Save. Spend. Splurge.
September 9, 2013

My happiest announcement yet: A new money drain on my budget

Sounds odd for a PF blogger to say that she’s happy because there’s a new money drain to come right?

Well that’s because we’ll be adding a third little one to our new, growing family come next year.

That’s right, I’m having a baby.

*cue happy squeals and groans of disgust, depending on your own perspective on having babies*

Now a few things will inevitably have to change on this blog, but not a lot. I want to keep things the same as I possibly can.

I AM NOT TURNING INTO A MOMMY BLOGGER

As an Anonymous blogger, no pictures will be shown.

Sorry.

Just imagine that the baby looks like every other baby when it’s born (huge cheeks, squished eyes, red face), and it’ll be the same.

For the record, I do not plan on becoming a “mommy blogger”, or someone who writes about children or their children and raising said rugrats 100% of the time.

funny-baby-sticking-tongue-out

(By the way, please don’t ever use the word “preggers” with me. It irks me the same way “hubs” irks me when women refer to their husbands.)

I actually rather hate blogs that ONLY talk about their children, even with a personal finance twist.

I didn’t subscribe to them to hear about their kids, I am more interested in THEM and their ideas, you know?

I’d feel cheated as a reader if they suddenly threw a barrage of baby gushing posts at me when I am not expecting that, and I am not about to do that to you, readers.

It bores me to tears even now, trying to read up on what the kid needs as a mother-to-be, and I can only imagine how annoying it must be to everyone else to hear someone gush about their precious bundles of noise, when they’ve come to read about other more interesting things.

Babies and children pretty much only interest other people when there are good and humiliating stories to be told about them, or personal finance lessons to be learned.

Otherwise, they’re better to be enjoyed privately by family, friends and other interested parties and not publicly (that’s my opinion, anyway).

So no, I won’t be giving you updates on how they’re progressing, whether they’re pooing regularly and all that gushy, uninteresting parent crap. I’ll save that for people who can stomach it, like family and friends.

I WILL BE TALKING A TINY BIT ABOUT THE BABY THOUGH

That said, I will be talking a BIT about babies and children.

Not a lot, but a few posts here and there, such as:

A minimalist approach I am trying to a baby that grows every 3 months or less (STUFF! EVIL STUFF!) How I am now soliciting folks for used baby things, I am not picky but I am mostly trying to get unisex items.

The costs and money I spend and will be spending on this new baby (I am trying not to spend a lot. Babies don’t need houses, new cars, or fancy designer clothes.

It actually secretly peeves me when people say:

Oh congratulations you’re pregnant!

Now’s the time to invest in a home for the baby. You should buy a house right away.

Me: *death glare*

*holds back urge to rant about the lack of logic in what they just said, and to give the personal finance angle of why renting is preferable to buying a home*

All of that is a waste of money especially clothing because they grow so quickly. I’d rather save my money for better food, and activities when they get older like taking piano lessons, tutors, or paying for childcare.)

Buying NOT Made in China and other responsible items for the baby (e.g. only glass, not plastic, avoiding buying things for the kid that are plastic and so on and so forth as much as possible, and also trying to curb peoples’ enthusiasm to give me plastic gifts for the kid.)

Handling work (if it comes along), and maternity leave as a freelancer in Canada (I lightly touched on this before knowing I was pregnant and I plan on working until I give birth if I can.)

Maybe a few maternity fashion posts? Maybe not. 🙂 I plan on living in maternity jeans and wrap dresses.

I am not keen to spend a lot of money in this department because I do not plan on keeping such clothes forever after I have a few kids.

Still, I don’t want to look like a slob especially if I have to work, so this will have to be a scrutinized wardrobe area for me.

I WILL STILL BE POSTING REGULARLY

“Regularly” might change to less than 7X a week, but we’ll see how fast I can type between now and when I am due.

I’ll aim for daily which means between now and the birth, I will need to write a total of 365 interesting, engaging posts. 🙂

So far, I have written up until the end of March 2014 (posting daily).

I am seeing it a lot like when I prepare to go on vacation.

Stock-Vacation-Mystery-Dream-Path.png

I take months off at a time to go around the world, but I don’t want the flow of my posting to be interrupted because I am not organized (it irks me when I am not organized and on the ball, as you might have guessed).

LASTLY…BABY NOTES

Feel free to ignore this part.

The interesting blog bits are done.

BABY!!!!

