Consumerism & the 3rd Trimester

[Spark]

Uh... I'm finding it difficult to not lust after "things". Is it the third trimester? Is it getting paid again after a summer of not being able to work? Is it not having a September swap to join on the TP? Is it reading too many pregnancy magazines at the library? Is it just excitement to meet my baby? I don't know. But, I see "things" and they make my heart go pitter patter.

The main issue at hand is, this is our 3rd baby. We have a decent amt of clothes and socks and plenty of cloth diapers and slings that we love. I don't think I really NEED anything at this point. (if it's a boy, i'll need boy clothes, because my son's clothes have all be lent out/given away/donated... we were done at two kids :LOL)

If this was my first baby I think i'd have more of a reason to covet "things". Because there really is a need to get to some degree of readiness before the baby(ies) come.

In the mean time... THIS (http://hyenacart.com/prod_details.php?id=33394&vid=30) made me sigh. Can someone go buy them so I know they'll be worn?

[littlemomma]

OH MY!!!! Those slippers where ADORABLE!!!! They would be perfect for our December babes! Now I have to have them! Thanks a lot, Spark!!!! :LOL

[Spark]

:LOL Oh no! It's like a disease!!! :LOL

I guess the good thing is... I'm not rushing to the mall, it's more like I'm looking for creative homemade goodies. :shrug Does that make me more innocent???

Uh... but don't talk about how you're going to go buy those cute slippers. Just do it so I'm put out of my misery. if you TALK about how you want them, then it give me more time to go add them to my cart!

[selazenby]

Well, I'm not really having the urge to splurge right now - but that is no reflection of any sort of self control or reasonableness...I just got it out of my system in the second trimeseter. :o

But I will admit that I'm looking forward to the swap so that I can splurge a little on someone else's baby :) Yay!

[juliasmum]

I'm not having the urge to splurge, but might be if we had the extra money to do it. I've been making some baby stuff, so maybe that helps tone down the urge to buy.

We have gotten a lot of hand-me-downs so I'm actually trying to get rid of some of the stuff I don't think I will use.

I am looking at double jogging strollers with envy, but will probably wait until my birthday to get it.

[DesireeH]

Yes, I have gotten a ridiculous amount of clothes and things! Little pink gingham lamp, check........new paint........check check.......new dresser......check check. LOL As a gift a group of my friends got her the Britax Marathon in Ashley Floral.....I pet it everyday. HAHAHAHA

I've got all the cloth dipes I need.....all the clothes.....it's just fun! LOL I think it's the excitement of knowing the baby is close.

Oh and those slippers are ADORABLE!

[Taedareth]

I dearly wish I could buy some of those beautiful natural fiber goodies. But the mortgage comes first, so no, I haven't bought anything and have no plans to. Hopefully our friends/family will supply the things we need either new or hand-me-down. What we don't receive as gifts, we'll probably do without.

But oh my goodness I so love this wool soaker with sheep (http://home.planet.nl/~bosse165/images/wol/vakantiewol%20002.jpg)!! The only thing I did buy was a skein of wool so I could crochet a couple soakers myself.

[erniebobernie]

I too have found that urge to buy. It's almost all cloth diapers that I have bought. My supply has run very low due to sharing with friends over the last 5 years. I enjoy looking at all the WAHM websites:). My girls are working on knitting baby clothes for their baby brother due December 18th:) Those slippers are soo cute! :)

[kir]

those slippers are so cute!

i think this whole "i'm buying home-made/organic/natural stuff from a WAHM somewhere" is part of the whole disease, for me :) hahahaha

i totally feel like buying stuff. look at this batik diapers from www.bumwear.com -- i'm buying them today :)

[Boobiemama]

Popping over from feb... I think its just a pregnancy thing. I am pretty much set for baby things. I will just need to get a small amount of clothes since we are having a girl. I plan to get those at the resale shop.
BUt I am trying to wrack my brain, thinking of things I could possibly buy! LOL I cant even buy a carseat as I already have 2 extras!
I think its just natural to want to buy baby stuff when preggo. :)

Oh, today, a babys r us catalog came, and I was flipping thru and I said to dh" Oh, I wish I used a crib, look how cute they are". LOL I havent had a crib for the last 3 babies!!

