1 Hi!  You had some great suggestions on the previous post.   If I may add one more?

Ask for or get mattress protectors that slide over the mattress and zip.  2 or 3 of them.  I can't tell you how much that saved the mattress when there was diaper leakage or other mishaps that would soak through the sheets!!

The protectors go over the mattress and under the mattress pad.  The best ones I ever found were through Bed Bath and Beyond.

2 I had more fun reading all those comments.  I have only one suggestion and it is probably redundant. Some babies don't want a paci or become thumbsuckers. They seem to be self reliant from the get go.  My last one was that, and he still is. Can I do some mommy bragging here? Okay, so I will.  He is a self made millionaire, certainly did not get it from mom and dad; a non-degreed software engineer, botanist and biologist.  He has discovered three new species of cycads, and three new species of salamanders.  He is planning a trip to the Galapagos in March.
Am I proud, yes. But one thing I am saying is this, "we do our best and actually just never know how the kids are going to turn out." Without that degree we worried about this one.
I am actually proud of all three of my kids and they are totally different in every way. And we had almost nothing mentioned in your wish list!  Didn't even have disposable diapers. We loved them and exercised their minds.

3 The coolest birthday I went to for a 1 yr old, the parents didn't ask for presents for the baby.  Instead, they asked that a donation be made in the baby's name to the charity of their choice, in this case the 1st ID association DePuy scholarship fund, which provided college scholarships to the children of 1ID soldiers killed in action (even if they weren't currently in the Big Red One, if they'd been in the BRO, the kids qualified.)  I had the honor of awarding 6 of these scholarships while assigned as the 1st brigade adjutant in 2004.

I'm sure there's a charity you can think of that would appreciate Charlotte's contribution.

Also, gifts of McDonalds stock are a sure-fire bet for increased value over time (as opposed to savings bonds).

And for the terrible twos...

4 I'm going to give a thumbs up to Chuck's comment. I have a friend whose son's birthday is in August and, in lieu of gifts, she asks for school supplies to donate to Crisis Outreach Ministries. Olivia's birthday is three weeks after Christmas so she is loaded up come birthday time. I did this for her third birthday and asked for phone cards for deployed soldiers. We had a few people who thought we were horrid for doing that, but overall it was a good experience and Olivia has learned the meaning of giving and sharing at an early age. Olivia still received gifts from immediate family and some friends so she didn't go without, by any means. Also, it was an animal themed party so as the "fun" we had huge boxes of crayons and I printed off pictures of different animals to include in our care packages. Have fun in registering for your baby goods. It certainly isn't a time to be stressed.

1 Heck, I wish there was a way you could start a college fund for her now and open it up.  $10-20 now will make a difference 18 years from now.  Especially when you factor in birthdays and other events along the way.

2 Here's my suggestion...don't register for any of that stuff. Explain to people that you have the big-ticket stuff and there really isn't anything you need right now. That being said, if someone still wants to get you something, you can tell them what stores you have in your area or what online retailers you prefer.

I can sit here and tell you that Little Man preferred the Gerber pacis but your daughter may abhor them. It's a lot of trial and error for those things (pacis, bottles, etc.). You tend to buy what you need WHEN you need it. That's where the gift cards come in handy.

Or you can ask for diapers - you KNOW you'll be using those (most likely regardless of brand. Personally, Luvs worked for us but not so much for others.). Or you can tell people that you have an ESA or 529 plan set up for your child for their future education.

But don't feel obligated to add to a registry. If you don't need anything right now, that's perfectly fine (and wonderful to boot! Yay for yard sales and gently used items!). And try not to get overwhelmed. Dove or Ivory soap works just as well as Burt's Bees or J&J. If the Gerber pacis don't work, go grab a Nuk. Maybe buy 2 or 3 different kinds to have on hand at home so you're not running out every 45 minutes. But like AWTM said, they really don't NEED much.

I'm so freaking excited that you're TO this point. What a blessing to be overwhelmed by the minutae.

3 I'll echo HF6 - it's easy to get overwhelmed, but seriously don't sweat it.  It's one of those things you'll figure out as you go along, each time you have a baby.    Oh yes, that's right.  Just because one kid likes Avent bottles and pacifiers (two of my four did) doesn't mean they all will.  You'll probably buy pacifiers every single time you hit Tar-zhey or Wal Mart anyway, for about a year.  It's best just to view those things as disposable, because otherwise you'll spend two hours of your sleeping time every day trying to find out where the pacifier went.

