Thursday, September 4, 2008

Sunburned Scammer Recruit

Bella passed her four month check up. Her stats are promising.

Weight: 9 lbs 13 oz (1st percentile)

Height: 23 inches (9th percentile)

Her height percentile is up from the 4th but her weight stayed in the 1st. Conclusion: She is a little girl. Blowing raspberries is her discovery of the week. It’s even cuter than the little growl she does with it.


The doctor told me that if Bella acts hungry after I feed her to supplement her diet with some formula. Nothing makes Isabella angrier than being tricked into sipping a little bit of formula. The front of her shirt, and mine, absorbed more of it than she did. We did triumph after a couple days. Mixing breast milk with a little bit of formula did the trick for the first couple days. Now she is able to drink Formula, breast milk free! Since we are confident that Bella won’t starve to death if I am not there to feed her, Ryan and I might even be able to go on a date without bringing a third party!


On Wednesday we went to the local beach. We didn’t commute to Louisiana. Instead we settled for the beach at Clinton Lake. Bella still doesn’t fit into the swimming diapers. They were made for 16 pound babies and she is barely pushing ten. She swished her legs in the water and got a jump start on solid foods. She skipped the rice cereal and went straight for the sand.


Ryan finally accomplished his goal. He’s been trying to dislodge me from the apartment since we got here. I’ve gone to a few activities, but it’s been pretty hard with Bella. She always chose to have bad days when I had something planned, plus I had to find a ride. This week I finally got out, and Ryan might soon regret it. Between trips to the doctor, the lake, play group, walks with Megan, visiting teaching and service visits, the bed wasn’t even made yet by the time Ryan got home from school.

The unfolded laundry lied in piles alternating between the bed and the couch all week until we did laundry again. I won’t do that again. Three hours of ironing isn’t good for my health.


The highlight of my week was falling prey to a scam artist. Ryan and I thought we were reconciled to taking out a school loan, but we both realized we can’t quite swallow the debt that easily. I hoped to ease our financial burden by finding a source of income that I could do at home. I responded to an ad on Craig’s list soliciting a home-based typist. I then paid 12 dollars for my “training supplies.”

The next morning I was shocked to find a word document in my inbox labeled “Training Materials,” which gave me detailed instructions on how to post convincing advertisements for working from home jobs, and then charge the schmucks that respond 12 dollars before sending them their “Training Materials.”

A few hours later I responded to the scammer that swindled us our 12 dollars. I told her she was breaking the law, title18 part 1, and that the punishment is up to 20 years in prison plus a fine, and that I would appreciate my money back unless she wanted me to report her to the Federal Trade Commission. She returned my money. I am still searching for a way to earn some extra income without sending Bella to daycare. If anyone has any ideas…(our apartment is way too small to consider babysitting).


The second most exciting thing that happened this week was that I got my first sunburn of the summer. Yes, I know it was the last week of August, but until the day before I was a hermit. I double slathered Bella from head to toe with SPF 50, but I forgot to put some on myself.


We went to the opening KU football game. They played Florida International University. Starting the season, KU ranked 16 and FIU 120 (just below Utah State), of 120 teams. In the first half FIU ran -3 rushing yards. I didn’t get the memo about acceptable apparel. Bella and I were the only ones in pink. The rest of the stadium, including infants and toddlers, was decked out in red and blue.

The only upset at that game was in our stomachs. We got discount season tickets, which relegates us to the student section. Although alcohol isn’t allowed inside the stadium, there are plenty of sources of liquor in the parking lots surrounding the stadium. Inebriation has an unfortunate effect on the collegiate vocabulary, reducing it to four letter words. Their favorite kickoff chant included the “F” word, which is still reverberating in the recesses of my mind. I don’t think I can take another four hours of that, much less six whole games.


Ryan tried to do All-Body-Attack with me. He decided it was too complicated half way through, but I have to give him credit for trying. After I finished my workout we went to play tennis. We left a casualty on the side of the road. The squirrel darted into our path and changed his mind just in time for me to feel him hit under my feet. He reminded me of bull frogs after rain storms in Puerto Rico.

Labor Day was more enjoyable than the 4th of July. We found some Utah/ Idaho transplants that don’t have family to celebrate with either. We did a weenie roast at the Spaulding’s. Ryan and I supplied the guacamole and juice, the Hinckley’s brought the pasta salad and the Spaulding’s provided the hot dogs, desert, and their apartment.

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