the nursery.

If the occupant is no longer considered an infant, can you still call their room a nursery?  I have wanted to share photos of Arlo's room since before he was born.  I kept delaying this post due to not being completely finished decorating, and while it's still not 100% done (will it ever be?) I have decided it's finally time to just share how it looks right now so I can always remember his first bedroom.  I would describe my style as eclectic and tend to choose natural and organic elements - handmade and recycled when possible, so his room is kind of a hodgepodge of vintage, new, and DIY projects.  While his is the smallest room in our house, it is also definitely one of my favorites!

When we started remodeling our house over two years ago, I knew that we would be using this room as the nursery, and choose to start painting in there first.  As I did with every single room in the house, I painted the ceiling, walls, window trim and baseboards, door and door trim, and closet shelving.  I wasn't even pregnant with Arlo yet, but always had a feeling that we would have boys, and choose a very subtle blue paint for the walls.  Together, Erik and I installed a switch for the closet light (formerly a pull-cord) and wired in a ceiling light above the changing table.  I love how it turned out, and I am so excited to finally share it with y'all.

Welcome to Arlo's room!

wall shelves:  hand built from scrap lumber by Erik, painted by me.
toys on shelves:  lamb with red heart sewn by me, cat and dragon crocheted by me.  I also made the bunting.  shoes are the ones I bought for the baby announcement photo!  the rest of items are gifts.
cloud wall clock:  made by me.  I ordered the wood from etsy, painted it and installed a clock mechanism.
rocking chair and ottoman:  yard sale find.
quilt on the chair:  hand made my my mom, but I choose the fabric and pattern.  free pattern available here!
side table:  bought secondhand, metal basket full of burp cloths made by me.  baby monitor is by Anglecare.
curtains:  I wish I could say I made them myself, but I was running out of time as my due date was approaching and ended up buying these from TJ Maxx. 

Crib:  this was my baby crib (it is 32 ½ years old)!  After I was done using it as a baby, it was kept at my Grandparents house in northern Michigan.  all of my younger cousins slept in it when they went to visit Grandma and Grandpa.  at first I was unsure if this crib was really "my style" for Arlo's room, and thought about painting it a fun color.  I am so glad I kept it original - I absolutely love it's vintage look.  we bought a new mattress, Little Dreamer by Moonlight Slumber (which I highly recommend!)  small cart at the foot of the crib holds the cloth diapers and a few books that Arlo can easily access.

crochet mobile:  Little Veggie Mobile - one of my original designs.  pattern available in my etsy store  :)

photo on wall:  gift from friend

birdcage:  I saw this in a catalog before I was even pregnant, and knew it would be perfect for a future nursery.  this was the first thing I ever bought for the room!  on it, I have displayed ultrasound photos, the pregnancy announcement I hung up at work, Arlo's birth announcement, a whale I crocheted, a bunny I hand sewed, and photos of Arlo that rotate as he continues to grow and change.

dresser/changing table:  found on Craigslist, and we paid a bit more than I wanted to because it fit in this little alcove so perfectly.  I think it cost $80, but it is solid wood and was already painted the exact color I was looking for.  there are maybe two inches to the wall on either side, and it's the perfect height for a changing table.  all I did was change out the knobs to solid bronze to match the rest of the hardware in the house. 
changing pad:  bought on Amazon but I can't remember which brand it is.  I know it has an organic cotton cover and is contoured on all four sides.  I sewed the changing pad cover myself, and made a couple of other ones so we have extras.
little basket:  don't know where it came from, but I use it to store baby lotion, diaper rash stick, flannel cloth wipes (made by my mom), and a squirt bottle with plain water to wet the cloth wipes.

inside the crib:  Arlo's favorite stuffed animal - snugamonkey!  also, an alligator I crocheted and little gnome doll I sewed.  the monkey and colorful caterpillar were baby shower gifts.  the flannel receiving blanket at the foot of the crib was one of many made by Erik's mom, and we have been using these since Arlo was born!

Arlo says "hi! thanks for stopping by!"

the closet:  not as organized as it was in the very beginning, that's for sure!  I keep most of his clothes in the dresser for easy access when we are changing him, but have the less frequently used items hanging up, as well as things I have bought for the next season so I can keep track of what I still need to buy as he grows.  also stored in here are sheets, blankets, shoes, some toys, hats, books for bedtime reading, his suitcase, and extra diaper inserts and wipes.  I also have quite the stockpile of disposable diapers (for nighttime use and traveling) on the top shelf as I scored a great deal online and stocked up a while back!

