I love wearing Penny, and to be honest, sometimes it’s the only way I’m able to get things done! Either she’s fussy and just wants to be held, or I want to keep her from getting into trouble while I try to do laundry or clean. Babywearing helps me in so many ways, and it also benefits Penny! I’ve tried a few different styles of baby carriers so far (it’s addicting!) and one of my favorites is the Boba 3g. Here are some of the features I love about this soft structured carrier (SSC).

Picture courtesy of Boba

-It’s super easy to use. Once you adjust it to your personal settings, you just clip two buckles (one at the waist and one at the shoulders) and it is secure. My dad has used the Boba 3g Carrier, and you just let out the straps (or take them in) and it’s good to go for another person.

-The comfort is amazing. My mother was skeptical about the Boba Carrier hurting her back.  She tried it and loved it!  I have worn Penny for hours at a parade and had no discomfort at all.  The straps are padded so they are very comfortable.  The baby’s weight seems to be evenly distributed so you don’t feel any pressure points.

-You can use it for newborns with no separate insert. Other SSC carriers you have to purchase a “newborn insert” to use it for babies 7-15 pounds.  With the Boba 3g, you just flip up the bottom, snap it, and it makes a little pocket to put the baby in.  It’s safe, and it works.  Since Penny is tiny at around 13 pounds, I’ve used this carry with her and she really likes it because she can see over the carrier.

-Purse holding strap and pockets. The Boba 3g carrier has a little snap-able purse holding strap. It is harder to carry your purse while using a baby carrier sometimes and having the purse holding strap is not only great for convenience, it’s wonderful for safety as well.  Since it snaps, it would be harder for someone to steal your purse.  The Boba also has nice little zipping pockets that you can put keys or other small items in if you need storage.  I think this is awesome!  I like to take Penny for walks around the neighborhood, and it’s nice to be able to store my keys in the carrier versus having to carry them in my hand.

-It’s beautiful and 100% cotton. I chose the “Soho” print and love it.  I really like that it is eye-catching, and when I go out in public I know it turns heads.  The all-cotton fabric is so nice because it is breathable.  I haven’t felt really hot while wearing Penny because of it.  We have been baby wearing all summer, despite the 100 degree heat!

-The hood is so convenient. The Boba 3g comes with a hood that goes into a small pocket at the top of the carrier.  I have used the hood to protect Penny from the sun, and also when she naps.  If I forget a hat or sunglasses (or she just doesn’t want to leave them on!) I don’t worry because I can just flip the hood up.  No big deal!

-The high back and foot straps. The carrier is nice and high, which makes it secure for small babies as well as larger toddlers.  With the Boba 3g Carrier, you can use it from newborn to toddler without having to buy a new carrier.  I think this is a great investment.

Enter for your chance to win a Boba Baby Carrier, and one of two Boba Wraps! All products can be seen at www.bobafamily.com. With Boba products it is easier than ever to enjoy Freedom Together as a family and Boba wants YOU to get a chance to use their products. To enter to win, “Like” them on Facebook and for an additional two entries, follow them on Twitter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a Boba 3g Carrier to review.  No other compensation was received, and all views are my own.

As you can imagine, we received many gifts when we found out we were expecting Penny and also after her birth.  I’ve said before that I didn’t want a ton of baby “things” and that still holds true.  However, my mother never got that memo (well, she did but she’s an excited grandmother) and went completely overboard.  I appreciate her gesture, but it is overwhelming to go through numerous garbage bags full of baby clothes and toys multiple times.  I’ve gone through and donated items to some less fortunate mamas and that makes me feel good.  Now that Penny is 5 months old I’m starting to go through and evaluate what we want to keep for future babies.  Here are some of the things we have, and what we plan on doing with them.

-Baby swing: keeping.  Penny still uses it, and it was a shower gift brand new, so it stays.  The only time it gets used is when I shower, and then it’s presence is invaluable.

- Pack N Play:keeping. We’ve used this as a changing table and I’m anticipating using it as Penny grows.

-Bouncer: Not sure.  We got a pink bouncer brand new (we wanted the big items all gender neutral, which they are) but I don’t know if it is worth storing for 2-3 years or so.

-Bumbo Baby Seat: Probably selling.  They can easily be purchased on Craigslist usually.

-Crib: keeping, as it was purchased brand new with an organic crib mattress.

-Outgrown clothing: keeping some of it, donating the excess and items I wouldn’t use anyway.  There’s no sense in keeping a million baby clothes.

All of the larger items that were purchased new and that are gender neutral we’ll most likely keep.  Items that were purchased second hand that still have life left will most likely be sold on Craigslist or gifted to a friend.  There are so many baby items that you can buy second hand it’s not even funny.

