, your daddy can cook a mean turkey (proof below), and my mashed potatoes (not pictured) are pretty ridiculous, too.


Mommy can't wait to devour this turkey.

Now, in seriousness, your daddy and I are very average people. We’re average looking, have average jobs, and we live in an average house. Our love, though—and the love we have for you—is not average. We're a couple of saps, and we just exude love. It’s stronger than anything I’ve ever known, and you’re so blessed to be a part of this little family, I promise. (As an aside, please don't be allergic to animals.) 

Our home is filled with so much love that it envelops you when you walk through the door. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the love here is tangible. I can’t wait for you to feel it, too. Can you already?

It’s common for people to say to each other, “You’ll never know how much I love you.” This is all wrong, Baby Boy. You’ll know every day how much I love you! How much your daddy loves you, too. We’ll tell you, we’ll show you, you’ll feel it in the air.

Happy Thanksgiving, Little Man.

Love,

Mommy

Thrifty Thursday #5

I almost skipped this week's Thrifty Thursday* because it's so weak, but I know you won't judge me. Here it is, a Halo Sleepsack:

Maynard only looks deranged because he's kneading that sleepsack so intently. 

Ebay Price:   $7
Babies R Us Price:   $22
Amount Saved:   $15
Amount Left Before I Can Justify Buying My Joya Rocking Chair:   $555

As long as my Craigslist transaction doesn't fall through again, next week's Thrifty Thursday should be pretty awesome.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go eat more cookies. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

*An explanation of Thrifty Thursdays:
According to my readers, I should spend approximately $300 on a rocking chair. I've already admitted that I'll be spending a whoppin' $1,000. That's a difference of $700.

To offset this $700, I plan on saving money elsewhere. Every week, I'll buy something for the baby from Craigslist or Ebay, and the amount of money I save will go toward this $700 difference. So, say I score a $200 stroller on Craigslist for $100. The $100 that I saved will be "banked," and I'll have to save $600 more to justify purchasing my glorious rocking chair. For a more in-depth explanation, see this post.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Pinterest Fail

Many moons ago, when I thought I was going to have a big wedding, I made 75 of these pretty pinwheels in various colors and patterns to use as part of my centerpieces:

Ooooh, pretty.
They really work, too!

They've just been stored away in a buffet (not one per jar like that, obviously) because they were so tedious and took soooo many hours to make that I just can't bear to throw them away.

Anyway, I was thrilled when I realized they'd be cute in a nursery--a few of them, I mean--not 75, and one day last week, I decided to dress up a boring ol' mason jar to put them in.

I followed this tutorial, fully expecting my mason jar to turn out like these beauties:


Looks impossible to mess up, right??

Instead, I ended up with this monstrosity:


The directions said the streaks would disappear when the jar dried--
which is a giant lie because the jar was completely dry when this photo was taken.

After I destroyed my innocent mason jar, I read some comments people had left on that tutorial page. Apparently, the poor Mod-Podge users, like myself, didn't fare as well as the lucky people who went with Elmer's glue. Live and learn, I guess (and buy a pretty vase).

Sunday, November 18, 2012

20 Weeks = Banana

Today, I'm 20 weeks pregnant, and our baby boy is approximately the length of a banana. Twenty weeks. Half baked! I can hardly believe it.

This week, Banana is swallowing up a storm, and he's already producing a tarry poo substance that he'll store in his bowels until he's born. That's not cute in any way, but it's pretty fascinating. Also, he's sprouting nipples this week, which actually is kind of cute.

The only thing weirder than posing in your front yard with a banana is posing in your front yard with a banana when it's pitch-black outside. I'm doing my best not to look like a perv.

I feel so, so good lately. I'm definitely less tired, and my kidneys are finally chilling out! Twice this week, I didn't have to get up at all to pee in the middle of the night... which is probably why I'm feeling so rested and energetic. Booyah!

Something new: for the past 2 weeks or so, I've been having occasional leg cramps that hurt so badly they pull me out of a deep sleep. I had one last night, actually--and my leg is still sore today. I didn't know this was a symptom of pregnancy until I read it on my pregnancy website this morning. Supposedly, I probably just need more water. Simple enough.

Oh, and according to Danny, I've been "snoring like a walrus" for the first time in my life, so I'm going to go ahead and blame that on being pregnant, too.

There's obviously a baby in there now!

Like I mentioned a couple days ago, I've been enjoying feeling this little guy dance around. Something about it makes me feel very connected to him, and I can't wait until Danny can feel his kicks, too. So many amazing things have happened--and are happening--but there are still countless things to look forward to. I love this so much.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Monarch Butterfly

I never mess with my blog at work, but I have to make an exception today because I want to remember this moment forever. Bosses, if you're reading this, I apologize. I'll keep it quick, I promise.

For the past 5 days, I've felt little flutters in my stomach, but I tried to chalk it up to the digestion process or something because my doctor told me not to expect movement for a few more weeks, due to the location of my placenta. Yesterday, though, I really started to think the flutters had to be movement because they were so consistent. And today...

I CAN FEEL LITTLE MAN DANCING UP A STORM!

