Save. Spend. Splurge.

Week of Money: Summer is almost here!!!

DAY ONE

??:?? — Nosebleed.

??:?? — Flat out SCREAMING.

??:?? — More screaming. Now he doesn’t want the blanket.

??:?? — Wiggling AND screaming. OMFG. I tell him very nicely through gritted teeth to stop moving and go to sleep. He panics and says: MOMMEEEE? MOMMEE BE HAPPY???.. and I say very softly: Yes baby, I will be VERY happy if you stop moving and go to sleep. He falls asleep almost immediately.

??:?? — I wake up exhausted. I am sure it is at least 4 in the morning. I can tell by the light outside…

??:?? — I get up and take him to the bathroom, then grab his milk. I tell him: After milk, back to sleep.

??:?? — He drinks his milk, then flips over and goes right back to sleep with some bum petting.

6:30 a.m. — I wake up (for real this time) but really tired. Disjointed sleep screws with your rationality and makes you very very discombobulated for the entire day. I check the time – 6:30 – and Little Bun is passed out beside me, snoring like an angel. I take pictures of him, he is just too cute even with all the trouble he causes me at night.

6:31 a.m. — I get up, and start getting ready. I pull on a super bright, colourful spring outfit because I feel anything but refreshed, and I finish dressing. I don’t see my partner anywhere in the main areas (he must have been in a bedroom or bathroom), and he accidentally scares me when he goes to open the fridge because my tired brain thought he already left for work.

6:50 a.m. — We tiredly say hello to each other. I finish dressing completely, 10 minutes to 7.

6:51 a.m. — I grab Little Bun’s clothes, pack my lunch, and get to the bedroom where I rub his back, and his head, and slowly flip him over and wake him up. He lets me undress him, blinking his eyes open, and I quickly change him to go to school.

6:52 a.m. — He squeals: Noooooo… softly, and then says: Mommy? Soccer? More ball? More soccer?… he REALLY had a good time with my partner yesterday which I am pleased about. I tell him to ask his father later if he wants to play at the park.

6:54 a.m. — I get him dressed, he panics and squeals to do LookBook and I tell him we will do it at preschool which causes another outburst because he thinks we will do it INSIDE preschool but I clarify that I meant we will do it BEFORE getting to preschool but I need to get to work, and park, and then be stress-free.

7:04 a.m. — He nods, we get into the car, I blast Thunderheist – Jerk It to try and get some energy back into my brain and day.

7:20 a.m. — Just before preschool outside on the benches, we do LookBook and he chooses all my outfit items. “Maybe it is here! Maybe we will choose THIS ONE!”.. and gets mad that he didn’t choose my rose gold floral Olivia Burton watch, and would have picked my Kate Spade Metro Words watch instead. LOL. Whatever. I let him put the wrong watch in the look.

7:21 a.m. — We get to preschool, he asks for lip balm, and then he eats his cereal covered in raisins.

8:00 a.m. — At work, I unpack, drop off the items to my co-workers and get reimbursed +$33

8:06 a.m. — I grab a tea, add some chia seeds, realize they’re probably sticking in between the gaps of my teeth, and then hastily remember I need to also grab the dress I am selling today out of the car. $30 is what she will pay me.

8:15 a.m. — I set my Kobo Glo to charge because I am determined to read as much as possible of The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto – so beautifully written and so HEARTBREAKING. OMG. I wanted to cry at a few passages. I won’t spoil it but… he is a very good, emotional, deep writer. I plan on reading his other books now because I like his style.

9:24 a.m. — I grab another cup of tea and continue working. I sort of totally want those impractical heels that are 4” high and $300 but I know I would prefer a pair of FLATS like that, and would gladly pay $300 for those as I’d wear them far more often.

11:29 a.m. — I head up early for lunch, and heat up and add a vegan burger 3-bean patty I bought to try it. It’s pretty good on its own and perhaps better as a burger but I put it on top of the white beans and rice my partner made for me this week.

12:07 p.m. — After lunch, I check emails quickly and then finish reading the entire book –The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto – SERIOUSLY engaging. I couldn’t put it down and some passages made me tear up which is not easy to do, but he is a great author and the words really hit me. I’ll be sure to read all of his other books now, I like his style. I also like the satisfying conclusion to the story because you know, the way it started…… I don’t want to give anything away though.

12:36 p.m. — I want to head out and get some candy but decide to instead spend the money on my upcoming trip essentials. I pick up some sunscreen after serious deliberation and take a mineral one (the chemical ones absorb into your skin and then block rays from that, but I am really hesitant about that…). $12.79

12:49 p.m. — I would really love the COOLA body sunscreen but it very pricey. I may decide to buy it however, because I like the way it feels (not tacky or too white) unlike all the other mineral sunscreens on the market. :\ I just hate how $$$ it is.

