A Look Back At This Week

This week was a rough one. In general it seemed to last forever, although it was the last week of school for my daughter little "Jay". The last week of school means little Jay will be spending the summer away with family, while I manage through this last trimester and prepare the house for baby. I have prepared some summer work to keep her up to par for school and she is working on her own business idea. So along with summer play and continued learning, she will have an enjoyable time.

In pregnancy news, I turned 6 months and it seems that overnight my belly expanded. Sleeping has become awkward. My body wants to sleep in until 7 a.m. When I sleep until 7 I feel a bit more rested. The problem with this is that I need to be up at 5:30 a.m. and leaving my house by 6:50, therefore 7 is not an option. This week I noticed that baby starts kicking at around that time. I'm really not being awakened at night by kicks. He is active all day long and calms down when I get home. His evening kick schedule starts at 8 p.m. and last until around 11 p.m., either I am sleeping really deep and not feeling the kicks, or he is asleep too.  If this is the schedule I can look forward to when he his born, then I can deal with it.

My check up went well,  with the exception of finding out I have been experiencing contractions while I walk, which is not good. I have been walking a lot for exercise and to keep my legs strong for labor, however that has to stop.  My team of doctors are going to monitor me before they take any further actions. I have decided to put myself on much needed bed rest when I am not working. This means, no more long walks during lunch, for meetings, and no more walking on the weekends. I have decided to come straight home and take it easy unless I am required to do something.

In MS related news, I have to meet with an anesthesiologist to determine if I can receive and epidural during labor. The reason for this consultation is because due to my multiple sclerosis and repeated relapses, I have multiple lesions on my spine. I have been told that it is possible to have an epidural by one doctor, but my OB seemed concerned. I have started to do research for alternative medications and I am planning to take Lamaze. Honestly if the doctor isn't concerned, I am still extremely nervous. I don't feel comfortable with something going into my spinal area, when it is already irritated by the lesions. In the past my spine has caused me great pain during flare ups and relapses, therefore I will proceed with caution. After my consultation and research, I will have a better understanding of what my birth plan will be. I may go all natural if I can tolerate it, but that is yet to be determined.

Overall this week was draining, but I did get three trips of couponing in. I have managed to add to my diaper collection extensively. We will be using disposable diapers, which due to the cost, I put forth a savings plan. I do not pay more than $.10 per diaper and $.02 per wipe. Using this method I am able to focus no the quantities of wipes and diapers versus the price per package. What you will find with doing this,  is that it can be much cheaper to buy several packages of jumbos instead of the huge boxes.

This week CVS had Huggies on sale for 2/$18 and if you spend $30 you get back $10 in a gas card redeemable at the gas station of your choice. I did the deal 3 times I spent a total of $11.98 after $30 worth of gas cards.  Overall I purchased a total of $107.91 worth of disposable for $41.98 and received back $30 worth of gas cards, making my diaper purchases $11.98 or $1.33 per package. I love coupons.  In the event that I am unable to get out after the baby is born, we will be prepared with the essentials and can focus on baby's and my recovery.

How was your Monday through Friday?

Thred-Up- Spring Cleaning and Making Room

I have to make room in our new house and closets and I have been procrastinating. Since I discovered the website Thred Up I am more motivated to clear things out. This company is awesome. If you don't know what the company is or how it works, let me explain.

thredUp.com is a place where you can buy and sell quality gently used and new clothing. The clothes are designer labels and in the best quality possible. I love the site for earning money. You can earn money by selling your old clothing.

It is very simple, first you order a large polka dot bag (which can hold up to 100 items). Then, you fill the bag with your items and return it to the company. The bag comes labeled and shipping is prepaid. You just drop the package at your local post office or FedEx. The company reviews your items and determines what they will pay you for and donates any unacceptable garments to charity. It is that is easy.

Last month I sent in my first polka dot bag filled with clothes for sell. The turn around time was amazing, within a couple of weeks it showed payment in my account. Over the weekend and last night I spent time purging and it felt so good.  There were items with tags on them that I had no intention of wearing. I am sending off two bags filled this weekend. Below is my progress and an image of the bag.

If you are fall cleaning or need to make room for a new wardrobe, I suggest you give thredUp.com a try. You won't be disappointed. Before you send off your bag, you will have the opportunity to see the potential cash value of the item you are sending in for review. I keep my laptop by me as I go through the closet and decide if it is worth sending in. They accept numerous brands, but the quality must be good. If you have a chance please check them out.