Kyle and I had been married for 3 months before I got pregnant with Jack. You may be thinking to yourself, "oops!" but no, we actually meant to get pregnant, we just thought it would take longer.
Anyway, most of our friends at the time were still single and those who were married did not have any kids (or any plans to have kids), so we suddenly felt very isolated as we began this new chapter in our lives. I was about nine weeks pregnant and a friend from Texas was visiting. She knew she wouldn't be around later in my pregnancy and wanted to get me a baby gift while she was with me, so we hopped in the car and drove over to Babies-R-Us (I knew it's location: next-to-Lowe's). We walked in, and I was completely overwhelmed. Like, I-need-a-brown-bag-to-breathe-in overwhelmed. She kept asking what all we needed, and my eyes kept getting bigger and bigger and I was finally able to choke out, "Um, just get a set of onesies. Gender-neutral. Not sure what we're having yet..."
To be honest, I had just learned the word "onesie."
Months passed and with them, a house hunt. We knew that 3 people in our town home would be very cramped, and we found a lovely older home near my parents. However, it was not "move-in ready" as they say in real estate. So, we moved in with my parents and began the renovations. I enjoyed living with my parents during this time. It was nice to have people in the house while Kyle was at work, and my Dad kept insisting that we should just set up the crib at their house and stay a while.
We declined, and moved in as soon as the paint had dried and the carpet was placed in the bedrooms. We did not at this point have a functioning kitchen. At. All. In fact, we didn't have kitchen counters. We had a fridge... in our dining room, and of course we had an oven... in our living room.
So when Jack was born, we came home from the hospital to a group of men--electricians, plumbers, contractors, and painters, working feverishly to get our house up to par. Not only was I completely unprepared for motherhood, I felt completely unprepared for life. I couldn't even reheat leftovers because not only were there no leftovers, but there was nothing to reheat them in.
Once the dust settled (literally), we managed to get on our feet, both as parents and as humans. Life normalized as we adjusted, and of course, everything was fine.
When I found out I was pregnant with baby number 2, however, I had a slight moment of panic. Sure there would be plenty of meals brought to us (and this time we'd be able to store and reheat leftovers!), but I wanted to make up for my lack of preparedness with Jack. Plus, we had a toddler in the house, so that was an added concern.
So, I started researching freezer meals. And then I turned into a complete freezer meal psycho. We bought a deep freeze and before long, I was filling it with soups, chicken pot pies, meatloaf, and sale meats. Everyone thought I was crazy... and maybe they were right. I definitely felt like I was over-compensating.
BUT! Let me tell you this: between those meals, meals brought to us, and leftovers, I don't think I actually cooked until Sam was about 5 months old. True. Story. And when I did, I was using frozen vegetables and meats that were in the deep freeze. It was a lifesaver.
Now, as we are jumping from 2 kids to 4, I find myself getting extremely practical and streamlined--not just as a mom, but as manager of the house.
So when Jack was born, we came home from the hospital to a group of men--electricians, plumbers, contractors, and painters, working feverishly to get our house up to par. Not only was I completely unprepared for motherhood, I felt completely unprepared for life. I couldn't even reheat leftovers because not only were there no leftovers, but there was nothing to reheat them in.
Once the dust settled (literally), we managed to get on our feet, both as parents and as humans. Life normalized as we adjusted, and of course, everything was fine.
When I found out I was pregnant with baby number 2, however, I had a slight moment of panic. Sure there would be plenty of meals brought to us (and this time we'd be able to store and reheat leftovers!), but I wanted to make up for my lack of preparedness with Jack. Plus, we had a toddler in the house, so that was an added concern.
So, I started researching freezer meals. And then I turned into a complete freezer meal psycho. We bought a deep freeze and before long, I was filling it with soups, chicken pot pies, meatloaf, and sale meats. Everyone thought I was crazy... and maybe they were right. I definitely felt like I was over-compensating.
BUT! Let me tell you this: between those meals, meals brought to us, and leftovers, I don't think I actually cooked until Sam was about 5 months old. True. Story. And when I did, I was using frozen vegetables and meats that were in the deep freeze. It was a lifesaver.
Now, as we are jumping from 2 kids to 4, I find myself getting extremely practical and streamlined--not just as a mom, but as manager of the house.
SO! Before you register like crazy for that wipes warmer or that Bumbo that you are certain you need (trust me, you don't), here is my practical list of must-have baby items:
1. deep freeze--I am not making this up. It clearly deserves the number one spot.
2. crock pot--You can use your oven to reheat your freezer meals, but when you have a newborn in the house, it is nice to be able to walk away from the kitchen for a couple of hours without the fear of burning the house down in your sleep deprived state. I actually have two now. A large one for the "main" dish and a smaller one for things like baked potatoes.
3. a restaurant menu folder--Most places, both chain and local, will at least have a carry-out option, even if "delivery" hasn't made it to your cities restaurant lexicon yet (as in, if you live in our city). If people offer to get you gift cards, mention these restaurants, then keep them in the folder as well.
4. a glider rocker--Yes, your grandmothers old rocking chair is lovely, but I'm guessing she didn't have a c-section. If you have a c-section, rocking chairs and recliners are nearly impossible to get out of--and flat-out impossible if you're holding a baby while attempting it. Go to your nearest furniture store and try out a glider rocker. It's awesomeness will speak for itself.
5. disposable plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery--Seriously. Really just for the transition phase, you know, when the last thing on your mind is doing the dishes. Plus, if you have a c-section, leaning over repeatedly to put dishes in the dishwasher will make you want to die. Honestly, for the transition phase, I'd buy disposable clothing if they made them.
Are you a seasoned mom who looks back on her first year of motherhood and laughs at how little she knew? Did you make some baby gear mistakes? I'd love to hear your list of "must-have" items!
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