12:58 p.m. — I am about to leave before I realize I need my travel patches (scopolamine) which is the only thing that works for me for motion sickness. $18.56

1:01 p.m. — I pat myself on the back for avoiding the purchase of a chocolate bar. I really wanted one though, but I have to break this terrible, fattening, unhealthy habit.

1:08 p.m. — I walk back to the office, and start working.

1:58 p.m. — I break for a cup of milk (refreshing!), and make a cup of rooibos chai tea.

1:59 p.m. — I buy the Coola body sunscreen. Screw it. $55.19

2:24 p.m. — Back to work.

3:00 p.m. — I quickly meet my buyer to sell my dress. Sweet! Money flowing in today… +$30

3:19 p.m. — I head off to another meeting.

3:48 p.m. — Back from the meeting, I grab a cup of tea.

4:00 p.m. — The day is almost over, and I think I want to take Little Bun to the park…

4:36 p.m. — I pick up Little Bun, he eats Potato puffs and we head off.

5:13 p.m. — I pick up some Bio-K strawberry this time. $41.37

5:18 p.m. — Little Bun insists on sushi. I’m feeling a bit hungry too so I buy some for us. $5.74

5:22 p.m. — We eat the tuna sushi together and then he plays on the motorized vehicles that you have to pay $1 per minute for it to rock back and forth for. No way am I paying that! A scam. Once you start, kids will always want you to pay for it each time you go.

5:50 p.m. — We get back into the car, and we stop off at the park to play. He plays there and has a good time. My feet are hurting now, I have been on them for about 1.5 hours non-stop…

6:15 p.m. — At home, my partner is home and Little Bun just wants to stick to Mommy. He is feeling clingy.

6:23 p.m. — My partner heads to the locker to put away things and organize, and then to throw out the garbage and recycling.

6:47 p.m. — I make noodles and he tells me he doesn’t want any, but I set some aside just in case. Sure enough, he eats it. I KNEW IT.

6:51 p.m. — I throw a load of laundry into the wash.

6:56 p.m. — I start on dishes and he is W-H-I-N-Y. I think he hasn’t slept well, it is humid, a bit warm… all reasons to be grumpy.

7:03 p.m. — When he bursts into tears for no reason, and asks to share a banana, and I stop and cuddle him, then grab the banana to share with him. Sometimes he just wants Mommy time.

7:24 p.m. — I finish the dishes (he feels better).

5:55 p.m. — I put away all of the kitchen laundry, throw the other load into the dryer.

5:59 p.m. — My partner in the meantime has grabbed him and he is watching and “helping” my partner pack for our trip to Europe.

6:38 p.m. — We go and read a book together.

7:45 p.m. — I lightly dress him for bed — he doesn’t need so many layers.

8:23 p.m. — Bedtime.

Earned: $30

Refunded: $33

Spent: $133.65

DAY TWO

??:?? — 4 a.m. potty run. I am sure of it. I can’t tell the time this dark at night but outside it looks like it is just about to start breaking dawn..

??:?? — I try to herd him back into bed, but he refuses and asks for Milk.

??:?? — I grab his milk, he drinks it, and then flips over to go back to sleep, asking his bum to be petted. I pat his bum, put the milk away, and fall back into bed, exhausted.

??:?? — My partner wakes up before any of us (he hasn’t slept well either), and I am still conked out as much as possible to try and squeeze as much sleep as possible out of my body.

??:?? — Little Bun wakes up, sees me pretending to be in a deep REM sleep cycle and goes to find his father, who greets him.

6:30 a.m. — I get up on my own, I know it is about 6:30 or so, and sure enough it is 6:33. I start getting ready for work which makes Little Bun burst into tears. He wants to stay at home with Mommy today, but I tell him that Mommy has to work.

6:33 a.m. — I start to dress in pants (he tries to pull them off me, to the amusement of my partner), and says: NO NO NO. MOMMY NO WEAR PANTS. Mommy does not like that! That is too squishy! It does not work!

6:36 a.m. — He clings to my legs like a koala bear (wrapping his legs around mine as if he is trying to climb a tree), and bawls.

6:37 a.m. — I hoist him up, sit on a chair, have him sit against my chest, and he sobs into it, asking to stay at home with Mommy. My partner tries to distract him and promises to take him to the park to play soccer if he goes to preschool first with Mommy. He pauses in his wailing and then decides to continue.

6:41 a.m. — I hug and cuddle him, but then very firmly set him down and tell him I HAVE to get ready. He sniffles but then helps me open my lotions and potions.