Thanks for coming along on the nursery tour.  Now if you'll excuse Arlo, it's time for his nap!

Thrifty baby

It's been a long time since I shard a thrifty baby post!  We have scored some great stuff lately between Craigslist and yard sales.  Here is what we have found!

Inglesina Fast Table Travel High Chair

This is my best find in months.  The cover washed up to look brand spanking new, and I can't wait to take a trip so we can use it!  Ours is more of a burnt orange color (matches our car seat and my car)  Price new: $60  We paid: $7!

Plan Toys wooden drum set

Arlo won't be able to play with this for a while yet, but it was too good of a deal to pass up at a yard sale.  Price new: $54  We paid: $0.50 (yes 50 cents - which is basically free. looks new but didn't include the drumsticks so I will have to find those elsewhere)

Busy Zoo Activity Cube

Craigslist find, and while I paid more than I wanted to, I still feel like it was a fair price.  The newer version is called the "zany zoo" but has all the same exact activities as our older model called "busy zoo."  Price new: $60  We paid: $25

Munchkin White Metal Auto Close Baby Gate

Not the most exciting find, but probably the most needed right now!  We found this gate at a yard sale this past weekend and paid just $10.  Price new: $55.  Installed it immediately at the top of the stairs and I am sleeping so much better at night because of it  ;)

Kiddieland Ride on Push Car

Another craigslist find from the same sale as the travel high chair.  I had been looking for a wooden walker/push toy but couldn't pass this up for $4.  Price new is only $12, but Arlo loves sitting on it so much pressing the siren buttons and grabbing the wheel that it was well worth the money.  Still have my eye out for a wooden one though.

Clothes, clothes, and more clothes

The tubs pictured above are filled with clothes for the entire next year.  One is size 18 month and is filled with t-shirts, shorts, summer PJ's, bathing suits (somehow I accumulated nine suits, which means we will have to take a lot of trips to the beach!) and sandals.  The other large tub is size 24 months and includes jeans, long sleeve shirts, a brand new winter coat, winter PJ's, vests, and boots.  Arlo is pretty much set for all of 2015! The smaller tub has a few 3T things that I found recently at a sale and couldn't pass up.  I am picky about the condition of the clothes and only buy things in very good or like new condition.  Best part - I paid just $0.50 to $1 for each item!

What is the point of these thrifty baby posts?  Well, I would be lying if I didn't say I get all giddy and excited about scoring amazing deals on anything I possibly can, and often want to tell everyone I know about all the useful stuff I bought for next to nothing.  But the environmental benefits to buying secondhand rank just as high on my list of reasons, as do the cost benefit.  I want to prove it doesn't have to be expensive to raise kids, and truth be told, with the exception of the baby gate for safety reasons and the clothes for obvious reasons, the other items on this list are not absolute essentials, and never would have entered our home if we had to buy them new and pay full price.  Babies actually need very little, and Arlo is often more entertained by old rubber spatulas, empty cardboard boxes, and mismatched tupperware containers than he is by the "baby toys" he has.  I am thankful that he has everything that he needs and then some, and happy that something I love doing not only saves us money, but helps to save the planet at the same time.

Happy thrifting y'all  :)

23 weeks

Note to my future self:  do not plan anything important (or unimportant) on all Friday the 13th's from here on out.  I am not a superstitious person, but last Friday was one that I would love to erase out of my mind completely, and the only thing I can think of that made everything go wrong was that it was the 13th!  Needless to say, we didn't end up taking our anniversary trip to Charleston, SC as planned.  I won't go into detail (because frankly I never want to revisit the details of that rediculous day) but I will say that pretty much everything that could have gone wrong did.  It involved 9 hours in the car, about 45 red stop lights, severe back pain, a car that sounded like it was going to break down at any second, and the worst lunch ever in a city I never want to visit again - Florence, SC.  And then the whole day ended up back at home, with nothing to show for it besides two plates purchased at an antique store and an empty gas tank.  Ha!

