I officially hate shopping

For jeans, anyway. If Isaac hadn't been with me today, I would have lost my mind. He hates shopping, hates crowds, hates the mall, and hates having to go into more than one store. He's very much an in-and-out shopper. Yet today he successfully conquered all of the above to finish up Christmas shopping and get me some jeans!

Pre-pregnancy, I never really had problems buying jeans. Hell, it wasn't even that hard when I was pregnant. Granted, beforehand, there were few stores that I could choose from. Post-pregnancy is a whole other ball game, and not in the way I would have thought.

The 35 lbs I gained quickly fell off, and then some. I'm really struggling to gain any weight these days, and it's hard for me to accept that this is my new (smaller) size and shape. I recently decided it was time to update my wardrobe, upon realizing every single pair of pants I own was falling off of me. I really didn't think it would be so damn hard.

First off, can no two clothing companies follow the same guidelines when it comes to sizing? Why is a 1 at one store the same as a 3 at the next, and the same as a 00 at the next? Why isn't anything standard?

Also, why do so many stores start at 25 or 26? That's considered their XS. I often asked before even looking, just to be sure. I'm sure there are plus size girls out there thinking the same thing, that their favourite stores stop before their size. I feel their pain, and it sucks. God forbid you ever complain, though. People will look at a big girl and say they'd have no problems if they just got some exercise, and look at a small girl and tell them to eat a sandwich.

Then there are the grumpy, under-paid workers. Here's lookin at you, bitchy sales woman at the AE change room. Why would anyone think it's okay to look at a customer and say in a totally whiny, snotty voice (that I cannot easily interpret into writing) "Oh it must be soooo hard to shop when you're small." Seriously? Big or small, it can be frustrating as hell. Your passive aggressive, rude-ass comments are not helping.

I tried on no less than 20 pairs of jeans today before I FINALLY found one that fit. I should've bought three of the same ones. Maybe I'll go back later this week. I seriously lost count after 20 because I was just about to give up. Pants were falling off of me. Honestly. I could get most of these jeans on and off without even undoing a button.

I felt like I should be shopping in the juniors department. I already look young for my age, and I'm sick of people looking at me thinking I'm a teen Mom. I don't need to look like a frumpy Mom on top of that, with pants around my ankles. After going to every single store in our mall that carries women's clothes, you'd think I'd be able to find something. If you can't fit into a 00 at 24 years old, what size are you? Where exactly are you supposed to shop?

I've never shopped at American Eagle but thought I'd give it a shot. I'll be sure to never go there again. I took three pairs (00) into the change room. They fell off of me. I told the Sales Associate they were no's and she offered to get me another size. I said "No thanks, they're actually too big." She actually looked at them and said "00, 00, 00" and rolled her eyes dramatically. It was one of the rudest things I may have ever seen, and I've worked retail before. She kind of laughed and went on to say "It must be soooooo hard" (as I mentioned above). Needless to say I will not be going back to look at their over-sized $70 jeans again. It's not like I walked out and said "Look at me! I'm so skinny these don't even fit! Are you jealous?" Ugh!

This post is pointless and shallow but it was really disappointing, and I needed to vent. It's really frustrating to be a Mom and not look presentable in public. *sigh Hopefully I'll find a store soon that works for me. In the mean time, if you see a 12 year old pushing a baby down the street with baggy, ill-fitting jeans, please say Hi. It's probably me.

Blog Challenge: Day 25

Your favourite day: Taking Addison home

Obviously her birth was amazing, but it was also long and scary. I had a Foley, and was scheduled for an induction at 41 weeks and 2 days. My water finally broke on its own but 13 hours later I ended up with a c-section. It was not the birth I had anticipated, and I was in a great deal of pain for quite some time. All I could think about was how badly I wanted to take her home, after a five day hospital stay. No more nurses poking and prodding. No more doctors asking 1000 questions. No more crappy hospital bed/pillow/blankets. No more hospital food. My favourite day was when I could relax in the comfort of my own home with my boyfriend and newborn daughter.

Take some responsibility

I cannot believe what I have read in response to 13 teens being banned from their own Prom. It is pathetic to see some of their parents, friends, and classmates sticking up for them, claiming they were "punished" and "undeserving" of such a punishment.

It was a school sanctioned event. As such, all school rules are expected to be followed. Whether or not other kids are drinking at Prom or not, it is still against the rules. Whether or not your Mom gives you permission at 18 to have a few drinks at an after-party, it is still illegal. The legal drinking age is 19 and alcohol cannot be consumed at any school event. As for the transportation issues, the Principal did unfortunately make a last minute decision, but she has every right to do so. Again, the students knew the rules. There may very well have been others who had been drinking and managed not to "get caught" that night, but these 13 teens did get caught and need to own up to their wrongdoings.

To the poor Principal of QSS, I say thank you for doing your job. If I were her, I would not have let them in either. One of the girls that was banned says she had actually helped plan Prom. If anyone knew the rules, it should have been her. Students had been asked not to come in a large group via bus or limo, and were expected not to drink alcohol. Why then, can they not see the problem in showing up in a bus, under the influence of alcohol?

These parents should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves. Rather than placing the blame on the Principal who was simply doing her job, these teens need to accept responsibility for their actions. The school owes these teens nothing, because the teens are the ones at fault. They want a full refund? Too bad, so sad. If you are not going to follow the rules - and obey the law - you are out that money and do not get to go to Prom. Life goes on. To say that their night was "devastating" is laughable. If Prom were so important to this group, they would have followed the rules in the first place.

Blog Challenge: Day 13

My favourite artist or band: Blue Rodeo. I've seen them in Belleville, Ottawa's Bluesfest, Ottawa's Byward Market, and Ottawa's Parliament Hill. I even got Jim Cuddy's autograph. They're amazing.

Byward Market 2007