He loves the swing, and the mobile, and other battery sucking toys, but we've discovered new applications for non-baby things that have made our lives easier. Babies eat, sleep and poop. Anything you can do to make these three tasks easier to manage is worth the time and money.
* Every bedroom should have a dimmer switch. Instant ambiance, and it makes putting to bed and midnight diaper changing less harsh.
* Get a rocker/glider that is a nice piece of furniture, not baby furniture. I purchased my glider many years ago for reading before I moved out.
* We had issues keeping our baby boy from peeing up the back of his outfits. Every diaper change = outfit change. Tedious. First we bought a bunch more onsies. And now we put a maxi pad across the top of his diaper. Silly, but it works!
* Adult bed in the baby room. Or a futon, which is what we have. If he won't go down, it's easier to plop on the futon and nap with him, especially if his spastic arms keep him up. Some day if we have a second baby, we'll invest in a good twin bed to replace the futon, and eventually give it to Zach when he graduates from the crib.
* Odor eaters. Little canisters with vents and some weird substance inside that absorbs odors. They're in the cleaning aisle of the grocery store or Home Depot. Use next to the diaper pail. 'Nough said.
* Clock radio with CD player. The radio is the only way I keep in touch with the outside world right now, plus Zach can go to sleep to some baroque.
* Blank journal. Use it to record stuff you need to tell the doctor at checkups, and write down your questions because you'll forget. Take it to the doctor's and use it to take notes. I image the journal will be an interesting read later.
* Waterproof pads for the beds. It really sucks to put the baby down on
your bed while you get ready, only to find a big wet spot when you pick him up. Save your mattresses (yours, the crib, the bassinet, the spare bed...) and invest in waterproof, washable pads. I got ours on sale at JCPenny.
* Burp clothes. AKA spit rags. Instead of "designer" baby towels, or even cloth diapers, we opted for a big package of car cleaning towels at Costco. They're bright yellow (stains don't show and they're easy to find) and they're super soft.
* Lots of tubs and baskets. Babies come with lots of stuff. We have a basket downstairs for diaper and clothes changing. Another big tub to rotate out clothes that no longer fit (YES that's happening already!) Tubs for toys. Buckets for bath items. Another emergency diaper basket in the car. I could go on.
* TV + DVD player. Ok, we don't have this yet, but plan to. My laptop works for now. If you're stuck in the baby's room, it's nice to have entertainment. Later Zach can watch his movies and Baby Einsteins without occupying the main TV.
* Dark curtains. We sleep strange hours, as most new parents do. My main sleeping block is from 9am to 2pm. We hung dark curtains in the bedroom to keep the sun out. Or buy a sleeping mask... Sometimes I use both.
* A backpack instead of a diaper bag. We're using a basic bag with several inside mesh pockets, but eventually we'll switch to a laptop backpack. LOTS of pockets. Lots of dividers meant for papers and computer, great for separating diapers from toys from clothes from snacks. Top it off with padded back and straps for long strolls through malls, fairs, zoos and the like. More practical than any diaper bag we've seen, and cheaper than designer garbage. And it's "manly"; my husband can be seen in public with it.
* Tissue at the changing table. To prevent diaper rash, we use tissue to pat him dry before the clean diaper goes on. It's soft and disposable. Perfect.
* Chalk board. We use it to write the baby supply shopping list, to-dos, and to record when we made the last bottle so we know when to toss it. In the first couple weeks, we used it to track feedings and diaper changes until he stabilized. Later Zach can draw on it.
And don't forget all your moment-capturing gadgets: digital camera, digital recorder, photo editing software, scanner, web site for the relatives, and the like. :) Blogger rocks!!
posted by hbt at 4:16 AM
It's my midnight anyway. I guess. I don't know what my "night" is anymore. I don't even keep track of what day it is.
Slowly but surely I'm learning what's it's like to have a child. So far it doesn't compare to any other experience. When Zach and I slipped a step on the stairs yesterday, I was scared in a whole new way. I've never been scared for someone else, forgetting myself completely. My leg could have been broken and I wouldn't have realized it. He was crying and couldn't communicate if he was hurt or just stunned. I had to figure it out. No time for panic, or feeling guilty. And I was afraid to move him until I knew why he was crying. So kept him on the step and nuzzled his face with mine for a minute until he calmed. I figured he'd keep screaming if he was hurt. He stopped. No harm, except to my nerves...
He's a boy. And if he's like other boys, he'll rough and tumble. Heck, if he's like I was, he'll rough and tumble. Who knows how many times I came home bleeding. How many concussions? It's amazing children live through childhood. And now it's my turn to nurse and comfort, and hope and pray he doesn't do anything serious; to let him explore and reach, and go on adventures, like I did. To go against the struggles I already have about over-protecting. How do moms do it? How do they let go?
Geez he's only 7 weeks old. It's a long time before I need to be worrying. :)
posted by hbt at 2:55 AM
Needless to say my life has changed in the last 6 weeks (Zach will be 6 weeks tomorrow). With someone so dependent on us, I've learned to lower my expectations. Not about Zach of course! but about what I can get done.
I'm a multi-tasker from way back. It's natural for me to think 5 steps ahead so I can do things in the most efficient manner, many times out of sequence. That's fine if you're not interrupt driven...well...
My to-do list used to be long. Now I never have more than 2 to-dos on the list at any time. I might have a 3rd or 4th on the back burners of my brain, but they're not on the list. Up through yesterday it was:
1. Taxes
2. Baby announcements
Now it's:
1. Baby announcements
2. Family financial plan
This gets mingled in with house chores, bottle washing, Heather washing and the like. Even then, I set out to do one thing in the house until it's done. Sometimes it takes 2 days to finish the dishes...but hey...they get done.
I find my new system rewarding. I tend to finish more of what I start and I don't feel stressed or rushed (although submitting our tax return at the 11th hour did not give a warm fuzzy). Maybe I'm on to something. Maybe it will all fall apart when I try to rejoin the band? Maybe it will turn to chaos when I return to work? Hard to say.
posted by hbt at 2:02 PM