[wawoof]

I am totally prone to lusting over cute baby things, especially from WAHMs. But I can't buy any right now because we're living on one income (mine) and finances are super tight. Fortunately, we're having another boy, so I don't really *need* anything. However, I did buy a few cheap outfits at a yard sale the other day. And we *totally scored* on a bike trailer - we got a Burley D'Lite at another yard sale for $25 :eek We were so stoked! We really needed it because we're biking and walking almost everywhere, and we got such a great deal. So my buying urge is satiated for now...

[IncaMama]

um yes. LOL i've been coveting things but have yet to REALLY give in, except for quite possibly the most USELESS baby items on the PLANET - hard soled shoes!! WTF??? i've bought THREE of them! becuase they're so friggin cute i couldn't stand it!

one of them was a little pair of pink Uggs, another was a pair of little pink ballet slippers, and the other was a pair of pink mary janes. WHYYYYY??????

[selazenby]

um yes. LOL i've been coveting things but have yet to REALLY give in, except for quite possibly the most USELESS baby items on the PLANET - hard soled shoes!! WTF??? i've bought THREE of them! becuase they're so friggin cute i couldn't stand it!

one of them was a little pair of pink Uggs, another was a pair of little pink ballet slippers, and the other was a pair of pink mary janes. WHYYYYY??????

this is to true - and I should know better now. I bought a bunch of hard soled shoes for ds and they sat pretty much untouched in his closet - he pretty much lived barefoot or in robeez - still does :) So why then do I find myself with a closet full of hard soled shoes for Lucy? Because - as you said - they're just so friggin cute!!! But - in my defense - I've bought a bunch of soft soled shoes too! (is that a defense? :))

[Spark]

um yes. LOL i've been coveting things but have yet to REALLY give in, except for quite possibly the most USELESS baby items on the PLANET - hard soled shoes!! WTF??? i've bought THREE of them! becuase they're so friggin cute i couldn't stand it!

one of them was a little pair of pink Uggs, another was a pair of little pink ballet slippers, and the other was a pair of pink mary janes. WHYYYYY??????

:rotflmao
Ha!!! Oh, Michele! She's going to have a great shoe collection!!! :D

Wawoof -- NICE job on the bike trailer score!!!! :yikes: That was almost like stealing!!!! I'm soooo glad you got it!!!! :banana

Kir - Oooh, http://www.bumwear.com/shopping/clothdiaper/diaper-breakdown.html those look so nice! :thumb Not that you asked for it, but here's my two cents about one sizers and fabric outers -- one sizers are great for expanding throughout a cd'rs life. They don't always do great thought with the really small sizes or the really big sizes. But, they'll probably fit for a really long time, even that said. A word of caution about the fabric outers thought - if you have a heavy wetter or if you use the diaper for a while the fabric outer will most likely wick (another word for leak). That said, they ARE cute, but I wouldn't get a whole stash of fabric outer dipes. If you're buying a lot from Bumwear make sure you get some PUL outer ones as well. :nod

So, the need to nest with items just seems to be part of pregnancy then? Should we just call it a pregnancy symptom??? :LOL

It's like I can't help it but I have this running tally in my head of things we need... but are actually wants, I'd say. Like for instance, I have two pairs of pants that fit me. (plus one to teach in one night a week) But, why buy more for just a few months use when I can just wash more? For all my lusting after "things" I realize, I'm not really buying "things." I'm just lusting after them. I did buy/trade some small AIOs, but I didn't have any.

[Spark]

:banana Woo-hoo!!! Someone bought the CUTE CUTE CUTE I'm lusting after them like crazy little elf slippers!!!!!! Woo-hoo!!! http://hyenacart.com/prod_details.php?id=33394&vid=30

Who was it? Who was it? Was it one of you??? Oh, I want to live vicariously through you!!!! Ooooh, those were so cute! I'm trying not to be sad they've sold and gone is the possibility that I'll have a moment of weakness and try to reel myself in again.

Wow! Some lucky sweet little baby is going to have those booties!!! :carrot :banana :carrot I really hope it's one of your babies!