I will finally be able to smugly say:

Actually, yes I AM a parent AND a minimalist who is no longer part of a DINK set (Dual-income No Kids).

To answer the few questions in comments that might inevitably come up (or not at all because you’re too polite to ask and I am too candid to hold back):

No I did not specifically plan this to happen.

It was a combination of my going off the pill for health reasons (blood clots found their ways into the deaths of 3 girls in Toronto when I decided to quit the pill), and I thought it was about time to have my first kid and get cracking on baby-making if I want more than one child.

My philosophy was: If it happens, it happens.

I was sick to my stomach a few days before and I was shuffled off to the doctor to determine why the heck I didn’t want to eat and why I felt like CRAP all the time.

The pleasant news was delivered after my doctor asked questions like:

1. Are you happy about this or not?

Read: Do you want/need an abortion?

2. Do you know who the father is?

Read: Did you just get knocked up in a bar by some stranger you don’t even know the name of?

3. Are you taking any medication, recreational or not?

Read: It might be time to stop those drugs if you’re an addict.

All kidding aside, she pretty much grilled me about those three questions in various ways during the interview to be SURE to obtain the truth from me, just in case I lied out of sheer shock of being told I was pregnant.

I told her truthfully that it was a surprise but a happy one. I did not plan anything like this to happen but I am not angry or upset that it did — I’m quite pleased in fact.

Yes, I am just as surprised as you are at how fertile I am.

I stopped the pill, and was pregnant 3 weeks later without actively trying for a baby. (You know what I mean by “actively trying”, don’t make me say it.)

Being the skinny, semi-vegan waif that I am, I somehow associated big hips and curves with being fertile, but apparently skinny chicks like me are just as fertile.

I had just heard of so many horror stories from my friends who have been (and some are still) desperately trying to have babies, that I felt like it would be inevitably my turn to moan and cry about WHAT I am doing wrong and WHY I am not pregnant.

Thankfully this was not the case.

How do I feel?

Again, more horror stories emerged about women throwing up daily, feeling nauseous all the time, not being able to eat.. that I pretty much gave up hope that I’d be able to be more than a baby-growing vegetable lying around with a bucket nearby, only venturing out a few times to see family and friends to tell them the big news.

Turns out, I am mostly tired all the time with a faint hint of nausea wafting about.

I am literally in the 25% of lucky women who don’t yak every morning.

Can you believe my luck? I can’t either.

I wake up late, eat a bit, nap for an hour or two, wake up, eat again, feel fatigued and try to make it to 8 p.m. without sleeping again.

I feel like I’m a cow being fattened for slaughter. Or this baby seal, lazing around and getting fat.

cute-seal-white-snow-baby-arctic

I drink about 5 litres of water a day (no joke, I am like a camel), and have to take breaks from walking after every hour and a half or so, because I get so tired and winded.

No my skin is not “glowing”

Alas, I think perfect skin is something I expected and have not gotten yet. I am told this will not really happen until well into the pregnancy. I am just OILY.

The worst part so far is my acne.

It flared like nuts all over my face because it was a combination of going off the pill AND hormones raging in my body.

Of course, it is not as bad as in my whole face became a mess of big red, flared, inflamed bumps, but it did cause me stress to see streaks of deep cystic acne appearing on my cheeks, chin and T-zone due to the increased oil production from the baby, and the pill working its way out of my system.

I hoping this clears up.

No, no strange food cravings lately..

Aside from my aversion to peas right now (among other vegetables and things), I haven’t had many food cravings or aversions. Nothing very strong anyway.

I do have a strange hankering for a burrito with lots of guacamole and Vietnamese pho, but so far I have not been requesting pickles and ice-cream.

Some days I can’t eat anything at all, and I have to force bread and clementines down my throat, and other days, I’m scarfing down grilled octopus like it’s my last meal.

Everyone keeps trying to feed me double portions and..well, who I am to refuse twice the serving of dessert or a great plate of pasta? 😉

Cooking-Recipe-Food-Shrimp-Pasta

Pregnant women get ALL the perks of added food on their plate, and considering how much I already eat to maintain my rather fast metabolism, I am now eating three times the amount of a normal, full-sized grown man, but only having gained a 3 pounds in 13 weeks.

(BF can attest to this).

No we don’t have a preference of a boy or a girl

I want the baby to be healthy, whole, happy and I couldn’t care less if it’s a boy or a girl.