Anyways, the weekend improved drastically the next morning and ended up being a really good one in the end (see, it was the curse of the 13th I tell you!)  On to the 23 week pregnancy update!  :)

23 weeks + 4 days

At 23 weeks the baby is the size of a grapefruit, measuring about 10.5 to 11.8 inches in length and weighing in somewhere between 12.7 to 20.8 ounces.  (Seems a little strange to me, I have never personally eaten an 11 inch grapefruit, but maybe the people at thebump.com have!)  This week, the baby is forming little nipples, and the face is fully formed - it just needs a little fat to fill it out.  He is listening to our voices and other noises, which makes me hope that is is starting to adjust to Lucy's occasional barking.  I would prefer he come out already able to sleep through that  ;)

As far as my symptoms go, nothing too new to report.  Although I will say that this evening I feel so incrediably full.  I had to force myself to eat something for dinner when I got home, as all I had eaten since lunch was a little bit of pineapple and some carrots + hummus.  Not enough calories to call a meal!  I also feel like things are really starting to stretch on the inside.  The last few walks I have taken I have gotten crampy (like runners cramps) in my very lower abdomen, and I am really not overexerting myself at all.  It always goes away when I get home.  Baby B is definitely moving around more everyday as well.  The other night he got into the weirdest position, it was like two giant humps sticking out of my belly!  I showed Erik and he was laughing at the weirdness of it all.  I think it was a butt and head sticking up but I couldn't really tell.  Also, yesterday he was kicking so much, I lifted up my shirt and actually saw various parts of my belly pop out when he kicked.  I love just sitting and feeling/watching him move...

Last week I saw the midwife for my monthly check-up and she said everything looks great.  According to the measurements taken at the ultrasound he is in the 43rd percentile for growth, which she said was average.  She also doesn't think I am on track to have a 10 lb baby (like Erik was) and that was a bit reassuring.  I have gained 11 lbs so far, which is actually a little less than I thought.  The midwife said since I am in the 25-35 lb recommended weight gain category, I should have gained about 10 lbs by week 20.  So I am pretty much right on track for being 23 weeks.  The next visit is in 4 weeks, and then they will be seeing me every 2 weeks.  She also talked with me about signing up for birthing classes soon.  I keep thinking all this stuff is way in the future, but it's really just around the corner I guess!

And lastly... Part of the reason the weekend got so much better was my sale-ing trip on Saturday morning.  I picked up quite a few great things for baby B, but the biggest score was a like-new Chicco Liteway Stroller (in blue!)  The parents selling it said that they used it with both of their daughters but I can't see how...  Even the wheels look new.  Did they only drive it on carpet?!

Amazon price $140.  I scored this stroller for just $30!!

I was all set and ready to buy or register for a much more expensive (and fancy) stroller...  But after I picked up this one I really don't think there will be a need.  I can't imagine it really being a necessity for the first couple of months (he will be arriving in January after all) and this will be perfect starting when he is a few months old.  It reclines flat and has a 5 point adjustable harness so it can be used with babies that are quite young.  So happy I found this deal!  I also picked up a Maya Wrap Sling (in my size and in blue) last week for...  $1!  True story.  It was at my local thrift shop without a price tag, and the (somewhat rude) lady behind the counter just made up a price when I asked her about it.  I quickly forgave her for her rudeness since I was so happy to score this $70 sling in excellent condition for next to nothing. And just like that, the weekend was instantly made better.  I came home with our awesome new(ish) stroller and some other assorted goodies, spent some quality time with Erik and Lucy, and suddenly the awful Friday the 13th was (nearly) forgotten...  :)

20 weeks

20 weeks.  5 months.  140 days.  However you want to look at it, we are halfway there.  How did this happen?  I put in a request to slow down time weeks ago and somehow the opposite has happened...

In all seriousness, it feels great to be exactly where I am.  This weekend we took another road trip to see family, this time it was my parents in Tennessee.  We spent a couple of days just hanging out at their house, and on Saturday drove down to Chattanooga for a bike race that Erik was in.  This was my parents first time being at one of his races, and while it was a road race and we really only got to see him take off and then later cross the finish line, it was still pretty exciting.  The finish was on top of a mountain with the most beautiful scenic overlook.  You could see all of downtown Chattanooga, the river that winds around the city, and all the surrounding mountains.  During the race, my parents and I had a couple of hours to explore the area while Erik was hard at work on the bike, and wouldn't you know - we stumbled across quite possibly the one and only yard sale in the area consisting of all baby stuff, lol.  I don't have to even scope them out anymore, I just let the sales come to me!  ;)  I found a few cute outfits (not that I really need anymore) and also scored one of the items from my "baby wish list" on amazon...  a rock and play sleeper, amazon price $75... I paid just $5!  Sweet deal.  It needs a little cleaning but is otherwise in perfect condition, and the whole top comes off to go in the washing machine.  My mom bought a folding travel crib to keep at their house, and they also got a great deal.  She got a Delta Port-a-crib that looks brand new for only $25.  Amazon price $140.  Have I mentioned how much I love sale-ing season?  ;)

rock and play sleeper and port-a-crib

So now at 20 weeks, the baby is the size of a banana (head to feet) measuring in at about 6.5 inches and weighs about 10.2 ounces.  He or she has working taste buds and is swallowing several ounces of amniotic fluid every day.

