From the womb to a room
This baby will be the first (and only) one of our children to come home from the hospital to an actual bedroom that is his and his alone.
When Tacy was born, we were still living in the city – a one-bedroom apartment mere blocks from the hospital. Her cradle – not that she ever slept in it – barely fit next to my dresser. Her clothes were piled – neatly, but piled nonetheless – on the window heating/air-conditioning unit. We changed her diapers on our bed. The Boppy sat on the futon in the living room and was most often occupied by a cat instead of a baby. Every time we opened the front door, we crashed into that stupid behemoth of a stroller, also known as a Graco Travel System.
Less than two months later, we moved to a two-bedroom apartment with one of the most spacious second bedrooms we’d seen. It was practically a palace, albeit an over-furnished one. By the time we moved out, that bedroom contained a crib, a double bed, a night table, a dresser, a bookshelf, an overstuffed chair, a kids’ table and four chairs, and a Pottery Barn Kids kitchen (refrigerator and stove combo). And last, but not least, it contained another baby – CJ.
CJ was fortunate enough to come home to clothes that actually resided in drawers, a changing pad on top of the dresser (not a fan of changing tables whether I have sufficient space for one or not), and a Snap-and-Go stroller frame to accommodate her carseat. Not only did we have more room for her, but we’d learned a few things from our earlier mistakes.
Less than three months later, we moved across the country to a house where we had more bedrooms than people to occupy them. But instead of planning to fill them up with children, we staked out a guest suite in the basement and bought a beautiful desk for what would be the upstairs office. And for two years, it was the office.
Until I peed on the stick – not because I thought I was pregnant, but just to cover my bases before demanding bloodwork – and realized that we were going to need that office as a bedroom after all.
Sure, there are a million other requirements that have been popping into my mind over the past several months – especially since we’d packed up the last of the baby items for Kyle’s older brother only a few weeks before I peed on the stick – but for once, the major question of “Where will the baby sleep?” was easily and satisfactorily answered.
And that’s hugely reassuring. Because now I can put my lessons learned to good use and focus on shopping for all of the fun stuff.
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Speaking of fun stuff, I absolutely positively have to give a public shout-out to Kristen and Liz and the Cool Mom Picks sponsors who have conspired to put together this incredible assortment of luxuries (top left column – you can’t miss it). Seriously, I still have to pick up my jaw from off the floor each time I read through it. But the reason you should care is that you can win the exact. same. stuff. if you sign up for the monthly CMP newsletter between now and the day I give birth for the final time end of January.
Oh, and the other reason to care is that the CMP newsletter (heck, the whole site itself) is packed with stuff that – I’m not kidding – will make people come up to you and ask, “Where did you get THAT?!” You know, if you get a kick out of that sort of thing. And it doesn’t matter if you’re not a mom either, because there are plenty of picks that have absolutely zero to do with motherhood or children.
So go. Sign up. You won’t be sorry.
January 4th, 2008 at 7:59 am
giving away the baby stuff is always the kiss of death. Not long before I found out I was pregnant I sold our double stroller
January 4th, 2008 at 8:13 am
And how much cool stuff is in that boy’s room? I want pictures!
January 4th, 2008 at 9:00 am
The minute my cousin gave away the crib, carseat and maternity clothes she became pregnant with her third kid. The only insurance I trust? A vasectomy.
January 4th, 2008 at 9:34 am
We’re still not sure if we’re having another, but half our attic space is filled with baby gear just in case.
Had to sign up for the CMP newsletter because that is the most amazing list of goodies they’re giving away. Ever.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:00 am
I’m already signed up, but damn I’d love some of that stuff!
I’ve given away a few things already as Mira has outgrown them. I’m scared to give everything away, though, for fear of another child.
Can’t wait to see pictures of the new baby’s room!
January 4th, 2008 at 11:41 am
That boy is going to be swankified FOR SURE
January 4th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Oooh yes, nursery pictures would be awesome. Also, when I was born my parents lived in a one bedroom apartment and I didn’t even come home to a crib. No, they were so unprepared because those 37 weeks before gave no indication that an actual baby was coming; so I ended up spending my first six days in a DRAWER. Seriously.
They made up for it a few years later buy providing me with a queen sized bed and a room of my very own.
January 4th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Good thing he’ll have his own bed. I put my last two in the bed with hubs and me and now they won’t go away. Yeesh!!
January 4th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Shower the people you love with love.
January 4th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
And a lovely guest suite it is!