Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Queen of Returns

So today I did something that I've done only once or twice in my life but that is an every day part of other people's lives (like going through a drive through or ordering in dinner) - I returned two items to stores from my shower that were duplicates.

I was delighted to discover the baby food maker I returned to Target garnered me $108 (sweet) so I had fun buying my remaining nursery items - picture frames, hooks, a rug pad, storage bins galore, and some baby medical supplies (why I am so relieved to have a baby nail clipper and thermometer I don't know...but I am). I feel like I am now prepared for an emergency - I have disposable newborn diapers at the ready, a pack of wipes, plenty of swaddlers/blankets/caps/etc; assuming my boobs work he'll have food; the only funky thing is installing the car seat. I was once told you could just go to any firehouse for this purpose, but apparently that's not entirely true; a quick google revealed zero fire stations in my area that provide this service, and pretty much no information at all as to where to go in LA to make sure you installed it properly. I'm also afraid that if I install it now someone will steal it (based on my car being broken into recently). Do people steal carseats? Would they steal a cheap stroller out of the trunk? Still I would feel better if I put the carseat in soon. I'm totally screwed if I go into labor and there's no car seat - they won't let me take him home!

I have my second of many NSTs tomorrow. I don't know if they'll do weight/urine/bp too; I think I'll probably just lie there bored for half an hour only to be told everything is normal (again). I was however interested to discover last time the funny hard sensations in my upper abdomen I'd been having for ages are in fact the mythical Braxton Hicks contractions. I always just thought it was normal baby movement, but I guess it's actually kind of a "labor prep". It doesn't hurt at all - wish real labor contractions felt like that! Labor would be a breeze.

My big job this week is taxes. I wasn't up to it tonight because of all the running around today, but I must start tomorrow because my appointment is Friday, and delaying will only hurt me in the end (like I'm going to want to spend days adding up receipts with a newborn in the house!). It has also dawned on me that the funny smell in the house my sister pointed out may in fact be the final failure of my sewer line. I replaced half of it years ago for $7000; I still have the second part which should run about $5000. Where the hell am I going to get $5000 when I'm stressing about even paying my utilities this month...? Can I live with the whole house reeking of sewage gas until this summer? Is that even healthy for us? I'm going to have to figure something out. It's probably going to involve setting my get-out-of-debt plan back about six months. Ugh.

2 comments:

  1. I effed up my taxes this year! I was so proud I'd gotten them done early only to realized I'd forgotten a slip. I'm still kicking myself & trying to correct it!

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  2. You should be able to get help installing the carseat at a children's hospital, or potentially any hospital that has any type of pediatrics. I work at Children's Hospital Boston, and there's a whole carseat program here. So, I bet if you called whatever children's hospital is closest to you, you could make an appointment to meet with a carseat trained technician to help you get it installed properly. I'm planning to have a colleague of mine who's a trained tech install mine, when the time comes!

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