20 weeks + 2 days

He or she is also moving quite a bit, and I can definitely feel it when it happens!  Mostly I feel lots of kicking, but occasionally it feels like a squirm or flip on the inside.  Actually, the day we arrived at my parents house, the baby was kicking so much, sometimes every few seconds, for most of the evening.  They were so strong and right in front of my belly, that both my parents and Erik got to feel several good kicks.  I read over the weekend that I won't be able to feel movement from the outside for a few weeks yet, so I am quite surprised we can feel it this early.  Erik immediately made a comment about the baby's strong legs (future cyclist he is sure!)

While we were taking my weekly photos outside my parents house this weekend, we also snapped a few of Lucy as she ran around their yard during one of her "spaz dog" bursts of energy...  Here is my favorite:

photo credit for this awesome shot goes to Erik  :)

And one of us sitting on the "rock couch" in the back yard...

 

 

 

love this little Munchkin!

We are now home for a couple of weeks before we take our next trip.  Looking forward to the ultrasound which happens next week!!! 

18 weeks

Another great weekend, and another reminder that time is flying by way too quickly these days.  Is it possible to somehow slow down time and enjoy this awesome summer just a little bit longer?
We spent this weekend at home, but still managed to keep ourselves quite busy.  Friday was a lazy movie & popcorn night.  Saturday was my usual early morning yard sale-ing (more on that later) and an afternoon mostly taken up by house projects.  A few were in the nursery and we also bought some new furniture for our screened in porch which is finally starting to take shape, so the projects were actually quite fun.  Saturday evening Erik had a local crit race which I was excited to be able to go to, most of his races involve a long drive and a full days commitment to attend.  I am so proud of him, he got 3rd place in the P/1/2 race and his teammate got 1st!  I always have so much fun watching his races and love to see him in his element.  Sunday we got to spend the afternoon with some friends we hadn't seen in quite some time which was great.  The next two weekends will be spent traveling, which seems to make time fly by even faster.  Slow down summer!

On to the weekly update.  18 weeks along now, and I think that I am finally starting to look obviously pregnant.  Earlier this week while at work one of my patients family members nervously asked about "my belly."  I excitedly responded that yes, I am pregnant!  He was the first person to ask so far, and it kind of surprised me as I still see myself as just a little thicker in my middle...  But as I was editing the weekly photos tonight I guess I started to see what he saw, and the bump is bigger than I think it is...

18 weeks + 4 days

18 weeks + 4 days.  and finally wearing one of the maternity tops I bought recently  :)

At 18 weeks the baby is the size of a sweet potato, measuring around 5.6 inches and weighing in around 6.7 ounces.  Developmentally there is nothing too significant to report of.  At this point the major systems are formed, the baby is looking very "baby like" and from this point on it's really about just growing bigger (for both of us I guess!)

After I though I felt movement last week I was sure by now that I would have felt something else.  I have been having weird sensations of bubbles popping in my belly, but I am not sure whether or not it is actually fetal movement.  When I read in my baby books that I would probably have trouble determining what was a movement and what was gas/digestion/etc, I thought there was no way that would be me - when the baby moved I would know for sure.  But it's actually much harder to figure out than I thought.  I think these could be movements, but they are so faint and last for such a short time it really is hard to say.

Otherwise, the symptoms are the same.  Although as my belly grows I am sure that my bladder is shrinking to abnormally small proportions, as I almost constantly feel the urge to pee.  Sleeping is still a little difficult, partly because every night involves so many bathroom trips and partly because I have become the worlds lightest sleeper.  A squirrel farts outside the window and I am instantly awake.  Ok, so it's not quite that bad but everytime I roll over, Erik rolls over, or Lucy makes a tiny noise I am up.  Perhaps this is natures way of preparing mothers to be up all night with a newborn.  In any case, I feel great most days even functioning on less sleep than usual, so I really can't complain.

So Saturday during my sale-ing adventures I found mostly house related stuff but I did find one baby item...  A new-in-box manual breast pump.  Amazon price $40, I paid $2. 

I do plan to pick up an electric pump, but in reading the reviews I realized that a manual pump is much smaller, lighter and easier to use while traveling or to have as a back-up.  Also, I recently learned that starting back in May of this year, insurance companies are now required to cover not only lactation consultants for new mothers, but they are also required to provide them with a new electric breast pump or rental of a hospital grade pump.  So I will be letting our insurance company buy me a fancy electric one as a baby shower gift, ha!

