Killing time on the internet

My digital SLR camera is broken and I keep forgetting to call my insurance to see if it's actually insured. I bought a pocket camera and hated it. My iPhone is my best camera right now and it actually takes decent photos- I just don't think of it as a camera!

So all the photos we're taking are on Abby's camera and her computer- she needs to share. :) Which makes my blog... pictureless. sigh. Such sadness. So instead of writing pithy comments on photos, I'm cruising the internet with my daughter. Baby land rules.

It's amazing to see all the crapola that is foisted off on these unsuspecting young moms. Diaper wipe warmers, these creepy plastic hands to "cradle" your baby when you're not around.

Zaky Infant Pillow Regular price: $44.95

$60 for a couple yards of fabric to wrap around you and the baby, cute little baby beanie caps that totally makes your baby's head look like... well, like the breast he's nursing from.  

Ok- some of those are just ridiculous but honestly, I had no idea how much stuff is out there, most with a few rave reviews from moms who declare this is the "best thing I've ever used for my baby".  Maybe YOUR baby boy will need a tee-PEE cover during diaper changes or YOUR little girl would look so much better with fake bangs attached to her headband.  Hopefully you won't have need for alcohol testing strips for your breast milk but like a reviewer said, "You can totally have a life while you're breastfeeding."  Scary. Or is that just me?

So we've wandered Babies R Us and hit the local cloth diaper store but the biggest source of "Oh my- do I need THAT?" has been the internet. We  look up all the options on diapers. We look at nursing clothing- THAT looks useful. We read blogs of clever funny mothers. We Pinintest all the cute ideas we find but idea time is about over- the crib is assembled and skirted ( made by my clever daughter), the Ikea rocker waits in the corner, the nursery color has been selected! Just waiting for the man to come back and paint- he wants to do something for the nursery; Abby has loose ligaments even in her wrists and I... well, I refuse to paint.  There are limits to the fun and games. 

But it is fun because I never did this much nursery stuff and none with my mom. She lived in Colorado and I delivered five weeks early in North Carolina (right down the road from Abby's current house but in the OLD hospital, not the NEW).  Then the second baby boy came while Bill was deployed and I had medical complications and surgery two weeks after Drew's birth- really didn't care about a nursery at that point. Sorry, Drew.  My sweet bundle of pink was born six months before we moved out to Japan and baby #4 arrived six weeks after we returned from Japan and set up house in really small temporary quarters. 

So - God bless my military brat/military wife daughter who is decorating quarters and painting walls. She's frugal and painting a second hand dresser- thank you, Jesus, that refinishing furniture is no longer in vogue.  

Stand back and let a pro handle the power tools.

31 weeks, 1 day.... and counting
The squares on the wall are paint samples.

The modern crib no longer is full of puffy bumpers and matching fluffy comforters so moms don't go nuts making them and babies don't suffocate. Speaking of equipment, she's had some incredibly generous offers of infant car seats, bouncers, swingers, rocker thingers, etc. 

And in the long run- that's what she needs. Not the stuff but the generosity of other women. Young moms who can offer advice, support and gently used equipment.  Older moms who offer even better advice and show her examples of godly women mothering well.  And old mamas like me- we're the ones who can look back at the fun and games, the hard times and the joys and offer - perspective. 

Enjoy the fun, make up your own games 

and live like you're practicing for heaven. 

As for the rest of us, find a younger mom and encourage her. Tell your story- warts and all. Be the wise woman you wish you had when you were just starting out on this amazing road of motherhood.