6:45 a.m. — We pick out a watch, a ring (a big stud one) and then I don’t even bother with selfies (too tired), we get going to school and work.

7:19 a.m. — At work, I drop my stuff, my colleague gossips with me, and then my team lead tells me to call my broker because I’ve been extended to the end of the year. Sweet! Once I get the papers, I’ll plow either the entire amount of my emergency fund into investments. The next set of funds I am saving, will be for my piano because I need to try out all the different brands first, before plunking down about $40,000 for one (my budget).

8:40 a.m. — I look at a coupon I got in the mail for McDonald’s and sort of really want their hash browns and their sandwiches right about now. I know they’re terrible and I can make them at work, but I really crave hash browns… Maybe tomorrow.

9:11 a.m. — Instead, I walk to the metro to pick up my airport tickets (2 day passes) so that I am prepared for my upcoming trip and am not rushing. $20

9:15 a.m. — I also refill my metro card because I was down to my last 4 tickets. I put 20 tickets on there. $54

9:30 a.m. — I drop by the Starbucks (double stars day!) and pick up a venti rooibos tea latte. $5.11

9:49 a.m. — On the way back to work, my silk shirt is soaked through with sweat underneath the armpits (Ewww) because it is super humid outside and I am the type of person who sweats when they eat anything hot even soup, so you can see how I am a total Sweaty Betty in this kind of strange weather. The weather cools down a bit and it starts drizzling. SHOOT. I hope my partner can still take Little Bun out to play soccer!!! DANG IT.

10:07 a.m. — I check myself in the mirror, covered in beads of sweat (humidity is not my friend), and I dab my face off and re-apply missing foundation, then wear a spare sweater at work to cover the sweat stains. Gross.

10:09 a.m. — I finish my tea latte while I work. I am really dragging today. My brain is not working.

11:30 a.m. — I break for another tea.

11:34 a.m. — I finish up what I am doing, and head upstairs for an early lunch alone. Beans and rice, but I am adding two eggs this time to change it up and to keep it vegetarian.

11:57 a.m. — Back to work quickly, and then I head out to the lounge to read my book and check my emails. I am really.. really.. tired.

1:00 p.m. — Back to work after reading.

3:20 p.m. — I get and secure my contract to the end of the year.

5:02 p.m. — I drop laundry into the washer.

5:27 p.m. — I whip out a bottle of my spare wine for celebration and hand it to my partner. He has helped me a lot and has been super supportive of my career, including being my great listening board and forum to help me parse out what to do with all of this crap that has happened lately. <3

6:02 p.m. — Laundry done. I throw it in the dryer.

6:24 p.m. — I make noodles and save some aside for the Little Bun Food Tax.

6:56 p.m. — Laundry done in the dryer, Little Bun helps me put it away.

7:59 p.m. — Little Bun’s stuffed animal dresses him for bed and puts cream on his eczema on his thigh which has been getting worse due to him scratching it like mad.

8:25 p.m. — Guess who is refusing to sleep?….. he finally conks out after I just go to sleep and try to ignore him after trying my best to coax him to lie down. He doesn’t want the pillow, now he wants it AND two blankets. Now he wants only ONE blanket. Now he wants to be upside down. OMFG. SLEEP.

Spent: $79.11

DAY THREE

??:?? — Potty Run.

??:?? — Potty AND milk run. What fresh hell is this!? I angry-tired-whisper: THIS IS THE LAST TIME, BABY.

5:13 a.m. — FML. I am.. I am so tired. I feel like a zombie. He has not slept since his soccer discovery and now he is eager to go play, and not go to school and stay at home with Daddy ALLLLLLL DAY.

5:33 a.m. — I make tea, sit with him on my lap, and go through math equations (double digit adding mostly), and quizzing of animals for their respective classes (e.g. a starfish is a echinoderm, a horse is a mammal… I do not ask him for this, I have to actually Google half of this #(*@$) to give him animal names in each class)… this is my morning. It is really sweet to have him sit on my lap, cuddle with me, name off the animal classes when I ask him, and then to just.. love being in my arms. I will miss this as he gets older so I do not want to complain too much about the inhumanely early wakeup.

5:47 a.m. — He scrambles off my lap and makes me take my Bio-K. I only drink half, and put a cap on it for later (they have free / spare caps so you can do this, and not have to drink a whole one per day!). Then he makes me quiz him on math (double digit addition again), and runs around with his number cards laying out the answers.

5:58 a.m. — I decide to go the whole hog and laser my underarms and my legs. I was thinking of just my underarms for $90, but I really want to just toss the razor in the garbage. I don’t want to do things halfway and then go back again for another set of sessions to remove the hair on my legs. One shot, all gone, razor in the garbage. Bite the bullet, suck it up and pay. I shave so rarely (once every 3 days?) that it may not seem worth it but it is still annoying.

