stuff in --

I got a new laptop! I haven't had a new laptop since I graduated from high school (in 2008....) so I guess it was needed. My Sony Vaio lasted me a long time and I really liked it, but I haven't used it in a year and a half. I use the desktop computer that we just bought when Cannon was about three weeks old. We have a Google Chromebook, but Jacob uses it for work. We also have Jacob's old Macbook. I've been using the Kindle Fire for school (Cannon hogs it most of the time though), but it is much better to have a laptop. It's a teeny 10" thing and it was only $300, so I had to have it.

My only complaint is that I don't like Windows 8.

My nifty school refund came in handy so I could buy it.

For some reason my mother thinks we have a lot of money, and it really annoys me. She asked my sister (who is living with us) how we are able to afford "huge shopping trips" (she thinks I go to the mall all the time and buy a lot... actually, no, I don't). My mom makes about $50k a year and she complains about how she never has any money.

Jacob makes about $38k a year, but only brings home about $28k after taxes and retirement taken out. Retirement is $700 a month, since teachers are eligible for early retirement. I imagine the same thing will happen to me when I graduate and get a job... so we will never make more than about 60k combined. It's good money for a middle class lifestyle, which we already pretty much have anyway. We don't buy expensive cars and we don't go on vacations, really. We will have to save for them. I will never buy an expensive car anyway, because I don't really care about it.

I do tend to buy a lot of clothes, but I balance that out by selling stuff I don't wear anymore. I'm trying to cut down on my spending though. I also dyed my hair back to a natural color so that I wouldn't have to keep spending money on salon visits, since they are expensive and the new baby will be here in the summer. Diapers are expensive.

I am breastfeeding again, so that will cut costs (even if I absolutely do not like breastfeeding), and I still have clothe diapers from doing it with Cannon. If this kid is a boy, it will also save a lot of money because I already have clothes, pajamas, and other stuff we need for a baby. The only expenses will be wipes, baby food (when kid starts solids and I don't have time to make my own food), and maybe some disposable diapers for travel, nighttime, etc. I actually stopped cloth diapering with Cannon after a few months because I couldn't keep up with laundry, but I think this time I will stick with it better.

I hope Cannon is starting potty training by the time new kid is born, because that would be so convenient, but I also know that 1 year 11 month is a bit early for some kids. He will let me know when he is ready.

We have been going through a gallon of milk every week since my sister moved in, and did you know that organic milk is like $7 a gallon? It's crazy.

I woke up feeling really sick today. I feel like I'm in my first trimester all over again. :( Hopefully tomorrow is better. The only thing I could eat was a fruit tart.... Jacob spent an hour looking for one for me. He is very sweet.

Also, Cannon went to bed at 3am last night.... ugh. I have to re-fix his schedule yet again. He got up at noon, so I'm trying to keep him awake and not nap. Maybe that's a bad idea though.