What really gets me is that people say you need a ton of things for baby, and having babies is so expensive, when really, you can do it so cheaply.  Pretty much the only things we’ve really needed and used for Penny are cloth diapers, boobies (for milk), a wrap or carrier. clothes, and a safe place to sleep.  It truly is amazing how little you really need.  It is nice to have somewhere to set them down when you need to, but you can always lay them on a blanket on the floor.

What baby items did you decide to keep, and which ones did you get rid of?

For the past 5 months I’ve been a stay at home mom.  There are a lot of things that I’ve noticed over these past few months about our money spending habits.  Before I quit my job, Mr. Money and I enjoyed eating out frequently.  It was our hobby I guess.  Well, after we had the baby we’d find ourselves so tired that we’d grab take out or just go out for dinner.  Looking over our budget and bank balance, I’ve realized that’s got to change.  We just can’t afford to go out to eat like we used to and still be able to meet our savings goals and stay on budget.  I’m going to make a conscious effort to meal plan a bit better and make sure that we aren’t just being lazy when we go out to eat.  Maybe it would help to have a set night to go out to dinner?

I get the moving itch every few weeks or so.  It is hard having a baby and not being around family!  The reason is probably not what most people assume: I don’t feel overwhelmed taking care of the baby.  I prefer to be the one taking care of her.  I just feel like my family is missing out on watching her grow up and that makes me sad.  Sometimes I dream about Mr. Money finding a new job in Michigan, us selling our house and buying a new one up there with a few acres to grow food and have animals.  That would be fabulous.

We’ve got a nice garden growing this year, and that is thanks to Mr. Money. I can’t wait to be able to eat the yummy veggies right from our backyard. We’ve got squash, green beans, watermelon, tomatoes, red raspberries, carrots, beets, swiss chard, and broccoli growing.  Yay!

I am really enjoying not working outside of the home.  I feel like this was just meant to be and I am happier than I have ever been.  It is worth every sacrifice!

Even when we were trying to conceive I knew I wanted to use cloth diapers.  When we finally got pregnant I started doing research (basically asking a million questions to one of my BFFs) and decided to go the simple route and try prefolds and covers. Prefolds are the cloth diapers you probably think of- the old fashioned ones your grandmother probably used.  The covers are a lot easier to use now and have snaps or aplix (velcro) that secure the diaper on the baby and keep the baby’s clothes dry.  There were many benefits for using prefolds:

1. They are cheap compared to other diapers like pocket diapers and all-in-ones.  I couldn’t afford $20 per diaper that would get used once and have to get washed. $1.50, I can handle that.  If one gets ruined, no big deal.  If I ruin a $20 diaper, I would cry.

2. They are natural cotton fibers, which come clean easier and rarely have stink issues.  Easy to take care of and wash!

3. There are many sizes to choose from, which makes a nice fit on the baby.

Overall, my biggest factor in choosing to use prefolds was the price.  We cloth diaper to save money, keep diapers out of the landfill, and keep chemicals away from our baby’s bottom.  I wanted to save as much money as possible but still be happy with cloth diapering.  Here is our current stash:

-24 Newborn prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers
-9 Newborn Proraps (covers)
-24 Infant prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers
-1 Bummis Super Brite Small Cover
-1 Thirsties Small cover
-7 Flip covers (one sized- fit baby from 7 lbs to potty training)
-7 BumGenius one size pocket diapers
-A few various covers and diapers I got from a friend

We started cloth diapering when our daughter was about a week old. We didn’t want to have to fool with the cloth when she was still passing meconium, and I didn’t want to be stressed about doing diaper laundry. Before she was born, I went back and forth on whether I would be buying newborn sized diapers because I didn’t know how big she would be. I am very thankful I did, because she is still wearing them at 6 weeks old!

I got over 20 free BumGenius diapers free off a message board I read. I just had to pay shipping. The diapers were very well loved and needed all the elastic and velcro replaced. After I repaired one diaper and saw how long it took, I sorted the diapers and passed on the ones I knew I wouldn’t be using to someone else. I kept 10 total, and still have 3 to repair.

So far we’re loving the cloth diapers. Penny seems to be happy when she’s in them, and even Mr. Money changes diapers! He’s got the prefold folds down, and it’s pretty awesome that he doesn’t complain about it. I’m very glad we decided to try the prefolds and covers right now! I may search for some used diapers if there are some different ones I want to try.

Would you use cloth diapers? Do you have any questions?

So far, I love being a mom.  I love taking care of my baby and doing as much housework as I can.  It’s been tough to get much done around the house because someone doesn’t like to be put down much.  She’s getting much better at it lately!  Here are some things I’ve observed since becoming a mama:

-Sometimes convenience is key.  We’ve done a lot of things that we wouldn’t normally do convenience-wise since we’ve had the baby.  We’ve gotten take out a few times when Mr. Money wasn’t in the mood to cook.  I’m not stressing about it, because we have a brand new baby and it’s not been excessive.  Sometimes you just have to be flexible!

