Gratitude

Perhaps the most amazing and affirming thing about my pregnancy and early motherhood has been the outpouring of kindness, enthusiasm, and generosity from so many people in my life. I have written and sent more thank you notes than I did after my wedding and I still have more to do.

(E wearing an adorable Tea Collection gift from blogger pal, Sharon!)

Part of this is due to our three (yes three!) baby showers. I never got the chance to recap two of them on here or Consume or Consumed, but I will do so when I have time. But part of it is that people (myself included) seem to relish the opportunity to buy tiny things for a tiny person. Before Emilia arrived, my mom and sister and I browsed the baby girl sections of Macys, Kohls, and Babies R US for as long as my pregnant stamina would let me. And it is clear that we weren't the only ones! In her mere 7 weeks of life, this baby has amassed more clothing than her clotheshorse mother. Each outfit seems more adorable and snuggly and cute than the next and each gift reminds me fondly of its "gifter."

One of the benefits of my elephant's memory when it comes to clothing is that I never forget a garment's story of acquisition. Emilia's largely gifted and secondhand wardrobe makes the blowouts and stale milk smell somehow palatable because with each changing we are reminded of our little family's good fortune. With each visit to her dresser, I get the chance to reflect on all the people who have enveloped us with love and excitement. With each baby "OOTD," we marvel over her. Neither of us can believe we made her, in all her perfectly adorable glory.

This Christmas Eve I felt more overwhelmed with extended family attention and love than I ever have, as our traditional observance of the Feast of the Seven Fishes morphed into a "meet and hold the new family member!" celebration. In my limited life experience, nothing has brought out more support and joy from the people who matter to me most than the birth of my baby. Emilia is so lucky to have such an enthusiastic group of cheerleaders! Chris and I are so lucky to be surrounded by so many helpful, generous, and caring people! And all of us feel so lucky to know this little lady!

Registry Anxieties

Pottery Barn Kids Brooklyn Crib Bedding

 
Picking out baby things for someone I've not yet met is challenging. Will she like swings? Will she like being worn? Will she like being swaddled? All of these questions remain unknowns until she arrives and we get to know her.

The very dense and lengthy registry checklists offered by major retailers seem to inflate the amount of gear they claim you will "need." But it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed by this new consumer realm. Sections of stores that never mattered to me suddenly matter. Sale racks that I would have previously ignored get at least a once-over. Predicting clothing sizes as they correspond with seasons is a gamble but some of the end of summer clearances have been too steep to skip. And the plethora of information regarding products is both helpful and annoying. How much trust do I place in reviews? And how much time do I invest in researching things like mattresses, strollers, and cribs?

I do know that I fell in love with the above pictured bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. It is so pretty that I would use it if it existed for adult beds! And when I compared the quality and price with the sets I saw at Babies R Us and the like, there was really no contest. If only the other big product decisions were as fun to make!