If people ask where you're registered - say Tarzhey and only have diapers on your list.  Seriously.  You'll go through a TON of those.  And ask for the bigger sizes, because everyone seems to buy newborn.  My son NEVER wore newborn.  He was too big when he was born.  I would experience serious tears of joy when people bought me diapers for a baby present.  BEST GIFT EVER.

And wipes.  Although you can't really plan ahead for wipes because some babies need non-scented, some babies smell particularly bad (my second daughter smelled like mustard fairly frequently for some reason, and we had to use the strongest scented wipes all over her body), and some babies don't have any preference.

All the other stuff... You'll figure out what you need as you go along.  I know how flippant that sounds, but seriously - a lot of this stuff just ends up as junky clutter when you realize that your particular kid doesn't need it.  And if you do need the nose suckie thingie (I never did, aside from the actual homebirth event), it's about 4$ for the super deluxe version at any grocery store.  Easy to get.

You could also use it as an excuse to weird people out.  Get some really interesting stuff on that list...

4

Sarah - I would echo the others. Diapers and wipes are good. I suspect folks will get you gift cards so you can get what you need once she is born.

For me, in terms of bottles, I LOVED LOVED LOVED Dr Browns. (This was after trying playtex and various other kinds)

Also, if you're planning to bfeed, you could register for a nice pump. I bought a medela brand and it was nice (or your hospital might rent for a few weeks while you determine if its what you want to do). Folks might not want to buy you a pump, a little personal, I suppose, but you could then use the gift cards towards it (They are about $300) - just an idea.

 

5 Those cool hooded bath towel things look nifty ... and the nice baby slings so you can tuck her close and away from pawing fingers, also frees arms while grocery shopping/laundry/etc.
Donations to her college fund perhaps? lol. I suggest mass selecting it ALL and maybe being cutsy creative on any baby shower invites like 'need all the small stuff' and 'more colors than just pink pretty please.' ::sigh:: Good luck! I'm sure you'll be showered with good will and plenty of hugs once that boy of yours gets home

6

I know someone who thinks the cloth grocery seat cover was better than the invention of the internet.  I can drop an email and see which one survived her sons best.

I thought the mirror in the back seat was so mom can see baby as well.  Mind you, I only have a cat and she hates the car so I'm no expert.

These days at work when someone has a kid, we do the gift card/diaper route.  It's a known EPIC WIN, especially when you're not sure what the person already has.  

But you probably have a couple of internet friends who would love to log on to Target.com and buy one of every pacifier to not only send a gift but save you a trip to the store.  There are other people who know and respect the power of a box of diapers and that's the route they'll prefer.  Gift cards are a classic as well because they can be tucked inside the cutest baby card ever with a personal note.  The gift givers are as different as the gift recipients and so maybe you try a few different angles?  I know, this doesn't make it any easier.

Of course you have to register here for your weird friends like Chuck:  http://www.thinkgeek.com/geek-kids/newborn-infant/

And it's pretty funny that my longest comment ever on your site was about baby stuff...  heh.

7 Code Monkey -- Chuck can get me this.  Heh.

8 Diaper warmer!!!!!!!!  Our little girl screamed each time we used one before we had it.  One night I had to pee in the middle of the night and didn't want to wait for the water to warm up to clean myself (can't use toilet paper) and squirting cold water on myself made me realize why she screamed.  Hubby bought one first thing the next morning and it ended our diaper nightmare.  Seriously do register for all of the different pacificers in different sizes, ours hated the newborn size and went straight to 6 months at 1 week of age.  You think it will be easy for you to go out to get them but it won't.  It will take you an hour just to attempt to get out of the house and then she will be hungry again so you have to start all over.  I also hate it when people only register for the $300 things as if we have that kind of money to spend on them so loved it when they choose lots of little things, but that is just me!  ( I HATED under the belly pants too!)

9 We had a our first baby girl in August so this summer I was getting alot of the small baby items b/c I wanted everything to be ready when she came. I pumped into bottles so the bottle warmer has been the best thing we have used the most, along with the diaper genie II elite, I liked that the keeps the diapers compact in place so its easy to take out to the trash.  Gift Cards are also great things, nice & unexpected gifts that came in the mail.  Diapers.com is a great place to order diapers once you know the brand you like, ships to your house so no running out of the house for diapers since they go quick.

