home about me scrapbooking our home deep contact

Friday, November 15, 2013

Waiting for Baby...

I'm currently 33 weeks. The baby, apparently, is about the size of a pineapple (thank you, What to Expect app!) My due date is a mere 6 weeks away. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was 6 weeks pregnant?

I 've been spending the past few weeks trying to get organized for this little one's arrival. Traditionally, we Jews are too superstitious to do much prep before the baby arrives. We don't have baby showers, we don't paint the nursery, and we don't walk around referring to little "Andrew Joseph" or whatever his/her name will be.  In fact, before I had Ellie, I was pretty sure you weren't allowed to buy anything for the baby before it arrives. My rabbi, however, told me that was not the case, and the tradition is more about the "evil eye" than anything in Jewish law.

That being said, though, I like keeping many details of the baby private. I don't share the gender (except for close family), or the name. I don't monogram clothing (which I probably wouldn't do either way--I'm a Northerner after all:)). I love the mystery and excitement of that not-quite-here little human being that no one knows very much about.

On the other hand, though, I need to have some basics around so that I won't be crazy stressed when I get home from the hospital! Hence, a few baby-related items have come to live with us.

First, this beauty arrived today:


After much debate, we settled on the City Mini GT Double (ours is in black/shadow). And by "we," I mean "I." Clearly:)

We already have these items from Ellie, but I have a feeling they'll get a lot of use:


{Snugabunny swing}


{Snugabunny bouncy seat}

And while I haven't bit the bullet on it, I've heard great things about this baby bath!


{blooming bath}

Mostly, though, I'm alternating between excitement and fear. I can't wait to meet this little one, but I'm also anxious about disrupting our comfortable routines, and what that will be like for Ellie. I worry that she'll be lonely or confused in those first few days and weeks, especially when I'm in the hospital. But I also can't wait to see her as a big sister.

So that's life--a big 'ol bundle of contradictions!

And tell me, from personal experience or seeing others go through it, what's YOUR best advice to someone having a baby?

4 comments:

  1. That bath is adorable! Looks comfy too. :)

    I like to tell new parents to be easy on yourself, because there will be very difficult moments, but they too shall pass, and usually quickly. Also, since this is your second, involve Ellie with baby care (asking her to get diapers for you, hold the baby's hand, etc.), and honestly, expect difficult moments as you all adjust. But you will adjust, and you'll all be better for it. Ellie will look huge compared to a newborn! I was always shocked at that each time we brought a new "littlest one" home. :)

    Have fun, Keshet! Two kids is twice the fun! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Not long now! That swing looks awesome. I'm thinking of something similar - did Ellie get alot of use out of it? We have to buy everything as there is nothing I had from my other kids. Luckily we have all the basics now - the more organised I am, the more relaxed I am.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My best advice is to try not to worry if Ellie freaks out a little bit. I mean...it will feel hard to you, bringing a second baby home, because you'll look at Ellie and love her so much and wish she was still little but also love her right now and then you'll look at the baby and love him/her so much and not want him/her to grow up so fast but also you can't wait to see who he/she will become, and you'll mourn a little bit for the end of the just-ellie-and-mom days while you're excited for ellie-mom-new-baby days, and your heart will be tugged in all sorts of directions, and that's hard for you as a grown up, but her little heart will be tugged in all kinds of directions, too, and she's little! So there will be some really sweet moments and some freaking out. Don't worry about the freaking out, it is natural and normal!

    I'm soooo excited to find out what you're having!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I love hearing your thoughts:)