Custody Costs REDUX

The meter on the oil tank is a hair away from registering EMPTY.
The thermostat in the playroom/office downstairs has been set to 60 for the past week. I have the cold hands to prove it. Sadly even typing doesn't generate enough blood flow.
Upstairs the thermostat is on 65.
I am dressing the kids in layers and have the electric space heater at the ready in case the heat punks out before we can schedule a delivery of oil at the bargain price of $2.09/gallon.
My hot beverage consumption has increased ten fold. Thank goodness I need it.
The Boy and The Mouse both have colds and I am hoping that the evil Strep which seems to be making its way across many blogger homes doesn't find its way into ours because our COBRA was cancelled and we are currently without health insurance.
It's the last day of the month and rent is due.
Our family is still struggling to overcome the costs of the custody case.
Following in the footsteps of others who seem to have had great success, I have opened an online store, started placing ads and have begun a redesign that will hopefully make it appear as though I actually know something and keep folks coming back for my pearls of wisdom.
It's worth a shot.

Shameless Plug

Just for fun, I opened my own online store and plopped my pitiful logo on some items.

You can throw your hard earned cash my way and help support my eBay addiction visit it by following the link from the sidebar or by clicking here.

The Watcher

He is my constant Companion.
Ever vigilant in his watch He is never far from me as I go about my daily business.
From the moment I open my eyes each morning He is there to help me greet the day.
Mommy, it's morning so that means you have to get up.
I want breakfast, Mommy.
Each and every statement is punctuated with my name.
Mommy.
While feeding The Mouse.
Can I have a snack, Mommy?
Doing the dishes.
Wanna play Mommy?
In the shower.
Though here his words are muffled by the running water. The acoustics of the tiled walls making his voice sound like a Charlie Brown cartoon.
Still, his punctuations manage to break through the veil of steam and vinyl.
Mommy.
Mommy?
M.O.M.M.Y!
Is my potty empty, Mommy?
Yes it is. Alas the previously documented success has taken a slight detour.
Are you done, Mommy?
Can I open the curtain, Mommy?
I feel somewhat like Peter Pan however in my case this Shadow cannot be lost. The thread that keeps The Boy attached to me is stronger than any backstitch could ever hold.
As I head downstairs to throw a load of laundry in the wash and back upstairs to fold the clothes from the dryer.
Wait for me Mommy I want to help.
With every step I take. Room to Room. Upstairs and Down. I hear the soft shuffle of his little feet behind me.
In the bathroom. While doing the dishes. Getting dressed. Blogging.
Can I come too Mommy?
What He doesn't realize is that I too am watching.
Watching him become more dependent on me for entertainment.
Watching as he desperately tries to get my attention by regressing in his potty training. He has learned that he can pull my focus away from The Mouse by going in his Training Pants instead of his Potty.
What he hasn't learned is that his Mother was a psychology major in college and so the concept of negative reinforcement is not a foreign one and stops.right.now so HA!
Still, I watch him as he watches me.
And when my sanity patience is wearing thin and I have run out of places to hide, I remind myself of the words of Anna Quindlen knowing that soon I will watch him head off to preschool where he will rediscover his independence make new friends and dazzle his teachers.
And that then I will miss being watched.

Boob Tube

Breastfeeding an infant has its privileges.
I wish I could say that having tremendous moderately sized milk jugs breasts was one of them but it pisses me off pains me to admit that my Girls have limited growth potential.
Thankfully I am able to divert my attention from my lack of decolletage by the veritable smorgasbord of informational delights offered by late night TV.
Thanks to late night television I know all about Today's Special Value and Flex Play and have, much to my husband's chagrin although he doesn't know it yet because I have not acted on it, re-fueled my interest in getting me some of that hope in a jar.
Thanks to night television, I have been able to confirm that there are people who hate exercise as much as me, as clearly evidenced by this and this.
I find myself wondering how well these really work.
Thanks to late night television I have been able to overdose on Olympic re-runs on NBC and I have learned that animal cruelty can go farther than I have ever imagined.
Thanks to late night television I have learned that I too can sleep like never-before were it not for the now 3 month old infant who has recently discovered that it is ME who is attached to her food supply and spends every moment of her late night snacktime flirting at me with her toothless smiles instead of EATING.

Oh, the cruel irony.

Disposable Diapers?

What happens when a disposable diaper [accidentally] gets thrown in with the wash?

It's super-absorbent core apparently soaks up the entire contents of the washer drum expanding to 100x its normal size. Also note how clean it comes out... no sign of prior use whatsoever.

Ultimate in leak protection, indeed!