10 Didn't use pacifiers or bottles, so can't help you there, and I only used the shopping cart thing once because I carried them in the Bjorn when I shopped.  Definitely get several brands of diapers, I liked the Pampers swaddlers , not the baby dry.  (diapers.com is great)
The mirror in the back seat was a life saver.  When it was up, they stared at themselves the whole ride, if not, they screamed.
Buy your own diaper bag, there are tons of choices and you'll want one that fits your needs.

11

Hmm... my vote is for baby hoodie towels and diapers.  And baby nail clippers.  I swear - they evaporate.  You'll probably want like, six, so you can keep a set in every room plus your purse, LOL... maybe two for the bathroom.

Aside from that, the "every baby is different" is SO true - if you have older-baby-ed friends, you might try borrowing the stuff like swings, Johnny Jump-ups, etc., once Baby's old enough.  Ours didn't like his swing until he was around 5 months, and then he LOVED it.  Hated the jumpers, though.

At any rate, this would probably be a good way to stock up on whatever type of diapers you'd like - we loved Pampers Swaddlers for newborns & then moving up to Cruisers with their mesh lining to keep Kiddo's skin cleaner; if I could do it over, I'd probably do cloth one-sizers with snaps and NO sleeve-style inserts, but Pampers ROCKED for us.

A sling is pricey and awkward; my friend just uses 6 yards of a fun fabric to wrap her little one up and carry her around (although I'm not sure of the technique) - whatever the situation, Baby will LURVE to be held. 

Have fun!  Trust your instincts as her Mommy... we all learn as we go!

12

First of all, some of the best gifts are ones you don't register for or really even think of!

As far as registering for needed items - if you have a dishwasher, you'll need one of those little baskets to put all the little parts of bottles (and cups as she gets older) in so they don't get away. Also good to stick the pacifier in to sanitize. You'll need plenty of burp rags (wether fancy or just cloth diapers) and small receiving blankets. Although you won't need them right away, baby proofing items are always good to put on the list! Outlet covers etc. Also keep in mind that if you get a ton of diapers, just stack the boxes all up & see how they work.  You can always return/exchange them for the brand and size that you need.

I LOVED the mirror in the back.  When I was driving by myself, I would panic a lot less when I could just take a look & see baby's little face & know she was perfectly fine. Especially if she had a cold or was coughing.

Although some people swear by the wipe warmers, my mom always said she never got one because she didn't figure it was fair to have a baby used to a nice warm wipe & anytime you're away from home they get suprised by a cold one!

13 Er... a sling was pricey and awkward *for us*.  Totally didn't mean to reject part of Darla's comment!!!  I know they work for a lot of people...

14 How about a book shower?  My children sat and read 20 books a day....no kidding....

15 Hmm...those things are all so hard to say...they are so trial and error!  How many differenty types of bottles did we try?  How many different sippy cups do we have before we found the one he liked?  It is up in the air...and he HATED the Bumbo! 

I agree on books!  Rusty LOVES books and he got tons of them for Christmas, but I feel there can NEVER be enough!  Maybe think of the future??  Like, things you might want for her as a toddler?  I find that now is the time when we are like, oh we wish we had this or that!

16 Echoing the ladies above that said each baby is different regarding pacifiers/bottles.  My oldest wouldn't even take a bottle. grrrr LOL  He also rejected pacifiers. Only mom would do. Weaning him was a fun time let me tell you!!  2nd born loved pacifiers, and didn't care which bottle he got food out of and he weaned himself at 10 months because he realized with a bottle he could move around~nursing required sitting still!

Maybe register for a few different kinds of pacifiers and then use those as your trial and error for which ones she'll like. Then it's not your dime!

You can never have too many sheets for the crib!  My boys wet through their diapers a lot in the beginning. Although, your daughter might not seeing as my boys basically did that because the whole front of their diaper was waterproofed with vaseline for the first week of life LOL (protecting their little boy parts from sticking to the diaper after the circumcision)

Register for lots of diapers, wipes and butt creams~you know you'll need those!  Also, lots of spit up rags!  My oldest didn't spit up much, but my 2nd born had reflux and we went through 5 or 6 a day for about 8 months.

don't worry about registering for the small stuff~that way your friends on a tight budget have lots to choose from!

