This Frugal Family!

As a one income household (semi 2, I now have a nannying job but we still have to budget), we have had to cut corners. Here are a few ways that we have saved a little money here and there as new parents: * Part-time Cloth Diapering Our goal was full time cloth diapering, but we are out and about too much for it to be a realistic goal, so we have settled for part time cloth diapering. It really is not as bad as people think it is, but it is different. Cloth diapers are not as convenient as disposable and you do have to change cloth more than disposable, but they are a more economical and green option! We use coupons for any disposable diapers and wipes that we do buy, match it with a store sale for an awesome bargain! :) * Making our own Baby Food We cook fruits and vegetable by steaming, baking, or boiling and then pureeing them in the awesome Magic Bullet. The Magic Bullet is magic and turns anything into puree in minutes. I love it. By the way, have you ever seen pureed meat, it's disgusting. No wonder Alivia is not too fond of meat yet! We are able to make big batches at one time and freeze portions in ice cube trays so that we save time in the kitchen. When we need baby food we can just pop out a few cubes and defrost them in hot water or in the fridge over night! It's much cheaper and healthier than buying jarred baby food. Although, we have given Alivia jarred baby food before for the convenience factor (traveling/out of the house) and because we got some for free. We now find that making baby food is pretty easy and if you are organized, it can be pretty convenient too! * Accepting Hand-Me-Downs We have accepted a lot of hand-me-downs from family and friends. Without there lending hands and hearts, we would have spent a lot (lot) of money! * Buy baby items only on sale, clearance, or used We only buy baby clothes that are on sale, clearance, or used. My favorite consignment sale is the Just Between Friends sale where I can get Alivia a ton of items for very, very cheap! I wait until the last day of the sale, where most items that are already priced great are 50% off the sale price. * Attending Free Programs or Discounted Programs We go to Baby Time at the library which is a free weekly program that has singing, reading, and play time for babies up to 1 year. After that they have toddler time and story time for older kiddos. I find other free or cheap things to do around Colorado Springs on www.peakradar.com and/or www.springsbargains.com. I also have play groups with other moms and meet at the park or a house, so it is a free and fun activity for both Alivia and me! :) I find it fun to figure out ways to save money! We are still brainstorming about other areas of our life! As for now, saving in the kiddo department works for us! :) Parenting doesn't have to be as expensive as people think it has to be.

Alivia's 8 Months Old!! (continued)

Well, Alivia sure does know how to keep us busy these days. She is all over the place, getting into things and exploring her surroundings. She has given us a few scares too. She has put two sharp objects and a penny in her mouth. We are so glad we saw her put the objects in her mouth so we could get them out before she swallowed/choked/hurt herself. I vacuum regularly, but I think I am going to have to double the amount with this little sly girl we have! The penny was on a shelf and she grabbed it as I was holding her- sneaky, sneaky... So to say the least, I am very thankful for God's provision in keeping Alivia safe and healthy. Alivia's New Loves: - Crawling, crawling, crawling (like a pro now) - Crawling up the stairs - Standing up on her own - Eating finger foods - Clapping her hands. She does this adorable little thing that when she falls down she claps her hands. I started clapping and saying "Good Job," when she would fall down after standing all by herself that now she thinks that when she falls she should clap. I love how little ones learn! - Saying mama and dada - Playing with blocks - Playing with other kids and animals- puts a huge smile on her face. She especially likes my friend Chelsea's dog Lucy! :) Alivia's New Things: - Walking while holding on to something - Crawling up the stairs (She made it up our entire staircase tonight) - Eating more finger foods - Sitting up in the bathtub without having her little bath bed - Reading (flipping) through books by herself - Drinking from a sippy cup, not too successful, but she has the right idea Update on Sleeping: - She still wakes up once (or more than once on occasion) a night, but she will sleep through the night every once in a while. We are getting there!! She can successfully sleep in her own crib though, without crying that much. We usually put her down somewhere between 8:00 and 8:30 and she cries for 5 to 10 minutes and then she is good to go until her middle of the night feeding. She is learning so much each day, and she is a wonderful girl. We love you Livie Loo! (Pictures to come soon!)

Alivia's 8 Months Old!

and she is a cutie... I have been quite busy so I am due a post of her new things. :) I have to get some things done during her nap time, so it will have to wait a little longer, but I will be writing about her later today or tomorrow! :) For now, here is a picture of her!