I’d treat them the same regardless of gender, and will not be going easy on girls to not study and work because they’re girls, or putting undue, extra pressure on boys to provide the bacon for their future spouses just because they’re boys or letting them off the hook for household chores.

I also haven’t thought about baby names at all but I think that will come along as I grow bigger.

I don’t want names that are hard to pronounce (“Siobhan” is a beautiful name but it trips up 90% of people who don’t know it’s pronounced “Shuh-vohn” and not “Sea-yoh-bahn”), spell or otherwise mess up in an Anglophone society.

I also don’t want any creatively spelled names like instead of “Lindsay”, some parents name their kids “Lyyndzee” to make their kid feel special and unique.

Travel-Photograph-France-Paris-Blackberries-Strawberries-Blueberries-Fruit-Food-Grocery-Eat

No fruits or celestial bodies either, I won’t be naming my kid Apple, Banana, Mangosteen, Pluto or Saturn any time soon.

Also, no gender-neutral or gender-confusing names like “Robin” or “Taylor” where you aren’t sure if it’s a boy or a girl.

No I am not getting married

You should have seen my mother’s face when she struggled to ask whether the child would be “legitimate or not”.

Mom: Wouldn’t the child be… be… *struggling with the delicacy of the situation*

Me: A bastard?

Mom: *horrified* NO! Don’t say bastard! I mean.. you know.. LEGAL?

Me: OHHhhh legitimate. Yeah in Ontario common-law couples with kids are legitimate even outside of marriage.

Mom: *half relieved, half not* .. I still think marriage would be nice.

Me: *shrug* Not a priority. A child is a greater commitment to a relationship than a piece of paper.

Either way, no one on any side of the family cares that we’re not married especially the French side.

Yes I already have future plans for the baby

What parent doesn’t?

I want them to grow up to be polite, well-mannered, hard working individuals that contribute to society the best they can.

For anyone who knows me via my blog ramblings or in real life, I do not tolerate foolishness of any sort and it will certainly not be the case with my kids.

I want to be tough but fair, as well as loving and flexible (but not to the point of spoiling them.)

I am also at the very least going to make sure they’re bilingual, if at the very least for the sake of them being able to converse with both sides of the family (French for his, English for mine).

Other than that, I don’t care what they turn out to have as a profession. I’d be equally pleased to have a mechanic daughter as I would an engineer son, so long as they’re happy and good at what they do.

They can go to college or not.

It’s up to them to make an informed decision with my help laying out the pros and cons but they will be sure to know that they are not going to be given money for school.

Yes, I plan on working AS MUCH AS I CAN…. if I can

I am still hustling for contracts.

I plan on working as much as I can until the day I give birth if I can, and believe me, I am REALLY TRYING to find a contract in between now and next year.

I know I will be taking at least 3 months of maternity leave, but I have a feeling 6 months to a year will be more like it unless a contract comes up I can’t say no to.

I am sticking to local contracts — Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa (we can always move there), and avoiding any that mandate: “Periodic air travel required.”

Flight-Airplane-Personal

In fact, I’m pretty lucky in hindsight that I lost a BIG, HUGE contract recently, because I would have had to back out of the commitment anyway, seeing as I am now pregnant and can’t fly.

The contract required coast-to-coast travel once every month, and was for a long period of time which would not have worked if I wanted to take maternity leave for my unexpected bundle of crying joy.

I looked into getting maternity leave from the government but turns out, it is just not worth it for me as a freelancer to pay into it. What a scam.

In the end, things always seem to work out for me.

I feel pretty lucky recounting all the times things worked out for me and disappointments in lost contracts or cancelled trips ended up being the exact lucky thing that I needed to happen to prepare for the future without knowing it.

BABY!!!!!!

(That’s it. I promise. The last of my baby notes and gushing for now.)

////

135 Comments

  • ElleX
    October 27, 2013

    CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • Alice
    October 20, 2013

    Ha! This post is fantastic, many congratulations!

    You are going to be the type of mother I like (which makes me sound like a massive bitch who hates all other mothers) which is the one who is cool about their children, rational. But, I’m not a mother so everything that is other to my existence is always harder to assimilate.

    Reply
  • Well Heeled Blog
    October 12, 2013

    CONGRATULATIONS!!! So excited for you!