Things to look forward to: DC next weekend and a trip to Tennessee the following.  Oh yea, and our next ultrasound which I have scheduled for Sept 6th!  Counting down the days until we find out if our little sweet potato is a boy or girl...

But I still want to slow down summer.  Just a little.

DIY felt bunnies + thrifty baby finds

At the recommendation of my husband who heard about it from a coworker, I recently started following a new blog, Going Home to Roost.  It is a very sweet blog about plant-based eating, simple living, and cute crafty things.  On it, I came across this adorable tutorial for a DIY felt "bunny with a baby" and after finding myself home this weekend with some spare time and all the materials required to make it, I decided to whip one up for myself!

Here is the version from the tutorial on her blog:

I didn't have pink felt so I used brown.  Also, my white felt began to fray so my bunnies look a little bit scrappy!  I think they still turned out pretty cute and will make a sweet little decoration in the nursery, maybe sitting on a shelf or hanging on the wall  :)

I also came across some more great finds while sale-ing this past weekend...  Strangely enough, after I recently shared my feelings that I think this little peanut is a girl, everything that I came across at a few different sales was for a baby girl....  I couldn't help myself, I went for it and at only $1 per piece, it didn't exactly break the bank.  And how could I say no to that sweet pink dress??

Clockwise from top left:  Gap Baby dress, baby's first "North Face,"  and several sleeper gowns that I can't seem to stop buying.  Plus two adorable blankets.  Everything like new or new, and only $1 per item.

If this baby is a boy, I am going to have a lot of stuff to hand over to a friend or coworker that has a little girl.  Either that or our little guy is going to wear a lot of pink, ha!  ;)

I am still shopping for mostly gender neutral stuff as we have another 6 weeks or so before we find out if this is a little baby boy or girl.  By that time though, most of the big yard sales for the year are over and it will be too late to find deals as great as these...  So when I come across these adorable things that look brand new but cost so little, it's kind of hard to walk away!

15 week update in the works, coming up soon! 

13 weeks

Since I usually post my weekly updates towards the end of the week (and this week I am even later than usual), I am now actually almost 14 weeks and just a couple of days away from the second trimester!  It is crazy to think I am 1/3 of the way to meeting this little peanut  :)

I am feeling great, with the exception of some poor sleep these past few nights.  Not sure why, but it could have something to do with changing my work schedule last week.  I started working longer shifts but fewer per week, and this means I need to get up earlier than usual to get to work on time.  So far though I love it, I am enjoying my last of four days in a row off, and it seriously feels like I am coming off a mini-vacation.

The only other symptom I had this week was some sharp pains in my lower abdomen/groin area that lasted only a few seconds and only happened a few times.  I remember reading something about round ligament pain recently, and after looking it up I am quite sure that is what those sharp pinches were.  I was actually kind of excited about it once I realized I was having a new pregnancy symptom, ha!

Here is a little photo recap of the last 4 weeks and end of the first trimester:

For the pre-bump photo I used one I had taken last year since I didn't do any "before" photos this time...

So here we are at 13 weeks, baby is the size of a peach, measuring in at 2.9 inches long and weighing in at about 0.81 ounces.  The teeth and vocal cords are forming this week, and this tiny peach sized baby already has fingerprints!

13 weeks + 4 days

I realize that with a dress on it's hard to see the tiny start of the bump that exists, but I had no desire for anything but a comfortable slip-on dress today.  It has been so hot out!  There isn't much of a change in the belly area, if anything I almost feel that it got smaller, is that possible?  I have been pretty active the past few days, walking a lot and even did yoga twice.  As well, my appetite is leveling off, I am not ravenous all the time as I have been in past weeks.  So maybe that has something to do with it...

One of the best parts of this weekend was my yard sale-ing adventure yesterday.  I found some amazing stuff for super cheap!  I was downright giddy when I got home, lol...  I walked away with around 30 pieces of baby clothing (including a yellow rain jacket, ralph lauren sweater, and several sleepers) for get this - 20 cents a piece!!!  The girl who was selling them was very motivated to get rid of everything and was only asking $1 for 5 pieces - some were complete sets too.  People, this price is basically free.  Everything I picked out was like new or in great shape and mostly sized newborn - 6 months.