6:00 a.m. — I book the appointment and cry at the price because while it is not unaffordable for me especially with my extension, it is DANG PRICEY. I will also need AT LEAST 3 sessions of this, if not SIX if I have very stubborn hair. It is at least $1500…. $529

6:08 a.m. — One last math equation, and I have to get ready. He is in a good mood today, running around and giggling, laughing. He thinks he is staying at home with Daddy today. I HOPE THIS IS THE CASE. I am tired.

6:15 a.m. — I start getting ready for work and hand Little Bun his iPad because he wants to do math on it.

6:17 a.m. — My partner comes out sleepily. I ask him if he is staying home today, and he says “yes”, then goes to ask Little Bun if he’d like to stay at home with Daddy. Little Bun nods happily. Lucky little baby..
6:20 a.m. — As I am getting dressed and doing makeup, my partner and I are chatting about personal and work stuff.

6:46 a.m. — I’m finally ready, Little Bun picks out my watch and then we do selfies and LookBook together including the missing outfit from yesterday.

6:54 a.m. — I grab my bags, I plan on selling my Nine West heeled boots (don’t wear them often enough) and get going after a big hug and kiss (Little Bun lingers at my neck because my necklace today is a lotus flower that can rotate on a lily pad so he is playing with it), and then we do another hug and kiss, and we wave and wave and wave at each other at the doorway until I leave.

7:17 a.m. — At work, I gab with a colleague before grabbing a tea when my team lead shows up.

7:23 a.m. — I get back to work, but really want McDonald’s hash browns… it seems to be my craving these days.

8:08 a.m. — I get to work.
11:04 a.m. — I make plans with the guys to go get more of that fried squid I am craving.
12:08 p.m. — A bit of sunscreen on the face, and out to lunch!
12:56 p.m. — We are seriously stuffed after lunch. I finally get my fried squid fix in. I end up paying a bit more than the other guys because I covered the bill on my card, but they reimbursed me in cash. No big deal. I’m not worried over a few bucks especially since one of them bought me a cannoli once. $28
1:34 p.m. — We get back to the office and groan we should have taken longer and relaxed more.. LOL
2:34 p.m. — I get invited to a going away lunch, and accept but warn him that it is a tough day for many of us because we are super busy on that day, so he ponders it.
3:09 p.m. — I continue working, but am really tired from a lack of sleep. I plan on leaving a bit earlier to give a friend a ride up to the station and then I will head home early and see Little Bun, and hopefully encourage them to go out and play soccer tonight so I can enter receipts and keep my books.
4:09 p.m. — I leave early, grab my friend, and we head off.
4:34 p.m. — I start heading home after dropping him at his station, but traffic is BRUTAL.

4:46 p.m. — At home, my partner and Little Bun greet me, and about 20 minutes later, they’re packed up and off to play soccer. Little Bun is SO EXCITED he just abandons his math app on the iPad in a fluster and goes to get dressed.5:30 p.m. — They’re GONE and it feels GREAT. OH THE FREEDOM TO THINK AND DO THINGS ALONE. Precious, precious time. I am doing this so that they also get Daddy + Baby bonding time even though I sort of really want to go too and play soccer.. they need alone time so that Little Bun BONDS with him (it is totally working btw), and then after that, we can do things together without him reverting back to choosing only Mommy. The other day, he actually needed to go to the washroom and for the first time, asked for his father immediately to help him instead of coming to me and having me redirect him to his father because I was busy with dishes. It was bittersweet.

5:34 p.m. — I immediately scan all my receipts, log it all in my Budgeting Tool (which by the way, also tracks my business expenses for my year end accounting and makes it so easy)…

6:00 p.m. — Receipts done, I clean out my bag, and try to downsize on the crap I have. Ugh. .can’t get rid of anything. I need it all.

6:14 p.m. — I reload my iPod with new material to watch and to rotate my songs playlist.

6:23 p.m. — I try to get all of Little Bun’s heights for my partner to draw on the height chart, but I can only find 2 years and 3 years. The other heights are in his medical book.

6:30 p.m. — I finish a few more episodes of Workin’ Moms

7:33 p.m. — Little Bun gets dressed by his stuffed animal, and then REFUSES to get ready to calm down and sleep.

7:45 p.m. — We read three books (one was a bonus), and he just refuses to allow Thursday to come because he keeps screaming: It will NEVER be Twirly Thursday! NEVER! It is NEVER going to be nighttime! It is still day time! UGH.