    Reply
  • Gillian
    September 24, 2013

    Major congrats!!! That is so exciting 🙂

    Reply
  • LAL
    September 23, 2013

    Congratulations! Great news! Good luck and healthy pregnancy. I was unfazed by pregnancy twice, no throwing up, nothing. Barely registered I was pregnant.

    I am curious how the working as a consultant works out after the baby since you like to move to the city you work in and live in a hotel. I would think that would be difficult.

    As a side note I find your new layout annoying. It’s hard to figure out the new posts and easy to pass over old ones if you don’t come everyday.

    Reply
    • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
      September 23, 2013

      Thank you! Yeah, I’m sort of in a haze of happiness that I don’t really get sick each morning.

      I have to stick to this new layout because I can’t go back to my old one. It caused too much trouble and this one is a standard structure that I can at least handle.

      The new posts are all listed at the top under the ones that come in as a main post, and then on the sidebar as other “Featured Posts”, otherwise, they all get shuffled down the bottom as new posts.

      If you miss any, you can always just get them emailed to you instead — sign up on the righthand sidebar.

      Reply
  • Michelle
    September 22, 2013

    Congrats! I don’t know how I just noticed this post. So exciting 🙂

    Reply
  • dojo
    September 22, 2013

    Congratulations 😉

    I was also off the pill one day and pregnant 14 days later, really love this fertility thing which seems to work for me. I’m in 19 weeks now, have passed the ‘pleasant’ days of being nauseous. I didn’t ‘befriend’ the toilet, but really made an effort to eat each day. As soon as I moved into the second trimester, it all cleared out, I’m eating now like a horse (I think I might actually eat the horse too :)).

    We wanted a girl and it is a girl. I’m due somewhere in February and also feel tired most of the day.

    Wish you an easy pregnancy and a speedy and painless delivery 🙂

    Reply
  • maria@moneyprinciple
    September 20, 2013

    This is splendid news, indeed. Very happy for you and wish you all the best for the next…well, however many months it is. Use the years to come to have loads of fun – yep, babies not only drool, they are little people who a are great fun to have a round.

    Reply
  • Ellie Di
    September 16, 2013

    DUDE. I don’t even know how I missed this announcement, but YAY! I’m not a baby-fan myself (I have no idea what to do with them), but I’m excited that you’re excited. Huzzah!

    Reply
  • Brittany
    September 16, 2013

    Oh, my gosh! CONGRATULATIONS!!! So excited and happy for you!! I think you’re going to be an awesome parent!

    Reply
  • MatthewChat
    September 11, 2013

    Mochi and Milk bottles
    The Essential Mom-inalist
    Fabulously Pregnitated in the City
    Save, Spend, and more Spend

    😉 Congrats!

    Reply
  • Tania
    September 11, 2013

    Congratulations girl! I am so happy for you! I’m not a mama although I always wanted to be (too old for that now). I have friends who went whole hog on the baby stuff but I have a few that were quite minimal. I find it interesting to read what people think is necessary. On apartment therapy there are often debates among commenters on the bathtub issue. US readers are convinced you need a tub with a baby while they feel very differently in Europe. One of my fellow Hawaii bloggers and friend didn’t have so many baby items that everyone else felt they had to have and she also went for unisex colors during prep.

    Reply
  • Michelle's Finance Journal
    September 11, 2013

    Congratulations!! It’ll be interesting to see if your new perspective on life and experience reflected in here.

    Reply
  • SP
    September 11, 2013

    Congratulations – what wonderful news!

    I’ve heard from my childbearing friends that it is actually somewhat common to conceive right after going of BC because your body thinks you are pregnant (or something?) and it is the “easiest” time to get pregnant. I have not sought medical confirmation that this is a real thing.

    I’m excited to hear another sane mom / pf / career voice – always happy to add another role model to the list!

    Reply
  • cosmogirl2100
    September 11, 2013

    Congratulations!! I am sure the baby will be just as amazing as the mum 🙂

    Reply
  • Chris Grande
    September 10, 2013

    wow very nice news! We have a 14 month old. Totally changed our life but we are practicing frugality while providing him as engaging a life as we can (my wife found so many ways to get toys and clothes on the very cheap:)

    I’m sure you will find exciting ways to do the same! And I think you answered every question I might have thought of having in that post

    Reply
  • Paige
    September 10, 2013

    Congratulations!! You and BF will be great parents. You are so grounded in who you are so you won’t fall for all the “you should this” and “you should that” without doing your research. I am so interested in how you handle minimalism with kids. I’ve learned so much from you already. Best of Luck 🙂

    Reply
  • Mike Holman
    September 10, 2013

    Congrats Mo! And it’s ok to write about baby stuff. I’m sure you’ll have a few thoughts on the topic, once you get into things. 🙂

    Reply
  • Sarah Li Cain
    September 10, 2013

    how exciting! I can’t want to see a minimalist baby list! I’d so use it for when I have kids!

