I’ve just returned from a trip to see my sister and her new baby girl. This is their second baby and Big Brother, is a wise, old three and a half years old. Between melting over “Aunt Jenny, will you wipe my bottom?” and changing and chatting with with Baby Girl, I thoroughly enjoyed my seven days of my sister’s family. There are things that change with new babies (accessories, equipment, etc.) and things that don’t (change, feed, sleep, repeat)! My role for the week was to be an extra pair of hands and to help where I could with the groceries, cooking, cleaning and indulging Big Brother’s insatiable appetite for Connect Four, Wii bowling and (his version) of Hide ‘n’ Seek. There were so many moments where I was so reminded of how intense and fleeting those first weeks are with a new baby and a toddler on the side.
Oh, you new, young, mommies, I JUST WANT TO HUG YOU ALL!! You have such demands placed on you as you get your feet back under you and find a new rhythm to this new phase of life. I used to refer to my nursing bras as “feed bags.” I’d strap them on in the morning and hang them up, like tack, at the end of the day. You do feel like some version of a dairy factory. And yet, thank goodness for the plan that makes you sit down and rest every 1 1/2 to 3 hours as you feed that amazing little human. And, let’s talk about daily self care; can anyone out there relate to what I call, “big shower” days? Big shower is when hair is washed and conditioned, whole legs are shaved, eyebrows are tended to and lotion is applied…to your WHOLE body! Luxury, baby, luxury. Now, sometimes, you even can get your hair dried!! But let’s not get crazy. While I was showering at my sister’s house, her little boy came looking for me, trying the locked door and finally resorting to the ever-popular fingers under the door routine. Tenacious, they are. And creative! Lock the door, Mommy, and go ahead and put on some mascara, they’ll be fine.
I left my sister with a meal plan, groceries to supply the plan, and a reorganized pantry. And, I left with some precious memories, pictures, and some of my new favorite baby things. Whether you’re in the market, or you know a grandma or aunt that needs a good gift for a baby shower, these are what all the babies are sporting these days. (Warning: I’m might over-use the exclamation point in the following descriptions, but that’s only to convey me punching you in the arm or shaking you by your shoulders for emphasis)
I could gush about Baby Girl’s entire room, but this baby paper bird and branch mobile was especially sweet. So whimsical and natural and you can get it in a variety of colors. Available on Etsy, it comes in a kit so you can find your own branch that fits the scale of your room and then apply the flowers and the birds.
Okay, this whole cloth diaper craze had me feeling very skeptical and insecure, but after experiencing it for a week, I’m sold! My sister has this diaper lady and she knows and sells everything under the sun related to cloth diapering. These from Bum Genius were reliable and so easy and so cute! I loved picking out what color her little bum would be at each changing. And, a friend of theirs did the math and found that it was a huge cost savings over time!
We love a good, burrito-wrapped baby in our family and I didn’t think there was anything better than a good flannel blanket, but I recant! These muslin blankets from Aden + Anais were the perfect size, shape and weight to make the perfect burrito-baby!
And finally, I cannot tell you how ridiculous, impractical and yet, irresistible these are! As if baby legs aren’t enough, you can accentuate your baby’s legs with the endless choices of patterns and colors offered by BabyLegs. And then you can start nibbling those toes and zerbert and gobble your way up to those baby cheeks.
In review: babies themselves need very little in the way of fancy accessories and trinkets, but grammies, aunties, friends and mommies do love to squeal over a fun new baby bobble. Above all, enjoy your babies and all of these new moments, for they will only be tiny for such a short time. Thank goodness? Bahahaha!
This post brought to you by Jenny Leggett, proud auntie, again!