When you're younger I think you think being a stay-at-home-mom is easy - I mean, come on, you get to play dress-up, make funny stuff out of play-doh, watch cartoons, eat snacks and sip juice! But, in all actuallity, it's hard as hell. Tough. Wears you flat out.
I will say that I haven't worked since me and Rich got married seven years ago- ok, I take that back, I worked less than a year somewhere, but that's it. So when Brax came along, it was tough on the both of us. We were so used to just hanging out, or getting up and going on a whim, being selfish with what money we did have to spend on extras, and you can't do that with a baby.
I never thought about life insurance on anyone but me and Rich, or health insurance for that matter - thank you Army for Tricare, man do I miss it! - but that's on the forefront of our minds now. A few months before having Brax our insurance doubled to $1,200 a month - which is more than our rent! - and wow did that hurt us. Now our new insurance will kick off in August, and we'll be saving $100. Sure, it's more than what we had before, but it still sucks - but you have to have it, so you make due.
Baby formula is expensive, along with bottles, diapers, wipes, clothes (especially if you have a Godzilla baby like mine! lol), sippy cups, bowls, food bullet, fresh produce to make baby food;.... that list could go on and on. I think some people go in with blinders on, life Rich, and some don't, like I thought I was... but you're floored by it all when they're actually here.
You're blessed if you're close to home or have tons of friends whereever you are, and are able to have a shower to help get some of the items you need. If you're like us, we didn't get that luxury, and it stinks. Hell it stinks we didn't get to enjoy it all with anyone really, even my family missed out and had to see it via skype.
After having Brax, you realize all the things that you wish you knew beforehand so that you could prepare yourself. Sad part is I thought I was semi-slightly-maybe-prepared, but I was wrong. Things sneak up on you. You're life is thrown out of whack, it's scary, sleepless, loud, messy..... and somehow, totally right.
About Me
- Bombtastic Belle
- I'm a 30 year old Texan who's been displaced to Florida. There is way too much sunshine, and not enough cow poop. I've been married to Richard for nine wonderful years, and I haven't decided to upgrade yet. We have a two+ year old named Braxton, our first, so here's to hoping we don't mess him up! We're pretty smitten with him. We've got a dog, Bocephus, and a cat, Jesse James.
Life's good, it's a lot different than it was a few years ago when we first got married, but one thing hasn't change - we're still livin' off love.
Not gonna lie, half way through this I was giving serious thought about going back on birth control, haha.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. I like that it's honest & real and not something put together by someone who's only saying what they think we all want to hear.