I remember the first time I went into a store to go shopping for our new daughter. I’d hopped around online reading reviews and lists of what I needed but just before my baby shower I went in to seriously plan. Wow, I was shocked at all the things you need for a new baby! Such a little tiny baby, why did they need so much stuff? I left shaking my head thinking about those books I read where the baby slept in a drawer. My husband, excited about he was about our baby, saw our bank balance hypothetically disappearing.
If you’re in the same spot of shopping for a new arrival, or know someone who is, but worried about breaking your budget, a great tip is to watch for sales. Right now there is a sale at Sears called the ‘All Things Baby’ sale that was practically made for you.
Planning for my daughter’s arrival started a year before she was actually born. I had girlfriends adopting at the same time and we would share ideas for our nurseries. I carried around paint chips asking everyone’s opinion. In fact, one of the favorite memories of my daughter’s room colors is that my mother-in-law actually gave me the idea. I couldn’t choose between a sweet pink, and a lemon yellow. She suggested we paint the walls pink and the ceiling yellow. It turned out lovely! Sadly, she passed away just months after my daughter came home, but we’ll always have that memory.
My mom and I spent hours shopping for cribs. We ended up with one similar to the one shown below, except I ordered it in white. Funny though, after my daughter started sleeping in a “big girl bed”, we painted it this color and it is now the headboard in our guest bedroom. I get lots of compliments, no one guesses it was once a crib!
Beyond decorating choices, there were big decisions like choosing the best pediatrician. Because this was our first child, I was worried about parenting skills and read every book I could find on how to be a good parent. I worried about things like how to create and maintain family traditions. Because we were going through an adoption, I read everything I could find on attachment parenting.
One thing I learned, that I’m sure all new parents do, is that you can’t have everything perfect. You won’t remember everything. You will forget something on your list. You’ll find out something is more important than you thought (I thought wipe warmers were silly, but in a Chicago winter? A necessity!) But improvisation is OK, relax! (and watch for sales!)
Disclosure of Material Connection:Â This is a sponsored post. I am a Sears blogger, though all opinions are my own.