Diamonds, Vacations and Cars or Kids?

According to the USDA it costs between $11,600 and $13,500 to raise a child (annual expenditures) in a middle-income two-parent two-child home. Of course this figure can be higher and lower, but if you do the math (and some research) it costs roughly $250,000+ to raise a child from birth to age 18. This does not include any college-related expenses.

Why am I writing about this, you ask? I got the Explanation of Benefits from our insurance company which explains (basically) how fricken expensive it is to have a child.

Let's review the bill I have in front of me:

$3400.00 for 9 months of Obstetrical Care
$1872.00 for a private post-partum room
$373.00 for post-partum drugs
$231.00 for Med/Surg Supplies
$974.00 for Lab Services
$4799.00 for Delivery Room (I knew that I should have delivered in the car!!)
$11,700.00 is (roughly) the total amount that we were billed. (Seriously?)

First let me say that that I am extremely grateful that we have jobs and insurance and that I had access to the best OB care. I am in no way complaining and I would not have done it another way but WHOA - the shock factor is off the charts. I bet if I asked our grandmas what it costs to deliver our parents they would either say "Cost? Free! We did it at home!" or "$100." (Or something crazy like that.) I know neither of them would say: $11,700.00! Yikes.

(I should mention that if David was writing this post he would have titled it "Bass boat or Kids?".)

Anyway - can you put a price on these faces?

Hannah Grace at 3 weeks + 2 days (COST: $11,700.00)

Big brother Blaine helping Hannah with her tummy time. (COST: I stopped keeping track after we hit the $30,500 mark...)