The Girl in the Red Sweater

I’m trying to stay within a tight budget so I can stay home with the little one for awhile, but there are a few things that have been worth the money:

1st trimester – Preggie Pop Drops and high-protein foods whenever nausea started

2nd trimester – maternity underwear, Curel Pregnancy lotion

3rd trimester – combo brush for dry brushing and wet scrubbing, and aloe socks

The Preggie Pop Drops helped a lot with mild morning sickness, but when it got bad I finally realized I had to eat a ton more protein than I ever had. During the second trimester, the maternity underwear that hadn’t been comfy before suddenly became a lifesaver, and after I was given a free sample of Curel’s latest lotion, I had to buy some, even though it was $7 a bottle. I used it sparingly, but it sure helped make my skin stop itching.

Last week, Hubby snuck some spa sponges, loofahs and scrubbies into the Target bag without my noticing. (He’s good at that.) My eyes lit up when I unpacked the bag, and I enjoyed a bath where my skin became less itchy. Then when I was at Whole Foods (major food splurge!) I saw a nice dry brush and remembered reading that they helped too.

I haven’t actually tried dry brushing; I lathered up with the sponges Hubby gave me and then scrubbed the soap away with the brush. I had no idea just how itchy I was until I got out of that bath and realized the itch was completely gone. Then the lotion became even more important because I’d just scrubbed away all the moisture, but after I put that on I slept better than I had in weeks!

I tried to find this brush online but couldn’t. It was $6 and is made by Earth Therapeutics. On one side there are fairly soft natural bristles, and on the other side are little wooden knobs that they say you can use to massage. I haven’t enjoyed the massaging but the natural bristles are so awesome I don’t care.

And I made a habitual splurge on aloe socks last week too (which I finally tracked down at Walmart). I’ve been buying them for a few years now, and the last couple of pairs were looking pretty sad. Now I have 2 new pairs reserved just for the hospital and one to wear until then.

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Even though the cheap canvases were 30″ x 40″, which is bigger than I usually paint, I just had to have two. I finally decided on the layout and finished up the painting Friday night.

Now I just need to track down a mobile and vacuum the room. And Hubby is working on a changing table. We’re just about ready for the little one to arrive!

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Our friends and family were so generous that we got almost everything the baby needed at our baby shower, but we did end up short on newborn-sized clothes. Hubby was happy to help me pick out everything we needed last night.

This was absolutely the most adorable item of baby clothing I’ve ever seen, and since the baby is due near St. Patrick’s and is Irish, you can see how we couldn’t leave the store without one. And I’ll be watching the clearance racks for larger sizes, too! We found some other basics and now I basically just need to find a mobile and a baby wrap that won’t bust the budget.

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When the sales guy at the art supply store told me that the super-nice 30″ x 40″ canvases were on sale for $15.99, I couldn’t help myself.

I’ve been in love with the Fisher Price Rainforest Animals baby stuff ever since I first saw it. There are blanket sets, playards, jumpers, high chairs, and just about everything else you can think of. Of course, all of it’s expensive and made in China.

So, I thought, why shouldn’t I decorate the baby’s room with these adorable animals in my own way? At $34 or so with tax, I can’t think of a cheaper way to add color and cuteness to two of the nursery walls.

(I guess I did use about $3 worth of paint, too. It’s a good thing I’m unspoiled in paints — it doesn’t bother me a bit to grab 50-cent craft paint acrylics from Hobby Lobby. Unlike colored pencils, where I have to use $1-apiece Prismacolors.)

So at least one thing is completed for the baby’s room. I haven’t started on the second painting or even assembled the crib yet, but you can be sure I’ll be taking care of those things over the next few weeks. Now that we’re finally moved in and there is actually a room for the baby, serious nesting is about to take place!

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