8 years ago
Friday, April 30, 2010
Solution
To say Andy and I are stressed about the cost of our health insurance would be an understatement. Some people may think, well it's only an extra $150 per month...but to us, that is a lot of money! Being a stay at home mom means we really need to watch what we spend. After looking at the email informing us of insurance increases, we noticed for Andy and our child(ren) it would be just about $300 per month for insurance. Because we chose the family plan, we pay almost $1,000! Isn't' that crazy? Before moving, we looked into getting independent BCBS insurance for myself in hopes to save some money. A good plan with dental for myself would be $335 (or something around there) BUT this excludes maternity coverage. Add maternity coverage and it is $700 per month! So, we have come up with a solution: Get pregnant ASAP and get off of Andy's insurance after I deliver (or as soon as I'm able to). Yes, I wanted to wait until I got skinnier and lost this baby weight, but financially it makes more sense to get this second baby done! Once I switch insurance plans, we'd be saving around $350 per month...which we would need for diapers, formula, etc. I'd much rather be putting the extra money to a cute little babers. So, I guess I'm going to have to start shaving my legs more regularly if I want to get this plan in action. I do not want a winter baby though...so I'll be doing a tiny bit of planning.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
My eggroll gave birth.
I'm not a big Chinese food fan, but I do LOVE egg rolls. On Saturday I had scarfed down 2 egg rolls and was halfway through my third, when 2 tiny shrimp fell out of the egg roll onto my plate. I was completely and utterly disgusted. I can still picture this happening in slow motion in my head. I've never once found shrimp in any of my other egg rolls! I feel like the menu should have been a little more specific. "Egg roll" is clearly not a sufficient description. Needless to say, I could not finish my final egg roll. The imagine of these baby shrimp falling out onto my plate burned into my brain, and the nasty shrimpy taste has been burned on to my tongue. GROSS.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Dear Isla,
You are 9 months old today! You are such a big girl. You recently started eating table food, and I'm pretty positive you think Cheerios are the most awesome thing ever. You love feeding yourself, and have become very good at shoveling food in your mouth. You don't hold your own bottle yet, which is fine with me. I love giving you a bottle and pretending you are still my tiny baby.
You are a very fast learner. I taught you "so big", clapping, shaking (shaking a rattle or music instrument), and waving this month...and you were able to learn each of them after only a few demonstrations from me! You can stand on your own for up to 5 seconds without falling. I can hold just one of your hands, and you walk around the living room. I have a feeling you'll be walking without me very soon!
You have become a funny little cuddler, and love to snuggle up with me for a minute or 2 in the mornings when daddy brings you in to wake me up. You love putting your head on the pillow right next to mine.
You still love playing with Torii, and you belly laugh anytime Torii actually engages in play with you. You love playing tug of war, or teasing her by chewing on one of her bones. You also have started pulling her bones away (while Torii is chewing them) then you burst into hysterical laughter.
You also find it hilarious to crawl away from us when we call your name. If we ask you to come to us, you look at us, and then start crawling away as fast as you can! You giggle the whole time until we come and get you! I hope we aren't starting any bad habits by engaging in this game with you! It's too cute to resist though.
You have been giving lots of sweet kisses lately, where you open your mouth, stick out your tongue a little and lick us. These little kisses melt my heart.
When I brought up the idea of having another baby soon, your Grandpa Davey thought we better not. He thinks we got way too lucky with you, and we should just stop before getting a difficult child :) I don't want you to be an only child, so we will try for another baby...but I just hope our next baby is as amazing and easy going as you.
I love you lots!
Mama
You were less than thrilled about this photo shoot. Oh, and you can thank your daddy for those ears :)
You are a very fast learner. I taught you "so big", clapping, shaking (shaking a rattle or music instrument), and waving this month...and you were able to learn each of them after only a few demonstrations from me! You can stand on your own for up to 5 seconds without falling. I can hold just one of your hands, and you walk around the living room. I have a feeling you'll be walking without me very soon!
You have become a funny little cuddler, and love to snuggle up with me for a minute or 2 in the mornings when daddy brings you in to wake me up. You love putting your head on the pillow right next to mine.
You still love playing with Torii, and you belly laugh anytime Torii actually engages in play with you. You love playing tug of war, or teasing her by chewing on one of her bones. You also have started pulling her bones away (while Torii is chewing them) then you burst into hysterical laughter.
You also find it hilarious to crawl away from us when we call your name. If we ask you to come to us, you look at us, and then start crawling away as fast as you can! You giggle the whole time until we come and get you! I hope we aren't starting any bad habits by engaging in this game with you! It's too cute to resist though.
You have been giving lots of sweet kisses lately, where you open your mouth, stick out your tongue a little and lick us. These little kisses melt my heart.
When I brought up the idea of having another baby soon, your Grandpa Davey thought we better not. He thinks we got way too lucky with you, and we should just stop before getting a difficult child :) I don't want you to be an only child, so we will try for another baby...but I just hope our next baby is as amazing and easy going as you.
I love you lots!
Mama
The best picture I could get today!
You were less than thrilled about this photo shoot. Oh, and you can thank your daddy for those ears :)
This about sums up our day. Snot bubbles and lots of whining. Being sick is no fun!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Really?! I'm almost speechless.
We are now paying $12,000 per year just to HAVE insurance*. This does not include our $20 copay or our deductible. We also went from a 90/70 reimbursement rate to an 80/60. I can't imagine we are the only family who will be struggling to make ends meet due to insurance increases.
So how is this health care reform BETTER?? I would love someone to explain this to me. I really, truly, do not understand why my family needs to be paying MORE to allow other people free health care. Our family gives money and donations to charities on a frequent basis. I'm happy to give money to people, but I am not happy with my money be taken from me without having a say.
