No more rocking?!

Bedtime ritual has certainly evolved for Peyton since she was born. I can't believe that I am at a point where she doesn't want me to rock her any longer. She just wants me to put her down and lay my head on her bed until she falls asleep. I am so sad. Sitting there in that rocker with her when we struggled to nurse when she was born, sitting in that rocker just so I could hold her and watch her sleep, sitting in that rocker singing, listening to music, and sitting her in the rocker because I thought it was cute someone so little could sit in a big rocker like that. She reminded me of Edith Ann. haha! I am so sad. I definitely am not the best candidate for a mother because I HATE good-byes, I am extremely nostalgic and don't always deal well with change. And, all of those things are happening before my eyes every day.

We had a financial adviser come to the house Saturday morning from Edward Jones. She was helping hubby and I roll our 401k's from previous employers into IRAs, other investments, but the main reason she was there was to set up a 529 for the kids' college fund. I started a savings account for P when she was born, but it is just a basic rainy day savings that I figure will help when she wants to buy a car or her prom dress or what have you. Since bubbies was born I have to up that amount so I am saving for the both of them. But, college? Yes, we should have started saving when we even thought about having children because when they are ready to go to college the tuition is going to be astronimical. Our financial advisor was telling us she went to Michigan State on a golf scholarship....that is part of the reason I plan to get the kids involved in so many things. Hopefully they will really latch onto something they like and become good enough to get a scholarship somewhere. I just really want to bypass as much financial struggle for them when they graduate from college that I can. Hopefully hubby and I will be in a position to help them, too.

Anyhow, 529s are seriously the way to go for educational spending purposes. The money is tax deferred and remains tax deferred if used for education. It can be used for private schooling, books, technical schools, college, etc. If the kids decide not to go to college they do not have to pay a penalty for taking the money out, they just need to pay the taxes on the money saved. So, essentially, it is just paying the tax you would have paid if you went with another type of investment. There was also a custodial account that sounded interesting, but it did not have the perks of a 529.

I really just want to get it started, forget about it and not think anymore about the day I have to take P off to college. If she'll let me, I just want to rock her in her rocking chair and listen to music.