8:05 p.m. — My partner and I chat, he tells me that the soccer field was EMPTY and it was good for them, but a terrible sign because it means that kids aren’t really playing outside and being physical. They’re inside, glued to screens and iPads, and I reply that is why it is important for parents to step up and take them to the park, to play soccer, bike, etc, when they’re young. He agrees. I plan on doing yoga for the summer and as Little Bun gets older, maybe he’ll want to join me.

??:?? — During the night, he wakes up, and then asks me for milk. Enough of this #$(#$@. I tell him there is no more night milk. If he is thirsty he gets a bit of night water. No more night milk because this is the THIRD night in a row.

??:?? — He sobs, and it is about 25 minutes of full out SCREAMING, crying, refusals, threats and tears before he accepts night water (three gulps only), and then he asks for more but I force him back down to sleep, not allowing him any more. He sobs AGAIN. Another 15 minutes of this and I have to carry him, with his arms gripping tight to me, his head on my shoulder, around the apartment to soothe him and rub his back as he sobs.

??:?? — I finally fall into an exhausted sleep and he won’t stop wiggling but finally, we all sleep.

Spent: $557

DAY FOUR

5:30 a.m. — My partner gets up super early, exhausted and fatigued but at least he got to nap yesterday so he isn’t as bad off as me. He goes for his shower, and Little Bun gets milk. I reiterate that milk is for daytime. He nods. I collapse into bed beside him and wait until he is done his milk.

5:49 a.m. — We start to get ready for work, and Little Bun bursts into tears. He wants to stay at home, no school today. He says: Daddy doesn’t need money. Only Mommy needs money. Not Daddy. Daddy needs ZERO money. … LOL…. I feel like he knows us, and my partner pipes up: Yeah, he knows the deal … to which I reply that I have NEEDS and WANTS. 😛

5:50 a.m. — This turns into a 10 minute tantrum of being on the floor, clinging to my feet not letting me walk, my hands are covered in a face cleanser, as I was in a middle of washing my face.

6:01 a.m. — I finally get him calmed down a bit after dragging him like a deadweight with my feet to the sink (about 5 feet) and I distract him with helping me open and close my lotions and potions, and to help me open things for my makeup, and do “tap tap” with my powders.

6:16 a.m. — Another outburst – I left my Bio-K (the half bottle with the cap) on the counter to warm up, and wasn’t thinking. Little Bun goes to reach for it to help me take my strawberry medicine, and my partner, not knowing the routine, panics and scolds him. Little Bun bursts into tears, but then I apologize to my partner (I should not have left it on the counter, half open where he could grab it and shake it and make a HUGE MESS), and I calm Little Bun down, who is weeping at not being able to touch this Bio-K bottle. This is parenting. FML.

6:48 a.m. — Exhausted, I get him dressed, we do lookbook, selfies, and then get to work. I leave the laptop at home because I am too tired to concentrate. I’ll just do what I need to do on my work computer. He protests that I am wearing a dress today (my new favourite Taylor dress from MM Lafleur – I am SO planning on buying the other dresses in another colour because they are like pyjamas), and wants me to wear a skirt OMG.

7:13 a.m. — I get to preschool, drop him off, hug and kiss him goodbye and he sits there nicely and sweetly and eats his pita bread like an ANGEL. WHAT. WHAT IS THIS. Ugh. I hug and kiss him goodbye then head off to work.

7:26 a.m. — At work, I grab a tea, start working.

8:09 a.m. — I break for another tea.

11:25 a.m. — I decide to head out for lunch to do some shopping — to return that sunscreen, pick up travel containers and some oil blotting sheets. -$12.64

11:34 a.m. — I buy a travel kit and some sheets. $25.61

11:45 a.m. — I drop by another pharmacy and see them for cheaper!! $9.76

11:51 a.m. — I pick up a travel kit as well and decide to return all of the other stuff. $2.88

12:15 p.m. — I drop by the grocery store, pick up milk and some organic “Nutella” which will probably not taste like Nutella which is just sugar and a hint of chocolate. $11.57

12:34 p.m. — I return the travel kit and some sheets. –$25.61

12:50 p.m. — Back at work I am bombarded with questions.

4:00 p.m. — I leave a bit early. This week is done for me.

4:25 p.m. — I pick up Little Bun, we head home.

4:57 p.m. — I take a shower while he “tents” with his iPad to do math.

5:20 p.m. — Shower done, I pick out my outfit. I start a load of laundry.

5:57 p.m. — My partner comes home, and we have dinner.

7:12 p.m. — I start on the dishes after throwing laundry in the dryer.