Oh, if you are going to breastfeed~I used this thing called "My Breast Friend" (lame name I know LOL) but it was AWESOME!  I am large busted and I had to use the "football" hold for my boys and that thing was a lifesaver for supporting them while they ate.

17 Wow, so many comments already.   I was going to blog about this particular thing, too, but on the other end -- which items I never ever thought I'd use but come in handy every single day.  Instead, I'll leave an exceptionally long comment!  I'm good for that, usually.

We ended up getting much of our big items second hand, as well as much of our son's clothing.  The rest was trial and error (and Target was my VERY VERY FAVORITE PLACE ON EARTH EVAR -- at least, you'd think so, judging by the receipts in my wallet . . . ).

Ian didn't suck well at first, so pacifiers were a big mystery.  Finally, I got a tip from The Baby Whisperer that you need to try to find one shaped like your own nipple, and since I had plastic shields, I needed a wider pacifier (bulb-shaped, rather than orthodontic).  They were the only kind he would take!  It improved his suck significantly.  Now, as he grows older, he's more accepting of other shapes, and I try to get bigger ones as he grows.  Gonna hafta break him of it, soon, though.

Nursing cover (or "Hooter Hider"): You're probably more of a home-body than I am, but if you can't nurse in public without a big production (that was my problem) you probably want a cover that has a strap to go around your neck, and a stiff band at the top that bows outward and allows you to look down at your baby without having to lift the cloth.  This will also allow you to nurse when your baby is distracted by everything.

Nursing tanks:  I lived in my nursing tanks.  Then Target's Gilligan O'Malley stopped making the "ultimate", and I had to find a new brand.  GlamourMom (can be found online or at Motherhood stores) tanks are okay, but have little support.  There are other brands out there worth taking a look at, including ones that sell shirts with built-in bras or support.  I hated nursing bras, because, well, I hate buying bras.  Nursing tanks were SO much simpler.

Nursing pads: I hate to be one of those people who say YOU MUST BUY THIS BRAND IT IS THE ONLY ONE FORGET THE OTHERS, etc., but I went through every brand of nursing pad, and, honestly, the only one that held up, soaked up, stayed in place, and didn't actually make me look like I was wearing a nursing pad was Lansinoh.  I buy them for baby showers, because I think every new mom should have them.  They have goodies in their boxes, too, like wipes (they make great wipes, which I use mainly for freshening up or bathing a stinky baby, and Target makes a great off-brand version of them) or diaper cream.   Beware of any adhesive-to-your-skin brands: Aside from leaving adhesive on your breast tissue, they might also cause milk to become backed up, resulting in clogged ducts or mastitis.

Also, Lansinoh lanolin cream for sore nipples is da bomb: You buy one tube (maybe two -- one for the bathroom and one for the diaper bag), and you can bequeath it/them to your daughter when she has babies.  I kid you not.  It lasts forever.

The wipe warmer: We had one given to us before Ian was born.  My husband disdained it.  I was afraid to plug it in, because my husband would make fun of me.  I finally did, because I needed something heavier than those cheap plastic tubs the wipes came in when I was down to my last couple wipes and flinging the tubs around to get them out before Ian could pee on me.  Now, I can't live without the darn thing.  Gets sticky poop off like a charm!  Yes, wipes in the car will get chilly and make baby angry, maybe, but Ian hasn't complained.  I can warm those with my hands.

Bottles: Can't help ya there.  Ian didn't really care for bottles.  I hated pumping (SO. VERY. MUCH.), so he didn't often get bottles.  Just do some research, read some reviews, and then buy ONE (1) at a time to see if your baby will take it.  If she won't, keep it for later or for her to use for her dolls when she's older.

Pumps: Medela.  Oops, there I go, being all particular again.  Honestly, though, once I did start needing to pump so I could get away for more than three or four hours, I bought a Medela Harmony manual pump, which, I have to say, is totally awesome.  It can get messy, but, hey, you'll be used to sticky bodily fluids by then!  I bought an electric pump from my sister-in-law's "No More Babies!" garage sale she was having with her friends (it's not recommended to use an electric pump for more than one person -- it voids the warrantee -- but I knew all the people who'd used it, so I knew its history), and it was also awesome.  You really cannot go wrong with a Medela Pump In Style.  It's expensive, but worth its weight in gold when it comes to quality, relatively trouble-free and long-lived electric pumping.  From what I read, it's also more user-friendly.  By the time I'd used it a couple times, I could do it all in my sleep.  And since the only time I could get anything worth keeping was 5am, I pretty much had to.

