Bargains For Baby

The universe works in mysterious ways. Apparently, that saying is equally true in relation to shopping.

Yesterday, for the first time in many years, I decided to go “yard sale'ing.” I did my online research ahead of time to determine who was having “baby items” yard sales in the more upscale neighborhoods in the area. I tried to rank the yard sales as most likely to be fruitful for my shopping, and I assembled a list of which sales I would visit and in what order. At 8:00 a.m., I plugged the first address into my GPS and away I went.

I pulled up to that house and felt some bizarre nervous excitement inside of me. I had caught a glimpse of baby things as I drove by the house and, for a second, I considered not stopping. I felt like buying baby items right out in public might be tempting fate too much. But, as I have committed to my “shop for it and the baby will come” mantra, I parked the car and walked up to the sale. I saw a young woman, about my age, setting up the sale with the help of an older woman. Both looked vaguely familiar. When the older woman turned around, I saw that it was my secretary from the firm that I had worked at for five years.

She and I had become friends at work, but we fell out of touch after I left the firm a year ago. It was to wonderful to see her again. She had been very aware of my struggle with infertility, as she had to know what my IVF cycle schedules were so she could keep my calendar clear on the appropriate days. She was always very discreet and very supportive, crying with me when things didn't go well, which was every time. During my battle, she had told me about her daughter-in-law who had struggled with recurrent miscarriages, but was 8 months pregnant and on bed rest by the time I left the firm. As it turned out...I was at the daughter-in-law's yard sale!

Both women were so excited for me when I told them that I was actually looking through baby items for myself...not to find a gift for someone else. We hugged (and I am NOT a hugger), danced around and squealed like little school girls. Then, I went bargain hunting.

I got a diaper pail (and a box of bags for it). The diaper pail retails for $25.00. I bought it for $2.50. It is used but, let’s be real, it's going to hold dirty diapers. If I bought it new, it would still be a dirty diaper holder. I also bought a swing that vibrates, swings and bounces the baby, and plays soothing sounds (not all at the same time, in case you were worried). The swing sells for $150.00 in stores. I paid $20.00 for it. And the best deal of the day was a Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Jumperoo, which retails for $120.00. I got it for free!!! My secretary and her daughter-in-law gave me the Jumperoo as a baby gift from their family.

What were the odds that, out of dozens of yard sales in the area to choose from, I would decide to start my adventures in yard sale'ing at the home of someone that I know and care for? The Prince is a big believer in randomness and coincidences, but I have a tendency to see some bigger design in things. I feel like I needed to have that very positive experience yesterday morning, so that I would feel okay about my decision to shop for baby things so early in the pregnancy and so that I would feel okay about buying second-hand items for my baby. Could it be a coincidence that I was given exactly what I needed in such an unlikely way?

I also have to add that I was able to buy, at another location, a $300.00 crib for $75.00, and a $250.00 co-sleeper for $100.00. Both were still in their original boxes because a grandmother had bought them to have at her house for her grandson, but her daughter and grandson moved out of state right after the grandson was born. The woman selling to items was just thrilled that someone would finally get to use them...and I was thrilled that I was getting brand new items for less than half of what they were worth. Interestingly, that woman (who was even more chatty than I am) revealed to me that she had to use Clomid to get pregnant with her daughter, and her daughter had to use IVF to get pregnant with the grandson. Again, what are the odds?

I know it is tacky for me to talk about the prices of things and what I spent on them. I apologize if this post seems to be in bad taste. I am just so excited about how things unfolded this weekend, and the bargains are a part of that excitement. The Prince's family are die-hard bargain shoppers and, when I shared the details of my purchases with The Prince's mother, she said “You have truly become a part of the family. Congratulations.” It sounds silly...but that is how I feel. Like there was a perfect path set out for me this weekend, that I managed to follow it, and that I can be proud of what was accomplished...financially and emotionally. Congratulations to me.

The Princess's New Clothes



As many of you know, I have been toying with the idea of a full blown weekend retreat for a couple of months now.  I’ve looked at monasteries, ashrams, yoga retreat centers and hippie tent camps out in the middle of nowhere, in search of something that felt like it might be a road to inner peace.  Every day I’ve spent at least an hour thinking “Should I go or should I stay home and save my money?”  A couple of times, I even filled out the registration form for a yoga center in the Berkshires, only to chicken-out when it came time to hit “send.”  Figuring out how to de-stress has been a very stressful endeavor.

Fast forward to yesterday.  Immediately after writing yesterday’s post, I thought about how, even if I am able to love myself a little, in spite of my weight, I am never able to love how I look.  Every day I wake up and squeeze myself into clothes that are either too small or simply unflattering to my new body shape.  I spend each day feeling a bit like a sausage, pulling at hems and sleeves and waist bands, willing the clothing to grow bigger.  As many women do, I have refused, for some time, to buy replacement “fat clothes.”  It feels like buying new bigger-sized clothing is equivalent to admitting defeat and rewarding myself for bad behavior, all at the same time.  I’ve bargained with myself for many months – “If you lose fifteen pounds, you can get a new outfit.”  Needless to say, I haven’t gotten a new outfit in a long time. 

Then, when the mail came yesterday, I received: a girly magazine containing a feature story about a department store’s new line of plus size clothing; a flyer for that store showing all of that store’s cute plus size spring line; a coupon for 50% off my purchases at the store; a coupon for an extra $10 off my purchases at the store; and, a gift certificate (from a friend of mine who knows I’ve been feeling down) for that same store.  Okay God of All Things Retail…you have my attention.

I’ve decided that it is time to stop punishing myself for my weight gain by denying myself clothing that fits.  I have decided to stop fretting over spending money on a weekend getaway that may or may not make me more at peace going into this donor cycle.  I have decided that I can kill two birds with one stone by spending the money I would have spent on a weekend getaway on clothes that make me feel pretty and happy each day.  I will no longer be stressing every day about whether I should go away the next weekend because that money will already be gone.  Decision made.  And, in return, I will get the inner peace that comes from being confident about how I look.  Good bye Sausage…Hello Saucy.  At least that’s the plan.  Who knows?  Maybe the confidence boost will even motivate me to get out and get some more exercise so that I feel even better about myself.  I am also able to rationalize this decision by saying, “If I do manage to lose some weight, I will have cute maternity clothes lined up for awhile.”

You heard it here first…a royal decree has been issued – Today is Retail Therapy Day!  This Princess is getting some new clothes…and not the invisible kind!