2014 May Rainbows

[Sunnyleah]

Proud parent- welcome and congratulations!!!

Darlin- that's fantastic!! You'll be all set long before lo arrives

 

[Starry Night]

Welcome, proud parent, and congrats! I have the same due date as you! Do you think you'll actually end up with a May baby? Unless we go for the second c-section, my dh and I are figuring we'll end up with an early June baby. Though ds was only 4 days past his due date. We'll see.

 

[Darlin65]

I keep figuring an April baby because they took DS at 39wks

Okay I have a topic I would like everyone to share their tips and tricks for Please ... Budget and Savings

For the new year I really want to set goals with our money. I have set like 3mo, 6mo, 9mo etc. goals. Things like paying off a specific debt and also putting X amnt in savings.

We just got a ton of beef for Christmas from the in laws. We seriously have 167lbs of cow in our deep freezer right now. Most is ground beef but there is a good portion of steaks and roasts too. Any recipes would be greatly appreciated or ways to make the meat stretch for meals. I think I really need to get better about cutting back on how much we use. For example... We have burger patties that come in packs of four and we eat all four just the 2 of us. I think that seems like a lot or am I being crazy? It makes sense that DH would but I feel like I should only eat one and save the extra patty maybe? Also I'd like to add I never eat the 2 in one sitting I usually eat it as a bedtime snack or lunch next the day.

Here is the meal plan for dinners this week:

Stroganoff with meatballs
Roast
Taco Soup
Ranch Burgers
Chili

I try to save leftovers for lunches but it seems if we have any it's not usually enough to pack DH for lunch the next day. Some nights it just depends on how hungry we really are.

 

[Sunnyleah]

Darlin I also will cook extra and eat for lunch. I think it's perfectly fine unless you regularly through away the leftovers

We are also thinking about doing a budget. We don't have much in the way if debt but have things around the house we'd like to take care of.

 

[MrsGax]

I still have to take mine too. I guess we're the thread of sickies. LOL Mine isn't too bad now. I don't need to take it everyday. I usually take it when I know I'm going to be on my feet a lot. Feeling sick makes me anxious which makes me feel more sick so taking the anti-nausea tablets keep me calm in situations where I don't want to get sick (in public or in large gatherings....like today).

I'm stealing a moment away from everyone. I was feeling so smothered. I'm such an introvert. We have all the inlaws over right now and it's loud, I don't feel good and I'm so tired and hormonal. Also, we ran out of diapers and all we have are old swim diapers that do NOTHING. DS is leaking everywhere! We live in a conservative area so no stores are open today. Not even the Walmart. So yeah....just feeling like I'm about to go crazy any second.

I hate having all the in laws over or being at their house! lol... I am very introverted when I am around a lot of people as well. Unless I am drinking, then that is a different story lol. I am sorry you are still sick! That is miserable

My EDD is May 29th!

Congrats and welcome!

ladies I am in love with my cutting stuff DH bought me for Christmas. Since putting LO down for bed I've already whipped up a bandanna bib and burp cloth for Avery out of the sleep sack scraps

OMG I love!!! I want to do stuff like this!!! I want to be a crafty momma!

Welcome, proud parent, and congrats! I have the same due date as you! Do you think you'll actually end up with a May baby? Unless we go for the second c-section, my dh and I are figuring we'll end up with an early June baby. Though ds was only 4 days past his due date. We'll see.

Wow... I have never thought about baby being passed his due date! lol... that actually happens?! I thought people go at like 38 ish weeks usually? Maybe all my friends are induced... I will have to ask. I do not want to be induced unless it is medically necessary! Are you doing a VBAC?

I keep figuring an April baby because they took DS at 39wks

Okay I have a topic I would like everyone to share their tips and tricks for Please ... Budget and Savings

For the new year I really want to set goals with our money. I have set like 3mo, 6mo, 9mo etc. goals. Things like paying off a specific debt and also putting X amnt in savings.

We just got a ton of beef for Christmas from the in laws. We seriously have 167lbs of cow in our deep freezer right now. Most is ground beef but there is a good portion of steaks and roasts too. Any recipes would be greatly appreciated or ways to make the meat stretch for meals. I think I really need to get better about cutting back on how much we use. For example... We have burger patties that come in packs of four and we eat all four just the 2 of us. I think that seems like a lot or am I being crazy? It makes sense that DH would but I feel like I should only eat one and save the extra patty maybe? Also I'd like to add I never eat the 2 in one sitting I usually eat it as a bedtime snack or lunch next the day.

