So I believe the last time I blogged I was newly
preggo. Well time has flown and my Jackson will be 4 months on Monday. Can you believe it? He is already 4 months old. He is truly amazing. We just recently had his 3 month pictures done and they turned out so amazing. I really have to stop procrastinating and order my
cd from them. I highly recommend them if you live in MN. Check their website out at
www.heritagephotographyinc.com
So mommyhood has been interesting. I absolutely love it!!! But it has been an uphill battle on somethings. For one the hospital was not very good about helping me learn how to breastfeed. Yes I said learn...because silly naive me thought it would be uber easy, I mean it is the reason we have boobs right? WRONG. It was really tough to learn and because of Jackson's time in his light box the first few days (because of his jaundice) and my lack of knowing what to do I never established a good supply and we have been struggling through. I thank goodness for finally checking in with a lactation consultant who has really really really helped. It now is no longer a scary and frustrating thing for Jackson and I. I just wish I would have done it sooner. I felt ashamed of not knowing what to do so I didn't seek help sooner but I was so wrong. It was nothing I did and there was NO shame in getting help, those ladies were my angels.
Trying to balance our budget has been another struggle. I went without pay for 4 weeks after my vacation and sick time dried up. I have only had 2 paychecks since and they have poofed away faster than you can say "poof". Now my husband who was really pushing for two kids close in age (like 16-24 months) now is saying "no way no how not in this house". We get by in the house but it was at the top of our budget, however, at that time the other houses in our budget were no where near as nice and though we could have saved 10-40 thousand BUT those houses would have easily needed tons of work (like new roofs, windows, furnaces, ac, water heaters and so on because they were all 50+years old and most had the older stuff to go with it). The house we bought two years ago this month had a new water heater, new furnace, new ac, all new electrical outlets, new can lights in all the main rooms, and new egress windows in the completely finished basement. How could we turn that down for what would only have been a difference of $240 a month. Sure that is $240 but how much would that new furnace have cost? Get my drift?
So anyway Jon is now against having any more babies which makes me sad. I know money is tight now but there will never be enough and I guess deep down I know that I hardly see my little guy on the days I work anyway. Really I am just hoping I find a new and better paying job in the next year or so. However, with how tough the job market is I am scared. I have been applying for jobs and have had no luck. Which is so disappointing being I have a Bachelor's degree, several years of experience in Security/Law Enforcement and office work. Ugh, I don't want to just apply anywhere because I want it to be somewhere that I like and can stay at for a long time.
Until then I am always looking for ways to save money without sacrificing family time. Like getting a 2nd job isn't an option, as it is I only see Jon and Jackson for 3 hours on the days I work. :-( We really don't have much to cut out, we only have our cars and mortgage and necessary utilities like electric, gas, water, garbage, and food...oh wait we do pay $17 a month for netflicks but we do need some fun right? Luckily my jeep is just about paid of so that will be awesome, then I can put that money towards paying the remaining bit of medical bills from when Jackson was born.
Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I am so excited. I am making Butternut Squash Lasagna!! We are going over to my aunt's house to have a nice lunch with my family. It should be fun because lots of my family have not seen Jackson yet or at least not in a while. (sad I know especially being he is 4 months!)
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Despite all the ups and downs of this year I am still so thankful for my life.
