Riley and Avery

Today wasn't really exciting at all, but I'll blog anyway. I am putting Avery in the wrap a few times a day at home to get used to tying it. It may be a while before I'm good enough to attempt it in public. Nothing like the pressure of other people watching you precariously binding your baby to your back. Avery seems to like it, but she's quite the squirmer, so she manages to work the panel across her back down around her waist. I think she's still relatively secure that way but it's annoying. I think that even when I get better at it, the mei tai will still be my go-to carrier for trips to the supermarket and such. I wanted to use the wrap more for hiking and long walks. Boy, neither of us look particularly happy in this picure. I didn't notice that before. I should have picked a different one...

I did our federal taxes. Yahoo! We're getting more than 6K back, so mama is getting some new teeth. I have a dentist appointment on Thursday for a consult. I called around to almost every dentist in town. I like this guy because he is a specialist, he's close by, he's not too cheap and not too expensive, and he offers discounts on multiple implants done on the same visit. The second tooth is $400 cheaper than the first one, which makes it only slightly more expensive than a bridge, which I was going to get on my lower jaw. Implants are such a long process, though. Once the screw is implanted I have to wait 4-6 months for it to heal before getting the crown. Then I have the pleasure of spending around $1000 for each crown. Ah, dental work...I'll be itemizing these expenses on our taxes next year, that's for sure.

I spent nearly two hours wandering aimlessly around Target today. Oh, if I only had more money to spend. You know, Target has some really decent childrens' clothes. Too bad the company has absolutely horrible terrible no-good customer service. But their stuff is like crack, and it's neatly arranged and the store is always empty so the shopping is good. Now, we are obviously Walmart shoppers, against our will, and say what you want about Walmart, but Walmart is what it is. They make no false pretenses. Target makes themselves out to be better than Walmart, but their corporate structure and disregard for the consumer is infinitely worse than Walmart. Heaven forbid that you have to return something to Target, or buy something there that falls apart a week later. Ah, but the beautiful bowls and dishes, cute girls' shoes, wooden kitchen toys...

And because my children are absolutely completely spoiled, I bought them Valentine's Day presents. I'm so bad. It's like I can't go a month without buying them a gift. I got Riley the Haba Colored Cylinders because she likes that kind of stuff at her school. And I got Avery some wooden books, and because they weren't as expensive as Riley's toy, she got two; the Chelona Snail Book and the Chelona Soleil Book. Are you supposed to buy yor kids Valentine's presents? Oh, why not!? Now I just logged on to Oompa to find out if they were shipped or not (they never emailed) and I'm in a panic because they're scheduled to be delivered tomorrow! Aaaah, I have to keep these secret for three whole weeks! Oh, the pain, the pain...Watch that stinkin' tea set become available not that I've ordered something else.

So I did manage to go to the gym yesterday. I managed to drag myself for 2mi. exactly in 25 minutes. So I did step up the pace, but I think I'll slow down when I go tomorrow. I don't really like competition, not even against myself. I'm so lame...

I am so sick of winter. I am so ready for spring to be here. Not having to worry about hats and coats and mittens and warming up the car. Just walking out the door as we are. Sounds like heaven to me. *sigh*