-Some of my frugal ways are harder to execute with a little one.  Hanging laundry to dry and doing dishes by hand are just two examples I can think of right now.  It’s much easier for me to throw the clothes in the drier and run the dishwasher, so that’s what we’ve been doing!  I figure as long as we have clean clothes and clean dishes, that’s all that matters.

-Breastfeeding really isn’t “free”.  I’m eating a lot more food and have had to buy some nursing supplies, but compared to the cost of formula, I’m saving tons of money.  I am so thankful breastfeeding is working out well.  So thankful.  I don’t think I could swing the cost of formula each month!

-Money is not everything.  Ever since my daughter was born, I’ve been infatuated with her.  She is just the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and I’d do anything for her.  Staying home means we’ll have to make sacrifices, but I don’t think I could leave her right now.  It would break my heart.

As soon as we get her social security card, I plan on opening up a savings account for her.  I hope it comes soon! I’d like to get that taken care of. We’re adjusting well to life with the baby, and I feel awesome.  I am so happy, and she was definitely worth the wait!

I had my baby on January 22, 2012!  She was born at home and weighed 6 pounds even and was 19 inches long.  She came a lot earlier than I ever expected (I thought I would have her today!)  Life has been great lately, but more busy!  I can’t believe how much laundry a little person can help create.  We are so in love and couldn’t be happier.  I’m trying to think of a good nickname for her for the blog and the only thing I’ve come up with so far is Penny!

I can see how our money is going to change as a result of the baby- I think our electric bill will be higher because of us both being home and keeping the house warmer for her and also because of the amount of laundry I’ve been doing.  I also know that my gas usage has gone down since I haven’t really left the house too much yet, and that probably won’t change too much.  I’m sure I’ll start going places, but it won’t be as much as when I was working.

I’ll make sure to keep you all informed, and if you have any good nicknames, let me know!

Friday, January 6 is my last day of employment with the bank.  I’ve been an employee there for over seven years, and it’s been a really tough decision, but I’ve decided that I’m going to quit and be a stay at home mom.  I’ve always wanted to do that, so this is the path I’m going to take.  I can always return to work if I have to.  When considering being a working versus stay at home mom, I considered many factors.

1. If I kept working, I’d have to pay daycare.  Full time day care is expensive, costing anywhere from $600-$800 a month!  That would consume more than one of my paychecks.  Also, if my baby was in day care there’s a much greater chance of the baby getting sick and me having to take time off work.  That would stink!

2. I’d have to buy disposable diapers.  I plan on cloth diapering my baby to save money, and if I had to put my baby in day care, I’d have to buy disposables for the baby to use while in day care.  For Seventh Generation
newborn disposable diapers, it would cost 25 cents a diaper!  That’s $75 a month if the baby uses 10 diapers a day.

3. It would be more difficult to exclusively breastfeed, and I’d probably be more likely to give up, meaning we’d have to buy formula.  It would make me very sad if I couldn’t breastfeed my baby exclusively at least for the first full year.  Staying at home will give me an advantage that I’ll be able to breastfeed successfully.  By staying home, I also avoid having to buy an expensive breast pump!

4. I’d have to pay for new work clothes, gas to get to work, more lunches out, etc.  That isn’t a huge deal, but our gas budget will decrease from me staying at home.

The biggest reason I decided to quit my job and be a stay at home mom is because this has always been my dream.  I’ve always wanted to be home with our babies, enjoying them and raising them myself.  I truly believe that it is such a personal decision, and I would never judge another mother for deciding to work or stay at home.  I think every family does what works best for their family.

I’m going to have to be careful with our money to make sure that we can afford for me to stay at home, but we’ve saved up a little bit of money to use in case we need to, and we’ve been careful with our money all along so I don’t see it being a problem.

I will admit, I am a little nervous about the transition since I’ve spent the last ten years working.  I think it will be quite the change at first, but it will be something I can adapt to and I think I’ll end up loving it.  I’m hoping my next boss will be as good to work for as my current one at the bank!

Would you consider staying at home to raise children?

Having a baby can be an overwhelming experience, especially when you go into Babies R Us and are bombarded by all the millions of baby items they carry.  The first time I went in our local store, I almost had a panic attack.  There’s no way we can afford all of these things that we supposedly need for a baby!  Thankfully, after I left the store I sat down and thought about what a baby will actually need according to my standards.  I don’t want to have 50 baby things, or a million plastic made in China toys for my kid.  We sway to the side of minimalism, and while I know I won’t be able to limit everything that makes its way into my house, I can do my best to make sure I have things I need and use for the baby.  Here are some of the ways we’re going to save money on baby expenses:

-Breastfeed.  I’m going to do my best to breastfeed, and I plan on doing everything in my power to make it to at least a year.  Breastfeeding is so much better for the baby, natural, and will save us tons of money versus buying formula.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

-Cloth diapering.  We received a pack of newborn disposable diapers for our shower, and after those are gone, I plan on starting to cloth diaper.

