Octopus Tentacle Decal in Eleanor's Nursery

Even before I knew I was having a baby girl, I had chosen a nautical theme for the nursery. My theoretical nursery was a vision I had slapped together with dozens of pins from Pinterest. I had seen one in particular that really stood out of an octopus decal above a bathtub.

I knew I had to have this on the wall. I didn't really even look into buying it myself, but chatted with some friends and family about using it for inspiration to paint on the wall.

My brother works for a sign company, and was able to redraw the graphic,
enlarge the image, and then print it off as a decal. The results were fantastic. Once Eleanor was in her crib, it was all smiles. She loves it and is fascinated by it as she stares at the tentacles.

8 Simple Hacks for Your Baby Budget

Since I have nothing but my baby keeping me busy nowadays, there is a strong focus on how she is affecting my budget. I've compiled a few tips for how to hack your baby budget and save money for the more important things like healthcare!

1. Buy (or at least try) generic diapers. 
I was fortunate to receive nearly every brand of diaper in newborn size from the three showers I was given by my friends, family, and coworkers. This allowed me to test out each one. While I had no issues with Huggies, Luvs, or Pampers, I also had no issues with Parent's Choice, which just so happens to be the cheapest diaper sold at Wal-Mart (and is also the Wal-Mart brand). Say what you will about Wal-Mart, but my wallet does enjoy this money-saving alternative and costs as low as $0.13 a diaper versus upwards of $0.25 a diaper for the brand names. I'm sold.

2. Download coupons from Kroger (if you're near one).
I downloaded the Kroger app and have a reminder set to check the latest coupons every Sunday morning. Not only am I saving on my entire grocery budget, but they also have great deals for free and clear laundry detergent (alternative to using the costly Dreft), coupons for diaper creams (I'm embarassed at the amount I have stocked up), and diaper coupons which may help if you go with Huggies, Luvs, or Pampers. The "e-coupons" save directly to my Kroger card, so there's no need to print off coupons. Easy.

3. Buy secondhand clothing.
I rarely purchased anything new the last few months and was lucky to be near a Rhea Lana's consignment sale before my daughter was born and right after. I was able to purchase plenty of essentials for only 30% of retail. Not only do they have thousands of items to choose from, but you also buy high-quality clothing that will be outgrown faster than you can snap up that onesie. Perfect for my budget. Which leads me into number four...

4. Resell baby clothes, toys, and maternity clothes at a consignment sale.
Rhea Lana's also happens to be a place where you can make upwards of 70-80% back on everything you sell there. I've already prepped several pieces of clothing our daughter has grown out of, as well as my maternity jeans, shorts, and shirts. I also packaged up a few headbands, newborn size shoes, and books for the next sale, which will be this Fall. It takes a little time up front to prep the items and enter them into the system, but with a payoff of 70%, it's well worth the effort.

5. Breastfeed your baby.
We all have heard of the benefits of breastfeeding, but it can save you over $1,000 in the first year in formula costs. It takes some time to get the hang of it, but once you do, you can write blog posts without even thinking about it while your baby eats at the same time, ha! But in all seriousness, it's been a great bonding experience for my baby and I with the added perk of not costing me anything. It's always available, warm, and ready to eat.

6. Borrow big items from friends and family.
I have a neice that's ten months ahead of my daughter and have been lucky enough to borrow her clothes. I've also borrowed a few toys and even maternity clothes from friends and family. Everyone would be more than happy to lend out a swing or exersaucer that's taking up their living room if they don't currently need it for their own family. I had coworkers who were offering me strollers, new car seats, baby baths, toys, and much more, all at no cost.

7. Return duplicates of gifts in exchange for a gift card.
I received several duplicates and ended up returning multiple items to Target or Wal-Mart. I downloaded both of their apps and used the scanner to see what items were sold where. Wal-Mart has a return policy of no more than three returns without a receipt in one year, so be sure to pile up everything before heading there. I exchanged these items for gift cards which in turn I used for diapers, bath essentials, and a couple of "fun"items. These really helped out and didn't count against my budget at all.

8. Purchase books and toys from thrift stores.
Fill your child's library up with gently used books from Goodwill. It may take some digging, but I was able to find several classic board books for less than $1 each. I even found two baby sign language books. Regular prices for books can be expensive and an entire collection of books can be costly. I was lucky to have two large boxes from childhood to add to our bookshelf, so that helped, too. I can't wait to see which ones will be her favorites.

Do you have more hacks? Share below!

Hava Baby Sling Review

I had read about all of the benefits of babywearing and even sat through a quick intro class at the B.I.R.T.H. Fair held in Houston when I was a few months pregnant. After knocking on the door of my coworker to visit her and her two month old son a couple of weeks ago, I was greeted by a happy mama wearing a happy baby—yep, wearing him—in a sling.

I was curious as to which brand sling it was since I knew of them, and watched her as she easily adjusted her baby in a few different positions. I had received a Baby K'Tan from my baby registry, but found that it was probably one size too small for Eleanor and I. It felt like I was shoving her into a tight outfit (and we all know how terrible that feels!). Once my coworkers told me how much she loved her Hava sling, I was intrigued.

The next day, I went to a craft show with my mom, and I asked my husband to load up the heavy, bulky stroller. My husband mentioned that he leaned it away from her so it wouldn't roll around in the backseat during turns and hit her carseat. This thing was huge, I'm telling you! Once we stopped the car, I dreaded unloading it. After I dragged it out of the trunk of my hatchback, I fiddled with the straps and secured her in under a full minute. I attached toys, my stroller bag, and unlocked the brake. We were finally ready.

And after five minutes, she started to cry at the top of her lungs. Nope. I ended up pushing an empty stroller for thirty minutes while my mom carried Eleanor in her arms. This wasn't going to work. That night, I knew I was sold on the Hava sling. After checking out their Chic options, I settled for the Claudia design, which was on sale for $69. Hey, I like a bargain and it was gorgeous (see below).

 

I couldn't wait to receive it in the mail and was ecstatic to try it on. The first few tries were a little tough, as I wasn't confident in the size I had purchased. Luckily, every purchase comes with a super helpful DVD which includes instructions (you can alsoview it in its entirenty on their YouTube channel). I loved the aluminum rings, and the fabric, which was thick enough to feel secure but also thin enough to be breathable and not super hot (a must here in Texas!). The sling also featured a padded shoulder and the "rails" (top and bottom of the sling) are padded, too, for optimal comfort. I can even wear Eleanor up to 35 lbs, well into her toddler years.

Two days after I received the sling, I made my way to their store, Nurtured Family, in north Houston thinking I would switch it out for a smaller size. The woman working at the store was more than happy to grab a sample sling and demonstrate how to wear my baby (thank you!!!). It turns out I had the right size and didn't need to switch it out. At least I was now armed with a few positions that would work for us and was now much more confident. I also bought a car adapter and some extra membranes for my breastpump, so the trip was well worth it.

On our way home, we stopped by a nursery to pick out a few trees for our backyard. I grabbed the sling and in less than 15 seconds, I slipped Eleanor into it, just as I had been taught by the Nurtured Family employee. My "tail" of the sling was a little long, so I wrapped the end of it around the rings to cover them with the extra fabric. Eleanor was comfortable and content while we shopped, and after about 15 minutes, I looked down to see that she had fallen asleep.

I highly recommend the Hava slings and can't wait to wear her through to toddlerhood in this. The comfort is beyond amazing, and I know it will be a memory I hold dear as she ages. Feeling so close to her while providing her with soothing attention is extremely important to me. I believe it was well worth the price and looks like it will last us through a few good years. I may even get a second one later on just for a different fabric option.