[wawoof]

Claire,

I'm so glad that someone saved you from the booties :)

I also defer my buying urge by reminding myself that Ethan will actually need larger clothes soon, so I'm better off spending our limited funds on those clothes that baby brother will eventually be able to wear. But they're not nearly as cute as the newborn stuff... Confessions here - before things got really tight (when we expected to have 2 incomes), I splurged on 2 newborn wool longies, and I can't wait to see baby brother in them :) What I love about wool is that you can use it all the time and rarely have to wash it... hopefully he won't be a puker, or that plan may fall apart...

[Geofizz]

I think it's all part of the instinct to provide the best for our babies.

I also have this urge to go out and get a bunch of clothes, zillions of new diapers and a variety of gadgets. I also know that I tend to have mild panic attacks when confronted with having stuff. I don't like having to deal with a lot of things, and so I have to work against my urge to go out and get stuff for this baby. I've mainly controlled it by deciding that we'll make what it is that we need for this baby. I've bought a lot of yarn and fabric (and DH bought a lot of wood :LOL) and it's slowed me down a lot. It seems to be satisfying me need to get stuff for this baby, but since I can only knit or sew so much, I'm accumulating a lot less.

...currently :scratch over my instructions for making a wet bag...

[Geofizz]

**odd double post**

[Geofizz]

Oh, while I have no desire to have booties or make them myself, I've got tons of wool scraps that would be plenty to make some yourself. I would be happy to stuff scraps in an envelope for someone wanting to make them.

One pair of footie longies was enough for me to swear off knitting for this kid's feet. :LOL

[Minnow_]

This has been an interesting thread.

I feel the need to buy baby things too. We're trying to get used things as much as possible, which means I can channel my 'buying stuff' energy into looking through the Trading Post and craigslist. Takes longer to find stuff, so I end up buying less and spending less too.

DH is feeling it as well, but it's surfacing as lust for a new digital camera. :LOL "But we'll need to take lots of pictures of the baby!"

[PatchPixie]

I can't quit browsing the net for adorable baby things, either. I am officially obesessed with diapers and adorable tiny handmade stuff :) Those elf booties were the bees knees!

My DH is also pushing for the new digi cam - for the baby, of course (ha!)

But I also still feel nervous about buying too much stuff for Finn - because of jinxing her or something.....like I am putting the cart in front of the horse...and then the next minute I am in a flurry of worry about having everything reeady for her...I make no sense......

I am not a "shopping" person by any means - but, it is much more appealing to me when it is for my Finn!!! :heartbeat

[Slightlycrunchymama]

OH MY!!! Thanks god those are sold! Did you get them littlemama?

I am having the exact same issue, I was juts talking with my girlfriend about it. I mean im usually all for downsizing and simplifying but im finding myself doing the opposite here too!
This is our 3rd baby, all we really need is clothing and diapers (given all mine away too, silly me) But im coveting $600 STROLLERS for crazy sakes!!! (have you seen the Phil and Teds strollers for 2 kids, WOW!)
I think its just a 3rd tri thing (I hope) maybe also we want something 'new' for this babe, something thats just theirs and not been used before? ykwim?

[girrllie]

OMG! Those elfin slippers are the cutest ever!!!! I would have bought a pair if they weren't sold already! I find myself buying winter stuff and we live in South Florida! I bought a pair of baby leg warmers http://www.babylegs.net and DH looked at me like I was crazy! He was like, "we'll maybe need them for a . . .week!"

The urge has been kept under control though since I took out all of DD's newborn stuff and also set up my whole CD changing table thingy, CDs included in nice big bins. At least now I know I truly don't need anything else :)!

[Spark]

... maybe also we want something 'new' for this babe, something thats just theirs and not been used before? ykwim?

Um, can I use that line, too? :innocent

[DesireeH]

My dh checks the mail everyday and my ebay habit is catching up to me! He's like "here are some MORE packages!" Ohhh, but today I got the cutest crib dust ruffle (yeah, like I need that! LOL) off ebay. It was 75% off the price that it is in the pottery barn kids catalog though! I HAD to buy it. It is white with embroidered butterflies on the bottom. HAHAHAHA I got cute white crib sheets with hot pink paisleys and flowers on them too! LOL Last time Jevin did even use his crib until he was like 15 months old! LOL Although this time, now that I have a hyper 3 y/o that loves to jump on the bed, I'll probably lay her in the crib for naps when she falls asleep nursing so I'm sure I'll get more use out of the crib this time. LOL