7:40 p.m. — Dishes done, I make a few notes and realize I only need to do HALF the leg for lasering (the tops of my legs are hair-free), which is a significant amount of savings, about $120 worth!!! With the savings, I book a pedicure so that my feet are ready for summer (then I just maintain it with scrubbing my feet and touching up the nail colour top coat for the next month or so). -$75

8:12 p.m. — Little Bun BBQs his hedgehog friends by putting them on the grill with tongs, and then making noises like: Shhhh shhhhh (to imitate the grill cooking them O_o). It’s a bit unnerving and also adorable at the same time, while I decide on how much I want to throw from my emergency fund into the stock market.

8:16 p.m. — I transfer $24,000 into my investing account. I’ll figure out the allocation tomorrow.

Saved: $75

Returned: $87.64

Spent: $49.82

DAY FIVE

??:?? — I get up before him, I start a load of laundry, and start washing my face. I hear a SQUEAL in the bedroom: MOMMYYY .. MOMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.. and I go in and say gently (instead of calling / yelling back to him) : Yes baby??.. and he calms down. He thought I left without saying goodbye. I ask him if he wants milk, he nods, and I go and grab him his bottle.

6:30 a.m. — I finish doing my skincare routine, get dressed in jeans and a tee, and start on my makeup.

6:34 a.m. — Little Bun flutters in and out of the bathroom, singing, dancing, jumping and doing whatever he wants.

6:38 a.m. — I warm up a glass of milk, log in and check emails, and then do “animals” with him, naming off animals so he can classify them into Echinoderm, Cnidarian, etc… (HE ASKED. NOT ME. I DID NOT ASK TO QUIZ A BABY AT 5:45 IN THE MORNING.)

7:45 a.m. — After the quiz, I log off, and then head in to work after kissing him good bye, applying lip balm to his lips (he loves it), and getting into work.

8:13 a.m. — I chitchat with a guy I meet in the lobby (a friend), and then head into work.

8:27 a.m. — At work, I chitchat again with a colleague who vents about work (we’re planning on lunch together, so she’ll vent more).

9:01 a.m. — I get back to work.

11:03 a.m. — Time to leave. We decide to take my car and drive downtown. It is easier…

11:26 a.m. — We arrive, I park.

12:05 p.m. — Lunch! Beef tartare. YUM. And it ended with a nice bread pudding dessert with a great sour cream ice cream which I loved. $41.55

1:21 p.m. — We go to pay for parking. OMFG. $21!?!?!?!?? Damn…. whoa. I thought it would be $13. Next time I am NOT parking here. $21 – my friend will pay half.

1:36 p.m. — We get back to the office after a good venting session at lunch, and I get back to work.

2:00 p.m. — I plan on sneaking out early today. I need a break and I am tired. This is insane here. I don’t know how they think I’ll be able to get all of this done, honestly.

3:28 p.m. — Adios muchachos!

4:23 p.m. — OOO! MAIL! All the stuff I got came in at once. Coola body sunscreen, Coola face sunscreen for comparison (it’s tinted), The Ordinary Vintamin C, and Coola mineral lip balm in Firecracker..

http://shopstyle.it/l/JYvX

4:29 p.m. — I am DETERMINED to be sun-safe this year and from now on. No more skimping on terrible, crappy sunscreens that make me not want to wear it and I just toss them in the garbage after. Coola all the way so that I actually WANT to wear it. I swatch Coola Firecracker to see how pretty it is at SPF 30:

http://shopstyle.it/l/JYtB

Not bad at all! Real colour. I can do this. Ugh, my hands look terribly dry… Must moisturize more.

http://shopstyle.it/l/JYtB

5:08 p.m. — Little Bun is not feeling well (a bit feverish), so I hug and cuddle him, and he falls asleep with his head on my chest. I lie there just looking at him. I watch him breathe up and down as he sleeps with his mouth slightly open, looking for an instant, just like when he was a baby, conked out on my chest..

5:46 p.m. — Little Bun shifts to my stomach. More comfy. I’m half dozing while he is on me. I could get up and “get stuff done” but I don’t want to. I want to really enjoy this moment with him. There won’t be many more moments of him sleeping on me like a little baby.. he is already a boy.

6:07 p.m. — He rolls off me, and I get up to chat with my partner who is leaving for the night to work on a proposal for the board with another neighbour. He’ll be gone until at least 10-ish, they’re friends.

6:32 p.m. — I make noodles for Little Bun and I, and give him half of my Bio-K Plus probiotic yoghurt to help boost his immune system. He is slightly feverish, and a bit sick, so I want to help him feel better. I am CONVINCED that I am sick too (I felt my throat was a bit sore last night), but with this Bio-K stuff, my colds are far less impactful than before. I am sniffling less (not as much), my sore throat is very slight unlike before, I am not sneezing, and I am taking ZERO drugs. I’m a convert. I’ll never stop taking this stuff.

