Another expense was a larger house and all the expenses that come with it - we needed 1an additional room in the house to be able to put the kids in it. The bigger house comes with its own higher expenses such as higher property taxes, utility bills, etc. Utility bills was a bit of an unexpected one for us since now there is someone (a nanny+kids) home all the time, the bills are naturally higher (versus my husband and I being at work all day long).
There are some one-time expenses as well, such as crib, crib mattresses, linens, stroller, car seats, high chair, baby thermometer, breast pumpcarrier, formularocking chair, breast pump*, formula*, playpen*, swing*, bouncer***, etc. Lots of optional things - but people usually also purchase baby plates, spoons, and cutlery (nobody wants ruined dishes). Of course there is also the diapers and the wipes, regardless of whether or not you are using cloth or disposable diapers. Not to forget the incredible amount of toys, books, and educational material that parents end up purchasing for their children ("but they need books!"). Lots of parent also invest in expensive cameras or for professional photographers for their babies when they are younger. I didn't even get our wedding pictures in print, but we've got baby pictures all over the house. Even if you don't get them, there will be grandparents and great-grandparents asking for them. Also, do you like taking videos of your child? If you don't have a video camera, that'll be another expense.
There are also little items that just add up: are you going to be purchasing baby thermometer, baby toothbrush, baby toothpaste, baby lotions, baby towels, baby blankets, baby diaper bag, baby bottles, baby dishes, baby cutlery, baby snack containers, baby food, etc? These can all be "optional", but many parents do purchase these items - and small items add up.
Baby clothing can be fairly inexpensive if acquired second-hand, but babies grow pretty fast. Our little one has a bigger collection of shoes than I do - and she only ever has two pairs that fit her at any time (sandals for summer/boots for winter + sneakers). It's also astounding how quickly they grow out of their clothes - it's not long before that extra-long-dress that used to go past her knees will look like a t-shirt or a mini-skirt gone wrong. Also, you are looking at purchasing fall jackets, winter coats, swim suits, life jacket - nearly every season. This adds upOh and weddings - invited to your brother's wedding and your little one is the flower girl? You'll be spending more than a couple of dollars on that dress and shoes.
On the topic of clothing, don't forget that the mother is going to new a brand-new wardrobe. She will need maternity clothes no matter what, and even more so if she continues to work during her pregnancy. Post-pregnancy, it can take a few months for the mother to go back to her normal clothes - so she'll need those "in-between" clothes too. Some mothers take longer to lose the weight, at which point she'll need a new wardrobe. It is not uncommon for women's feet to grow permanently post-pregnancy, so she may need new shoes. I also had the minor expense of getting my wedding ring resized because my hands are just...fatter now.
