I always wanted more than one baby, but didn't know if it would even be possible for me. I had saved some of Thing One's baby clothes, gear, etc. Let's face it I really had no time to get rid of some stuff since Thing One had barely outgrown many of the things. I was going to need these items for Thing Two on it's way. I really wanted another boy, not just because I always related to little boys better, but I had SOOOOOOOOOO many boy clothes. So 4 months into my pregnancy I go to the doctor, he says "BOY", I am happy. I figure nothing will really need to be purchased except maybe extra diapers. So two weeks after the news I go to a specialist for another sonogram. "Do you want to know the sex?" I was like, well I know it's going to be another boy. I still said "SURE, WHY NOT?!" SURPRISE...a GIRL! Oh my word, I was thinking NO WAY! I had them check every time I got a sonogram to make sure the technician was correct.
A Girl. What was I going to do with a girl!?! Ok, so then I wrapped my mind around having a sweet little girl, and I was ok. That is until I thought of all the spending I was going to have to do on PINK...yes PINK. EEEK! I've never been a lover of the color pink. So I figured, if strangers always asked about Thing One by starting "How cute she is!". That always perplexed me since he was in head to two in powder blue. So if they thought he was a girl, nothing wrong in sharing a little blue with my baby girl.
I felt more of the economy taking a hold of me then. I didn't lose my job, but people all around me were losing a job, a house. Income that was spent frivolously was now being watched like a hawk. During this time Mami was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had to take some time off of work to help take care of her after her mastectomy and treatment afterwards. That was really tight on my budget and I was thinking, my goodness my baby is due in 8 weeks!
There was no real time to have Mami do a huge baby shower like we had for Thing One. Not only was money tight, but it would require that I help because Mami was having difficulty physically. I felt the same, I was large and tired. Not only because of the pregnancy but the sheer exhaustion from raising a toddler. So it looked more and more that Thing Two was going to be wearing powder blue for a majority of her infancy. My co-workers did have a baby shower for me at work, and I did get a few things that were girlie and pink. It was quite nice and I was getting use to the whole girl thing.
Fast forward to our current situation. I am still working, thank goodness but raising two children is not cheap. Often times Thing Two will be wearing last years blue footsie pajamas that Thing One grew out of. Mami calls Thing Two "Princessa Heredera" (Princess Heiress). I still purchase a few cute girlie outfits, because it's fun. I just won't break the bank doing so. Yes, she wears boy clothes, with a girl flair. Mami often feels bad that she inherits all of Thing One's jeans, shirts, etc. I'm sure I wouldn't be as cautious with the money if it were a better time, for now she will wear a Spider Man shirt and jeans with cute red bows in her hair. She is my budget baby, Princess Heiress. :) Nothing wrong with that, just some way in dealing with the new economic situation. I just explained to Mami, this has been done generation after generation. She is not getting hand-me-downs, she is getting well loved, comfortable clothes. :)
So what have you had to change given the new economic circumstances of this country? Have you put a positive spin on it?
