Post-Baby Budget

April marks the first official month of our new budget with one full-time and one part-time income. My new part-time pay is not quite as much as we anticipated so we're going to have to learn to adjust our lifestyle a bit. Let's just say the trade-off with being able to spend more time at home raising our daughter is knowing that some luxuries are no longer at our fingertips. Date nights will be fewer and farther between (but of course that was expected with a new baby anyway) and eating dinner outside the home is pretty much not going to be an option. However, knowing that I am contributing even a little bit and carrying the benefits for my family reassures me that all the hard work and sacrifice is worth it. Now the hard work really begins - coming up with a new budget. I can feel my blood boiling already. I have a love-hate relationship with budgeting, especially now that Claire is here. There is just so much more to think about. We need to be mindful of the things we've added to the budget since having a baby like wipes, diapers and the occasional can of formula or clothes as she grows. Let's not even think of those co-pays and our part of the doctor visits not covered by insurance. Or what about the fact that we really need to be saving money, but what if we can't afford to put away much (if anything) into our savings? What about saving for Claire's future? Where do we cut corners to save? I am a firm believer that you must, must, must always pay yourself first and save that money! Why else are you working your life away than to save your money for a rainy day? How much is too much for weekly grocery budgets? How much do we need to budget for gas every week? Luckily, we are heading into summer and our utility bills will be getting smaller and smaller. However, how do we anticipate for the fall and winter months again? See! So much to think about!


I anticipate an adjustment period to get all payments in line with our budget and to adjust our spending to live within our new means. It will take time. We will get behind before we move forward. There may will be months that we don't save anything. And, it just might get a little tricky to make ends meet here and there. But, we've done it once, we got through it and we'll do it again. Ahh, the beauty of babies and the way they make life so wonderfully unpredictable.

Grow, baby, grow!

Claire had her four month well-baby appointment on the 23rd. I'm so thankful to report that I have a happy and healthy baby girl weighing in at 12 lbs 13 oz and stretching at 24 and 1/4 inches. That falls into the 30th and 50th percentiles respectively. Her head, although I don't recall the exact measurement, remains in the 75th percentile. Kevin still concludes that is just because she is housing a big brain :) She's a petite one, but her pediatrician assured me that she's growing right on track. She's starting to roll over, both from front to back and back to front, but it's quite a feat and I have yet to witness it. I'm taking her papa and her Grandma B's word for it. Miss Claire has also made significant progress in the realm of head control. Now, when sitting on our lap, she can hold her head steady and is working on sitting up on her own but she's not quite there. She can maneuver her little feet enough to skooch along the floor on her bad as well as turn herself around in her discovery center (exersaucer). It's very entertaining to watch her interact with all the toys she's discovering. Tummy time is still not her favorite past time but she will tolerate it for a few minutes here and there. A couple weeks ago, Claire discovered her feet and from that moment forward, it's her sole purpose in life to get those piggy toes in her mouth. Who needs teething rings when you've got feet to chomp on, right!?! She's not teething yet, but sure loves to chew. And drool - oh boy, does she drool! The newest and most entertaining trick up her sleeve is blowing raspberries. She purses her little lips together, concentrates and contorts her little face to make noises. She also recognizes her favorite toys and gets very excited when I pull them out, opening and closing her mouth while she flails her arms and feet around. It's too cute! This little one sure is growing and keeping us on our toes in the meantime.

Sun and Sand in Seaside

I never cease to be amazed at how much is required when taking an infant on a trip. Be it a road trip to a completely different state or just a couple nights two hours from home, those little babes need a lot! On Saturday, I seemed to get it narrowed down to the essentials (clothes, stroller, pump, diapers/wipes, toys, blankets) and somehow was able to shove it all in the back of Michelle's SUV. It may have been bursting at the seams but we just strapped those babies in, rolled down the windows, slid on our sunglasses (or sunshades as Kevin calls them) and hit the open road! The forecast was a beautifully rare 70 degrees and sunny so we headed west towards the Oregon Coast. Luckily, the weather man did not disappoint.

