The Truth About Gifts

So I feel like I’ve been talking a lot about presents lately, and I’m sorry.  But, it’s almost Christmas, so this will soon be over.  Anyway, I’m really impatient when it comes to most things.  This is a trait that’s not so endearing, and when it comes to giving gifts I’m impatient about that too.  Meaning that if I buy someone a gift and I see them before Christmas, I’m probably going to make them open it.  I get so excited about seeing them open something I hope they’ll like that I just can’t wait.   And, the same is true if they have a gift for me before Christmas and I know about it.  I REALLY want to open it.   So basically this is my long way of saying that Sean and I already exchanged presents because I couldn’t wait–both to give and receive. 

He was super excited about his guitar.  He immediately started playing it, and I think I’ve heard it everyday since.  I’m not complaining either.  I love to see him enjoying what I got him.  So then it was time for me to open mine.  I had no idea what it was. 

Well, I rip open the package and pull out a little necklace.  Oh, and we had a budget for presents this year, and I knew he’d spent close to the maximum of our budget for this necklace.  Now, here’s a backstory…I had this little dainty gold heart necklace that I loved.  I wore it almost everyday and I recently lost it.  I’ve been going on and on about this necklace.  I knew this was Sean’s way of replacing it.  He even wrote a little note to say how he hoped this heart necklace would be my new favorite.   It was so sweet. 

But, I knew it wasn’t going to be my favorite.  And, in a span of about 3 seconds I either had to feign joy over my new necklace, or tell him the truth and risk hurting his feelings.   I knew that he was trying SO hard to pick out something I liked, but I didn’t like it.  I also knew that he’d spent a decent amount of money.  Ugh.  I decided to be honest and tell him that although it was pretty, it wasn’t really my style.  I felt awful about it.  He seemed upset at first, but then he told me that he understood and would prefer for me to have something that I like.  Phew! 

Although I felt really bad telling him I didn’t like what he picked out, I was so glad that I was honest.  What do you do when someone gives you a gift that isn’t your ideal?  Are you honest, or do you act like you love it?

A Gift for Sean

Buying gifts for Sean is actually really hard.  The man doesn’t want much…ever.  He’s very practical, and so he typically appreciates practical gifts that aren’t always the most fun to give.  But this year, he’s actually been talking about one thing that he wants.  And, not in a way that makes me think that he has any idea that I would actually get it for him for Christmas.  But, I did.  Get it for him for Christmas. 

He’s very musically inclined.  He’s been playing the piano forever, and he taught himself how to play the guitar.  He currently has an acoustic guitar that sits out every single day because he actually plays it every single day.  He’s shy about his guitar playing abilities, so he’ll always down play it if I comment to anyone that he’s really good on guitar, but he is!  Anyway, so like I said, he already has an acoustic guitar but he’s really been wanting an electric guitar too.  Well, guess what?  He’s getting one. 🙂

Source

It’s a Fender, and so I’m hoping it’s good.  I might be cursing myself later as he loudly plays his guitar, but I know it will make him happy, so I can’t wait until he gets to open it!

What gifts are you excited about giving this year?

Birth Control

So, I’ve been on the pill since I was 17 years old.  I’m 29 now.  That means that for the last 12 years I’ve ingested a pill every single night before falling asleep (0k, you know I forgot some of the time, but most nights).  The brand of the pill has changed from Othro-Tri-Cyclen to Yasmin, and now to Seasonale.  I started taking the pill to ease my intense period and cramps and now, among other reasons, I also take it so that I can only get my period 4 times a year.  I’m prone to intense migraines and cramps, so this 4 time a year period thing has been amazing for me.  I know some people have their doubts about what skipping your period can do to your body, but for me, the good outweighed the bad.   

But, my intro isn’t really what this post is about because although the pill and I have been BFF for the past 12 years, I’m planning on breaking up with it soon.  Now, mom (and MIL) before you get excited, we aren’t trying for a baby right now.   But, I’ve read so much about people going through pill withdrawal and having a very difficult time returning to a normal cycle after so many years on the pill.  Also, my body has been pumped with hormones since I was 17.  I’m really curious what it would be like to forgo my daily pill intake.  My biggest fear is that the pill is masking some underlying stuff that’s going on with my body.  I have no reason to believe this, except that I’m turning into a hypochondriac and think something is wrong with my fertility and the only way for me to know for sure, is to start getting my period regularly. I brought this fear up to my doctor, and he assured me that based on my history, there would be absolutely no reason to believe that I would have any trouble with fertility.  That made me feel a little better…but not 100% better. 

But reading about going off the pill also made me curious about other forms of birth control.  The one that’s most appealing to me right now is the Fertility Awareness Method (different from Natural Family Planning, because NFP is a little less comprehensive, meaning  FAMers can use other methods of birth control whenever they want).  I don’t have Taking Charge of Your Fertility yet, but it’s super intriguing to me.  Not only could it help us naturally avoid pregnancy, but when we decide that we are ready to get pregnant, I will be far more educated and in tune with my body, which (hopefully) will make the conceiving process much easier. 

To help with this process, I would love to have the Lady Comp, but at nearly $500 a pop, I’m pretty sure a regular thermometer, paper, and pen will be the route I’ll go.  Anyone else versed in FAM?  What websites/books would you recommend?