The next great find was a piece of furniture for the nursery.  I found the perfect rocker and ottoman set in nearly-new condition for only $25 total (they were asking $30) and I later realized I probably would have paid a lot more.  It has a removable slip cover that is completely washable, and after laundering the whole thing it looks brand, spanking new.  I imagine this thing was around $200 new?  Maybe more?  It's really nice quality!  I set it up in the nursery with a few little crocheted items I made last year...

At that same sale, the lady was selling a brand new moby wrap for only $5!!  The current price on amazon is $48.  I have a similar wrap that I made last year but for $5 I was willing to pick up a moby as well, just in case mine doesn't work the way I want.

My last amazing find was a brand new fuzzi bunz cloth diaper, still with the original price tag of $18.95 attached.  I scored this for only 25 cents!!  I looked at the lady like she was crazy when she told me the price, but I wasn't going to argue with her!  ;)

We plan to cloth diaper so I am always on the look out for them at yard sales.  I am not opposed to used ones that are in great condition, but to find one brand new was pretty awesome.  I also came home with a lovely purple blanket for the rocker in the nursery ($2), a 12 pack of brand new cotton pre-folds for diapering or burp cloth use ($0.25 for all 12), a picture frame for the nursery ($1), and a few soft rattles with the tags still attached ($0.25 each.)  It was like the yard sale gods were smiling down on me yesterday, haha...

After buying the rocker and seeing how things look as I slowly add to the nursery, I am getting super excited to start decorating in there.  I know it is still early, but I can't help thinking about all the cute things I want to add to that space.  I must have walked by the nursery 15 times since yesterday just to see the little corner of stuff I set up.  Further decorating will have to wait a few weeks though.  Next weekend we are headed up to Michigan to visit with Erik's parents and attend my family reunion, all the was up in Alpena.  My next two posts (if I find time to do them) will be coming from "up north."  Hopefully I will be able to pop in at least once and just write a little about how the trip is going.  Until then..

11 Weeks + the Parental Announcement!

Finally.....  We got to share the happy news of the pregnancy with all of our immediate family!  We told my parents and sister last weekend on Friday night (E's parents were unavailable then), then on Saturday morning got to make the big announcement to his family.  Everyone was of course, very excited - and I think we did a pretty good job surprising all of them!  I captured their reaction on video...  See below for a clip of the best parts!   (Side note:  if you are just starting to read this blog, at the time of writing this the settings were still set to private.  It did not go live until after we shared the news with everyone...)

To tell my parents, we called them up and told them that we were thinking of getting something for the house, and we wanted their opinion of it first.  They asked what it was, and I said it would just be easier to e-mail over a picture so they could see it for themselves.  The picture we sent over was the ultrasound photo.  My Dad has really been wanting to buy us a housewarming gift of our choice, and before he saw the photo he asked if this might fall in the budget for their gift to us.  I laughed and told him I didn't think so, because this "item" was going to be very expensive.  We all had a good laugh over that once they learned what it was!


(note: this is really more of just an audio recording than anything else since I basically just recorded me holding my phone to capture their reactions.  The video of Erik's parents reactions was much better since I actually recorded Erik instead of just the phone.  Rookie mistake!)


It was a little trickier trying to think of a surprise way to tell Erik's parents since we are in North Carolina, his Mom is in Michigan and his Dad is currently on the east coast for work.  We had to call them on a 3-way call to tell them both at the same time.  To set up this video for you a little - Erik and his Dad are always joking about building this huge garage in our yard and making the upstairs an "in-law" apartment so they can move down and be closer to us.  At the beginning of the video, Erik starts in with their usual back and forth commentary on this "planned project" and asks them how many kids we would need to have to get them to move on down and live in the not-yet-built "in-law suite."  I don't think his Dad realized right away where Erik was going with that question, haha  ;)




So here we are at 11 weeks (actually almost 12) and I am feeling even better than last week.  The nausea has almost completely subsided, and most days I don't even have any.  Energy levels are still not quite normal but pretty close to it.  The biggest change this past week is in the belly area.  I am still not really looking pregnant, but there is a lot more roundness going on down there.  I read somewhere that this is the time to wear "loose, flowing clothing" to hide the beginning of the bump, but I have found myself embracing what is there by wearing fitted tanks and shirts (except for at work where I am still trying to hide it!)  It's a little bizarre to look down and not see my usual self, but it's also pretty awesome to think about what is going on in there.

11 weeks + 3 days

The baby is as big as a lime this week (that seems huge to me!)   Measuring in at about 1.6 inches long, he/she has about a 1:1 head to body ratio, and now weighs in at about .25 ounces.

