Random ramblings, 2.2.12

* I still have my melasma. Meh. There's really no point in me trying to do anything about it until after I'm done with pregnancy/nursing/etc., so for now, I live with this:

I live with melasma, not a pink arrow on my forehead.

* I had a cold a few weeks ago. It hit me that I seriously had nothing in our medicine cabinet stronger than a cough drop, because after 9 months of pregnancy and 13 months of breastfeeding I wasn't used to being able to take anything.

* Related: My cousin reminded me about Cold-Eeze - again, something I hadn't taken in about two years. I was telling Tim the next morning that he should take some, too, and Elle misheard and got all excited at breakfast: "Cookies? Cookies?"

* Sometimes when I use my Keurig I feel super fancy.

* I realized the other day that there is chatter constantly streaming in my subconscious. I was walking out to my car at lunch and heard "Llama llama holidrama!" in my head, from one of Elle's "Llama llama" books. I find myself humming songs from "50 Toddler Tunes" and the Wiggles. I think I'm on the verge of waking up in the middle of the night trying to shake Grover and tell him to turn the effin' page because HE is the monster at the end of the book. My brain? It has been toddlerized.

* Dear LinkedIn, I wish you knew me. Or knew that the person you just suggest I connect with is someone I do not get along with and do not care about connecting with or contacting. Ever. You irritated me, LinkedIn. Since I hardly use your site, I guess it won't really affect our relationship, but STILL.

* I big puffy heart washable crayons. They're absolutely awesome.

* My good friend (and Elle's "Aunt") Traci got Elle one of the coolest books ever for Christmas - a counting, children's version of the classic "Pride and Prejudice." There are several books in the BabyLit series, and while Elle doesn't understand the meaning of the people or things she's counting, she totally gets "houses" and "hearts" and "doggie." It's a very, very neat book.

* Tim has to have surgery next week. The official diagnosis is "scalp cyst" - those familiar with the situation call it "The Bump." He has a bump behind his right ear, and he's had it for, well, a long time.

This isn't the best angle to show the size of The Bump,
but it will have to do because Tim would kill me
if I went around photographing The Bump.

The hair that grows in that area is coarse and has a mind of its own, and many a doctor, dentist and barber have mentioned "The Bump." It never really bothered Tim, and he'd had it checked out and deemed harmless, but over the last year or so, it has been growing, and it can be ignored no longer. He was referred to a plastic surgeon (really, there is no end to the jokes in this tidbit) and will have to go under anesthesia for the surgery. He had an x-ray of his head (insert giggles here) and then blood work. Now the surgery is scheduled and I'm eager to see what his head looks like sans bump. I'm also eager to see how he handles the anesthesia, because he is confident he'll be back to normal within four hours  of the surgery and plans to go to work the next day. I am not so confident in these things. I am a little concerned - after all, it *is* surgery on his head - but I think that it will go well and he'll be bump-less in no time.

* In my continued efforts to save money and time, as well as stay healthy, I'm looking for any suggestions my dear friends and readers have for saving money and/or meal planning. I check out several sites, coupon (although not as much as I probably could) and try to plan out a few meals a week (which can be tricky for a working mama with a sometimes picky toddler and husband who refuses to eat leftovers). So, lay it on me - what are your best tip and suggestions that won't suck every ounce of my free time?