Here is the meal plan for dinners this week:

Stroganoff with meatballs
Roast
Taco Soup
Ranch Burgers
Chili

I try to save leftovers for lunches but it seems if we have any it's not usually enough to pack DH for lunch the next day. Some nights it just depends on how hungry we really are.

We are setting a budget and we do not go over our budget by a penny... well... as of 2014! lol. We have a few credit cards we need to pay off and we need to increase our savings... we are hoping to have a good amount saved by the time Gavin comes! (BTW, we named him!!!! Gavin Michael. ) What are your tips for saving and paying down credit cards? My biggest thing is that if we do not have the cash for it, we DO NOT buy it. DH went a little gun crazy with my dad when the gun control thing was going on and he seriously stocked up on ammo and guns... needless to say, I could kill him now. But he learned his lesson! No sympathy here.

I love beef! That is so awesome to have a whole cow in your freezer... My great grandpa used to have a farm in kansas (he passed away) and he used to give my grandpa/my mom/my aunts/ everyone a bunch of beef for christmas as well. They would have meals for months! I do not know very many recipes... I have to look them up. Since I have been in nursing school and we rented out our house and moved in with my parents, my mom has been cooking... so I feel way out of touch with my cooking skills now lol. I used to cook everyday when we first got married and lived in our home. I think that meal planning is the best way to save money... I would plan our meals for the whole week and only go shopping based upon my list for 2 weeks... I go to Sam's Club and Costco a lot which helps with me not having to go to the store frequently.


Question: is anyone leaking colostrum? I have been since I was 13 weeks, but now it just comes out on to my bra and goes through my shirt. 1. Is that normal? and 2. should I get breast pads? Do they show through bras?

 

[Darlin65]

We don't have a lot in debt. Maybe $1500 at most. It fluctuates because we pay on our credit cards each month but then use them again so that's what it is if they are maxed. I just would really like to start being more responsible because we have zero savings. I'd like to save now for Christmas 2014, birthdays and we would like to start saving for a 10yr vacation. We will have been together for 8yrs in February so it would be nice to take a vacation for year 10. The kids will be big enough and DH will be finishing up school.

I'd also like to try and expand my business opportunities through purchasing new equipment and things. We are getting my nice camera this weekend We managed to be frugal with all the Christmas money that came to us plus I get a nice chunk if i trade in my current camera for the new one. DH and I agreed it would be best rather than paying so much for Newborn and milestone pictures and such. It saves us money long term this way.

I love saving money. It gives me a rush when I can go to the grocery store and save $20 I'm weird like that. I also can't go shopping for more material items without saving with a nice little coupon or discount. I think I drive DH nuts sometimes

 

[Darlin65]

MrsGax we just make sure we have a certain amnt we set aside to pay towards out credit card at each check. Ours have fairly low limits so we are bad about building them up and taking time to pay them off I do make sure I make a sizable payment each paycheck to each card though. Other than that I have no advice for credit cards

Colostrum is totally normal. I actually had this very rarely even before I had ever fallen pg. Some women are just more likely to leak. I liked the disposable breast pads. I felt I leaked so much and had to change them very frequently because my nipples were so sensitive. They won't show through a bra unless maybe it's like a thin cotton sports bra. I only wear those at home tho I never had a problem.

 

[Darlin65]

Ok, so dinner is in the oven. I managed to use one pack of hamburger to make 25 meatballs. They're a bit on the smaller side but it's for beef stroganoff. In an attempt to not waste or over eat I told DH I am saving half of them (so 12 meatballs). I will use the food saver to vacuum seal them after dinner without sauce once they've cooled. I spent about $10 more than I wanted at the grocery tonight Nothing was on sale and I didn't even get everything I wanted We should be able to get through the week tho. Including buying fabric softener I spent $46.

 

[Starry Night]

We're on a single income and things are tight so right now we're living a little bit in debt. But not the crazy amounts that people can sometimes accumulate. And we always seem to get one financial disaster after another. The joys of home ownership, I suppose. Just as we crawl out of one hole another is created. But we live simply so overall we do OK.

Darlin - $46 is really cheap for groceries. But I've heard stuff is cheaper in the States than in Canada. Also, good coupons are harder to come by here. Extreme couponing isn't the same here (I've looked into it). And since I can get store brands for cheaper than the brands with coupons I normally don't bother. But I'm with you. I get a rush saving money and I love when stores print "you have saved (x) amount" on their receipts. I wait for sales to stock up and get emails from the stores I frequent for bonus codes and coupons (though the latter is more for clothing than for food)

When we do really well we can get a week's worth of groceries for about $67 but we normally spend about $100. That does not include diapers and toiletries. The weeks I stock up on meat can be even more.

