I'm a Cow

OK, clothes shopping is definitely not my favorite thing these days!  I refuse to buy anything larger than the largest pre-pregnancy size I wore (don't ask, I won't tell...).  I hold pants up, in that size, and say to myself, "these should fit - surely my rear is no bigger than that!"  Oh, but it is.  And then some.  Not only that, but apparently the rest of the pregnancy weight is not just melting away, either.  I have begun working out in earnest, and have been eating healthier, so I feel pretty good.  And, when I stand sideways and suck in my gut, as long as I pretend the post c-section belly hang is not there, I think "Not too bad for a mother of 9".  Then I remind myself that I used to say that I didn't want to look "good for having so many children", I want to look "good" period.  Between bearing and nursing 9 children, I am pretty sure I won't ever be in the shape I was in at 25 years old.  I guess I am OK with that, as long as I am in the best shape I can be.  I am not nearly there yet!  But I am working on it.

Oh, and I have now been called "Grandma" twice.  Both times I was out with my oldest daughter, and the baby, and the assumption was that the baby is my daughter's.  Now, my daughter refuses to hold her when we are out in public! 

I took my oldest daughter today to replace her ID card and her driver's permit, which have been missing since she lost her wallet awhile ago.  She actually is eligible to get her driver's license, since she has had her permit for over a year. But, I haven't allowed her to drive since she lost her wallet because I didn't want her to get pulled over and not have her permit with her.  Also I must admit that I am in no hurry to start paying the increase in insurance when she gets her license.  I don't understand the reasoning, but in NC, your premiums don't increase until the child has an actual license.  Which is a good thing, since she's already had an accident which totalled the car she hit and caused $3500 damage to our van.  I am sure that our premiums will reflect that when she does get her license!  We are still trying to decide how we are going to handle that.  Driving is a huge responsibility.  I was not allowed to get my license or drive until I could pay my own insurance and gas, and buy my own car.  Which I did at 18.  I feel like she might be a more careful and responsible driver if she is paying her own way.  On the other hand, especially while Tim is deployed, it would be helpful to have another driver in the house to do some of the errands and the kid shuttling.  I think the deal we will probably make is that if she is doing 50% of the driving to help me, I will pay for 1/2 the gas and 1/2 the cost of the raise in our insurance premium, and she will pay the other half.  However, if it turns out that she is working full time, and primarily using the car for her own needs, then she will pay for her own gas, as well as insurance.  None of this will happen till she gets a job (she is applying at Ben and Jerry's), and gets her license.  Again, I am in no hurry for her to get her license! I realized today that as much as I say I am not a worrier by nature, I definitely worry about her driving!