Here's some stuff I wrote before she had a shower for us:
I am finding registering/planning for baby stuff to be a VASTLY different experience this time around. Far less stressful and far less overwhelming.
When you register for stuff with your first baby, all of the stores give you these suggestion lists of the stuff that you absolutely must have. And, you have friends or bloggers that you follow who make their own recommendations of stuff you need. All the while, you're sitting in your quite small Boston apartment trying to figure out where in the world all of these must-haves will fit. It's really overwhelming, because you've never had a baby before and have no idea what will actually be beneficial for your family. Since that first round of baby-ing, we've discovered that it is an ongoing process that requires trial and error; it's different for every family and every living situation. Something about that is freeing, I think.
I can't tell you how many times Brad and I have commented about how grateful we are that we had Claire while living in a small apartment in Boston. It curtailed our acquisition of baby paraphernalia quite a lot, due to the small space we lived in and the kind of life we lived (very pedestrian and mobile). Most all of our baby things needed to be smaller or travel-size so that we could fit them into our apartment and could move them around town easily. We had to restrict those non-essentials because we didn't have places to store things, and life itself was so expensive that we had to make specific choices that would save us money long-term. That's why we ended up with:
*a mini-crib, rather than a full-sized crib (which Claire slept in from the day she came home from the hospital until she was 2.5). Totally a must for us in our little apartment; we literally had no floor space anywhere in the apartment to accommodate a full-sized crib. It fit our floor space, and she was really comfortable the whole time. (It had a bassinet setting, so the first few weeks/months weren't too different than folks who do a bassinet/co-sleeper followed by a regular crib.)
*a non-infant-carrier car seat (we went with this one that is approved for infants up through 40 lbs) because a) we were in our car so rarely that we didn't want to have to buy a bigger one after such a short usage and b) there was very little draw in having an infant carrier to have to lug with us when we were walking around Boston. There was never any way to tell how far away you might have to park from your destination, so carrying a bulky carrier might not be a great option. She looked incredibly tiny in that car seat when she was an itty bitty, but she grew into it quickly (and we still use it in the CR-V).
*wearable baby carriers that we used religiously. We used a Baby Bjorn (bought for $10 off Craigslist- in excellent condition) when she was really little and was worn in the front and then an Ergo 360 ($40 off Craigslist) as she got bigger. I carried her in the Ergo until she was almost 2, y'all (on my back). Using our more long-lasting car seat in conjunction with our wearable carriers worked so much better for us than an infant car seat/carrier combo. Brad and I both carried Claire in those wearable carriers comfortably the entire time. We walked all over Boston (including climbing to the top of the Bunker Hill monument), Universal Studios, grocery stores, and even the house when she was little and fussy or when I had to go into the basement to do laundry. I consider them must-haves for our lifestyle.
*a no-fuss, bare bones baby bouncy seat and collapsible, travel-size swing. Neither are our style or particularly cute for little girls, but they were free to us from some friends who were cleaning out their baby stuff. They were Boston friends, so they knew the value of a small footprint. Claire loved the swing and was meh about the bouncy seat. We'll see what New Baby thinks. We're planning to reuse those same hand-me-downs, rather than investing in new ones.
*cloth diapers. I've written about these before on many occasions, so you know how much I love them. They saved us much money. Even better, they will save us much more when used for Boswell Baby, Round 2 (although they most likely will not fit for 3-4 months).
*a Joovy jogging stroller. The sidewalks in Boston + the cobblestones are hard on strollers, so we went with a super sturdy stroller (that Brad could also take with him on his runs over at the reservoir). It also worked for us because we didn't need a stroller that adapted for an infant carrier carseat (see above). We LOVE our stroller. So much. It was such a good baby gear decision. It might be a bit bulkier than other strollers, perhaps, but we consider the bulk worth it.
*a Blooming Bath. This baby "bath tub" is a) cute b) collapsible/squishable/packaway-able. We used it in our sink in Boston for a looooong time and then used it in a laundry basket in the tub until Bear was big enough to sit up in the laundry basket on her own. We loved it. So much.