    Reply
  • Jane
    September 10, 2013

    Congrats on the good news! That kind of news would scare the crap out of me, but you sound like you are up for the adventure. Best wishes!

    Reply
  • From Shopping to Saving
    September 9, 2013

    Congrats!!!!! Such awesome news. Also excited to read posts about juggling work with baby and pf blogging. Should be interesting 🙂 I’m wondering about how I’m planning to do all of that as well, but it’s a topic that I feel I still haven’t understood or discovered. I’d love to hear it from your perspective and tips on how to succeed at doing so!

    Reply
  • Janine
    September 9, 2013

    Congrats! I’m so excited for you, you will make a great mother!!! I hope the pregnancy goes smoothly =)

    Reply
  • Allison @Insomniac Lab Rat
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations!! Super exciting news, I’m so happy for you guys 🙂 Best wishes!

    Reply
  • Michelle
    September 9, 2013

    A HUGE Congratulations! This post made me smile. I just love kids. I believe you will be a kick a@@ mom because…you have common sense!

    Reply
  • Tammy R
    September 9, 2013

    A little Mochimac!!! Congratulations and all the best. If you need guitar lessons (sorry, I know you said piano, but classical guitar is so nice), CJ Skypes. I’m sure your child will be brilliant, but I will tutor he or she if need be. I’ve never done a Skype lesson, but for you, Mochimac, I will make it happen!

    I hope all goes smoothly, and I’ve always wanted to name a baby. If you need some ideas, I suggest putting out a post. After all, we’ll never know the name, so you won’t have to hear, “Oh, she picked MY name! I’m so special!!”

    Enjoy this time!!!

    Reply
  • Gen Y
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations! Looking forward to minimalist baby posts.

    Reply
  • Budget and the Beach
    September 9, 2013

    Wow there’s lots of big news all over the PF world…new jobs, engagements, babies! I just ate some Triscuits…that’s about all that’s happening in my world. 🙂 But seriously, congrats!!

    Reply
  • Sara
    September 9, 2013

    Such exciting news!

    In terms of minimalism, I heard a NPR story about how maternity rental companies are becoming quite the thriving business. I forget the name of the businesswoman profiled, but her company is out of Omaha, NE of all places!

    In terms of nagging nosy questions, my only one would be what last name your baby will have. And I’m only so bold because my fiance and I plan to keep our own last names (we seriously have the WORST names for hyphening or we would combine) and have gone around and around about what last name our children would have.

    Reply
    • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
      September 10, 2013

      Interesting, maternity RENTAL? 🙂 I like. I’d rent a stroller and so on.. no need to buy one.

      Hm.. I didn’t think about last names. I don’t want to hyphen anything because I know what happens (the kid just picks the last name he or she likes and forgoes the hyphen as I’ve seen happen many times)…

      I’m going to probably be traditional and stick with having his last name. I may decide to have the second child with MY last name HAHA .. but that might be confusing.

      Reply
      • Sara
        September 10, 2013

        In all serious, I know a couple who did that. They gave the daughter mom’s last name and the son dad’s last name…

        They were confused with a blended family all the time and it created lots of headaches. Obviously there is nothing wrong with blended families, but I know it caused the parents grief because school admins, etc always wanted to know what happened to the “bio” parent if an adult had to deal with the kid with spouse’s last name.

        Reply
      • Revanche
        September 12, 2013

        @saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.: Isn’t that very … Icelandic? Nordic? I don’t remember. Whatever it is, wasn’t it once a tradition that daughters were “name”dottir, and boys were “name”son? Like Erik Erikson? And Frieda LonsDottir? Heh. I used to love the interestingness of that.

        Reply
  • fabulously frugirl
    September 9, 2013

    Again, congrats!

    And you look absolutely stunning :). I hope those longer tank tops work out for you!

    Reply
  • Elizabeth
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations!! And thank you for planning on keeping true to your blog theme for your readers, even after you are absorbed with Baby!

