1m2aSandbox

Ok – you’ve hit the store several times, had many fights – er – discussions with your spouse, and narrowed down your list.  You’ve got your spread sheet going of the general item you want, the brand you’re thinking about, and where it’s competitively priced.  Or is that just me?  At any rate, time to register!  (Speaking of time, it goes faster than you think.  We started working on our list around 5 months.  First off, we argue a lot over what to get and that takes time.  Second off, a couple things we wanted – the crib and the chair – need to be ordered TWELVE WEEKS ahead of time.  So we needed to get those picked and ordered, which we did while we worked on the registry.)
 
What should be on your list?  I’m not going to cover everything; there’s a ton of books out there that print handy lists for you.  But here are some highlights you might not think of, as well as some things I’d advise against.  If I’ve got a favorite brand or style, I’ve linked to it so you can see what I’m talking about.  I recommend some expensive items, but I promise I’ve done the research and think they’re worth it.  Which leads me to one final tip-

Congratulations!  You’re pregnant.  Now comes the hard part.
 
Nope, not talking about labor.  Not talking about raising your kids right.  Not talking about saving for college (though good luck with that!)
 
I’m talking about the daunting task of creating your baby registry.
 
When I was pregnant, I was initially ecstatic at the idea of “having” to go through a shopping experience.  Not knowing anything about baby gear didn’t phase me one bit; I was sure that with my thorough research habits, I’d have no trouble quickly narrowing down to the best of each category.  Unfortunately, no one told me the sheer volume of gear you’ll need, or more importantly, that I’d have no idea what most of it was for.  I clearly had my work cut out for me.

I’ve got a cold right now, and I’m really jonesing for a big shot of Nyquil.  I can barely even remember the taste of it, but I remember that drowsy, slightly slow feeling that came with it, and I really remember how it kept me from waking up throughout the night, feeling lousy.  I can’t even open my medicine cabinet for fear of seeing the tempting big cherry bottle.
 
I’ve been off Nyquil – and just about every other over-the-counter medicine you could name – for seventeen months now, not that I’m counting.  When I called my friend Abby and told her I was pregnant, I asked her sort of medicines I should start to watch out for.  She laughed, and said, “Welcome to the mother’s medicine cabinet – Tylenol and Tums.”

The Christmas I was pregnant I asked Santa for a couple items I thought no mom should be without – a super-sized electric griddle and a deep fat fryer.  I was sure the fryer would make me the coolest mom on the block, and the griddle conjured up pictures of sleepy weekend mornings, a big pile of steaming pancakes, and the family sitting around the dining table enjoying a leisurely brunch.
 
That picture came partially true recently; we got socked with that New York blizzard this weekend, and were forced (!) to stay home for a good 24 hours.  Honestly, is there anything better than being snowed in with a full freezer, a warm house, and nowhere to have to go?

The answer is yes – all of the above, plus a baby girl who is experiencing a blizzard for the first time.

We recently went on a church overnight retreat, and I have to say that Maddie was the belle of the ball.  For all her separation anxiety, she’s getting pretty relaxed about being held by other people; as long as I’m within eyeshot, she’s content to be passed around, removing eyeglasses and squeezing noses on pretty much anybody.
 
And when I say pretty much anybody, I mean pretty much anybody except our pastor.

I have to say that for an eight-month-old, my kid’s got a pretty impressive resume of talents.

Truly, if all of her remarkable skills were documented, Disney and the like would be lined up around the block trying to hire her.

Here’s just a sampling of her special skills –

Moving to a new city is never easy.  The packing, the house-selling, the forwarding of your mail and loading up of your car are just preludes to the mess awaiting you at the other end: the unpacking and finding half your dishes broken; the unpacking and never finding your favorite (fill in the blank); the searching for a local grocery store, opening a bank account, and so on.  Add kids to the mix and the work multiplies ten-fold.  You’re incredibly busy helping your kids get settled in their new rooms, talking them through missing their friends, but you can’t help but wonder where the Mommy is to help you with your transition!
 
Where is your group of local girlfriends to give you the scoop on the best pediatrician that takes insurance and squeezes you in at the last minute?  How will you find the gals who will tell you how big your kiddo’s getting, and how notice how many more tricks he can do this week than last?  Being a mom in a new city can be lonely and overwhelming, and you may have no idea how to start making connections. 

Two of my friends moved last year, both while pregnant and raising a toddler at the same time.  I went to them to find out how they started getting plugged in to their community.  It turns out there are some great national organizations out there, as well as many easy and free (!!) activities you can do to help bring you in contact with other parents.  These may seem obvious to some of you, but I know what mommy brain can do to a girl, so they’re listed anyway.