Clawing our way to financial independence

My mom organized a baby shower on the weekend. 20 lovely, laughing women - Great Grandmas, Grandmas, Moms, and babies! Mom organized about 10 of them to knit up this gorgeous blanket for our Baby Wooly. Every woman knit a different square and then Mom and her friend knit and sewed it all together. Amazing, what a treasure! I was very overwhelmed by the thought that Wooly Baby will always be able to look at this and see how much love there was for him when he came into the world.

There were other very practical or needed gifts, I am very grateful. We got books, hand knit or hand made items, a nursing pillow (very much needed), a few stuffed toys, bath time supplies, and a music box for the crib. And since the shower was at my house I packed away a box full of leftovers for after the birth!

I am 38 weeks now, and see the midwife once a week. We have gathered all our supplies and pick up the borrowed birth pool this morning. That should be interesting, I have no idea what it will look like, or how we even fill it yet. I had to order a tub liner for it, well worth it I am told because it saves cleaning up after, but it cost $40! Just another item that was more expensive than I thought.

We do still have a few outstanding items to purchase. I ordered a few BPA free baby bottles online but none have arrived, so I want to pick up one inexpensive bottle, a soother, and I need 1 or 2 large swaddling blankets. The swaddling blankets have proved indispensable for a friend with a colicky baby, and I only have one large enough to swaddle the little guy properly. We took a class on the weekend called Happiest Baby, and swaddling is one of the primary techniques parents can use to calm their fussy baby in the first trimester. It worked so well with my friend`s baby I am sold! I may just go purchase some flannel from the fabric store and make them myself.

So forgive the lack of finance posts in the next little while. With two weeks to go the baby has descended, and really, all I can think about is the birth, mainly because I am pretty uncomfortable. I am not very good at staying off my feet, but after I gardened and walked yesterday I am paying for it with aches and pains today :):)

If anybody would like to guest post on a finance topic I would be most grateful. Otherwise I will just keep posting my ramblings about pregnancy, at least for a little while longer.