    Reply
  • Morgaine
    September 9, 2013

    Congrats! I’m looking forward to reading at least some minimalist baby posts.

    Reply
  • Bridget
    September 9, 2013

    Congrats again =) Looking forward to your posts — especially maternity fashion that sounds interesting!

    Reply
  • Jaclyn
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations! I’m actually expecting my first child as well. We’re due on Christmas day. No, I don’t want my blog to turn into 100% Mommy talk either! I envy the flexibility you have to take time off after the baby comes. That’ll be such a blessing. Good luck!

    Reply
  • Alicia @ Financial Diffraction
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations to you and your partner! And thank you for not turning into a Mommy Blogger – my Facebook page is turning into that all on its own since I am in my late-twenties and everyone is starting to have children. I also like that you aren’t forcing the marriage thing because you are pregnant, especially in this day and age.

    Reply
    • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
      September 9, 2013

      Tell me about it. I won’t be posting ultrasounds either. And marriage is out of the question so no wedding talk. 😛

      Reply
    • StackingCash
      September 9, 2013

      @Alicia @ Financial Diffraction: “this day and age.” You better make sure your ducks are lined up properly having a child out of wedlock. There might be legal ramifications later on in life that a husband or wife will have the power to deal with than a boyfriend or girlfriend. An in law could challenge you because you are just a friend and not a spouse.

      Reply
      • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
        September 10, 2013

        I’m all right with my partner challenging me for anything because I don’t want his money anyway (and vice versa). If we buy a property together, it will be 50/50 with my name on the property as well as his…

        Otherwise, I’m good with him keeping all his money and property from his side of the family and so on.

        Reply
  • Kandice @The Simple Year
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations! Super exciting. (And thanks for using “couldn’t care less” appropriately. So many people say “could care less” which, um, hello?)

    Reply
  • Jordann @ My Alternate Life
    September 9, 2013

    Congrats! I’m so excited to read your few minimalist baby posts, it seems like there’s no way around having a baby and accumulating a ton of useless crap.

    Reply
  • Corina
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations from me, too! I hope you will still be talking a little bit about motherhood on this blog:-) If only to unmask the pressure the society puts on us to give, give, give to the kids, the ghastly amount of hours kids spend watching tv or ipads, the millions of useless advice you cand find all over the internet etc etc! ( I love it when you take a stand on something :-)) Good job, you two!

    Reply
  • Erin @ Red Debted Stepchild
    September 9, 2013

    Yay! So excited for you! Congrats :).

    I am really looking forward to seeing how you combine minimalism with motherhood. As a minimalist myself, with a family that buys way too much for their young, I would love to see what is really important.

    Damnit, this just made my “I wanna have a baby!” flare up. Seriously though, so freaking excited for you :).

    Reply
  • anna
    September 9, 2013

    So happy for you, congratulations!! I love how extremely well thought out your plans already are, but wouldn’t expect anything less from you! Congrats again. 🙂

    Reply
  • Daisy
    September 9, 2013

    CONGRATULATIONS!!! How amazing! I’m so happy for you, you must be over the moon. Best wishes to you and your partner!

    Reply
  • Manda
    September 9, 2013

    CONGRATS!! This is so exciting!

    I totally understand you on the no baby photos. It’s one thing to put pictures of yourself up on the Internet (I mean this in the general sense, because obviously you don’t) but I’ve always been wary of putting up photos of others without them knowing/giving permission. Obviously, babies can’t exactly say they are okay with their photos online…

    Reply
  • MelD
    September 9, 2013

    Great news! I wasn’t surprised, you have said often enough that you expect to habe several kids 😉
    It isn’t easy to stick to, but you need almost nothing for your baby, no matter what people tell you. You don’t need as many clothes or nappies as all the lists tell you, eventualities are soon sorted, you just dont’t need all that stuff. Towels are useful for anything that is fabric – changing, wrapping, sheets/blankets etc. All baby needs is warmth and you!
    But then if I’d known then what I know now (and I had no clue and had one book that thankfully had a chapter on “what you don’t need”!), I would have done a lot better… ah well, live and learn. Don’t read too,many books and for heaven’s sake rely on your instincts.
    One great book I read just last week that might amuse you and get you off to a great start is French Kids Don’t Throw Food 😉
    Wish I’d had that one 29 yrs ago lol
    Enjoy being pregnant but remember it’s totally a normal thing and many women have done it before us and the race survived!! Instinct is the only thing you need… 🙂 Congratulations.

