Cats, Car seats, Craig’s List, and Craziness

In my last post, I described how terribly sick I got last weekend. Well, it hasn’t let up entirely as of yet, which means I really am approaching “twelve days” of sickness! Indeed, I was just about getting over it – all that was left was a really annoying itch inside my throat – when, two nights ago, we went to my boss’s Christmas party. It just so happens she and her family have two cats. Amber and I are both allergic to cats, and it usually bothers her more than I. We had even been to their house before and it wasn’t a very big deal. Not this time. No joke, within five minutes of being in the house, I started sneezing and my nose didn’t let up for the entire duration of our visit. In fact, my head is still stuffy, and it feels like its going to explode at any moment. Not very fun, particularly given the fact that we’ll be walking around NYC over the next few days.

Last night, Amber and I went to check out an amazing find on Craig’s List to add to our growing list of baby stuff: a car seat. Now, I know what some of you’re thinking – you’re not supposed to buy used car seats – but first of all, it’s actually a baby carrier (infant car seat), so we’re only going to use it for about a year and we’re going to buy another car seat that’s convertible later on. The owner even showed us that it doesn’t expire until 2011 and it hasn’t been in a wreck. So, we got a Graco Snug Ride, which isn’t rated as high as a Graco Safe Seat or a Chicco Key Fit 30, but for only $25 (instead of paying $110-140) I’m not complaining! It is actually one we were thinking about our registry, whereas a lot of the other car seats on Craig’s List were pretty ugly or older. And, given that we both drive Honda Civics, we were happy to go with one that’s a bit smaller so it actually fits in the back seat. We also bought a co-sleeper off a Craig’s List a month ago and got a pretty good deal but not as great as this. Apparently, the lady was selling the car seat so cheap because she had twins and didn’t think she could get rid of both of them – the seats, although she did offer to sell one of the twins that was crying for $50. Obviously, that was a joke, but I think the kid started crying because he thought we were the babysitter and mom was going to leave because as soon as the mom said she wasn’t going anywhere he stopped – or maybe that was because she said she was going to sell him!

Oh yeah and the “craziness” – She asked Amber when she is due, and Amber replied, “In March.” The woman responded, “What day?” and Amber said, “March 21st” (at least that’s when we think she’s due). The woman exclaimed, “That was the day my twins were born.” Whoa, major bizarro. That is just creepy (Amber says it was cool and like a divine appointment). The odds… I’m still dumbstruck. I mean, we’ve had a dozen people or more who have March birthdays tell us we should try to have our kid on such and such a date (as if we have much control in that) so it would be on their birthday or anniversary or whatever, but to purchase a car seat from an absolute stranger and for her twins’ birth dates to be same as our due date is just amazing.

Anyways, in two days, we’ll be roaming the streets of NYC, watching people ice skate at Rockefeller center and looking at all the pretty Christmas decorations. Perhaps I’ll post some pictures in the coming posts.