I’m still amazed that Hailey will be 1 on Saturday. I approach the day with mixed emotions of joy and feeling sentimental, but mostly joy. This year has been, above all, FUN. I’ve also learned a lot along the way and with almost year of experience under my belt, I’d like to present you with the first round of baby’s first year superlatives.
My Biggest Money Mistake:
Winner: Spending a small fortune on bedding. I got sucked into boutique, custom-made bedding. I knew I wanted gender neutral and a pattern. Let’s just say I could have found another option than the designer paisley I ended up with. Oh, and that expensive crib skirt I decided was necessary to “complete the look” – yeah, it’s folded up in the back of the closet. DUMB.
Runner Up: Choosing the fanciest pack-n-play. Do I love it? Absolutely! But did I really need the remote control and baby-cry-activated features? Probably not. The only use I got out of them was showing them off to friends.
My Biggest Overall Surprise
Winner: Expenses for baby’s first year were less expensive than I planned for. Diapers cost us about $50-$60 a month and getting the upfront baby basics (crib, pump, etc) are expensive, but the lack of month to month expenses once the baby arrived is what surprised me. Breastfeeding is free, we get most of Hailey’s clothes from consignment and she finds two wooden spoons as exciting as toys, so we truly haven’t spent as much as I was expecting this first year. I imagine the expenses will grow exponentially as she gets older, but baby costs were less than I was expecting.
Runners Up: Engorgement. WOW. It is uncomfortable. Breastfeeding is no joke.
What I Learned about Me
Winner: I’m slightly OCD. I guess I knew this before, but it really shines through with a baby. Would you believe that I still record every single nap and feeding? I’m trying to break the habit.
Runner Up: I really don’t function well without sleep. If Hailey has one night where she wakes up for a bit, I drag myself through the next day, feeling like a zombie clenching my coffee mug. Weak, I know. High fives to all you mommas who handle it with so much more grace than I do!
Runner Up #2: I still know all the words to Disney songs. Yesssssssssss.
to be continued…
Have any superlatives of your own to share?
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
I’m glad the first year wasn’t expensive. I imagine the 16th year will be w/ a car. haha. jk…
I don’t know if you’ve mentioned this before, but did you use reusable diapers at all?
Brittany says
I’m already having nightmares about her 16th year. Can I just lock her away forever?? 🙂
No, we’ve used disposables the whole time.
Coleen @ DNCWWO says
I absolutely love this post! Liam is approaching his one-year birthday, too, and it’s fun to think about not only about how he’s grown and learned, but how *I’VE* grown and learned!
Kathy says
Nice post! LOVE the first picture !:) My 2 cents is–you live and learn –everyday no matter how old your kids are but you already knew that. 🙂
Erica says
I’m surprised at the minimal month-to-month costs as well! I always imagined babies cost a fortune and I guess it’s not totally true until they get older (I was a brat who had to have name brand everything … now as an adult all I can afford is Target and Kohls lol)
Susan @ Real Life Travels says
I can not believe you record every nap and feeding still, ha-ha you are too funny!
Caitlin says
Love the superlatives idea! You two certainly are cute together. I love the silly face pics! Must be so great to have the blog to look back on the first year.
Kristy @ Breath of Sunshine says
Oh I love this! I’m totally stealing this idea in January when Chet turns 1.
Fun Fact: the first blog post I read on your page was your birth story!
Lisa says
Awe I love the superlatives! Too cute!
What a precious little one! She is absolutely adorable.
Ha ha, I definitely still remember all the Disney songs too. I guess it helps that I was a nanny for a year, so I’ll use that excuse to why I still know them;)
Krista says
My son is 7 months and I still record every nap and feeding to! I stopped with my daughter at 3 months when she started daycare (although I got to see it on her daycare sheet), but since my son has a nanny at home I have her write it in the notebook I bought when he was born. And at the end of every day I add up his total feeding amount and how many times he ate and put that on the page too! I love being OCD…sometimes. I make a mean spreadsheet!
Lindsay says
I was listening to the Disney Pandora station with E the other day and I surprised myself when I could remember all the words.
Parita says
I love how honest you are in this post! And I think my usually type A/OCD personality will be in overdrive when I have kids. My poor husband!
jennifer says
I love this post! I need to do it since Alana will be 1 on the 29th. I have grown so much too just like her. I am so much stronger then I thought I was. She is cheaper then I thought she would be too. Going through the divorce scared me with doing everything on my own but I have done it. 🙂
Maria says
This is so hard to believe. As it is that she’s just getting cuter each day.
Happy Birthday little lady!
Heather says
love it! can’t believe she is a year old!
Robbie says
I’m surprised at the minimal month-to-month costs as well! I always imagined babies cost a fortune and I guess it’s not totally true until they get older (I was a brat who had to have name brand everything … now as an adult all I can afford is Target and Kohls lol)