Getting Ready for Baby

I had a fabulous weekend! It turns out that visiting with my Mom was just what I needed to relax and refocus. Regardless of how old I get, I guess I will always need my Mom.

With her help (and some valuable assistance from Robby as well) I feel like I have finally made some progress towards baby preparations. Although I am trying to be patient, Scott's dental phobia has usurped all of the focus in our house. Although I've tried to discuss the baby and what we need to accomplish before his/her arrival, he has not been able to wrap his mind around anything beyond his dental phobia. I recognize that he has been doing his best, but I have been feeling isolated and alone throughout much of this pregnancy. Thankfully, my Mom was more than willing to hear all of my plans for the baby.

Saturday afternoon we all went to Babies R Us with one goal in mind: to make a registry list of everything that we need (or in some cases want) for the baby. It has been almost 8 years since Robby was born. During that time, I have lent or given away the majority of my baby things. I have more experience with this baby, but in many ways I feel like a first time Mom who is starting from scratch. Needless to say, each time I tried to wrap my head around what was needed, I felt overwhelmed. 

With Robby in control of the scanner, we went up and down each aisle. He dutifully scanned the items I selected and was extremely patient with both my Mom and me. I was worried that he would become jealous of our preparing for the baby, but the opposite occurred. The experience actually enhanced his enthusiasm about being a big brother.  There is nothing like shopping for Robby to become excited!

He was diligent about scanning everything we asked, but he certainly did not hesitate to scan items of his choosing. Let's just say that this baby is going to have to like turtles! From blankets and bibs to toys and pacifiers, if a turtle option was available, it was scanned.  Robby demonstrated radar-like abilities as he spotted the turtle products throughout the store, even when it was hidden from plain view.

Only on one occasion did Robby look beyond turtles. He found a crib swing which featured a robotic-like functionality and was enthralled!  "Momom, you can just put the baby in here and the swing will do all of the work. It's like you won't even have to be there and the swing will take care of the baby. That's definitely going to be helpful."  I didn't have the heart to burst his bubble by explaining that no piece of equipment will ever completely take care of the baby.  Instead, I let him scan the swing. After he scanned it, he optimistically smiled and said, "You never know. We might get lucky. This swing will do everything automatically. Just put the baby in the seat and you're done." I fear he is in for a shocking revelation when the little one finally arrives.

I devised the list from a functionality perspective while Robby only considered aesthetics (turtles). My Mom was there to remind me of the practical items, such as bottles and wipes that somehow have slipped my mind during the baby planning process.  Between the three of us, we managed to create a fairly comprehensive list and I left the store more excited than ever about meeting the baby. It was empowering to finally feel like I have begun planning for our newest little miracle.

With the registry complete, I was feeling energized and decided to tackle another looming task. My wardrobe has been limited to a pair of maternity jeans, one pair of slacks, two sweaters and a handful of Scott's big sport jerseys. Although quasi-functional, I have certainly not been fashionable. With my time in the office increasing, always wearing the same clothes was becoming embarrassing. I knew that I would feel better about myself if I had a slightly larger maternity wardrobe, so we decided to tackle the mall.

It turns out that the selection of maternity clothes is sparse, but we finally managed to find some cute shirts and a skirt to supplement my wardrobe. For the first time during this pregnancy, I am actually feeling pretty again. It's amazing what a few new shirts can do to buoy my self-esteem.

I arrived at my Mom's house feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and exhausted. I was able to sleep in, enjoyed being pampered and accomplished quite a bit. While I know we still have a lot to do before the baby arrives, it feels great to have officially started the preparations!