Hey Guys!
This week my baby shower invitations are going out in the mail. For first-time parents, figuring out all the things you will need is a lot of work! There are so many different “tools” these days for child rearing that didn’t exist before, as my husband says. This is true— but a lot of these things exist to make our lives as parents easier, and more comfortable. Some of the items out there are definitely not needed, so we tried to keep it simple and stick to needs.
I was looking forward to registering because it made things feel real, and was kind of fun. Tim on the other hand is Type A— a planner through and through. He really took his time researching safety, reviews, etc. when it came to car seats, strollers, swings, etc. He couldn’t care less about the “fun” of it. :) There are some things worth not skimping on. I knew I wanted a stroller that I can jog with, so having easy navigation and a front wheel rather than four corner wheels was my must-haves. I will be off work for a couple months during the summer, and I plan to take the baby for walks whenever I can for fresh air for us both, and exercise for me! We decided to go with a travel system so that we can move the car seat from a base, right into a stroller without having to re-install the car seat each time. I’ll have a base in my car, Tim will have a base in his, and my mom will likely have one in her car to make it all very simple. Side-note: I work for a health care system that has a children’s hospital. They do car seat checks and installations a few times a year for the public. Did you know— it’s estimated that just over 70 percent of car seats in the U.S. are incorrectly installed by parents?
We approached our registry with a game plan. We didn’t want to register at the most expensive places because we don’t want to impose too much on our friends and family. Most items we wanted, we were able to find a suitable replacement for, with the exception of the big ticket items. We registered for only what we thought we would NEED, not what was cute or what we wanted. We are also being given some items that are only used for a few months during infancy, which saves our friends and family, and us, from buying more. We also saved a lot of money by registering at Amazon.com for the high dollar items that are eligible for free shipping! Yep, Amazon.com has a baby registry— who knew?
Picking out the baby’s room theme was kind of fun. We kept it simple. We already have the baby’s room painted a neutral color, and we didn’t want to repaint it. We picked a simple green and white polka dot with brown monkey faces from Babies “R” Us. Things are coming along and I’m getting in “nesting” mode! We just started finishing our basement to increase our living space, and once that is done I can move stuff down there and begin on the baby’s room. I am itching to get started on it! It will be so nice when it’s done! I was just standing in the room thinking of how different it is going to look in a few months. He is not even here yet and has half a wardrobe and is loved beyond measure! Had to choke back a few tears thinking of how much life can change in the blink of an eye.
I’m officially in my last trimester now! I can’t believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by. I have another appointment next week, and then after that I think it’s the standard to go every two weeks until two weeks before baby’s due date! It’s strange to think the baby could be here in less than three months! That’s just a contest prep away. My how life has changed.
Here is a pic of me at 28 weeks, starting my 3rd trimester, and me popping a wheelie in our stroller of choice in Babies “R” Us! LOL! I got to park in stork parking, too. Fun times. :)
Till next time!
Becca
