Cool Chic Austin Mom part 2

Yet another reality check that I am not the "cool-hip" mom I always dreamed about being.....

Not-so Queen of Green

• Disposable Diapers-  I hang my head in shame... I use disposable diapers.  The closest I have come to going green is occasionally when changing my son's diaper, I've checked it, shrugged and slapped it right back on.  I mean, if it doesn't weigh 10 lbs yet, it still has some life in it.  It's my little way of saving the environment, one quasi-wet diaper at a time.

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• Composting-  In Austin, gardening is really BIG right now.  Composting is a natural way to create fertilizer to enhance your organic garden.  My only compost pile is the rotting banana stuck between the trashcan and the liner... 

  Fitness Follies 

• Yoga-  I have started routinely going to yoga, but I can't say that it is because of the way my body is strengthened and my muscles are elongated.  It's really for the 10 minutes of quiet relaxation at the end.  Lights are out.  Soft music is playing.  You're laying down.  And free childcare :)

• Workout Clothes-  You can create an illusion of being super physically fit by just wearing workout clothes all the time.  No one has to know it is really because those sweatpants actually double as pajamas, and a pony tail masks the fact that you can't find your hair brush.

Next "cool-mom" merit badge:  Making homemade baby food..... will keep you posted!!!

Cool Chic Austin Mom?

So, as much as I would like to be a really cool chic Austin mom... I am not.  I had these really cool dreams about walking along SoCo with my baby in his sling, sipping on my latte and wearing the newest organic fiber sundress.  

 So far, this imagined vision of chic-ness has alluded me...

1.  I think the term SoCo is uber lame, and no one who has lived in Austin before 5 years ago would EVER call it that.  It goes against everything Austin stands for...

2.  Since no one ever handed-me-down a "hip" baby sling, there is no way in the world I would purchase one for myself.  I am content with my 10 year old baby Bjorn that 5 other kids have used.

3.  I can't afford lattes.  I have to brew my own "Hill Country Fare" medium roast.

4.  Target and Old Navy do not sell the "latest organic fiber" clothing.  I am outta luck...

Funny Boy

I love all the new things that Colton is learning.  My new favorite is his deft ability to hold objects.  It really helps with the teething for him to hold the object that satisfies his desire to gnaw. 

Sometimes, he reminds me of an hampster.  I used to own a couple of hampsters.  They are creepy little suckers.... those beady, bulging little eyes....the constant nibbling and gnawing.... the cedar shavings and poop stuck to the fur on their behind.  Nasty.

My son is not nasty... he is precious, but he sure likes to chew and slobber on things.  The latest has been cups or water bottles.  And that is fine by me.  He will gnaw on the side of a plastic up or the top of  a water bottle.  A couple of days ago, we were at Panera.  Colton was keeping himself occupied (studying for his Mensa test) by chewing on a cup.  Next thing we know, he is starting the guttural noises that warns of an impending spit up attack.  And then, as calm as can be, our little buddy looked at us, looked at the cup, and then spit up in it.

Perfect aim, my little man....

Lovin

My son is super affectionate.  He loves to give his mommy kisses.  In all actuality, he might just be really hunger or teething, but to me... they are kisses. 

This morning, he was all sunshine and smiles as we played together before getting ready for church.  Colty was giving me all sorts of kisses on my chin/mouth/cheek.  I was in heaven thinking about how much my adorable son loved his mommy.  I was reveling in this ego centric state until I was getting dressed and looked in the mirror. 




And there it was on my cheek.....Yes, my 6 month old son had given me a hickey!!!

Ignore all the other "blemishes" on my face...

Rant

I wish I could say that I was a fiery Latina... then at least I would have an excuse for the times and situations where my blood really begins to boil.  It is not even accurate to say that I have a short fuse; it is more like a microscopic fuse.  But the one thing that really gets me riled up is awful customer service.

Now there are certain places where I know it will take every ounce of self control and the Holy Spirit to keep from doing the bird salute:  Gueros, the McDonalds on I35 in Waco, etc...  Today, another place was added to the list.

Babies R Us...

It is no surprise; I am super thrifty.  We have been throwing baby diapers into our diaper genie without a liner for a couple of days now, waiting until I could use my March set of coupons for Babies R Us.  Thank goodness February only had 28 days.  I took my little coupon book and stopped to pick up a couple of items.  I juggled my child, keys, wallet and items while digging into the diaper bag looking for my beloved coupons. 

I plunked down my 20% off coupon on the counter and the saleswoman replied, "Oh, I'm sorry, you can't use that coupon until next week."

"What do you mean?  This is my March coupon book," I replied in an astonished tone.

"Yeah, that one is only valid next week.  You need to use the first 20% off coupon in your book, not the second." 

Rolling my eyes, I rip out the first coupon... As she rings it up, she says, "Oh, yeah, you can't use this one until March 4th."  (today is March 2nd)  And with no amount of begging, sweet talking, or flirting would get me the use of the coupon.  I guess there are no savings on March 1st-3rd.  I guess those days are National Capitalism Days.  Are you kidding me...

Are these coupons so precious that they can only be used on certain days?  Would the world fly off its axis if the coupon to date ratio were out of balance?  Buy Buy Baby and Bed Bath Beyond have not imploded by accepting out dated coupons.

And couldn't this woman see how important this 20% coupon was to me... I mean, I was using it in addition to another coupon on an $8.50 bottle of baby soap, and I was also paying in cash.  The only people who pay in cash are people without bank accounts, old Hungarian women who keep their life savings under their mattress, and folks on a shoe string budget using the "cash system".

But my favorite part was as I left, she handed me my receipt and a new booklet of time sensitive coupons.  I wanted to blow my nose on them, wad them up and leave them on the counter.