Have Baby...Will travel with tons of crap

I always have said that the wedding industry is a million dollar business and the baby industry is a billion dollar business.  With weddings you can sacrifice not having the most expensive flowers, shoes and other items.  With babies though, they have you cornered with the feeling of safety for your child.  Hence the best car seats, stroller, wipes and diapers.  It is utterly ridiculous how much it all costs not to mention the space it takes up.

Like all things in life, you learn very quickly to adjust and decided what you really need.  I will never forget my first putting with Hallie.  We were going to her 5 day well visit just out of the hospital.  My diaper bag looked like I was headed off to the beach for the weekend.  IT. WAS. HUGE.  Most importantly, it was unnecessary.  We had the mega stroller, car seat adapter, car seat clicked in, enough diapers to outfit a hospital nursery and not to mention about 5 outfit changes for Hallie.  So Silly now that I think about what I take with me.

I learned 2 crucial words several months into being a mom around town.  UMBRELLA STROLLER. That thing is the Holy Grail of functionality.  Life got a whole lot easier after that discovery.

Ryan and I went through multiple diaper bags, different types of formula (don't you judge me for not nursing Hallie long enough!!!), and not to mention we are still figuring out if anyone makes a sippy cup that doesn't leak all over your floor.  They all claim to be leak proof with their click and turn lid.  It is total BS.  Hallie seems to think it is fun to wipe up spilled milk...I will have to read that book to her when she gets older and she can tell me what she thinks each spill resembles.  To my teacher friends...you know what book I am talking about!

The worst thing to happen to a parent, well anyone who is in the presence of a child or baby is to forget something crucial.  I remember being out running errands and it was near lunch time.  I had Hallie with me and I thought I would treat myself to lunch out...she was still taking a bottle and of all things I forgot...the f'ing nipple.  I don't like that word by the way.  It is like shouting areola in a large crowd.  AWKWARD.  In any event, I got my lunch to go as Hallie started going bananas and I didn't figure a straw was going to help the cause.

Now that we have two small children I have learned to consolidate even more on  my daily errands.  We upgraded to a Baby Jogger City Mini double stroller which is the bomb.  That thing is a life saver...even Hayes in all of his colic seems to enjoy it.  He will look up throughout the peek-a-boo window.  My diaper bag has also downsized to the most basic necessitates.  Although...my husband the pilot who is a worst case scenario guy always has me paranoid when we leave the house...so I always pack more bottles and snacks then necessary.  I have actually had nightmares that I will need to breastfeed the whole dang family if we ever get stranded...(I am breastfeeding Hayes this time...for now.)

At the end of the day this stuff is just that...stuff.  Cavemen/women wrapped babies in animal skin, breastfed them or they didn't survive and fought off dinosaurs or god knows what creatures of that time.  I figure...getting the kids out of the house even minus a nipple (eeeeeeeek) is one small victory for all momkind!


I could go on and on about my fights with baby crap taking over our house, my car (little crumbs of orange goldfish in hard to reach places), or the fact that I need to make wardrobe sacrifices when we go on a trip because kid stuff takes priority.  Question is...do I really need to pack 4 bibs?  Hello NO!!!!!

If you are looking for good recommendations of baby necessities check out Lucie's List online.  She is awesome.  Also, Baby Gizmo on YouTube gives awesome reviews!

Adios and Tschuss to you all for now...