For New Baby, we're planning to reuse basically everything we already have. Obviously, we'll buy her a new mattress for the crib (safety before penny-pinching). We also decided that- for this phase/location of our life- we did want an infant-carrier car seat this time (which Brad's aunt so sweetly got for us). And, we're adding a double stroller (this sit-and-stand version), which my parents (in conjunction with my aunt's bargain-hunting superpower) got for us (you know, with future trips to Universal in mind!). And, because I don't want to feel like I'm giving my new baby the shaft just because she happened to be born second, I'm planning to get her a new Wubbanub (assuming she takes a paci) and perhaps her own swaddle blankets that I pick out specifically for her. Other than those things, I primarily registered for very useful things: disposable diapers for the first couple of months (Claire's tiny booty didn't fit into her cloth diapers for almost 4 months, and we always keep disposables on hand even when using cloth because sometimes you just need them), baby wipes (although we use cloth wipes when using cloth diapers, we ALWAYS have baby wipes on hand. They are so valuable.), nursing pads, diaper cream, and a few other incidentals like that. Stuff that we know we'll need for the first few months.
Maybe we'll add a few more things here and there, but that's the plan currently. We also made sure that one of the registries is at Target, so that we can get Ebates rebates when we order online. ;) We're crafty like that. And don't worry too much about New Baby; she may not be getting lots of new gear and she may not have a name yet, but we have been working on a few special projects just for her. I'll try to keep you posted.
Ok, I wrote that a few weeks ago before we had a baby shower. So, here's some stuff about the shower!
A few weeks ago, my friend, Katie (by the way, I have three good friends named Katie in Durham!), told me she wanted to host a baby shower for me. I had mixed feelings about it BECAUSE a) that is so sweet and kind! and b) I'm the world's most awkward person to host a shower for. Seriously. I am so so awkward at showers. I'm terrible at making guest lists, and I never know how to respond appropriately to people being so kind and generous. It took me a while (combined with lots of stressing and sweating) to compile a guest list. Katie sensed my anxiety and suggested that we make it a couples'/family shower so that Brad could be a part, and we could make it super casual and laidback. She also suggested we do it the Sunday after Claire's birthday party so that our parents could join (she's so thoughtful. I'm super lucky to have her as a friend.). It was a perfect solution, and we were able to knock out a guest list much more easily after that had been decided. WHEW.
Since we don't really need too much stuff (ahem, see allll of the above), we decided to do a diaper/wipes shower (again: we won't be getting into the cloth diapers immediately). And honestly, the shower could not have been a more perfect fit for us at this juncture in our lives.
*Moment of vulnerability: one of the reasons I was SO NERVOUS about this shower is the fact that we don't have as many friends here as we've had in our previous locations. I was so worried that no one would show up or that no one we invited would want to come or things along those lines. And guess what? It turned out to be an incredible moment in which God reminded me so sweetly that He has, indeed, been providing us with friends...even if things don't look exactly like I expect them to.*
We had such a fun group of folks show up (even two families who originally thought they wouldn't be able to make it), and Katie's planning for the shower was spot on. I told her afterwards how perfect I thought it was, and she said, "You know, every step of the way, I thought to myself, 'Would Erin like this?' and tried to think it through like you would. Which is also probably how I would. I'm glad you liked it." It's so nice to have a friend that knows me. This planning even included a very low-key Opening of the Gifts, so that I didn't have to be Awkward Erin in front of everyone. PERFECT.
She had the cutest picnic/barbecue/cookout decorations, since it was a cookout-type event. So Pinterest-worthy. Two other friends, when invited, had volunteered to contribute (which warmed my heart), so the food spread was beautiful and impressive: hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, veggies, fruit, and dessert. Oh, and we ended up having it at our house, instead of Katie's, because it was her children who ended up with pink eye (see previous post). BLESS. They missed two parties in one weekend. I felt so sad for them. However, it was a perfect back-up situation, seeing as how our house was already party-ready because of Claire's party the day before.
Knowing that we still haven't chosen a name for New Baby, the game that she came up with was hilarious: all of the guests wrote down names (seriously or silly) and put them in a cup. Brad and I then drew out two names at a time, giving us multiple first-middle combination options. It was really funny...and some of the names were legitimately good!
It ended up being a really wonderful afternoon, filled with fun and friends. Also, we got a nice haul of diapers and wipes (plus a gift card or two). Obviously, we realize that the diapers will last us a few weeks tops, but HEY. Every. Diaper. Counts.
Now, I only have a few pictures from the shower (and I only have them because my mom thought to snap a few- thanks, Mom!), but I hope you get an idea of how thoughtful Katie was in her planning. Enjoy! (And I hope everyone has a friend like Katie in their lives.)
Condiments in mason jars.
So fun and picnic-y. Also, Katie's outfit even coordinated with the decor. It was so cute.
Where guests picked up their plates and utensils.
Claire and a friend at our dining room table.
Name options pulled from the cup. Please notice that someone put it the names Nicaea and Chalcedony. Those were just to give Brad a giggle, given that they're from his wheelhouse. And NO, we are not using them.
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