Developmentally, the fingers and toes have lost their webbing, and tooth buds, hair follicles, and nail beds are forming.  Apparently this little one is also already waving it's arms and kicking it's legs quite often.  I wish I could see or feel it, but I know that comes much later...

Yesterday I went yard sale-ing (a favorite Saturday morning activity of mine during the spring/summer) and scored a few sweet things.

In my treasure hunting (primarily for baby stuff in recent weeks) I am always on the lookout for wooden toys and found this little Haba fish.  Since these things cost anywhere between $12-18 new on amazon, I was pretty happy to pick up this little guy in excellent condition for only $0.50.  I have scored a few other Haba toys for around the same price at previous sales.  I also hit the jackpot at the thrift store and picked up five new pregnancy/baby books (for only $1 each), including two by Dr. Sears.  I have read great reviews on his books and I am looking forward to reading those.  When I got home, Erik and I had a lot fun reading through the Baby Name Wizard together.  He picked out names that I said "no way" to and everything I picked out he didn't like either, lol...  Fortunately we have some time to settle on just the right one.  Although I will say -we do have a girl name that we both agree on, but that will remain between just us for now.

The shoes in the above photo were not found at a yard sale, I actually had to buy those from the store...  But I do have a good reason for baby shoe shopping already...  This upcoming week is when we are planning to share the pregnancy news with extended family and friends.  I thought of a clever way to tell my co-workers and it involves this photo (and the baby shoes) below...

I plan to secretly hang the photo up at work this week on the bulletin board with the caption below it "Someone's family is expanding by two feet.  Can you guess who?"  I have a feeling it won't take them very long to figure out who put it up there, but it will still be a fun little way to share the news.  Our first appointment at the Birthing Center is on Tuesday, and if all goes well we are going to share the news with everyone else.  Just two more weeks left of the first trimester - I am so happy to be right where I am  :D

Thrifty baby: take 2

Another weekend, another round of yard sales!  A week ago from today was the day we learned that we have a baby on the way.  Now that it has sunk in (well sort of, I am still processing the thought that this is really happening) I am in total baby shopping mode.  Even worse than before!  In the last two weekends I have scored some super awesome baby stuff, check out my sweet finds below  :)

For part 1 of the Thrifty baby series, go here:  Thrifty baby: take 1

Purple Bumbo

New on Amazon:  $40

I paid $2 (and it looks new!)

Boppy Nursing Pillow with 2 "Sweet Pea" covers

New on Amazon:  $40

I paid $6 (excellent shape and washable!)

Wood Toys

 The lady selling these at the yard sale convinced me to buy them, saying they were good for development and such...  She told me they were European and rather expensive new.  She wasn't kidding!

Haba Ballino Clutching Toy new on Amazon:  $13 

Plan Toy Teddy new on Amazon:  $17

I paid $0.50 each

Books

 Books focused on a natural childbirth with a midwife

"The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" new on Amazon:  $12

"Ask a Midwife" new on Amazon:  $18

I paid $1 each

And quite possibly my favorite purchase of all...

Baby Bullet Baby Food Maker

New on Amazon:  $60

I paid:  $15

And guess what?  Mine is brand new too!  Everything was in the box, all wrapped up, and even still had warning stickers on the blades...  Plus it came with two extra batch trays and two extra cups.  Sure it will be a while before the baby will eat pureed foods, but it was such an awesome deal I couldn't pass it by...

I also picked up 4 or 5 more little outfits this weekend, and probably 10 or so last weekend.  I am buying mostly gender neutral stuff in yellow, green and brown (size newborn to 6mo.)  I never pay more than $0.50 for each piece, and they are all in like-new or very good condition.  Plus they are sooooo unbelievably cute...  

Thrifty baby savings breakdown:

Estimated cost to buy everything new ($40 for Bumbo, $40 for Boppy, $30 for toys, $30 for both books, $60 for Baby Bullet, $10 per clothing item) =  $340

I paid = $33

Have I ever mentioned how much I love yard sale season??  ;D

Thrifty baby: take 1

It is no secret that I am quite the thrifty shopper.  I rarely buy anything unless it is on sale, clearance, or a fantastic deal.  I get far more excited than I should from scoring an inexpensive new treasure while yard sale-ing.  In fact, most of my favorite things in our house are thrifted items.  Well-loved (and well-made) vintage pieces are so much cooler to me than the stuff you can buy in stores today.  That being said, we did just spend a ridiculous amount on new custom-made living room furniture, because there are some things I just won't buy used (and we wanted to put our tax return to good use - ha!)  Rule #1 when buying secondhand - must be washable.  Couches, mattresses, rugs are excluded from my thrift shopping since I can't thoroughly sanitize the items.  Anything made from hard materials (such as wood or metal) or that can be put in a washing machine are fair game.

