Money + Maternity Diaries | Volume No. 7

Since I’ve barely had any time to read in the last month (here’s the reason why), here’s another Money Diaries for you. I’m calling this one my Money + Maternity Diaries since I was very pregnant, very uncomfortable, and went into early labor on Sunday the 2nd!

MONEY DIARIES | VOLUME NO. 7 | WEEK OF NOV. 26 — DEC. 02

Monday | 38W5D Pregnant

9A I wake up to the sound of my husband showering. Sleep has been hit or miss for me these days, so I was pleasantly surprised to have gotten a full nights sleep last night (minus a 5:30A cat feeding). I offer to drive my husband to work this morning since I need to run a few errands. After a quick breakfast of toast with peanut butter and a sliced apple with cinnamon, I throw on yoga pants, a sweater, boots, and mascara. We’re out the door!

10A I pull into Target to do a quick return. I didn’t bother trying on the nursing tank tops I bought last week, and when I tried them on at home… well, let’s just say anything with a built in shelf bra is a joke at this point ($79.47 refund). The ones from Target were kind of pricey anyway, and I ended up buying these from Amazon instead. For literally half the price. They are SUPER comfortable, stretchy, and offer lift and support without the shelf-bra. 10/10 would recommend. I grab a medium dark drip from the Target Starbucks ($0 ~ I have money already preloaded onto the app).

10:30A We’re down to half a tank of gas and I decide to fill the car up ($22.73). Next up, groceries! On my way back home I pass a Harris Teeter. I pick up ingredients for our weekly lunch salads, chicken breast, steak, kale, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, bananas, carrots, bread, two bunches of stargazer lilies (on sale for $4 each!), orange juice, Gatorade, and a 12-pack of La Croix ($103.17)

12P I’m back home and just finished unpacking groceries. I begin a few light household chores. Water our indoor plants, vacuum, begin a wash cycle of crib sheets, swaddles, and changing pad covers. Also, fold the guest sheets and towels that were sitting in the dryer from a load over the weekend.

1P For lunch I have a bowl of vegetable soup I made last week and my husbands Chop’t leftovers from yesterday. He only ate half, so I’m claiming it! After lunch I book an induction massage for Wednesday and spend way too much time browsing for the perfect floor lamp for our nursery on Wayfair and Overstock. I decide to hold off for the time being.

4P I snack on a hardboiled egg, almonds, and dried apricots. Then leave the house to get some air and get a pregnancy walk in. I walk to the library to pick up Magpie Murders, highly recommended by two of my friends. I was going to carry on and continue my walk to the Wharf, but a wave of exhaustion hit me. I need sleep, immediately.

6:30P My husband is home from work and crawled into bed with me. He reads the top r/AskReddit of the day out-loud, which always gives us a good laugh, while putting counter pressure on my lower back.

7:15P I’m too tired to cook any of the food I bought, so we go pick up burgers for dinner ($17.35). We spend the rest night watching The Office. My husband has never seen the American version (out of principal) but he’s giving it a chance. I’m more than happy to re-watch the show for the 300th time.

Tuesday | 38W6D Pregnant

5A I’m woken up by a small wet nose, deep in my ear cavity, and the loudest purring you’ve ever heard. I feed the cats, and then have trouble falling back asleep. I head downstairs to the living room with a book and eat a vanilla yogurt with granola while I read. I’m feeling sleepy around 7A, so go back upstairs to try to get more sleep.

9:30A I wake with two sleepyhead cats in bed with me. My husband is already dressed and downstairs working. I make myself a Nespresso, toast with peanut butter, and sliced apple with cinnamon for breakfast. I spend the next few hours at the kitchen table with my computer, slowly drinking my coffee until it gets cold.

12P I begin meal prepping side dishes and lunch salads for the week. I roast Brussel sprouts and diced sweet potatoes while I sauté kale and chicken breasts. I pack a total of six salads in pyrex (three for me, three for my husband) and plate two of them, so my husband and I can have lunch together. I love his work from home days.

2P After lunch, I shower and actually put on jeans (which feels like a small victory) and a sweater. The only energy I have for makeup is mascara and brow powder. I’m exhausted, but head out the door for my 3P midwife appointment. I swing by Starbucks on my way there for a green tea ($0 ~ use money from the app) and munch on a LÄRABAR (got to get those dates in!). The baby’s heart sounds good and she’s still in a great birthing position. Zero signs of labor, and I’m trying not to cry at the thought of being pregnant for another 3 weeks…. the midwives will not medically induce unless it’s necessary or I hit 42 weeks.

4:30P I’m home and in bed with Magpie Murders. I read a few chapters and then I remember it’s Tuesday, and I forgot to watch last weeks episode of This Is Us. I grab my laptop and head back up to bed to catch up.

