American Baby
If small Gribble ever wants proof of being loved, we’ll simply point to this photo of baby stuff we’d accumulated before we’d even met her or him. Our relatives love us—and small Gribble by extension—so much that we couldn’t fit all of the tangible proof of that love into our rented Chevy Malibu. We ended up having to leave the crib with my parents, who have shipped it off to us by mail. Small Gribble has bath products, pacifiers, a wardrobe to rival Dave’s and mine together (including soft fuzzy outfits, sleep sacks, onesies, booties, socks, hats, a handmade layette, and something printed with every animal that’s ever been made into a cute little cartoon), books to read, a carseat to come home in, a stroller to ride about in, blankets, washclothes, towels, a pack ‘n play to sleep or play in, paste for its little butt, frames to feature photos of baby, frames to feature photos of family, toys including a homemade stuffed chicken, and more.
Thank you to everyone who’s looking forward to the baby with us! We feel a little less nervous knowing that we have so many caring and experienced friends and relatives looking out for us. As they say in academic writing, any mistakes we make will be our own.
One Comment
Stu
Heh heh heh…new parents. 🙂
Just you wait…that huge list of stuff will be used up, filled up, outgrown or obsolete before you know it. Baby shower gifts (generous they may be) are like filling your car to 1/4 tank before driving cross-country.
I have yet to be amazed by the sheer volume of STUFF that accompanies having a child. You’ll go through so many diapers that you’ll wish you could just safety pin dollar bills to the kid’s butt (it’d be cheaper) Then there’s toys, and food, and toys, and bottles, and toys, and pacifiers, and some more toys, too. And you know what? On top of that, you’ll be walking through Wal-Mart or the mall, having a conversation about what to do with all of the stuff the kid has already, and you’ll see a toy or outfit that they just HAVE to have, and you’ll come home with even more.
Being a parent is a truly rewarding and fulfilling experience. Enjoy every day of it, but make sure you enjoy these last few pre-kid months. You won’t get time like this again until Small Gribble is in college. I sometimes miss it, but when I do, all it takes is for a pair of little feet in her Elmo footy jammies to come running into the room shouting “Daddy, Daddy!” and I’ll take the trade off any day.