7:12 p.m. — More episodes of Workin’ Moms….

7:28 p.m. — We get ready for bed using his stuffed animal to dress him. My partner vacuums the entire apartment while we do that.

7:39 p.m. — We play and read a few books.

8:39 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $62.55

DAY SIX

5:30 a.m. — I wake up semi-refreshed. No more night milk nonsense and he slept pretty well so I feel good.

5:45 a.m. — I make a cup of tea, and then Little Bun eagerly asks for “Google and videos!” he wants to watch videos on Youtube. *sigh*…

6:12 a.m. — I manage to hold him off by making him help me clean out the drawers in the bathroom (we re-arranged and wiped down all of the bangles, rings, etc)…

6:56 a.m. — Drawers done, everything organized, I deflect him again with some nail cutting and trimming. He lets me do his fingers but INSISTS that Daddy does his toes, so I corral my partner to do it.

7:01 a.m. — My partner announces that he sent in his resignation for a contract. He has had enough of their #$(#%) and he’s tired. I support him 100%, and not only that, he doesn’t actually need the money.. so.. *shrug*. This is why you need to budget & track your expenses, and learn how to invest like a boss so you too, can have an F-U fund.

7:30 a.m. — I start a load of laundry, and my partner heads out for groceries and errands.

7:54 a.m. — I log in and schedule / create posts and do work on the blog while watching Workin’ Moms (this series is really getting deep and I SO CONNECT with Anne the most on the blog, she is pretty much my doppelgänger..) until I am up to date until the end of June, because I know my trip is coming up (won’t be able to work on it) and things are going to get crazy.

9:18 a.m. — Blog work done, I start on the dishes.

9:56 a.m. — Dishes done.

11:46 a.m. — I lie down with Little Bun and immediately my eyes close involuntarily… I am truly tired.

12:08 p.m. — My partner comes home with food and I’m in bed reading with Little Bun..

12:14 p.m. — We eat bread and cheese and then I get ready to go and Little Bun almost burst into tears.

12:16 p.m. — He clings to me, a bit feverish, crying that he is sleepy and wants Mommy.

12:20 p.m. — I’m talking to my partner and Little Bun squeals and says: IT IS TOO NOISY IN HERE THIS MORNING ISN’T IT?!?!? …. LOL!!! I could not stop laughing.

12:22 p.m. — My partner bought more basil plants and tells him they’ll garden together later .. Little Bun clings to me unhappily.

12:23 p.m. — He picks out my bracelet, my watch and I put on some SPF 30 BB cream and then I get going to my appointment for laser on the legs and underarms.

12:45 p.m. — We do LookBook.

12:47 p.m. — My partner asks me to check a store for him if I’m going downtown and I make a note to do that and also buy some yoghurt for him for later as a treat for all of us.

1:45 p.m. — At my appointment the laser on the legs was only painful (pinprick) in about 6 spots and the rest was pain free or very little pain. .. and I had about 47 passes of the laser gun on my body across the front of my legs and underarms. I’ll write a review on the whole experience and cost later. There was a bit of a temporary heat rash which started to fade..

2:00 p.m. — I finish the pedicure and hang out to wait for the polish to dry…. for about an hour to be sure. I know it actually takes 24 hours though.

2:30 p.m. — I pay for the treatments and leave a generous tip to boot — I plan on coming here on and off so it is good to build a good reputation; plus she was really good because she snuck a massage in there even though she was not paid to do so with the fast pedicure I asked for. $438.70

2:48 p.m. — I drop by a store to look for a small shrug because I find a lot of my outfits are missing a shorter shrug sweater…. a little sweater and not something too thick or crazy. I ended up trying on a dress and LOVE it but it is $1000-ish but… I love the front wrap of it.

2:50 p.m. — I end up belting it on a whim and love it even more. I bought a white shirtdress recently and am waiting to get it from my friend who will reship it to me, and I can do something similar!

3:52 p.m. — My outfit is pretty cute today, and my trench is great…

2:56 p.m. — I drop by the mall and check on those pants for my partner. I can’t find them ANYWHERE.

3:11 p.m. — I end up heading to the grocery store and I pick up some stuff for the office instead like some chestnut jam, some mackerel for breakfast sandwiches and some Prana sweet chilli coconut chips as a treat. $19.49

3:28 p.m. — I drop by the pharmacy, buy sunscreen for the body for the rest of the summer because I did laser hair removal and I need to sunscreen it up. I also pick up some makeup travel wipes. $26.06

4:07 p.m. — I then head into Winners and find the right sized container for the bathroom and a shirt that very adorably says Pardon my French (it is the same shirt my reader wanted to buy me, saying-wise but embroidered on the chest). Sweet! $68.96

4:28 p.m. — I head home.