6P For dinner tonight, I’m cooking steaks via sous vide. I love my sous vide, it was my birthday gift from my husbands parents, and it is very regularly used around here. It’s a top-five kitchen appliance, IMO. After dinner we make tea and dessert and watch three episodes of The Office. We’re currently on season 3, which is my favorite season. I’m in bed sleeping by 11P.

Wednesday | 39W0D Pregnant

3:30A I am wide awake. I tried falling back asleep, no luck. I make myself a bowl of honey nut cheerios and a banana and boot up my laptop. I watch a few episodes of Parks & Rec hoping it’ll put me to sleep. Nope. It’s now 6:30A and I load last nights episode of This Is Us. Eventually, I doze off on the couch, for an hour at most.

9A I feel like a zombie. I make scrambled eggs with salsa and toast with cream cheese. Then I deep clean our stove and wipe down our bathroom. My husband leaves for work. I soak in an epsom salt bath for a long time while listening to a birthing podcast. Then I shower, throw on yoga pants, an oversized sweater, and mascara. Also, concealer — which is a must today for covering up the bags that have formed under my eyes.

12:30P I heat up Thanksgiving leftovers for a quick lunch. It’s delicious and so so so good. We ran out of cranberry sauce, I make a mental note to make another batch this afternoon.

1P On my way to my induction massage in Eastern Market, I swing by Starbucks to grab a small dark roast ($0 ~ use the last of my app money).

1:30P I don’t know if it’s because I’m 39 weeks pregnant and in so much physical discomfort, but my 90 minute induction massage was the best massage I think I have ever had. If you’re in the area, I recommend checking out Spa on the Hill — book with Sharla! Even if the massage doesn’t jump start labor (it probably won’t) it was incredibly relaxing and wonderful ($150 with tip).

3:30P I walk home to get my steps in, it’s about a 35 minute walk and even though it’s cold, it’s a beautiful day. I pass Labyrinth (a game and puzzle store I love) and decide to buy Chinese Checkers for my husband. We love games and were just talking about classics we wanted to add to our collection ($31.79).

6P I skillet roast a double portion of chicken breasts, dinner for tonight and save the rest for later on this week. For our sides, roasted Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. While the chicken is cooking, I make a fresh batch of cranberry sauce. My husband gets home from work just as I’m plating up everything.

7:30P I shower and wash my hair (a post massage must) after dinner. Afterwards, we make tea and finish off the brownies I made last week. We boot up The Office again and settle in for the night. I end up falling asleep while we watch.

Thursday | 39W1D Pregnant

9:30A Minus one cat feeding at 4A, I managed to sleep through the night! I hope our cats don’t think 4A is the new breakfast time because of yesterday… Anyway, I begin a load of laundry (I’m totally out of clean yoga pants) before I cook breakfast. Scrambled eggs with salsa, toast with cream cheese, and two tangerines. I spend the rest of the morning reading, showering, folding laundry, and organizing onesies and swaddles in our daughters room. I make myself a Nespresso and notice we’re low on pods. I place an order for 60 pods on Amazon ($56.10). Apparently, there’s a $9.90 rebate for reordering through Amazon? I’ll take it!

12:30P My husband is working from home today, we have lunch together, which I love. We each have a lunch salad with a side of brown rice. I clean out my iPhoto, emails, and folders on my computer for a digital detox after lunch.

2:45P I realize I haven’t left the house today, so I go on a few errands by foot to get my step count in. I walk to The Wharf to pick up a small coffee and two donuts for tonights dessert at District Doughnut ($8.53). Then I stop at District Hardware because I need globe light bulbs. I love our dining room overhead lighting (it’s a brass midcentury modern design with four arms holding a total of eight globe lights), but something is skewed with the wiring, and bulbs are constantly blowing out. It’s super annoying. I buy four bulbs, knowing we’ll burn through them by spring ($15.87). Next I walk from The Wharf to Navy Yard. I first stop at Nando’s to buy hot sauce ($5.49) — Sriracha isn’t doing it for me these days, I’ve been more into Nando’s hot sauce, and I need all the spice to motivate this baby to get out! And lastly, I pop into Harris Teeter to pick up salmon, celery, blackberries, and raspberries ($20.66). It was a long and enjoyable walk, cold but pretty day! And I have 10K steps by the time I arrive back home.

5P I snack on celery, hummus, a hard boiled egg, and a LÄRABAR while bouncing on my birth ball, enjoying an episode (or two) of The Great British Baking Show. I usually never watch so many hours of TV per day, but I’m very pregnant and want something mindless and relaxing, so whatever.

8P My husband heats up chicken and side dishes that are in the fridge. We have a quick and late dinner. I crawl back into bed.