...as I type this, in fact... and there's no denying it anymore. I'm sitting at my desk, laughing out loud right now--because it's such a wonderfully bizarre feeling. If I had to describe it, I'd say it feels like there's a monarch butterfly in my stomach that really, really wants out. Flutter, flutter, tap, flutter.

So awesome. So reassuring. Keep it up, kiddo.

I really don't like publishing posts without a photo, so please do me a favor and imagine that there's a picture of me right here:




....wearing the biggest smile I've ever worn.

Little Man

I was afraid I'd have a hard time finding cute clothes for our baby boy because I'm so obsessed with baby girl clothes, but believe me, I'm doing just fine.

This guy already has quite a wardrobe. (Hello, Gap Friends and Family Sale!) I keep telling myself to stop sharing every little thing I buy with Danny because I don't want him to think I'm too out of control--but I'm a sucker for little overalls, so I had to share my latest purchase with him.

Adorable!

Apparently, Danny's a sucker for overalls, too, because he grabbed them out of my hand so he could hold them, and he gasped (a happy gasp!) and said, "Oh, my God! My little man's gonna wear these!"

His little man! So cute I can hardly stand it. In four and a half months, he'll be holding his little man, not just his little man's overalls. He'll be kissing his forehead and rocking him to sleep--and just the thought takes my breath away.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Thrifty Thursday #4

This week's Thrifty Thursday* isn't very cute or exciting--but it's practical, and we really, really needed it. Here it is, a Safety 1st Perfect Fit Gate:

Don't let him fool you. There's another doorway in that room. 

Craigslist Price:   $15
Babies R Us Price:   $50
Amount Saved:   $35
Amount Left Before I Can Justify Buying My Joya Rocking Chair:   $570

Now, I just need to save an average of $71 each week to reach my goal. (Ha!)

*An explanation of Thrifty Thursdays:
According to my readers, I should spend approximately $300 on a rocking chair. I've already admitted that I'll be spending a whoppin' $1,000. That's a difference of $700.

To offset this $700, I plan on saving money elsewhere. Every week, I'll buy something for the baby from Craigslist or Ebay, and the amount of money I save will go toward this $700 difference. So, say I score a $200 stroller on Craigslist for $100. The $100 that I saved will be "banked," and I'll have to save $600 more to justify purchasing my glorious rocking chair. For a more in-depth explanation, see this post.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

19 Weeks = Mango

Today, I'm 19 weeks and 2 days pregnant, and our baby boy is approximately the size of a mango.

It gets dark at 5:15 now. Depressing.

This week, Mango's brain is hard at work, developing nerve cells for his sense of smell, taste, vision, hearing, and touch. Go, brain, go!

Tiniest bump!

Lately, I've had a little bit of heartburn and congestion, and a whole lot of peeing (including one pretty bad sniss), but overall, I feel great physically. Emotionally, I'm just over the moon. Danny is, too, which puts me even further over the moon--and I gotta say, I like it up here.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Banana-fana Fo-fa--

It's no secret that baby boy has a name. He's had one for years, long before he was even conceived.

Choosing a name was simple. When I was bored one day, I made a list of about a million names I loved, then asked Danny to pick out all the ones he liked (clearly, I'm 12 years old)--and we'd narrow it down from there. He liked one. No narrowing down was necessary. That was that. (Don't ask me what we'll do if we ever have a second son.)

And now, we get to use this name we love so much. I smile when I say it, and I swoon when Danny says it. I'm not going to reveal the name, but I can tell you it's not very common. Everybody's heard it before--and it's gaining in popularity--but I don't see it making any top ten lists anytime soon. I'm not a top-10-list kind of gal.

We're not keeping it a secret to be annoying, I promise. We're not trying to be suspenseful or dramatic. In fact, when somebody asks me if we have a name picked out, I feel like a jackass when I say, "Yeah, but we're not telling." I think people are actually hearing, "Oh, we totally do. Now, you go home and lie awake for hours, trying to guess what it could possibly be!" I could say no, but people know I'm more anal than that. Of course I have a name picked out.

I think my mother-in-law really sealed the let's-keep-this-name-to-ourselves-until-this-baby-is-born deal for us. When Danny blabbed the name to her (Danny!), she looked like this:

This cat has come in handy on so many different occasions.

She was appalled. She said, "What kind of made-up name is that?? What's wrong with a nice, normal name--like Dean?? My God, he'll be picked on his whole life!" 

Needless to say, one reaction like that was plenty, so we'll be keeping this name a secret. Oh, and please don't let that story make you think baby boy's name is horrendous. It isn't, I swear. When I hear it, I imagine a kind, mellow, clever guy that everybody loves--and I think you'll like it.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Thrifty Thursday #3

This week's Thrifty Thursday* is a small item, but I couldn't resist snatching it up. Here it is, the Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover from the Papillon collection:


Ebay Price:  $11 (including shipping)
Babies R Us Price:  $37
Amount Saved:  $26
Amount Left Before I Can Justify Buying My Joya Rocking Chair:  $605

I was really hoping to wind up below the $600 mark this week, but that'll have to happen next week. Oh, and I haven't mentioned this, but my plan is to do 12 Thrifty Thursdays. This only leaves 9 more, so I better get serious. 