-Not buying a bunch of crap.  My co workers keep telling me that I need to register for more stuff; that I’ll regret not having the swing and the bouncer and whatever other gadgets they think I need.  We’re trying to get items that do double duty; for instance we received a swing that is full size and travel size and I think that will work just fine instead of having a bouncer too.

-Buying second hand clothes.  My mother went nuts over the past 7 months, purchasing baby clothes and burp cloths and basically any other item she thought I would need.  This has saved us a ton of money already!  The baby has a gender neutral wardrobe with items ranging from newborn to 1 year already.  I’m sure we’ll have to buy more clothes, but I know we’ll be able to get them second hand.

-Remembering the store will still be there. It’s hard for me when I think I don’t have enough things ready for the baby, but I think we’ve got the essentials so far.  Plus, the store is going to be there after the baby is born!  If we need extra burp cloths or receiving blankets, we can always make a trip to the store.  I’d rather do that than have things on hand that we don’t use and then we’ve wasted money on.

I’m trying to relax and realize that babies don’t need much other than a warm place to sleep, food, and diapers.  Really, when you think about it- that’s it!  That makes me feel better and more confident that we’ll be able to raise our child with respect to our budget and the planet.

I think one of the hardest things about being a first time mom is trying to figure out what I need for this baby.  There are tons of baby gadgets out there, and the first time I went to Babies R Us I was totally overwhelmed.  All the items in the store made me feel like I needed every one of them!  My family is throwing me a baby shower, and my co workers were insisting that I register soon, so a couple weeks ago I went and registered at two places.  When people started viewing my registry, they commented that there weren’t enough items listed on there.  Personally I felt like I had too much listed!  I didn’t want to just add items just to have stuff on there, so I carefully went through and decided what items I’d really like to have.

I wonder if I’m being too much of a minimalist.  I don’t want to be miserable and wish I had gotten a certain item and regret it later on.  I’m trying to find a delicate balance between the two.  I don’t want a million baby items cluttering up my house, but I also don’t want to be up at 3 AM wishing I had a bassinet.  Here are some of the things that I think will be helpful for having our first baby.

-Baby Carriers. I bought a Boba Classic Baby Carrier for a super deal online, so I’ve already got that. I’d like a wrap like a Sleepy Wrap or Moby Wrap for when the baby is small.
-Cloth diapers. I’ve already got some covers and a few Snappis, I just need to order some prefolds and I’ll be all set.
-Cloth wipes. I’ve sewn some myself, and my mom is sewing some too.
-Sleepers/Clothes. My mom has gone crazy buying clothes over the past few months, so I don’t need ANY of these.
-Blankets. Again, my mom has this covered.

-Graco Newborn Napper Pack n Play – Meadow Menagerie. I think having a Pack N Play will be a helpful place for the baby to sleep when it’s little, and then when the baby is bigger I can set them in here to play while I get things done. Also, since our family is all out of state, it will be nice to have a place for the baby to sleep while we are at their house. We plan on co sleeping, but I’d like to have the Pack N Play as back up.

-Graco Swing by Me – Meadow Menagrie. I’m registering for the swing, even though I’m wondering if my baby will like it. I would hate to get it and then the baby hates the swing! However, there’s not really a way to tell if the baby will like the swing until the baby is here, so this is a gamble I’ll have to take.

Some items that I’m double guessing are:

-Full Size High Chair. When Mr. Money and I orginally registered, we picked a Space Saver High Chair because we liked that it was compact and would sit on one of our chairs. Since then, everyone insists that we’ll want a full sized high chair. I’m still not convinced.

-Fisher-Price Newborn Rock ‘n Play Sleeper. One of my friends insisted I need this, so I registered for it. However, I think it will only be used for a few months, so I don’t know if it’s something that I really do need. It would be nice for the baby to sleep in, but if it’s only used for a couple months, I think I may be able to do without it.

-Baby Bath Tub. From the beginning, I didn’t want a bath tub, I wanted something like the Baby bath sponge. Everyone thinks I am crazy. I don’t want to have to store a baby bath tub.

I want to limit the amount of stress during the first few months, so any items that will make my life easier will be welcome.  I just don’t want a bunch of crap hanging around my house that isn’t being used.

What items are must-have for a baby?  Am I being unrealistic and I really need this items I’m doubting?

Post includes affiliate links to items