Friday | 39W2D Pregnant

8:30A Very pleased I slept through the night (minus a 5A cat feeding). I offer to drop my husband off at work so I can take the car to run to Buy Buy Baby. I have toast with peanut butter and fresh berries to hold me over for a few hours.

11A We accidentally bought a few extra accessories for the stroller / carseat — we didn’t know that these extras were standard with the brand I got. I have about $75 worth of credit, so I buy a bathtub that grows with the baby from newborn to 9 months. I use my store credit.

11:45A I realize I haven’t had coffee yet, so I stop into Starbucks for a dark roast and feel compelled to order a breakfast sandwich as well. My app is out of money so I pay in cash ($6.87). I settle in with my book for a bit before heading back home.

2P I relax and watch several episodes of The Great British Baking Show. Around 3:30P my husband calls and asks if I want to meet him at the Penn Quarter Holiday Market. I take the metro two stops to meet him. We walk through the tents and buy mini donuts to snack on ($4) and decide to grab a drink (seltzer for me) in the area ($11). We head home afterwards.

6:30P For dinner, I roast salmon I bought yesterday, make a fresh batch of white rice, and heat up Brussel sprouts. I soak in a epsom salt bath afterwards. Then I bake the last of my emergency stash of chocolate chip cookies, I had a bit left in the freezer that I thawed out in the morning. We have cookies and milk while we play Chinese Checkers. I know, we’re super lame but I’m way too pregnant and exhausted, so this is what a Friday night looks like in our house.

Saturday | 39W3D Pregnant

10A I actually wake up feeling refreshed, which is wonderful. Typical 5A cat feeding, but that’s more so because I can’t go a whole night with one or two trips to the bathroom (third trimester issues). I read in bed for a while, then make oatmeal with granola and berries for breakfast. At some point I shower, wash my hair, and get dressed. By get dressed, I mean maternity yoga pants and a sweater. Being super pregnant in this time of the year is the best, 10/10 would recommend!

12P We’re out of milk, so I can’t make my Nespresso the way I like it. I go for a quick Starbucks run, even in the rain. I add money to my Starbucks card ($15.00) and order a dark roast — nothing fancy. When I get home, I have a lunch salad with brown rice and salmon leftovers. My husband is working in the living room, so I spend the rainy afternoon hunkered in our basement den watching The Great British Baking Show, reading, and hunting for the probability of spontaneous labor statistics and charts.

5P I’ve changed into a sweater dress, ankle boots, and actually applied a full face of makeup. Our two year wedding anniversary is tomorrow, so we’re heading to one of our favorite spots in Foggy Bottom, DISH+drinks. They’re closed on Sundays, so we made reservations for tonight. Two butternut squash soups, a beet salad to share, lamb with sweet potatoes, salmon with vegetables, two glasses of wine, one chocolate flourless cake, and one decaf cappuccino later, we’re both very happy, their food never disappoints ($180 with tip).

8:30P We catch a taxi home ($20 with tip) and spend the rest of the night hanging out together. We make tea, I bounce on my birth ball, and it’s a wonderful (and early!) night.

Sunday | 39W4D Pregnant

5A I couldn’t go back to sleep after I fed the cats, I have really bad period cramps but think nothing of it. I have a snack and settle on the couch with a book. Every morning I wake up not in labor I get a tad disappointed, but I’m still hopeful I’ll have this baby before my due date. Or within a few days.

9A I don’t even bother changing out of the yoga pants and sweater I slept in and go for a walk to get coffee ($0 ~ use money from the app). I call my mom on the way there and tell her about my cramping. She says that it’s the start of labor, but I’m not convinced. I decide to walk around the neighborhood as much as I can, while I still can.

12P I have a quick lunch salad and try to get some reading in. I’m too distracted and settle back in for The Great British Baking Show instead. My god, who am I?

3P My cramping is getting worse, so I soak in an epsom salt bath until the water gets cold. Afterwards, my husband and I call our doula to chat about the cramping and see what she thinks. She said it is very well the early start of labor, but to not get too excited — this could go on for days before the real deal. I try not to cry.

5P My husband and I decide to grab Chinese food from a restaurant, word on the street is that this particular restaurant’s Hot & Sour soup will induce labor… we’ll see. It’s only a 35 minute walk there, so we decide to walk it. My pace is insanely slow but whatever. ($40 dinner with tip).

7P Originally we were planning to walk home as well, but the cramping is strong and there’s no way that’s happening. I make it two blocks before I can’t go on any longer. My husband hails a taxi ($10 with tip). Once we get home, the cramping becomes timeable. I spend the next several hours timing them in and out of epsom salt baths.

10P We call our doula and let her know waves are coming 7 minutes apart just so she’s prepared. We’re excited!

And that’s how I spent the very last 7 days of my pregnancy. We were officially in labor the following day and within 24 hours, our daughter made her appearance.