Taxes. ARGH!

WOULD SOMEONE please explain to me--Don--this means you, since you are my only reader, right now. :o) Why do I feel like I am being taxed twice?????? I took out money from my IRA (without penalty for first time home buyer) and paid the tax on it. Now when I enter my 1099-R it counts as income (I guess in a new bracket) and lowers my tax refund. Is it just me, or does that seem like I am being taxed twice? NO PENALTY withdrawal--YEAH RIGHT!
I have also discovered that I would have been better off NOT working a second part time job this year since I was only taxed $7.10 in federal taxes and $7.01 in state taxes. Thank GOD we bought a house and were able to claim the first time home-buyer credit--or else I would have been paying federal and state taxes in amounts that I would not be able to afford! Granted--without the house I wouldn't have to count the IRA as income. GEEZ. I can't catch a break this year.

I'm going to start writing again!

I woke up this morning and decided...I need to blog. A lot is going on in my life and it will be nice to have an outlet, as well as a chance to share my thoughts, laugh at myself and connect with fellow bloggers.



SO...my wedding was October 11, 2008 and I found out 3 weeks before the wedding that I was pregnant! So...here I am 6 months pregnant with a little girl. We are so excited and cannot wait to meet our little Addison Faith.



Being pregnant has definitely been a test of will and strength for me. When I hear women say they love being pregnant--I wonder if they truly love being pregnant--or because they are now mothers of children whom they love--they look back on the experience as a pleasant one? Maybe a little of both. I can't exactly share the sentiment that I love being pregnant...but what I can share is that I love the child growing inside of me. It isn't something I can easily explain because it is strange loving someone whom you have never met--but I feel her moving around and I know she is there--THAT IS DEFINITELY EVIDENT IN MY GROWING GIGANTIC stomach!

As much as I don't like looking at the scale and seeing it creep up--after a year of diligently working to lose weight and get into shape--and as much as I don't like looking pale--(yes, I know tanning is bad--but I do enjoy having a little color on my skin)--and as much as I feel pain--I still wouldn't trade having the opportunity or loving Addison or being her mommy.

I think it is funny that my last post was about a book on self-image, when I seem to be having a lot of self-image issues right now! Last night, I got home around 9:15pm and I glanced in the mirror by my front door and this is the image I saw standing before me:

That's right Mama Fratelli from The Goonies was staring back at me! I had the greasy hair, the haggard,worn expression, the pasty white skin, and a very defeated look of despair on my face. My husband assures me that I don't really look like this--but I feel like I do. I feel like I am pregnant ALL over my body--I can see it in my face, my belly, my chest...everywhere. So I have decided to channel all of this despair into love for Addison and to start working on a plan. I know I won't be able to jump right back into my 5:30am boot camp work-outs, but I plan on starting slow and working my way back into it--Weight Watchers is the best $40.00 a month I ever spent and I will certainly be giving them a call after Addison arrives. Having a plan makes me feel a little less "Fratelli." In the meantime I will have to settle for a new haircut and an eyebrow waxing!