When Two Is Enough

When does it ever end with family/friends.  I have two beautiful children who sometimes drive me up a wall but I love dearly.  My oldest just turned 12 and my youngest is 7.  Who in their right mind would think I would want to start all over and have a baby?

I really thought my hubby and I were past the point with family and friends and the lingering question of, "when are you going to have another"  but just recently the question reared it's ugly head once again.  Are these people serious?  So, here are my top ten reasons why I am not interested in having another child. Selfish as they may be.

1.  I didn't enjoy pregnancy and have no desire to have another tiny human in my body ever again.

2.  I didn't enjoy the infant stage. All they do is eat, sleep and poop.

3.  I'm glad to be done with daycare and to have more money to spend on actual fun time with my family vs. paying it to someone else to enjoy my children while I am at work.

4.  I enjoy my sleep.  I have no desire to start midnight feedings again nor do I miss changing crappy diapers in the middle of the night.

5.  I can go to a store without hauling around the dinosaur sized infant seat.

6.  I can take friends/family  in my car now without having to remove the car seats that, once they are in, are virtually impossible to get out.  Then you have to try to get them back in again.  Ugh!

7.  I don't have to climb over safety gates, worry about small decorations being down to low or worry about if I got the child safety latch back on the cupboard with the cleaning supplies on it.

8.  I don't have to lug a bag full of formula, diapers, burp cloths, etc. with me everywhere I go now.

9.  I like being able to talk to my children so I know what is wrong with them.  The guessing game before they could talk drove me batty.

10.  I'm almost 38 years old and my hubby is over 40.  Enough said.

Don't get me wrong.  I enjoy other people's babies for a limited amount of time but don't think my old, tired body is ready for another one of my own.

Money, Money, Money

I have went to the same doctor's office now for the past 18 years.  When I married my husband almost 14 years ago, he started going to this office as well.  When each of my children were born, both of  them immediately started going to the same office so we've known the doctors here for quite some time.  My husband and the kids see a different doctor then I do and mine recently decided to start a practice in another nearby town.

I continually got calls from our regular clinic that it was time for an annual physical and I called the clinic to tell them that I'd decided to see my regular doctor (that moved) for that type of appointments.  I just feel more comfortable with him. I thought I'd continue to use him at his new location (because it's close to my work) and if I was home sick at any point (rarely happens) I'd try to get an appointment with our regular clinic because it's closer to home.  (Every time I go to the doctor I usually hear, "we haven't seen you for quite a while".)  As I said, I just don't get sick.

Anyway, I recently called up my regular clinic to schedule my shot that I receive every 3 months.  When I got to the office, I was asked for a copy of my medical card.  No big deal, I hadn't been there for myself for a while even though both kids had just had their annual physicals.  I got everything squared away and waited to be called into the exam room.

After what seemed like forever (I'm only getting a shot for crying out loud), I was finally called back by the nurse.  As we entered an exam room she put the needle down on the counter and said we need to talk before she could give me my shot.  I thought, strange, but ok.  What came out of her mouth next floored me.  She said, "Are you going to continue to use this office or go to Dr. X (my doctor that moved). "   I responded, "I don't know what I'm going to do."  Then she said, "well you need to make a decision if you are going to see him or us.  We do not make money off people that come in here for injections.  It's been over a year, it's about time for you to make up your mind."  "I cannot give you this shot unless you decide you are going to use a doctor here." 

As I picked my jaw up off the floor I quickly agreed to see one of the doctors at this clinic thinking to myself the entire time, these are the people I trust my children with.  Ones that are more worried about making a dollar vs. providing care for their patients.  Are you f'ing kidding me here lady?  I seriously was waiting for someone to come out with a camera because I couldn't believe this wasn't a joke.  

I have stewed about this encounter all week.  My first thought was to call up the main doctor at this clinic and ask him if this is really how they want to be represented.  Then I thought, screw them, I'll call the other doctors office, get my prescription moved to the new clinic and call it good.  Two problems with both scenarios, 1st, my husband has been really sick all week and using our regular clinic to treat him.  If I complain are they going to give him substandard care?  I wouldn't think so as I trust his doctor there but in the back of my mind I keep reliving the "money talk" the nurse gave me which was completely unethical and disgusting and wondering if this is how this is now how they are going to do business.  Also, #2 my children still go there. 

I've talked to my mom about this and she thinks I am crazy for not already moving the kids out of there. I've talked to one of my good friends and she thinks the same thing....RUN.  This is such a hard decision to make. As I said, I love my kids' and my husband's doctor and think he's wonderful. Do I blame an entire clinic of doctors for something a nurse said to me?  Did I just catch a nurse having a bad day?  I have to believe someone told this nurse to tell me this but who?

The Drive Thru Nightmare

What in the world was I thinking.

I've finally woke up from the worst nightmare I think I've ever had.  Two weeks ago was the start of Lent and I decided I was giving up fast food.  Shouldn't be too hard right?  Well, for the past 6 months before Lent, I had been putting my body through hell by eating fast food garbage at least once if not twice a day, 3 or 4 days a week.

It started one morning back in 2011 when I was pressed for time and didn't have a chance to pack breakfast or lunch for the day.  Then the next day, I forgot to bring the breakfast and lunch I'd packed and it snowballed from there. It was so much easier for me to not have to worry about it and just hit a drive thru on my way to work and at lunch time. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

The day before Lent I decided enough is enough and thought giving up fast food was the way to go so I did it. The first week was pretty easy and I decided to go back on Weight Watchers Online to track what I was eating and hold me accountable for it.  Week 2 has been a little more difficult.  It's like I am now going through fast food withdrawals.  Is that even possible? Why is it so much harder this week vs. the first week?

I haven't been doing anything different except cutting out the fast food and I have lost 10 lbs. in two weeks. That is unbelievable to me and such a great incentive to fight the drive thru urges I've been having this week.  Which leads me to the question, what in the world was I thinking for the past 6 months?

Children's Birthdays

Since this topic came up on another blog that I religiously read, I wanted to put my own 2 cents worth in on the subject.

Kids birthday parties should be about what your kids want.  Lately, some of the parties I've seen online are completely over the top and more wedding like if anything.  Maybe it's just how we are in my neck of the woods but I can't think of one of my kids' friends that care if I spend a ton of money on cutesy decorations, have the local baker build them a 3 tier birthday cake, or provide them with a goody bag or any type of gift just for attending.  Aren't the kids attending because they like your child and shouldn't we teach our children that they don't need a gift for everything they do in life and it's not always about them?

This falls under the same category as having parties for everything our children do.  Are we not just setting them up for disappointment when they are out on their own and are not getting a reward for doing their laundry or showing up to work everyday?

I know, I know, it's just a kid's party but I think some parents are going to have a rude awaking when their little Johnny and Susie get older.