Captain Hind Sight!
Damn, the kid is so expensive.
I really just discovered this– about two weeks ago. Up until then, I’ve only had to buy diapers twice. We got a ton of diapers in a lot of different sizes at my baby shower, in November. Whenever I actually had to buy diapers it was right before she moved to the next size up. Well, about three weeks ago, we used the very last of the size 3s. She isn’t going to be in 4s for a while.
She is such a princess, you know. Her little butt absolutely will not tolerate store named, generic brand diapers. Oh no. Only Pampers please! Little did I know, 120 Pampers runs you about $25 and will only last you less than two weeks.
Eloise was breastfeed the first six months of her life. I had the six month goal- and I stuck to it, but not a day over. Everyone tells you how much better breastfeeding is for your baby, and I can’t disagree. She has not ever really been sick and the kid is a heifer! What no one really prepares you for is how freaking emotionally and physically exhausting it is. I was constantly worried about what I ate, how much water I was drinking, and if I was producing enough. Constantly. Like every moment of every day. I really didn’t sleep more than 4 hours at a time for 5 months because of what seemed like continual feedings. It was a hassle when I went back to work to pump 3-4 times during a 12 hour shift (exceptionally at night when there is no one to cover you). Not to mention the physical pain and general constant uncomfortableness that never really went away.
For all that though, it was so cheap! I didn’t realize how much money I was saving! When I started weening her about four weeks ago we used the formula I had been gifted during my pregnancy. It was all name brand stuff. She has acid reflux and already didn’t handle breast milk so well, but the Similac seemed to help a little. When it was time for me to go out and buy formula last week I about fell over. $25 for less than a week’s worth of Similac. Jesus God, watch over me. I decided Elle would be able to live off the Wal-Mart brand, Parent’s Choice, which was the double the amount for 5 dollars less.
Well, the Princess Eloise can not drink that crap. Duh. How could I have been so stupid!? She puked that stuff out as she was drinking it. I had to go back to the store and buy a second brand new container, this time of the Eloise-Approved-Similac.
I am using the Parent’s Choice in her cereal and to thin out her homemade baby food.
Side note: Homemade baby food- BEST idea I ever had! $20 and 2 hours on a Sunday, and BAM- baby food for a month! I steam everything and puree it in my Baby Bullet and freeze it in ice-cube trays. I defrost them in the fridge over night and mix flavors while I am thinning them out for her. She freaking loves big girl food.
Anyway…
I expected parenting to be very hard and kind of expensive.
My observation, as of so far, is that it’s not hard, just very time-consuming. Even when I’m not doing one on one child care time with her (which there is a ton of!), I am constantly being her mom. I worry about her, think about her, look at her pictures, talk about her, or laugh about something she did just about every minute. And I love it.
What I don’t love is how crazy expensive she is! I was very blessed and fortunate to have generous family and friends who provided me with almost six months worth of diapers, clothes, formula, medicine and every other necessity I would need. We don’t pay for child care. Robert works days and I work nights and our mothers and my sisters help out so I can sleep some during the days. Up until a couple of weeks ago the only money I spent on her was on outfits and toys she didn’t really need but I wanted her to have.
Buying my own kid’s food and diapers is not going to break the bank. We’re going to be just fine. I was just surprised, and then surprised by my surprise. I feel like I discovered a whole new level of parenting. (I honestly don’t know how single or impoverished parents do it! My awe and respect goes out to them).
My thanks go out to all the people in my life who made it possible for me live under the rock as long as I did. I was grateful before, but now I am amazed.
the midnight mamas 