Mrs Gax - yeah....the average pregnancy is 40 weeks. That is how they figure out your due date and normally you are allowed to go up to 42 weeks before they will induce you. Most people I know go over...especially with their first. I actually started early labour on my exact due date (lost the plug, began to get contractions) but didn't progress to active labour where I needed to go to the hospital until 4 days later.

 

[Sunnyleah]

As for budgeting we usually look at our combined income, subtract all of the bills, then plan with what's left. We are terrible for. Groceries. Right now DH does the shopping and just buys whatever. He'll also go several times in the week :/. I'm looking forward to being done with work as I generally plan the week and then just buy what we need. We do save but going to costco and freezing meat, etc. but DH also like to eat out a lot so that adds up:/

And what Starry said for full term. I believe full term is anytime after 37 weeks but really it's 40 weeks. And everyone I know has pretty much gone at least a few days over. I've recently read that it can be genetic about this so talk to your mom. My mom had my brother and I on our due dates so I'm more likely too as well. And that's if they have the due date correct! Lol. So many variables.

As for beef, I don't know many recipes. We don't eat a lot of red meat. Either pasta sauce, tacos or burgers really :/ good luck!!

AFM we have our 20 week scan today!!! So excited and fingers crossed we find out the gender . We are celebrating after with a trip to a local baby shop (a fancy one, not babies r us). I will show DH the stroller if like, the cloth diapers (if I convince him to go that route) and we will purchase a coming home outfit for baby . So excited!!

And a New Year's Eve party at our place!! Does anyone have big plans for tonight??

 

[Starry Night]

Enjoy your scan! I hope the baby is cooperative and you're able to find out the gender. And have fun shopping. I'm totally going shopping on Thursday if we find out the gender...especially if it's a girl. DS had so many clothes that I really won't need to shop if it's another boy. I just need to get new bed sheets (DS' are so stained and worn and gross that I can't give them to another baby)

Any last guesses on gender? I'm thinking boy for you but obviously don't really have a clue. lol

No plans for tonight. The in-laws are here and don't like to stay up and my BiL and family don't want to stay up either. They all go home tomorrow and it's a long drive so they don't think it will be fair to the kids. I think DH and I went to bed early last year too. We don't get invited to anything so it doesn't matter.

 

[Darlin65]

Good Luck on your scan!

No plans here. Might have a nice dinner together once Munchkin goes to bed. I'll just throw some steaks on the grill. He woke up with a Fever today and it clingy. Just depends how the rest of the day/night goes.

 

[Sunnyleah]

Sitting in the waiting room waiting for our scan!! So excited

Question: did you all have to drink water and no peeing before your scan??

 

[Darlin65]

Only one was I had to ever do that for was the NT scan this time. They didn't tell me until I checked in. I already had to be really bad and then they kept me waiting so long I peed anyway

 

[Starry Night]

I can never get my bladder the correct fullness. It's either too full and I have to go half-empty myself (and it hurts so badly I want to puke and cry) or it's not full enough. But I definitely can NOT drink as much as they want to because I then throw it up. I complained to the technician one time while pregnant with DS after she had said I wasn't full enough and then she said, "well, some is better than throwing it all up". So my philosophy is to drink only what I can and the technician will have to work around it.

 

[FeLynn]

hope all you ladies are doing well. My ipod charger broke my tablet is freezing up I just started using it 3 weeks ago and its only 6 months old only used it every once in a while I share a cell with my man so Im finally on a computer and can go through all the groups and sites Im apart of. I will be 19 weeks tomorrow and excitement has died down. I had a scan yesterday baby looked good but is in grey area bc of the anti kell antibodies I have. I hope everyone has a great new year

 

[Sunnyleah]

The lo was as usual constantly moving!! It was so neat to feel and see the kicks at the same time!! Very surreal . Everything looks great, hb exactly 140 bpm as per usual.... Have to go back because baby wouldn't cooperate and we couldn't see the spine/ kidneys properly... BUT...

We did see....



TEAM BLUE!! 95% sure

 

[Darlin65]

Congrats Sunny! I have a feeling we are going to be a boy thread

Hope everyone has a good New Years Eve! I've decided to make a bunch of food and we are just going to pig out and play wii

 

[lune_miel]

Me too, going to some friends' to fill up on appetizers and bringing my own bubbly cider!

 

[Darlin65]

LO's fever spiked. Hoping it goes back down so we don't end up needing to go to the er tonight. He seems ok tho. Eating and drinking ok just being a couch potato poor baby.