The List
I don't know about you, but my wife loves making lists. Whether it's for groceries, packing for travel, restaurants we want to try, chores, etc., it is all about "the list". I'm not complaining – I think lists are a good thing. They keep you organized, on track and less likely to forget. Being new to the whole parenting thing, having a list (or many) actually provides some comfort. It gives a bit of confidence in believing you actually know what the hell you are doing and what you need to bring this new person into the world (spoiler alert, you really don't).
The first list was inspired by a friend of my wife's who had two small children. They went to a few stores like Babies "R" Us and she pointed out all the essentials we would need and the "don't waste your time and money on that" items. It was very helpful and I suggest that all soon to be parents leverage the knowledge and experience of a friend or relative who has recently had children. We had also done some shopping/investigating on our own for things like strollers. There is an entire world out there dedicated to strollers. I'm really glad we did this on our own as picking out a stroller is dependent on your lifestyle and how you see yourselves using it, which your friend or relative may see differently. All of this knowledge was an excellent starting point to developing a list of items for the baby shower.
The second list for us was for the baby's room. You'd be surprised at the number of items you need to do and buy for a baby's room. Add to it the decorating items and this list can get substantial. If you add "do it yourself" projects for the room and you're looking at a list the size of a bar tab of an NHL Stanley Cup championship team.
The first list was inspired by a friend of my wife's who had two small children. They went to a few stores like Babies "R" Us and she pointed out all the essentials we would need and the "don't waste your time and money on that" items. It was very helpful and I suggest that all soon to be parents leverage the knowledge and experience of a friend or relative who has recently had children. We had also done some shopping/investigating on our own for things like strollers. There is an entire world out there dedicated to strollers. I'm really glad we did this on our own as picking out a stroller is dependent on your lifestyle and how you see yourselves using it, which your friend or relative may see differently. All of this knowledge was an excellent starting point to developing a list of items for the baby shower.
The second list for us was for the baby's room. You'd be surprised at the number of items you need to do and buy for a baby's room. Add to it the decorating items and this list can get substantial. If you add "do it yourself" projects for the room and you're looking at a list the size of a bar tab of an NHL Stanley Cup championship team.
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| Bar Tab - Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins June 2011 |
My wife's style is great, and she chose a simple but elegant colour for the room and decided that we could give the room some colour with the accessories and decorative items. I'm happy to say that we are about 90% done.
I'm also a little annoyed because some friends of ours who have three kids recently told us they barely used all the stuff in the baby’s room – the ottoman in the family room became their changing table and the couch their feeding chair. I guess it's better to have options for when the time comes for us.
The third list that we need to make is the hospital bag. I've been given a lot of suggestions for this particular list, and being a fairly light packer for all things I'm curious to see how many items in the hospital bag will actually get used. But again I'll take the cautious approach of better to have it and not use it than to not have it and need it. In doing some research on what to pack I came across a list that had over 41 items. I cross-referenced that list with one we received from our prenatal class and noticed there were about half a dozen items missing. I mean where does the list end – with the kitchen sink!? I think the best advice I received was to make a list and then go over that list with your partner. If it turns out that you've missed something when the time comes then hopefully you have somebody who can pick that item up and bring it to you.
All these lists can seem a bit daunting, but really they become a stabilizing confidence-builder. During the pregnancy there is not much you can do but wait and monitor and worry and hope everything is okay, but making lists and crossing the items off brings a sense of control. It gives you the pleasure of knowing you are contributing and becoming prepared to bring this tiny little person into the world.
I'm also a little annoyed because some friends of ours who have three kids recently told us they barely used all the stuff in the baby’s room – the ottoman in the family room became their changing table and the couch their feeding chair. I guess it's better to have options for when the time comes for us.
The third list that we need to make is the hospital bag. I've been given a lot of suggestions for this particular list, and being a fairly light packer for all things I'm curious to see how many items in the hospital bag will actually get used. But again I'll take the cautious approach of better to have it and not use it than to not have it and need it. In doing some research on what to pack I came across a list that had over 41 items. I cross-referenced that list with one we received from our prenatal class and noticed there were about half a dozen items missing. I mean where does the list end – with the kitchen sink!? I think the best advice I received was to make a list and then go over that list with your partner. If it turns out that you've missed something when the time comes then hopefully you have somebody who can pick that item up and bring it to you.
All these lists can seem a bit daunting, but really they become a stabilizing confidence-builder. During the pregnancy there is not much you can do but wait and monitor and worry and hope everything is okay, but making lists and crossing the items off brings a sense of control. It gives you the pleasure of knowing you are contributing and becoming prepared to bring this tiny little person into the world.
Never underestimate the power of a list!
Here are all the reasons I love this post:
ReplyDelete1)I love lists
2)I love when you make lists
3)...
I could go on!
xo
Stop saying "lists" ;) (inside joke with LY O-town)
DeleteLove you hun and thanks for commenting so I can get more data for my analytics #nerd