The New Crib

Baby boy is growing fast, thus it's time to get a crib prepared for transfer from his bassinet. My in-laws were kind enough to purchase our convertible crib of choice for us last month that will grow with our boy over the years. Unfortunately, it arrived damaged, and we were forced to return it  for store credit, only to find that it was discontinued. We decided on this new baby that I pictured here as well.

This crib was a bit more pricey, but it received great ratings throughout the internet. So naturally I went to work on the discounts! I applied a 15% baby furniture discount, contacted the store's customer service line for a discount on shipping (since my in-laws had already paid for it) and finally used the store credit and a $10 gift card that I still had from a previous gift. Thus, we only ended up paying $10.16 extra for our (originally $30) more expensive crib. Plus, I received 6% cash back shopping through Be Frugal

Happy mommy right here!  --> :-D

"Little" Changes...

Zavier has been keeping me very busy recently, which hasn't left much time for blogging. He is growing so well; He received a great report (and his first set of vaccinations) from the doctor yesterday. He is doing so many things now- picking his head up, "talking," rolling- and just keeps on going. We are getting longer stretches of sleep out of him too, which is quite encouraging as well.

I did find Zavier an occasional baby sitter nearby- the mother of one of my college friends. She recently lost her full time job so has more time during the day to watch him should I need to run errands, go to medical appointments, etc. She volunteered and I'm sure that she could use the compensation. In fact, today I will be calling her to set up a few times for her to watch him.

We have been hanging out with new friend in the are who have kids as well, being invited to two birthday parties for one-year-olds this month alone. I'm looking forward to him continuing to grow and do more, though I both love and will miss this adorable stage that my "Little Him" is in right now. 

"Sitting" Pretty

Though we have tons of loving family that love taking care of Zavier, they are a bit far away to call for a simple 2 hour stint to the movies or dinner. Thus, I think it's time to find a sitter a little closer to home.

Being new to town, asked local acquaintance with small children if she knew of anyone, since she was a newcomer to the area just a few years ago herself. She told me of a lady that she'd found on care.com that she had used for quite some time, but who was currently unavailable. I figured, then, that I should begin scouring internet sites dedicated to encountering nannies and babysitters too. However, I still found this uncomfortable, just not knowing who I was getting. Plus, these baby sitting sites have changed recently- charging premium prices just to make contact with applicants! Ugh!

Finally, I reached out to a college friend and her other who also live nearby. Her mother got back to me quickly, commenting that she would be willing to help out as needed, be it that she wasn't currently working full time. I was so delighted and relieved! I trust her completely, knowing who she is and how she is with her [soon to be 3] young granddaughters. And I would love to help her out with compensation during her difficult time.

I thank God again for meeting my family's needs and desires on a consistent basis. :-)