With BB's (Baby Bachman's -- and oh, it's a boy!! I don't think I've blogged since we found out!) due date fast approaching, we obviously are going to be in need of baby items.
I've taken somewhat different approaches to baby gear with the last two.
With Reilly, I wanted awesomeness in any way possible. Baby gear out the ass. Did I get it all? No. Of course not. (I'm not THAT spoiled) but I got what I needed and THEN SOME.
With Ophelia, we were so close to moving by the time I had my baby shower that I really only asked for the basics....but I still ended up with stuff that I didn't need or really utilize.
So with BB, I've decided that I don't need anything else other than the basics. I have a lot of stuff left over from Ophelia that I can use -- breast pump, boppy, pack and play (to use as a make shift crib until we can get one that isn't ridiculously expensive OR just a crib...convertible all the way!) a couple of bottles and some "entertain small baby" toys. I also have an entire bin full of blankets (wtf?) and my Moby Wrap. We have the little things too...baby nail clippers? Check. I think we have two sets even. Burp cloths and wash clothswe also have! In abundance (thanks mama!
So I have baby things. I'm not planning on buying a ton for BB. I don't really *need* a whole lot! There are some things though...like almost every baby, you do need some things.
My minimalist list for BB:
-convertible (not infant) car seat. Ophelia hated her infant car seat and we'll be buying a convertible car seat in the not too distant future, so we're opting to invest in one from the get-go.
-double stroller for Ophelia and Bachman. We actually use our stroller a decent amount of the time right now...especially when I walk Reilly down to the bus stop. It will be nice once Bachman gets older too and it isn't comfortable for me to wear him in the Moby wrap.
-cloth diapers. This one I'm a little worried about...I haven't been CDing Ophelia for 2 months or so now. We hit a snag that I needed to take care of (maybe worth a blog post later) and we switched to disposables for Ophelia's sake. I've had a hard time getting back to CDing for a variety of reasons, but I plan on hopefully finding a way to make it work for our family again.
-an acceptable amount of clothing for a BB At least enough clothing for two changes/day if necessary for a week plus a couple outfits for laundry days. Including some jammies. But we live in Hawaii...he doesn't need an abundance of pants or socks or jackets or anything like that.
There will be a couple more things here and there I'm sure...but mostly, this is the list I'm going off of. He'll be a newborn, what the hell else will he need?? Sure, a couple of months after he's born, we might get him an exersaucer (not Ophelia's...because...well...hers is bright pink). It'll probably be nice to have a little play mat at some point too...Ophelia seemed to dig hers for quite some time. But I think instead of buying mostly new (Ophelia's exersaucer was found on Craigs List), we're going to go for mostly used this time around. There are some things that I do want to buy new because both Ophelia and BB will get use out of them. A nice new baby monitor. If our house was one level, I probably wouldn't bother....but its not. And since Ophelia will be moving into her own room before BB comes along, we'll need one for her. Then, when BB moves into his own room. Baby gates are a must. We have one crappy one...I'd like two not so crappy ones. But honestly, that's about it.
Of course, as he (and Ophelia) gets older, he'll need more things. More clothes...or rather, different kinds of clothing (tshirts and shorts instead of onsies), shoes and socks, pants and jackets when we move back to the mainland. But in the first year, Ophelia didn't really need a whole lot. She didn't need a new outfit for every single day. I actually liked just letting her hang out in stained clothes if we were just gonna be at home...why not? The likelihood of her getting MORE stains on them was pretty huge...so instead of ruining new clothes, she can just ruin old, already ruined clothes! With the abundance of toys Ophelia has collected over the last year, I won't need to buy much. I don't need twenty million binkies hanging around my house -- unless BB turns out to be a binky baby, which Ophelia wasn't. Then maybe we'll have like, five. I'll be breastfeeding 99% of the time again, so we won't need an entire stash of bottles...just a couple for here and there times....like when my parents and inlaws come to visit and maybe the husband and I can have date night.
Plus, I'm on this minimalist kick anyway. I look around my house and I get irritated. I don't want to clean up the house because it'll be cluttered again in 20 minutes (not an exaggeration either). I have a list of things to start minimizing and BB's stuff will be an on-going project until he's born....and then after -- along with the girls.
If I can actually take the time to sit down and blog...which...I seem to keep promising...and failing miserably at...I might write about my new minimalist obsession and what I plan on doing about it. I have lists and plans...and they might get done in a timely manner. Especially with Christmas around the corner. Yeesh.
So that's my plan for BB.
Are you a minimalist mom or do you need all the awesome gadgets for a new baby? And yes some of them are pretty awesome. Someone them....not so much. Like the "baby keurig"...that makes a bottle of formula for you. Seems like a waste of counter space to me. Though...maybe that's why I (now) consider myself a minimalist mom...I don't need that kinda stuff.
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