    Reply
  • Lila
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations. It sounds to me as if you would make a fine mother. Your ethics, your personality shine through on this blog and you seem to be the type of person who would raise an amazing, critically thinking, independent and caring human being.

    Marriage is not the end all be all, my mother is on her third marriage, so I don’t believe that married couples are stronger or more “legit” than those that aren’t married.

    Speaking for myself, my bf and I have talked about this and neither one of us want to get married. I suppose one day this could change but this works for us right now. 😀

    As for the college thing, oh my stars, so many peoples hearts and finances have been ruined by the old-fashioned idea that they aren’t anything and can’t make a living without a bachelor’s degree.

    My bf is a programmer and he says, “it’s not about degrees, its about having skills” he started learning how to program at only ten years old.

    He and his brother are both programmers and both have been working as programmers with only their high school degrees.

    The IT field can be more egalitarian in that respect.

    Reply
    • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
      September 9, 2013

      Wow, what a compliment thank you.

      Yes, marriage does not seem to be the be-all and end-all. I’ve always considered children with someone else a far longer commitment than a piece of paper, no matter how much money it might cost you to divorce them. Money is just money, a life is another thing altogether.

      Also, getting married = $$$$$$$ The average cost of a wedding here is $33,000. *eye pop*

      I’d be on the hook for $16,500!!!! I am not thrilled by that.

      Reply
      • StackingCash
        September 9, 2013

        @saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.: You might want to reconsider the hating on marriage. There are many reasons the gay and lesbian communities are pushing for the right to get married. A spouse has greater legal rights and benefits compared to a boyfriend or girlfriend. So make sure your living revocable trust, wills, and advanced directives are set up to protect your unconventional family.

        Reply
        • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
          September 10, 2013

          In the U.S. perhaps, but in Canada we have pretty solid rights, and common-law marriages with children are recognized. Not only that, I am not interested in sharing my assets with my partner (and vice versa), but if anything were to happen to me, we already have wills in place of what to do.

          The only real benefit to getting married in Canada are tax breaks but I’m a freelancer so it’s moot really..

          Reply
  • AdinaJ
    September 9, 2013

    I am so, so thrilled for you and your families!! Huge congrats!

    Not turning into a mommy blogger is fairly easy; you’ll spend so much time thinking/talking about baby IRL that the blog will become your “sanctuary”.

    Reply
  • Cassie
    September 9, 2013

    Well holy left field, I didn’t see that one coming this morning. Congratulations on your impending arrival! I look forward to seeing how you evolve in your beliefs and applications of minimalism once your baby arrives. While I appreciate that your blog won’t turn into baby central, I would be curious to hear what you actually found you used and needed after the first year as a minimalist mother.

    Also, this makes the recent comment on my blog about not needing to be married to have kinds make WAY more sense now! lol

    Reply
  • Laura
    September 9, 2013

    Huge congratualtions to you both! 🙂

    Reply
  • Canadian Dream
    September 9, 2013

    WOW, that is GREAT! I’m so happy for you!

    I’ll offer my only real lesson learned from our own kids: Follow through. Never say anything you don’t intend to actually do. I’ve seen more parenting screw ups from ignoring that than I can count. My kids KNOW I will do what I say and have learned that the hard way more than once, the flip side…they now actually listen when I say something. 😉

    Reply
  • cj
    September 9, 2013

    Mochimac!!! Congrats to you and BF! But a suck on the finances cannot be denied. Thanks for being candid about everything including that aspect. Cannot wait to learn more about this fascinating adventure!

    Reply
  • Heather H
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations!

    As a mother of two I find it amazing how much of a money drain kids can be, especially as they get older (not really so much as babies). As fellow lovers of travel we have taken our kids to Europe three times starting when they were fairly young and it really is not that difficult and very enjoyable when they are older, it does add a lot to travel costs though.

    Reply
  • Financial Independence
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations! I agree with keeping the baby photos offline, it’s kind of strange considering that children now will have their whole lives recorded on public record online – some things are best kept offline.

    Reply
  • Toni - Nest and Grow
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations! I’m excited for you!

    Reply
  • CorianneM
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations!

    By the way, good thing you won’t be posting baby photos. I always wonder when parents do that, don’t they realise these pictures will be online forever and ever?? I like my baby pictures fine, but I’m glad the internet wasn’t around when I was a baby, ’cause they’re not for literally everyone to see. Putting your child’s privacy up for grabs the minute he/she’s born, is just a little too much.

