| Since I'm now a SAHM (Stay-at-home-mom), we are really watching our budget. In fact, last month we had it down to the cent almost literally... we didn't spend $2.37 that we had allotted for various things. :) Luckily, we are keeping our savings as healthy as possible but are also approaching the need to attack our car and student loan debt as soon as we get settled into our new routine and budget. All that said, I wanted to share our victories! With a 2 week meal plan, our once-a-paycheck (so every 2 weeks) grocery store trip and lots of coupons + sale watching, we are managing to keep the grocery budget in check! Here's some random details: Mid January Trip (wasn’t full trip but majority, as we were just starting to really get stricter with our budget) Total spent: $73.68 Fave finds (price is final with sale and/or coupon use): Huggies wipes $1.39 Pampers jumbo pack $6.99 Lean Cuisine frozen meal $1.00 Total spent: $94.87 Total saved: $40.45 Fave finds: 2 Mountain Dew 2 Liters @ $.75 each Spiral Mac n Cheese $.59 $3 off 5lbs Clementines Gold n Plump Chicken Breast $4.50, 3 @1.50 each, Tax was only $1.48 for types of food/products purchased Total spent: $97.38 Total saved: $38.54 Fave finds: Cheerios $.79 Del Monte Canned Corn/Peas $.40 Ground Beef per lb $1.50 (saved $2.58 off $5.58) Large Coffee Mate Creamer $.77 Dog Dentastix $.77 Large Cat food bag $1.99
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| I use a yahoo email account and went to the home page today to find an article on baby sleep tips. I always am curious what others have to say so I read it. It was practical, hit a few tips and was an article written by a mom that's a yahoo user. Link: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/t One comment by a user was listed as: Posted by 3 hours 47 minutes ago Thanks MelissaW for posting that. I get so frustrated when people make snap judgements without doing their research on such an important topic as child-rearing. Thank you LJ for your post. I cringe when I hear Babywise mother's talk. It is not developmentally appropriate for a newborn to sleep through the night. Some do that's true, but to force your baby onto a schedule and to ignore them when they cry for extended periods is ludicrous. Babies cry for a reason and usually it's because they have a need that it's the parents' job to meet. I wonder if we will be reading news stories in 20 years about all of these lonely, depressed adults who were raised by Babywise parents. My response: Posted by 17 minutes ago Lizzie - I would be careful to generalize your comments on Babywise. I have used this book's "take" and so have other mothers I am close to. The ridiculous judgment on Babywise "followers" is that common sense doesn't come into play. The ENTIRE Babywise book calls you to be flexible, use good judgment, follow your instincts and change things as you understand your baby's needs. Common sense and choices that fit for your family are a positive, healthy thing... whether it's Babywise or some other method. Please choose your words a little more carefully next time. I agree this article missed a few safety notes but if you are relying on one article ever to cover all aspects of what it means to raise a child, you are already missing the boat in so many ways. UGH!! I dislike it greatly when people say "I get frustrated when people make snap judgements (spelled incorrectly, might I add) without doing their research on such an important topic as child-rearing." UH HELLO??!!! Miss Snap Judgment herself right there. So that's my rant for the day!! I'll come back with a more joyful, loving post soon. :)
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| THOUGHTS: So maybe a DAILY blog isn't the most realistic goal for this new mom but hey, I'm trying!  Yesterday was my "deals!!!" day. I did our grocery shopping for the next 2 weeks. I spent under $100 and have every meal planned. I am pretty proud of all of that! Coupons and sales allowed me to save over $40 on our bill! J UPDATES: I love love love her smiling face! She had a great, although a little different, napping day. Her favorite thing about today was the ongoing discovery of her feet... and of course her extra hang-out time with Daddy tonight! I absolutely adore that she goes to bed/naps happy with no crying and puts herself to sleep PLUS she wakes up with a smile on her face. She has been talking non-stop at different points in the day too. Very fun! She's really been telling me tonight about how excited she is to see her Gigi (Great Grandma Margie) in the morning. S & K UPDATES: We are seeing some serious progress with Step Up Guitars (stepupguitars.com) and the potential is really starting to shine through. It's exciting to know we could have some extra income from the things Stephen loves and knows so well. NEW MOMMY THINGS: Pampers Baby Dry... I didn't really notice that it was a different type of diaper until I saw the inner blue liner. It is built to keep them dry for up to 12 hours. I use the regular Swaddlers during the daytime but put Jillien in the Baby Dry ones at night. I can definitely tell the difference. Aveeno: I love their line of products... diaper rash cream, wash (shampoo/body), lotion. My favorite ones are the "calming lavender" for bath and the lotion in the same.   