Sunday was spent lounging in the beautiful weather on the beach in Seaside. There were so many people on the beach! Seems like we all had the same idea - soak up the sun while you can! In Oregon, you never know when it will make it's appearance again. We all walked away with some farmers tans sunburns except for little Claire Bear. She wasn't so sure about the beach. Too sunny for her baby eyes. One of her hats didn't shield her eyes too much and the other was too big so she was more content sleeping in her stroller while being shaded by the cover. Probably better for her new baby skin anyway. Sophia, Peyton and Evelyn on the other hand were loving life. Building sand castles, flipping sand everywhere! There certainly is no such thing as a no-sand-on-the-blanket rule when you have a 2 year old, a 3 year old and a 4 year old surrounding you! After a couple hours and not one tantrum later, we headed in for some clam chowder comfort food. That's what we head to the coast for - it's all about the chowder. After a quick jaunt to the candy store and the carousel (don't you dare try to pass up the carousel), we headed back to the beach house to rest our sunburned cheeks.

Claire's 1st trip to the beach!

Sophia burying her legs!

This photo cracks me up - check out all the technology going on!

Pretty Peyton.

Michelle and Evelyn playing in the sand.

I wonder what she's thinking!?!

Waiting for the big girls to finish their carousel ride.

 Monday was more low-key. We opted to skip the sandy mess and stick around the beach house. The girls played while we chatted and cleaned up. It was the perfect end to the perfect trip. Michelle's mother-in-law was right. The beach just has a way of healing you. Sometimes, it's just what you need. We all had so much fun. Can't wait to do it again!

The "smile and you'll get a treat" photo

The "I could care less about the treat" photo

Home Sweet Home

The little lady is napping. The Monst is settled on the rocking chair in the nursery keeping an eye on her. I secretly think Monster is convinced we bought that chair to second as her perch to get a bird's eye view of the neighborhood while looking after Claire during her naps. Either way, I like seeing them bond, even if it is while doing their favorite thing: sleeping!

This mama is hoping to join in on the afternoon nap extravaganza soon. Claire and I spent a girl's weekend with family at the beach house. We are still recovering. It was Claire's first trip of many to the Oregon Coast. There was so much to do and see in the surprising 70 degree weather that we didn't find much time to sneak in all the snuggling and snoozing as we normally do. As I type, my photos are downloading and will be making their grand debut on the blog wedged in between jottings of our weekend fun. We had a blast but it's always oh-so-good to be home.

Re-committing myself

So you must think I'm a real funny girl, always preaching about intentionality and sticking to commitments yada, yada, yada when my average posts per week continue to slide on a steep downward slope. Then, they just stop coming all together. Can you believe I pull this garbage? I apologize!

Let's just say I may have underestimated just how consumed our lives would become once ruled by an adorable little lady. Throw in a papa working full-time and a mama that works part-time into the mix? Forgetaboutit. But...I'm back! And the excitement is practically oozing from my fingertips onto the keyboard.

I started this blog for a reason and I'm sticking to it. One day, it will serve as beautiful memories of our young family and Claire's life, big milestones and little feats alike. So, other things may fall by the wayside a little, like keeping up on hand-washing all those blasted pump parts and thinking of quirky-but-cute status updates for Facebook. But, such is life. I gotta pick my battles and blogging more regularly is one battle that I am willing to fight for.

Excited? Posts soon to come:
1 month with Claire
2 months with Claire
3 months with Claire
4 months with Claire

and oh yeahhhh....photos! photos!! photos!!!

My heart.

Enjoy the LITTLE things in life.

One day, you'll look back

and realize...

they were the BIG things.

Have I mentioned how much I love her lately?

Because I do. 

And how proud I am of her as she's growing and learning?

Because I am.

She has my heart.

New Traditions

We took Claire to see the Easter Bunny on Wednesday evening. It's the first of many new traditions that have begun now that we have a wee little one. And, let's be honest, it wasn't by my own doing that we made it to the bunny at all. Grandma K made the suggestion that we take Claire - it would have slipped my mind all together. Santa? Sure. The Easter Bunny? I would have forgotten all about it. Since this is our first rodeo, Kevin and I didn't know what to expect. Luckily, the line wasn't too long. Fifteen minutes and $18.99 later, we were in and we were out with 3 photos in tow. Dang, those memories are spendy but oh-so worth it.

Best part is? She didn't cry! I don't think she even realized she was sitting on a huge, white, glasses-wearing bunny. Next year, we may not be so lucky. She's not wearing her Easter dress because I was afraid she'd puke and/or poop on it before Easter Sunday, but the photo turned out pretty darling anyway:

Happy Easter from the Garvey family!