The Price of Children

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:* $8,896.66 a year,* $741.38 a month, or* $171.08 a week.* That's a mere $24.24 a day!* Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!* Glimpses of God every day. * Giggles under the covers every night.* More love than your heart can hold.* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:* finger-paint,* carve pumpkins,* play hide-and-seek,* catch lightning bugs, and* never stop believing in Santa Claus
You have an excuse to:* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,* watching Saturday morning cartoons,* going to Disney movies, and* wishing on stars.* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreath s for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and card s with backward letters for Father's Day.For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,* taking the training wheels off a bike,* removing a splinter,* filling a wading pool,* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team thatnever wins but always gets treated to ice cream or pizza regardless.
You get a front row seat to history, to witness the:* first step,* first word,* first bra,* first date, and* first time behind the wheel.You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology,nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits So, one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

30 weeks and 5 days

Claire and I just got back from my doctors appointment. I gained only 1 pound in the last three weeks for a total of 17 pounds. I gained 35 - 40 pounds with the other two. I'm not sure I will gain that much this time - at least I hope not:)

My doctor said that babies head is down low and in position. Hard to believe he/she will be here in 6ish weeks. The heart rate was 135-140. Boy? Girl?

I go back to the doctor every two weeks now. I will keep you posted.

Getting Ready for Sweet Pea

Sweet Pea will be here in about 7 weeks! This weekend I plan on shopping for baby essentials. What do I need??!! It seems like forever ago that my kids were babies and I'm just not sure what to get. Let me know if you have any ideas. Also, I am looking for that "perfect" stroller. Any suggestions?

Weekend Fun

We spent the weekend at Tan-Tar-A Resort. We had a fun filled two days - swimming in the outdoor pool, bowling, eating dinner with Patrick's conference, Timber Falls Indoor Water Park, feeding the fish, playing... I wasn't able to participant in some of the activities because - well, I'm having a baby. The kids had a blast and were not ready to leave. Claire asked when we could go back, I told her it would only be 365 more days. She said "great."

By the way, both kids got a strike!!

Remember

This seemed like my kind of 'Tag'.

Here are the rules:
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you!

Baby Girl Bedding

I found this baby girl bedding today and just had to have it! I am still on the hunt for baby boy bedding. I will just take one set back to the store after Sweet Pea arrives. I did not have a "pink" or "blue" room with either of the kids. So, this time I am!

Curious Truman

For the last week the only movie Truman wants to watch is Curious George. Poky the turtle watches the movie with Truman as they eat their popcorn.

Tag, You're It

Here are the directions-

1. Pick up the nearest book, turn to page 123
2. Find the 5th paragraph
3. Find the 5th sentence in that paragraph
4. Post the 5th sentence
5. Tag 5 people

Here is mine

Which was not going to happen

(book is called Richochet by Sandra Brown)

I tag

Karen
Mandy
Abby
Laura
anyone else?

I am now 29 weeks along! We are getting so excited and so ready to hold Sweet Pea in our arms, instead of my belly.

For the most part I have been feeling really good. I get out of breath a little easier now than I used too. All in all I couldn't ask for a better pregnancy.

New Pool

Claire and Truman got a new swimming pool tonight. They had a blast slashing Mommy and Daddy.

House Staging

Well, our house has been on the market for 3 1/2 months now and still no contract! Our Realtor helped us do some "staging". Let me know if you have any other ideas. I would love to have my house sold and be moved into the new house before baby arrives.

I did it, I started a blog! I am going to start playing around, it may take me awhile to get the hang of this.