A foot in the ass has been given new meaning this past weekend as Alexis has put the hurt on Jackie.  Alexis should be here within the week.  Jackie is experiencing slight (Braxton-Hicks) contractions every 30 minutes or so.  If things go like last time it should be 3-4 days.  Like last time we're scared and excited.  We're very afraid of playing favorites to one kid (Ian).  Ian is just a great kid, and well, we've made him that way.  I'd like to attribute it to the fact that I was home for the first 3 months and then Jackie's been able to stay with him the rest.  I did the whole daycare thing, and I'd like to think I grew up fine, it's just great that we're able to have such an influence over his upbringing.

And we're scared that we won't be able to do the same for Alexis.  We're feeling a bit of financial strain after losing our biggest TEI customer.  We are diverse enough that we're still making a few dollars here and there, but man, losing that sucked (in a way: in some aspects it's going to make us work that much smarter).  Jackie's been wanting to go back to work, but without a college degree what kind of money can you pull in?  Is it worth it to send two kids to daycare when you have a job that pretty much just pays for daycare?  Wouldn't you rather stay at home, try to get some new customers, and even though you're making less, you get the value of helping nurture your own kids yourself?  I think it is.  I think Jackie thinks so as well.  I know she gets "exhausted" with Ian because all she does day in and day out is meet his needs (sounds like a job eh?)...but in the end I think it's worth it.  I think that soon we're going to get another big customer (or a lot of small ones) and we'll be not so stressed in the finacial department.  Things have always worked out in the past because of our hard work and determination, so I'm putting faith in that.