    Reply
  • Ani
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations to you both. Its such a great news. Looking forward to hearing more. Please keep us updated on the baby. Hugs. Praying for a easy and smooth delivery and healthy baby.

    Reply
  • Jane Savers @ Solving The Money Puzzle
    September 9, 2013

    Wonderful news. I am very excited for you.

    You will be able to write a lot about children and money. Our government has a wonderful RESP that many parents let slip by. I know you expect your children to pay for their post-secondary education but will you really let free money slip through their fingers for all the years they are too young to save?

    Reply
  • maz
    September 9, 2013

    hey, that’s awesome. Congratulations to you both.
    I remember how excited I was when I first became pregnant. Awesome feeling. And I worked until I was just over 8 months pregnant. If your pregnancy’s going well, there’s no reason not too really.
    A quick point about the house / rent comment. We bought a house ( 30 yrs mortgage that we paid off in 12 but I’m not gonna bore you with the details ) because paying a mortgage back is cheaper here ( London ) that renting. Hence the reason we could more than double on our mortgage payment. Now we’re left with a house that we can sell anytime we want… and 3 kids.
    Also, I was a little bit surprised by your comment that you don’t mind what your child will do ( as a job ). As a mum of 3, I DO mind what they’ll do when they grow up. I’m not saying I want them to be a surgeon or anything but I see/know so many young people who are satisfy with their first job, mainly because of the money – £800 can seem like a huge sum when you’ve had nothing before – but after a few years, they realised that, well, they haven’t moved forward at all. Also, for some strange reasons, they all talk about getting different jobs but somehow nothing happens.
    With regards your kid(s) being bilingual, that shouldn’t be a problem. I speak French to my kid, my husband English and they’re bilingual. Simple as that. Sorry about the rambling. And once again, congrats.

    Reply
    • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
      September 9, 2013

      I really really want to work but I can’t force contracts to happen. *sigh*

      I am definitely excited and happy to be pregnant. I’ve never felt better.

      I do see your point about a house and renting, but I’d rather not buy a house (the minimum spend here is $500K for a “normal” house), and put those savings in the bank instead. I can always withdraw money any time I want rather than having to sell an asset. I’m not ruling it out completely, but it’s not something that I make as a decision JUST because I’m having a kid.

      I really don’t mind what my kids do as a job, but the trick is that they will be paying for their own education and they will KNOW that it is THEIR choice to have chosen such a job (pay included) and no help will be coming from me. If they choose to make such salaries and not push themselves, they are to be sure they are happy in such a career, because I won’t be bailing them out.

      Yes I am going to be speaking English to the kid and partner will be speaking French 🙂 It should work out quite well.

      Reply
  • One More Knight
    September 9, 2013

    I’d never actually considered how fertile you might be!

    Will be interested in reading about your success at rearing a minimalist infant.

    Reply
  • StackingCash
    September 9, 2013

    Congratulations! You will make a great mother and raise a wonderful, productive child, just be mindful of his or her peers. They can be more influential than you can ever imagine. I also imagine homeschooling since you abhor homeownership so much, unless you can rent in a good school district or afford a private school. As for someone who can ride both lines of blogging about personal finance and baby talk, I’m a fan of J. Money from Budgets are Sexy.

    Again, congrats on your new baby!

    Reply
    • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
      September 9, 2013

      I do not want to homeschool at all.. but I do want to rent in a good district so that they get to a decent school. I know their peers will be very influential but I am hoping they will make good choices in peers from their formative years (with some influence from their parents), so that they don’t end up down the bad path.

      Yes, I remember J. blogging about all his baby purchases.. I might do the same on a separate page.

      Reply
  • Revanche
    September 9, 2013

    When your little muppet gets old enough to get the joke I’m totally mocking you for calling it a new money drain. 😉

    Reply
  • eemusings
    September 9, 2013

    Are you serious?!?! That’s awesome! What a surprise. Congrats to you and your BF. You guys are going to be ace parents, I bet.

    Reply
    • saverspender @ save. spend. splurge.
      September 9, 2013

      Yep I’m serious 🙂 Thanks for the congratulations! I was actually hoping to tell you in person for October but then I realized talking about what I bought as maternity stuff on the blog for the end of September would kind of give it away.

      Reply

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