Welcome to the final piece of a 3-part series outlining our process in preparing for the financial and life transition of having a first baby! If you haven’t read Part 1, start HERE and then check out Part 2 HERE.
Week 30: Oh COVID… Must You Ruin Even Our Prenatal Class?
We signed up for a prenatal class that ended up being virtual… Yikes. I have sympathy for the nurses who ran the class as I know they aren’t technology professionals. They truly did their best to prepare, but their equipment wasn’t suitable for virtual classes. It was a bit of a disaster, and I didn’t leave with much useful information due to the tech malfunctions.
I was really disappointed as I was counting on this class to give me some important skills and confidence. Thankfully, my mom is a birth planner and gave me a lot of useful tips. I still would have liked to be able to tour the maternity ward, see infant CPR in person, etc.
Week 31: Pride Comes Before the Fall
Physically, pregnancy seemed pretty easy up until this point. Why did people complain about it being so hard??
Yeah… it hit me this week. Baby Hinks liked being awake from 3-5 a.m. to perform her regular acrobatic routine, so my sleep quality was BAD. Being tired just makes everything harder.
Happy Note: We did some nursery decorating this week!
Week 32: The Rest of Life is Still Moving
Growing a baby won’t be the only thing you get to focus on. Other areas in life will always need your attention.
This week, I spent a lot of energy trying to get our mortgage refinancing process started. Truly, the hardest part about accomplishing a financial goal is starting. My first step was asking an acquaintance in the banking industry for a referral to a mortgage broker. The rest rolled from there.
Week 33: We Spent a Small Fortune
We had a MAJOR baby supply shopping trip. With my family’s history of early deliveries, we really didn’t want Baby Hinks to arrive early and find ourselves unprepared. While we probably could have waited, I just had to get nursery supplies covered.
We knew it would be expensive… and it was. Setting aside some extra cash for this was helpful. I have tips on using savings accounts HERE. Honestly though, I had never had this much fun spending money. I tried to enjoy the process and all of the little, tiny shoes. <3
Week 34: The Week of Overwhelm
EVERYTHING was happening at once. Refinancing work, basement remodel planning, Zonta fundraisers, garage insect infestation, insane back pain… I really felt the pressure this week.
I have a feeling that all expectant parents will have a week that feels this way. Try looking outside yourself to see a more positive perspective. Giving is one thing that always makes me feel more positive.
Week 35: It Got REAL
I bought eggs that expired on my due date. That was a weird feeling. Cue emotional frenzy.
Also, our dresser/changing table FINALLY arrived, and the nursery got organized!
Week 36: Settling In
At this point, most of the financial decisions had been made, purchases were complete, and the nursery expectantly awaited its new resident. All we could do was wait.
My team at Hixon Zuercher Capital Management had a surprise mini baby shower, which I appreciated and enjoyed SO much. Financial planning is such a wonderful industry to work in. Yes, there can be a lot of pressure, but I have found the financial planning community to be very supportive. I really hope more women join me in this career! I spoke at length on this topic in a podcast with The Invested Dads. Give it a listen HERE.
Week 37: Created the “Post Due Date To Do List”
I knew I was at the point where I had to leave work every day ready to not come back for a while. I couldn’t leave loose ends. I was trying to leave things organized for my team. I was so thankful that they would serve clients graciously and confidently in my absence.
At this point, we were living life in eager expectation of her arriving.
It reminded me of those who are waiting for Jesus to return. “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming,” Matthew 24:42.
I also made a list of items that needed attention after Baby Hinks arrived:
- Call the pediatrician
- Call the daycare to inform them of dates
- Add her to my husband’s health insurance plan
- Ensure my husband’s Health Savings Account is switched to a new family coverage (you can contribute more!)
- Ensure the birth certificate and Social Security card are on order
- Open her 529 account
Week 38: Calling it Quits
Well, folks… I think we had planned for about all we could plan for! At this point, my husband and I worried and waited and then worried and waited some more.
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I am very thankful we were proactive in planning, so we didn’t spend the final days scrambling to prepare! Perhaps in the future, I will revisit this blog series with thoughts on what I wished I had done earlier, later, or just differently. In the meantime, I hope this was helpful to some or at least moderately interesting for others!
