Adding it up

• First doctor's visit on Saturday, co-pay: $25
• Antibiotic for baby's ear infection: $5
• Generic-brand children's Tylenol: $7
• Second doctor's visit today, co-pay: $25
• Children's Zyrtec: $8
• Probiotic powder (to ease effects of antibiotic on baby's tummy): $23
• Cool-mist humidifier to help with congestion from newly diagnosed baby allergy symptoms: $40
• Starbucks decaf 2-pump toffee nut latte with whip so Mommy can cope: $4.22
• Surprise visit from sister Katie who is coming to help with Puppy so Marty and I can get a bit of sleep? PRICELESS.

Dear J.Crew,

I was so happy at lunchtime when my Hubby dropped your April catalog onto my desk. Although I can't always afford you, you tend to at least give me great ideas to copy at Target and TJ Maxx. Sometimes I even want your things so bad I actually buy. But oh, not today.

You see, right now I'm...how shall I put this? Pleasantly plump. Granted, I have a 2-pound baby in my belly who only promises to get bigger, but my arms and thighs (and heaven help me, even my cheeks and chin) are also growing rounder and rounder by the day, it seems. Lately I've been thinking how I want to remedy this situation come September-ish when I'm allowed to exercise again. I've been inspired by my good friends Aimee and the Shabby Princess who have become runners extraordinaire. I mean, these girls run marathons and they look GREAT (don't let them tell you different). And my friend Aimee has had 3 kids, so I know that's no excuse! Anyway, here I am, busy planning my post-baby body and thinking how I'll reward myself with some new, cute, but as always for me, classic clothes.

And was I able to find something by that description within the pages of your April catalog? NAY. Lord have mercy, J.Crew, where has your marketing department gone? Did they all go to Mexico for spring break, leaving the interns in charge? Because that's what it looks like. First of all, your model is just irritating. Not in the "I'll never be as skinny/pretty as her" way, but in the "Somebody help this poor thing get dressed" way. The lopsided bun on her head? Not cute. Not sexy, not even in a romantic rumpled way. The styling? Help us all. I know someone thinks it's just adorable to pile on 80 shirts/sweaters/belts/necklaces with shorty-shorts to create an outfit (Mary Kate Olsen?) but I promise, 99% of your shoppers gagged when they saw this. Oh, and gardening in 4-inch wedges? It's just too much nonsense, people.

All of this to say, you have not helped me along on my road to a cute post-baby body. In fact, if your catalog is any indication of what I'll be expected to wear come then, I might just stay in maternity tent-tops for the rest of my life. No thank you.

Poor show, J.Crew, poor show. Please do better next time. (You appear ready for redemption with the Perfect-Fit tees and cute rosette sandals. Keep going with ideas like this.)

Sincerely,
Becky
(p.s. Also, please stop sending me emails promising "Free Shipping!" if I spend just a mere $150. In case you hadn't heard, our economy is in the toilet and I hesitate dropping $150 at the freaking grocery store. Please grow a brain on this point. Thanks!)

My unborn is on a sugar high

As is her mother. Oh my gosh, why is it when you eat handfuls (or is it handsful?) of Jelly Bellies, you have a zillion good thoughts at once but they zoom through your head so quickly that you can't capture them or write them down or put them to any kind of good use?

Curses on you, Jelly Bellies. I mean, blessings on you, Jelly Bellies. Heck, I don't know what I mean. Can't capture my own thought. :)