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| THOUGHTS: Texas weather still cracks me up. Over 29 years I've lived here and never have I seen any way to predict any "season" that occurs. It's really cold today but earlier this week I was enjoying sunshine and 70 degrees. This is definitely not stroller-pushing, walking-around-the-neighborhood weather. Brrr! J UPDATES: What a trooper! She slept 2 different nap times today in the house full of noise. I love that she can do that! I don't feel like I have to tip toe around the house during her nap times for fear of waking her. We've never tried to be hush hush quiet around her because we wanted her to get used to tuning out noises that can interrupt sleep. We visited with my family today at my aunt's house. Jillien enjoyed being the little star of the show that she is! S & K UPDATES: Stephen and helpers (thanks Drew & Unc Phil) worked so hard today on getting the flooring down in the living room. It looks awesome (see below). We continue to discover the ongoing ridiculous things that builders and workers slack on. Every time we do a project, something annoying happens because those original people didn't take the time to do a job as well as they could. We are looking forward to the final product and to enjoy NO CARPET downstairs - woohoo!   NEW MOMMY THINGS: Petunia Pickle Bottom... LOVE LOVE LOVE their diaper bags! I had seen other moms carry these bags, along with other various brands and styles. I just couldn't find anything I liked better! This is a boutique brand so they are pretty pricey but I'm a bargain hunter and admit that my adorable bag is off of Ebay! It has a built in changing pad that is so great, so many pockets and a large inside. They also make them shoulder strap style, messenger bag style, backpack style... so many options! There are a lot of different fabrics/materials and patterns to choose from.
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| Well this entry didn't make it in to count for Friday! It's 12:45 am and I am still up. We were trying to finish prepping all we could to just lay the floors tomorrow. Now, I'm wide awake from scurrying around! THOUGHTS: 1001 Things It Means to Be a Mom is a book that my mom gave me for Christmas. I have enjoyed flipping through it and thinking about the many things in it that I'm already experiencing plus the adventures that still lie ahead. I really am often in disbelief that I have this precious little girl. It seems so surreal. J UPDATE: She had a much better day of napping today. However, when she went down for bed she fussed a bit off and on... she doesn't typically do that. She did get to sleep on her own though - which has been our goal from the beginning. We didn't want her to get attached to "props" or routines that weren't going to be feasible down the road. She is LOVING the discovery of her own hands. She eats them... touches the back of her head with them... flails lil fists around... and yes, I just said flails. She's drooling a ton now and making the little bubbles with all of that new saliva! It's really fun to see her figure out life! S & K UPDATE: We're glad it's the weekend. I know Stephen misses Jillien when he's at work all day during the week. Us girls sure miss him when he's not around! We are still not sure what we are doing about church each Sunday morning. We have visited 3 different ones now and just are continuing to explore our options. It's the first time in our lives where we really have a "choice" so we are just not rushing it, adjusting to change and trying to keep open hearts about it. NEW MOMMY THINGS: I was thinking tonight about some of the nursing things that have come in handy. The Boppy is such a great thing to have not only for feeding but any other purpose you decide to give it!! Also, Lansinoh happens to be lower on my list of recommendations for creams... instead try The First Years "Butter" and you'll see a HUGE difference! I would also only recommend washable/reusable nursing pads, not the disposable ones. I make sure I keep a really big glass of water by my side while I'm feeding her... I drink SO much more water since pregnancy and now through nursing. I also love my Medela Pump in Style (shoulder bag) and the Lansinoh freezer storage bags. As far as books, I really liked the humorous yet useful tips and information in "Breastfeeding Sucks." Moms-to-be or brand newbies, don't be afraid to lose all modesty or pride and ask a lactation consultant for help in the hospital and later. 
