The host for this weeks Wot So Funee is Stressy Mummy, you can find the linky here >>>

Things have a tendancy to be a bit literal in our house.Many of the girls teddy bears and dolls have very literal names, such as Panda, Flat Bear, Rainbow Bear and her favourite Pink Dolly (you get the idea), so the other day the little one was asking for "fat dolly" and I was a bit concerned.

To my knowledge, we don't have a "fat dolly", nor would I encourage the girls naming anything as such but she does have two pink dolly's (there *may* have been an occasion where one got lost and we had to get an emergency one!) so I pressed her a little further. She looked at me (like I was crazy) and said "you know mommy, the new pink dolly with the fat hat". It transpires that the new dolly's hat is more "plump" than the old one and as such is now being preferred to as fat dolly!

I am still not entirely sure whether this is funee or not!

But her most humorous moment this week has to be while she was playing at my Mom and Dad's house and she was running around in the garden. She came into the house and her hair looked wild. It was sticky and when I looked closer there was a wasp stuck in her hair. I was horrified and said "where have you been to get a wasp in your hair?"

Her reply?

Waspland!

I literally had no reply for that.

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There is an obsession with stickers in our house. Although I think this *may* not be isolated to our house, so when a bright yellow envelope drops through the letterbox there is a flurry of excitement as the envelope is opened. It is addressed to the littlest member of the family, who doesn't really get very much post but she now knows the envelope design and can't wait to rip it open to see what is inside.

The Sticker Club is a weekly subscription service that was created by two dads who noticed the desire to move back towards traditional, creative play. There is no denying that with everything being done online these days, children still love receiving their own mail through the postbox and the cool design makes it unmissable.

Each week there is a different selection of stickers to choose from and although the stickers come for the little one, there is always something that the tween covets.

The stickers have been made into pictures, cards and frequently found on varying pieces of furniture or doors but I love the creativity they help to develop, the imagination they help to inspire (and maybe the half an hours peace it also helps to give me whenever they arrive).

Presently priced at £1.99 per week, they may not be the cheapest stickers you will find but the designs are fabulous, the service is great and it is less than the cost of certain fast food restuarants children's meals and is much more educational, fun and certainly less calories!

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Our baby blogger has some exciting news. 

She is expecting another baby, in December, so it is going to be an even more exciting festive season.

So when you have told everyone the good news and you’re eagerly anticipating the arrival of your baby, it is easy to let money worries cloud your joy but by taking a few simple steps to think about your baby budget – before baby arrives and during that first year – can really help to ease the pressure.

Crucially, talk about your budget and plan together – a new baby and financial challenges can place pressure on a relationship. Having a shared understanding of exactly where you stand can make you feel more in control, visit www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk for loads of useful information on budgeting for baby.

Getting ready for baby

It can be tempting to buy the best of everything for your impending arrival – but babies often use equipment for such a short time, that good quality second hand furniture and accessories can do the job just as well. Look on eBay or local selling sites, and even let family and friends know you’re on the lookout for good quality pre-loved baby goods – you’ll probably be amazed at what people have lying around waiting for a good home! The National Childbirth Trust holds regular local sales of good as new equipment, clothes and toys. To find your local group and sale visit www.nct.org.uk.

Also, take this time to fully understand the maternity and paternity benefits available to you from your employer. All Mums are entitled to time off for antenatal appointments and free NHS prescriptions and dental care will kick in.

A good way to start planning your new budget is to use the free, online baby costs calculator which is available from the Money Advice Service.

The first year

It’s likely that one of you will be taking time off during the first year and, unless you’re very lucky and your company has an amazing occupational maternity programme, you’re likely to notice a dip in salary. From April 2015, the government is introducing a more flexible approach to parental leave, in which mum and dad can share the entitlement. With more than 40% of women in the UK now the major breadwinner in the household, this new arrangement could help you flex the leave and make the most of your money.

If you do go back to work, you’ll need to access childcare. In a survey carried out by the charity Family Action this was the biggest unexpected cost facing parents. With part-time care now costing more than the average mortgage, make sure you factor this in to your budget. You may be entitled to help with the costs of childcare, through childcare vouchers or tax credits. Find information on your entitlements at www.gov.uk.

Sorting your baby budget may not stop the sleepless nights, or help you know exactly what to do with your new little person, but at least it’s one less thing to worry about.

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This is a collaborative post.

This week's Wot So Funee Linky is being hosted by the very lovely Stressy Mummy.

I am beginning to think I need to carry a video camera round with me, so I can capture the funny moments that happen throughout the week as I never feel I ever do them justice when trying to recall them. For some reason, it has been an amusing week this week (despite some bridesmaid troubles and other wedding drama going on) but we have had a couple of very funny times.

I always seem to be laden with bags, whether it is my laptop, handbag, shopping bags, kids school bags, or lunch bags, even my eldest has started copying me and said the other day "Mom, I look like a bag lady" (I clearly use that phrase far too often) but then the little one jumped on the bandwagon and when she was asked to help carry her own bag the other day, her reply was simply "Mommy, I don't have enough hands!". 

That told me didn't it?

Out of said shopping bags came our regular fruit purchases, having recently become obsessed with juicing, we are purchasing fruit like it is going out of fashion but the little one has adopted some very strange habits since we have had more fruit accessible to her. She has a penchant for lemons and will quite happily sit sucking (or licking) a lemon whilst playing (I know, she is strange isn't she?) but when we didn't have any lemons left, I found her mooching in the fridge for something else. I asked what she wanted and she turned round with a triumphant grin on her face, saying "Mommy, it's okay I will have a slime instead". Is it wrong that I didn't correct her?

*Disclaimer: I don't keep slime in the fridge!*