Bob: Thanks for the tips. I definitely have lots of lightly-used baby clothes coming my way. I have a nephew who will be about 4 months older than my son, and he and his cousin will share many clothes, I’m sure! Thanks for dropping by!

That is just downright scary.

Lynn, I’m definitely getting the bed attachment instead of a bassinett. Along with Kathy’s advice, as well, I simply can’t imagine myself “cheerfully arising, robed in splendor” to go nurse my baby at 2:00 in the morning! Although, being the SIDS nazi that I am, I can’t quite bring myself to put him in bed with me, so the bedside co-sleeper looks like a dream come true. And about the backpack, we have some GOOD FRIENDS who have a cool backpack that maybe their S2 will be out of by the time we need it…Bri?? Jenn?? Eh??

Several of you mentioned the baby carrier, and I’m being given one of those from a friend of my sister, so check on the Baby Bjorn!

Tulipgirl: The best advice you gave was to take advantage of my connections with moms in my church family…which I have and am already very grateful for. I intend to rely on their wisdom a lot over the next several years!

Milly: I’m glad you mentioned the foot stool for the rocker. I’ve seen those advertised, and wondered if they were a waste of money, but I may give them more thought now. Probably not the $30 ones that you HAVE TO HAVE from Babies R Us, but a more practically priced one. And definitely a nursing pillow is on my registry.

Lillian: Thanks for helping me keep simplicity in perspective!

Jenn: Believe it or not, I’ve been making mental notes of ALL of the wisdom and advice you’ve been handing down to me over the years. Some of the things I’ve already looked into and registered for have been based on your recommendations. And yes, the Avent pump is already on the list!

Rey: My sister also recommended the Baby Bargains book, so with the two of you suggesting it, I bought it last week and LOVE IT!! I’ve already got the thing highlighted almost completely through! Excellent recommendation. I, too, have read that the Ergo Carrier is better, but I’m probably going to have to go with the Bjorn b/c it’s free (and hardly used). I’m probably also going to go with the swing that rocks back and forth and side to side.

Kathy: Check on the king-size bed…although my husband still wishes we had a bigger one with just the two of us! We’ll see what happens with a squirmy two-year-old! If he turns out to be anything like Brian and Jenn’s S2, we’re in trouble!

There were so many more great suggestions from all of you, and I will take everything into great consideration. Feel free to keep adding if you think of anything else. Some of you spent a lot of time offering recommendations, and we truly appreciate your time and thoughtfulness. We certainly covet your prayers during this exciting time!

What we had to start out with was an heirloom bassinet handed down through my husband’s family and that was where the Baby was going to sleep–in his *Nursery*. When he needed to be Nursed, it would happen in the Nursery. I would cheerfully arise and madonna-like, enrobed in splendor, Nurse the Baby in the Rocking Chair in the Nursery. Those capital letters illustrate my fantasy world.

It didn’t go quite that way, and the baby didn’t sleep like a Baby; in desperation after many nights of precariously little sleep, I brought him to bed with me, and the king-sized bed made it a more comfortable and tenable situation for us all.

Aside from its use with a nursing baby, it’s great for snatching some sleep from the jaws of doomed nights when a feverish and restless toddler can only seem to settle down in the arms of a parent, or a scared-of-the-thunderstorm 4 year old needs reassurance but you need sleep. The extra mattress real estate will help you feel generous and unresentful about the situation. And it comes in wonderfully for a nightly tradition of family bedtime stories with everyone piled in and having staked out a comfortable spot to relax and get drowsy or electrified…depending on whether it’s Anne of Green Gables or Treasure Island that night.

A car seat, some kind of soft carrier (sling or front pack or pouch or whatever), diapers, burp cloths, rubberized pads to put under the baby if you do have him or her in your bed. Teething toys. A bouncy seat for all the reasons mentioned above.

A “what to do when they’re sick” book and a good breastfeeding manual.

A welcoming hospitable heart.

Congratulations!

Okay, that’s it for now. Maybe more later…

*a [simple] bouncy seat, minus all the bells and whistles. Our sleep-fighters would settle well in their bouncy seats because of the way they cradle their little bodies (or so I’m told) and it was handy to have for them to sleep in (overnight even)when they were a little congested. The angle was just enough too help their breathing, but not as much as a carseat or other semi-upright baby holding devices.

*a good thermometer. This one has already been mentioned, but it bears repeating. Buy a FAST digital. Spend a little money on it and buy a reputable brand. We found that other fancy ones (forehead scanners,etc.) are good for a ballpark temperature, but not as accurate.

*A good diaper ointment. I personally don’t like Desitin because it stains. Balmex was my choice until S2 came along and needed something stronger. If you can find it, I highly recommend Triple Paste. It’s nice and thick, and as far as I could tell it won’t stain. It’s more expensive, though, so it might be one of those things you keep on hand for those moments when your regular ointment isn’t quite enough.

*GAS DROPS! No need to buy expensive name brand drops, both Target and Wal-Mart have their own versions for half the price. Our pediatricians have assured us that this stuff is not digested into the bloodstream and you can therefore give them as much of it as needed. Let me assure you - liberal dosage can be a life saver!!!

Funny how the things I think about as “can’t live without” are mostly the little things. I’m sure that I’ll come up with a lot more stuff before this child makes his debut. It’s hard to believe, since S is only almost 3yo, but I’m straining to remember some of this. When I come up with more, I’ll let you know.