5:05 p.m. — Dinner! I love the vegetarian pizza + salad combo. Best meals at night, I think. It really hits the spot for me.

6:04 p.m. — My partner goes out to run errands, I do the dishes and then Little Bun plays around the apartment saying he is a Macaroni Penguin.

7:35 p.m. — I get Little Bun dressed for bed with the help of his stuffed animal again (he LOVES this and giggles like crazy that this animal can’t figure out how to get his arms and legs into the clothes, and loves helping his stuffed animal get himself dressed).

8:15 p.m. — After two, three, four books, we all lie down and go to sleep.

Spent: $553.11

DAY SEVEN

??:?? — Squealing about a yellow bus and how he doesn’t like the sneaky number Five… I have no idea what he is saying.

7:51 a.m. — Whoa is it LATE! Little Bun really slept… I wake up still tired (my body is craving at least 5 days of solid sleep), and my back is killing me. Three nights of comforting Little Bun has taken a toll on my body… I have been carrying him and he is HEAVY. Like a baby elephant.

7:59 a.m. — I decide today is the day for a little brunch with Little Bun. YES! WE ARE GOING.

8:10 a.m. — CRAP. I stub my toe on a radiator and some of my polish on my NEWLY POLISHED NAILS chips off. WTF.. oh well. It is not super noticeable, it’s feet.. and it still looks like a good pedicure unless you inspect each toe on your hands and knees.

8:18 a.m. — I charge the phone (it is my wifi hotspot) and wonder if I should wash my hair before I go or just throw it in a bun. It’ll probably be #2. I can shower later.

8:22 a.m. — Heat rash gone, by the way..

8:45 a.m. — We head out and I decide on Ikea instead of this fancy brunch place because WHO THE HELL charges $15 for some nutella and bananas on a crêpe?!.. No way. Ikea it is.

9:23 a.m. — WHOA. It is a madhouse here. I had no idea people went to Ikea on the weekends in droves before 10 a.m… I manage to find a spot and park but wow, this is getting insane. I should come way earlier, like leave and plan on arriving much earlier.

9:58 a.m. — Little Bun very sweetly helps me and chooses to eat crêpes with fruit (unsweetened), and I take the traditional breakfast. Can’t beat the price. $6.30

10:14 a.m. — We’re upstairs playing and looking at stuff. He loves the trains.

10:18 a.m. — I gently coax him away to go take a look at curtains (my real purpose for coming here).

11:23 a.m. — We finally head home.

12:00 p.m. — At home, a yummy niçoise salad (fancy tuna with eggs and greens).

12:24 p.m. — Little Bun turns into a monster because he is hungry, and my partner gets angry at everyone. I’m just tired and hungry, and I snap back.

12:58 p.m. — We’re all finally calm and eating. Little Bun eats a FULL lunch.

1:12 p.m. — I convince Little Bun to go down for a nap without watching a video (this is why I took him out instead), and he agrees to 5 videos after his nap time rather than 1 now. I suspect he might be good at delaying gratification, this is an interesting development.

2:18 p.m. — I hear my partner leave quietly as Little Bun is crawling all over me not making noise, but basically waking me up by doing so. I cuddle and kiss him, hand him milk

2:30 p.m. — Then I start on the dishes and pots.

3:52 p.m. — Dishes done, everything dried and put away, I start putting away the dried towel laundry from last night and start on another load of laundry.

4:30 p.m. — I’m getting peckish. I might make some noodles.. I love the mixture I came up with for the sauce — nutritional yeast, soy sauce, a bit of sesame oil and toss them in the sauce…. HEAVEN.

4:35 p.m. — Noodle time.

5:09 p.m. — Noodles done, everything washed, and I’m settling in to watch Ali Wong’s – Hard Knock Life on Netflix.

5:13 p.m. — Ooo.. I am trying these on when I am in NYC..

5:22 p.m. — She is very truthful, funny, and a little crass for my taste but it is spot on. Especially about the the lack of maternity leave in the U.S., and how new mothers have to wear diapers as well from the birth which was surprising for me because NO ONE talked about it…

6:30 p.m. — I finish up blog stuff. My partner is out with a neighbour to discuss building administration issues so he won’t be back until later.

7:11 p.m. — I am in the bedroom, reading 20+ books with Little Bun. NO JOKE. We have a book tower happening. I am already half asleep while reading to Little Bun, my body is craving sleep.

8:00 p.m. — I hear my partner come in as Little Bun and I are both dressed and in bed. I hear him clanging in the kitchen… I am so tired, it doesn’t even keep me up and I fall asleep.

Spent: $6.30

———-

Want more? Read all of my previous Week of Money Diaries.

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