So it will probably no come as a surprise to anyone when I say that I want 95% of our baby stuff to come to us secondhand.  Yes this will save money of course, but even more important are the environmental benefits.  Think of how many babies are born each year, and all of the "stuff" each of these tiny little humans will go through in their first year alone.  If every one of these babies had all new stuff, think of all the CRAP that would go to a landfill after the baby used it for a couple months then outgrew it.  We already have a major trash storage problem in this country, the last thing I want to do is contribute more than I absolutely need to.  So sorry to disappoint you, we will not be creating that mile-long registry list at babies-r-us.  Can I register at local yard sales?  ;)

Since it is now mid-April, "yard sale season" is now really getting into full swing.  Even months and months ago before we even started trying for a baby, I knew we would be sometime in the next year, and this "season" would be the time to be shopping for baby stuff (and boy am I happy that time is finally here!)  There are some crazy good deals out there to be had... People with little ones seem fully ready to part with their no-longer-needed items, and will practically give the stuff away to avoid having to bring in back in their houses.  I will say that I am quite picky with what I will actually buy for baby.  It has to be in very good to like-new condition, and be fully washable.  I will save those more "well-loved" items at the sale for someone not as picky as me!

So after reading all that, aren't you excited to see what I have found already?  :D

 Books:

Pregnancy books: two were free, $0.25 - $0.50 each for others.  Skinny Bitch book was only bought because it was written by those two vegan girls, and it has already been passed on to someone else as I didn't care much for it...  A couple of these are a little dated (which explains their price tag of free) but still have some useful information.

  

Clothes:

 Every clothing item is in like-new condition and was only $0.50 each.
 

Ducks... So in love with these!!

Super soft blanket - only $1!  And two more outfits...

Cloth Diapers:

Some of you might find it strange to buy cloth diapers at a yard sale.  Trust me, when I thought about this I knew I was going to have to set my standards even higher than usual.  I actually planned on buying these new if I didn't find any that matched my expectations.  Fortunately I did - and at one of the first sales of the season!  These are in nearly-new condition with no stains and hardly any signs of wear.  I have always known that we would cloth diaper our babies, and I also know how expensive they are...  This brand Kushies is normally $12-$15 per diaper depending on where you buy them.  Are you ready for this?  I bought all 13 of them... For a whopping $10!!  Score.  Even if we don't love this brand (I plan on picking up several different brands to see which we like best) they can function as back-ups.
 

There are 6 diapers that fit babies 4-10lbs and 7 diapers that fit babies 10-22lbs.  If our baby is anything like Erik was at birth (over 10lbs!) we won't be using the smaller ones at all.  Seriously though, I hope we will!  :o

The first thing I do when I bring home new (used) baby stuff is wash it in hot water and dry thoroughly.

These are "all in one" diapers meaning there is no removable liner.  I don't know really the pros or cons of these but from the reviews I read people really seem to like them.  And see - clean and perfect condition inside!!

Bottles:

I came across these bottles (brand new in box) this past weekend at a church sale that had TONS of baby stuff.  I do plan to breast feed, but these will be good for the times that I am away and someone else will be feeding the baby my pumped milk.  I knew when I saw them that they were kinda fancy and not your typical cheap-o bottle.  Price check on Amazon: $13.49 currently with a list price of $25.  I bought these (never used) for only $3.

Blocks:

When I saw these at a sale yesterday they immediately reminded me of the old-school blocks I had as a young child.  Solid wood with a vintagy-feel, even though they actually came from Pottery Barn.  When I brought them home I used a magic-eraser to remove some crayon marks from a couple of the blocks (came off super easy) and then washed them all in a sink of hot soapy water.  Then once dry I proceeded to play with them on the kitchen table for a little bit, haha...  These will be super cute nursery decorations plus a really neat toy when the baby is older!  Pottery Barn sells them new for $54 (unbelievable I know,) I paid $3 for the whole set.  Niiiiice.
 

Savings breakdown:

Estimated cost to buy all items new:  (Average $12 per book, $10 per clothing item, $13 for blanket, $13 per diaper, $14 for bottles, $54 for blocks) = $360

I paid = $20.50

That is like buying everything for 94% off.

Good deal?  I think so.  Can't wait to do it all again next weekend!