*An explanation of Thrifty Thursdays:
According to my readers, I should spend approximately $300 on a rocking chair. I've already admitted that I'll be spending a whoppin' $1,000. That's a difference of $700.

To offset this $700, I plan on saving money elsewhere. Every week, I'll buy something for the baby from Craigslist or Ebay, and the amount of money I save will go toward this $700 difference. So, say I score a $200 stroller on Craigslist for $100. The $100 that I saved will be "banked," and I'll have to save $600 more to justify purchasing my glorious rocking chair. For a more in-depth explanation, see this post. 

Sunday, November 4, 2012

18 Weeks = Sweet Potato

Today, I'm 18 weeks pregnant, and our baby boy(!) should be approximately the size of a sweet potato.

Our boy is jumbo, though, and according to Tuesday's ultrasound, he's actually the size of a 20- or 21-weeker--but we'll just keep going in order here, so things don't get too confusing. Plus, my OB said we most likely caught our baby boy at the tail end of a growth spurt, and she thinks everything will even out soon.

Taken on our anniversary getaway last night. (Today's our first anniversary!)

I've been waiting for this week. Supposedly, baby boy can hear my voice now, which makes me deliriously happy.

I promise to sing to my sweet, wonderful miracle every day from now until he tells me he's too old for his mom to sing to him...and then I'll sing to him some more. I can't wait until he can sing along with me. Even if his singing is as awful as his daddy's (he tries, though, which is what counts!), I know every single note will turn me to mush. (I should mention that Danny is very musical; he can play guitar in a way that can't be learned, and I hope our baby boy inherits this from him.)

Come out, come out, wherever you are, bump! (And what? Don't you have fingers growing out of your neck?)

I've felt spectacular this week. If my biggest problem is nonstop nighttime peeing, then I'm one lucky mama.

Oh, and this is random, but people kept telling me they were having a hard time commenting on my blog. Turns out, it was something to do with cookies and embedding and other things I don't understand--but it should be fixed now, so holla!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Party in the Woods (By Danny)

We had our 17-week ultrasound on Tuesday. Our doctor had said we may be able to find out the sex if we wanted, but we thought we would be able to restrain ourselves. We thought wrong. I already KNEW it was a boy; I’ve had a feeling since Amanda told me she was pregnant. Seeing his little weenie on the screen just validated my beliefs.

Amanda was convinced I would have been upset if it was a girl, but I wouldn’t have been.

Knowing this baby is a boy makes this all so much more real. During the ultrasound, we were able to see his entire skeleton and beating heart, which is incredibly creepy and really cool at the same time. We could also see the outline of his face. HIS FACE! Fortunately, our boy has a pronounced, defined chin, and he did not inherit that trait from me.

Already, I’m daydreaming about having guys’ night with my boy, about taking him to movies, teaching him to lift weights, and maybe even going for motorcycle rides together. Things that I wish I could have done with my dad, I’ll get to do with my son. Maybe he’ll grow up to be a cop like his old man…

When we first learned about Baby Celis #1, our first angel, it was right around this time of year. I remember feeling uneasy and completely unprepared for fatherhood. Amanda and I had decided that we needed to go get married as soon as possible, so we made arrangements at the courthouse for a November 4th wedding.

The night before our wedding, I went out for a drink with my best friend Joe. I was telling him how I thought I wasn’t ready to be a dad and how scared I was. Joe proceeded to tell me that it would be great:

“It’ll be like in Robin Hood when Little John comes down out of his treehouse yelling, ‘I HAVE A SON!!!’ and everybody starts partying in the woods. It’ll be great, we’ll take our kids camping together, you’ll yell at my kids and I’ll yell at yours when they’re goofing off… you’ll be fine.”


Those images stuck with me after losing our first two babies. For a while, it seemed like they might never come true. This ultrasound is one step closer to that party in the woods.

Thrifty Thursday #2

This week's Thrifty Thursday* isn't as impressive as last week's. I spent more and saved less, but here it is, a Fisher-Price Musical Gym (from the Luv U Zoo collection): 



Ebay Price: $38 (including shipping, of course)
Target's Price: $56 (Online. It's $62 in the store, but I'll be fair and go with the lower price.)
Amount Saved: $18
Amount Left Before I Can Justify Buying My Joya Rocking Chair: $631

I've seen these gyms for $20 on Craigslist, but the weather's been nasty, and I didn't feel like driving all over the place this week. Plus, this one's new, so I know it hasn't been subjected to throw up or blow outs.

*An explanation of Thrifty Thursdays:
According to my readers, I should spend approximately $300 on a rocking chair. I've already admitted that I'll be spending a whoppin' $1,000. That's a difference of $700.

To offset this $700, I plan on saving money elsewhere. Every week, I'll buy something for the baby from Craigslist or Ebay, and the amount of money I save will go toward this $700 difference. So, say I score a $200 stroller on Craigslist for $100. The $100 that I saved will be "banked," and I'll have to save $600 more to justify purchasing my glorious rocking chair. For a more in-depth explanation, see this post.