Government programs (Medicare and Medicaid) pay doctors significantly less than what procedures actually "cost". Therefore doctors have started hiking their costs to cover the amount of people using government health care, causing people still using their own insurance to pay more. I'm assuming this is what the government was hoping for because it forces more people to consider government health care.
I completely believe health care needs some sort of reform, but I don't think the current bill was the way to go. In my opinion, this health care reform was more of a power trip for our president, rather than a well thought out option. He pretty much forced that bill through...and I don't understand what the rush was??
Anyway, on another irritating note. Did anyone read this article and watch the YouTube clip? Obama asks African Americans, Latinos, and women, to go out and vote again in the next election. Really?! If George Bush would have asked all the white men to head out and vote for him, there most certainly would have been a major uproar.
* We were already paying a ridiculous amount ($850/month) and we were informed yesterday that we would now be paying $1,000 per month. This was shocking news to say the least.
So how is this health care reform BETTER?? I would love someone to explain this to me. I really, truly, do not understand why my family needs to be paying MORE to allow other people free health care. Our family gives money and donations to charities on a frequent basis. I'm happy to give money to people, but I am not happy with my money be taken from me without having a say.
Government programs (Medicare and Medicaid) pay doctors significantly less than what procedures actually "cost". Therefore doctors have started hiking their costs to cover the amount of people using government health care, causing people still using their own insurance to pay more. I'm assuming this is what the government was hoping for because it forces more people to consider government health care.
I completely believe health care needs some sort of reform, but I don't think the current bill was the way to go. In my opinion, this health care reform was more of a power trip for our president, rather than a well thought out option. He pretty much forced that bill through...and I don't understand what the rush was??
Anyway, on another irritating note. Did anyone read this article and watch the YouTube clip? Obama asks African Americans, Latinos, and women, to go out and vote again in the next election. Really?! If George Bush would have asked all the white men to head out and vote for him, there most certainly would have been a major uproar.
* We were already paying a ridiculous amount ($850/month) and we were informed yesterday that we would now be paying $1,000 per month. This was shocking news to say the least.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Busy Week!
Isla and I have had a busy week! Monday and Tuesday were filled with errands, laundry, and cleaning. On Wednesday we got to go out to lunch with Auntie Abby at Claim Jumper. This was Isla's second restaurant experience (aside from being a tiny infant) and this time went MUCH better than the last. I brought some cheese, watermelon, and cheerios for Isla to eat while we ate. She was completely content the whole time...she didn't even want any of her toys! After lunch, Isla got to spend the afternoon with Grandma Donna while I had my usual therapy session and a much needed pedicure.
On Thursday Isla and I went to the (free) zoo with my friend Katie, and her adorable daughters, Stephanie and Makayla. I love having Thursday playdates to look forward to. Isla just LOVES animals and it was the perfect day for the zoo :) She also loves her little friends. Makayla and Isla were in strollers next to each other and Makayla reached out her hand to Isla, and Isla held it :) It only lasted a few seconds, but it was precious! After our playdate Isla got to spend time with Grandpa Davey while Andy and I went car shopping. We are totally ready to trade in Andy's (monster) truck and get a more reasonable family vehicle. We are deciding between the Chevy Equinox or the Ford Edge. I figured since we are only having 2 kids, we didn't really need a mini van. Plus a mini van may start brain washing me into having more than 2 kids, and we can't afford it, plus I don't enjoy the thought of multiple c-sections!
This morning we had our baby music class (no meltdowns again!) and now I'm taking a break from frantically cleaning the house. Andy's sister and her family are visiting this weekend. We have no clue what we'll be doing, but with 5 kids total I'm bracing myself for chaos. Isla hasn't seen her cousins since we left Minnesota, so we are looking forward to spending time with them.
I am going to need a major nap on Sunday when all of the madness dies down. I wish I could say next week is less crazy ...but we have another week filled with playdates, doctor appointments, music class, babysitter interviews, more car shopping...SO BUSY! For Mother's Day I'm totally asking for a massage and a day of nothingness...where I don't even need to leave my bedroom. Ohhhh how glorious that sounds.
On Thursday Isla and I went to the (free) zoo with my friend Katie, and her adorable daughters, Stephanie and Makayla. I love having Thursday playdates to look forward to. Isla just LOVES animals and it was the perfect day for the zoo :) She also loves her little friends. Makayla and Isla were in strollers next to each other and Makayla reached out her hand to Isla, and Isla held it :) It only lasted a few seconds, but it was precious! After our playdate Isla got to spend time with Grandpa Davey while Andy and I went car shopping. We are totally ready to trade in Andy's (monster) truck and get a more reasonable family vehicle. We are deciding between the Chevy Equinox or the Ford Edge. I figured since we are only having 2 kids, we didn't really need a mini van. Plus a mini van may start brain washing me into having more than 2 kids, and we can't afford it, plus I don't enjoy the thought of multiple c-sections!
This morning we had our baby music class (no meltdowns again!) and now I'm taking a break from frantically cleaning the house. Andy's sister and her family are visiting this weekend. We have no clue what we'll be doing, but with 5 kids total I'm bracing myself for chaos. Isla hasn't seen her cousins since we left Minnesota, so we are looking forward to spending time with them.
I am going to need a major nap on Sunday when all of the madness dies down. I wish I could say next week is less crazy ...but we have another week filled with playdates, doctor appointments, music class, babysitter interviews, more car shopping...SO BUSY! For Mother's Day I'm totally asking for a massage and a day of nothingness...where I don't even need to leave my bedroom. Ohhhh how glorious that sounds.
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