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| THOUGHTS: Have I mentioned that I love being a mom? Even on days that are filled with a bit more adventure, fussing or poop (sorry but there are just THOSE days), I fall more in love with this little girl and with being Mommy. J UPDATES: Today she didn't want to nap once afternoon came along. This little girl is a great sleeper most days. She's been sleeping through the night since she was 7 weeks old (see section below for my resource) and has done pretty well with naps even on the go. Once she woke up at 1:30 PM today she fought sleep the remainder of the time. She is discovering her world around her and so eager to do so that she has no desire to nap! She even ate an extra feeding today which hasn't happened for quite a while. She was "talking" at one point today and I just had this feeling that she is going to have a beautiful voice! S & K UPDATES: And so the flooring adventure continues... looking forward to seeing the finished product, even if it means the house is in complete disarray until then. I have become the menu planning, coupon hunting, sample searching, deal signing-up queen. As another very wise Kristen shared, I feel it is now my job to not only care for our child but to use my "smarts" for financial responsibility for our household needs! NEW MOMMY THINGS: Babywise... that's the book to get your hands on. My cousin (thanks Allisa!) recommended it before Jillien's arrival. I read it before she was born and have referenced it often since then. It helped me understand feeding and sleeping needs for the baby. I also have used a great REAL mom as a resource through her blog: babywisemom.blogspot.com. 
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| THOUGHTS: If you don't know my husband, he LOVES U2 so I chime in today to say, "It's a beautiful day!" We didn't let it get away! I accomplished quite a bit around the house, J slept like a pro in most of her nap times plus we enjoyed a great walk in the nice weather, with even Grandma C along for some of it! J UPDATES: Jillien finished her morning feeding today and then chose to suck her thumb!! She started with the fingers all in at once and then moved around to the thumb. I was glad Stephen hadn't left for work yet so he could see her do that too! It's not that we want her to make a habit of this but it's still an accomplishment in our eyes.  S & K UPDATES: I spent a lot of my "free" time (her nap times) getting things in the dining room cleared so I could move things from the living room ... makes no sense right? Well, I was helping us get ready to lay down our new laminate flooring in the LR! SO excited about it! Stephen is downstairs right now pulling up the carpet, etc. Hoping J manages to sleep through the clanking sound of the tools as he pulls up the edging! We can't wait to have a carpet-free downstairs! NEW MOMMY THINGS: Aquaphor is our friend. Anytime J has a dry skin patch it comes to the rescue! I am also a big fan of the Sassy mirror... it can be used attached in the crib or taken off and placed standing on the floor. She loves that thing! It has a ball on the corner she can spin (which she does now!) and leaves make crinkle noises. I just don't leave the mirror in the crib during nap times. We have mostly used it on the floor. We have a monkey that the grandparents gave us that hangs above her changing pad. That lil guy has brought her more joy as she looks at it constantly when she is in that spot. We never have fussy changes because I think she's entertained that she has that and a few other things to look at while she's hanging out there.
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| So today I finally gave in to the thought of starting a blog. It's not that I needed one more thing to occupy me on the computer but rather, I wanted to have a place to post pictures, give updates and maybe throw out my two cents (or more!) on new mom experiences and products. THOUGHTS: Jillien is 10 weeks old today. I can't believe we're in double digits for weeks now! I am in awe of the things she does more each day. I also don't know how people figure out things "on the fly" with this newborn stuff. I read so much each day through online articles and books I've hunted down... and I often still fill like I just have to figure it out hour by hour. :) J UPDATES: Last Tuesday was her 2 month appointment. She weighed (to our surprise) 11 lbs 12 oz. She is 22 1/4 inches long now. The weight put her in the 75th percentile, 50th for length. So this means she has gained almost 4 lbs since birth and grown a little over 2 inches. She is gurgling and cooing in her "conversations" with us now. She is still sleeping well through the night but sometimes the daytime naps get a little out of whack. She's still a very happy, smiley baby for the most part and for that we are thankful! S & K UPDATES: Stephen is constantly working to establish more with his guitar business online. I just do what I can to help ship, do computer work, take pictures, pick up packages... He is the one working so hard to get some extra income on the side so I can be a stay-at-home mommy as long as possible. NEW MOMMY THINGS: A friend gave me two "essentials" that I have been so grateful to know about... "Boogie Wipes" and "OxyClean Baby." The Boogie Wipes, along with the blue bulb syringe from the hospital (yes, mommies-to-be TAKE the things you can from the hospital!), have helped us so much with keeping her lil stuffy nose as clear as we can. The OxyClean for Baby smells like Dreft and works WONDERS on the diaper blow-out clean-ups. 
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