Birthdays and Babies

So, The Lovely Steph Leann bought me something great for my birthday... its The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition on Blu-Ray.   Its a wonderful set, six discs, tons of special features, plus digital copies of all three movies, in case I want to take 17 different lunch breaks at work to watch it on my iPod.

Thank you to my darling wife for this incredible addtion
to my movie shelf...

The problem with this?  I already had it.  I had already gotten it... and I hesitated, smiled and finally said, "um... I've already got it..."  She just frowned.  A few minutes later she handed me the receipt.  She shrugged, "I wish you'd tell me before you buy stuff that I might get you for your birthday.  Next time I'll just give you money."

But she shouldn't fret... what she'll end up getting me, and by "she" I mean "me" with the money I got back from taking LOTR back to Best Buy, is the Star Wars Saga six movie Blu-Ray released in September.   What a great birthday present.

But still, my darling wife did get me Lord of the Rings.  And I love her for it.

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We got our baby furniture a few weeks ago.  Whew.

Understand the The Lovely Steph Leann is quite picky when it comes to furniture.  She's not necessarily someone who wants the most expensive stuff out there, but she does want quality and she wants something that will last.  And when she's looking for a piece of furniture, its a lot of "eh" and "yeah, that's nice" and "I guess that's kinda cute" until she finds "it".  When she stumbles on exactly what she is looking for--it's one of those "know it when she sees it" kind of things--then that's it.  But, she always calls me or tells me about it before she purchases anything.

We also registered for our incoming... The Lovely Steph
Leann did most of the picking, because I tended to gear
towards such things as this

So we got our baby crib, one that converts into a double bed eventually.  However, in somewhat of a racket, I learned you have to buy the rails to go with it when it turns into said double bed.   All that money for a crib conversion, and you have to buy the extra parts.  Yes, its a racket.

We got us a glider and an ottoman, one that I'm sure we'll be using quite a bit, and a dresser that will be used as a changing table as well.  And where did we buy it?  Target, right?  Nope.  Pier 1 Imports?  Nope.  Bed Bath and Beyond?  Expensive, but nope.  Buy Buy Baby?  Expensive as well, but nope.  We bought it all at... Storkland.  And I hope when Lorelei or Campbell gets here, that kid understands they are sleeping, pooping, crying and growing in a well priced room..

But, I've got the satisfaction of knowing that The Lovely Steph Leann will never look at our furniture and say, "Oh, its good... I kinda wish we had gotten..." and thats worth the price.

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Okay, so you first time parents... did you have a billion people tell you over and over how your life was going to change?  It seems everyone thinks that I have no clue about how babies work.  Yep, I've never had, nor taken care of a kid.  However, I'm pretty sure I know they cry.  I have a good idea that they are messy.  I've heard, and believe, that they are expensive.  And I keep hearing that they are life changing.

Usually it goes like this... someone older than me, usually a chick, will come up, and ask about The Lovely Steph Leann.  When I tell the someone that she is great, they'll tell me, "Oh you have no idea what you are in for... they'll keep you up all night, and eat you out of house and home, and they'll keep you tired and run ragged and you'll not have time for anything else!"

And then they'll end their diatribe with, "But they are so worth it."

So please stop telling me this.  Not sure you'll tell me anything I didn't already know, or at least anything that I haven't heard is coming.

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Finally... thanks to all the well wishes from so many people on Facebook and texting and otherwise... it was a great, great birthday, and while I feel 36, I still don't feel old...

The Summer of Blogging Day Fifty Six