Diapers: More trial-and-error.  I love Huggies (especially their newborn diapers with the cutout for the umbilical stump).  But I also like Target brand.  And the cheapest ones from Wal-Mart.  Totally preference and what doesn't give your child a rash.  Beware of Luvs and Pampers: They are cushy-soft (and expensive), but they have a fragrance.  Sometimes that is rash-inducing.  If someone is insisting on holding a baby shower for you, tell them to hold a diaper shower, where people bring diapers and wipes.  You will need them.  In great quantity.  You might find you're enjoying your Costco membership more than you ever have, or if you're not a member of Costco, you'll find yourself becoming one.  Seriously: Best prices on diapers (though I don't recommend Kirkland brand) and wipes (I recommend Kirkland brand).  I have to buy Overnights for Ian now, because he will wet through a diaper at night like no one's business, but other than that, I get all my diapers and wipes at Costco.

Boppy: I didn't have a lot of success nursing with a Boppy.  It was too overstuffed, and slid out of the way so that I was holding Ian up, anyway (though it's perfect for the hospital).  The recommendation of the Breast Friend above is a good one: It belts around your waist and is flat and wide -- perfect for nursing.  I will probably get one with the next baby!  During the night, though, I curled my Snoogle so that it supported my back and wrapped around my waist so I could nurse in bed.  I was not at all skilled at laying down to nurse, so that was my favorite thing to do to nurse in bed.  Got a lot of books read that way, too.

I think that's all I can think of right now, and this comment's long enough.  OH: One thing you need BEFORE baby is born is a good rectal thermometer, preferably one that reads in ten seconds or less.  You will not get a better reading on a newborn or infant than a rectal.  It's a pain in the -- well, you know -- but if you get a two- or ten-second thermometer, it won't be such a struggle to take a temp.  It's also something you don't want to be trying to buy at midnight when you're paranoid, hormonal, sleep-deprived, and sore.  Trust me on this one.

Well, I guess I decided this comment wasn't long enough.  Here's just a little bit more . . .

***A quick note of caution on baby carriers and backseat mirrors: 

Baby carriers (not slings, but the kind that look like a backpack):  Though they are expensive, it's best to go with a front/back carrier like a Beco or Ergo, or a well-made mei tai.  You want something that will not allow the baby's legs to dangle straight down, because baby is essentially hanging by its crotch, and that is bad for blood flow.  Baby needs to look like s/he's sitting in a chair, with legs splayed or bent naturally.  You also want something that is going to allow for some of baby's weight to rest on your hips.  Baby Bjorns, Snuglis, and the less-expensive brands you find in Target or Wal-Mart usually leave all the carrying to your back and shoulders, and that can get pretty uncomfortable pretty quick -- and you're already going to be dealing with back strain when your milk comes in and bending over to change diapers, etc.

Backseat mirrors:  If you belt your child's car seat in without a base, this isn't an issue.  However, when using a car seat base, in the event of a collision, the base can swing upward and the backseat mirror can pose a striking hazard.  That said: Most of those mirrors are shatter-proof, anyway, so I think the concern is kind of overreactive.  Despite that information, I still wanted one, because it would have been nice to see what Ian was doing by just checking over my shoulder, rather than stopping the car or waiting to check till I was stopped.  But we quit using a base early on, because it was just easier to strap his car seat in with the belt, and we don't have headrests for the back seat. 

If you get a mirror that attaches to your windshield so you can see into the back seat (usually best after baby is in a front-facing seat), go for the Munchkin brand.  I used two others before I got that one.  It telescopes and swivels, and the funhouse mirror effect is minimal.

As always, I've provided much overinformation.  Hopefully it's a little helpful, even after all the comments pretty much saying the same things.   I love passing on my tried-and-tested recommendations, though.  It makes some of the frustration of testing them worth it if I can save someone else a little time.

18 I agree with books. You can never have too many, and can ask for picture books in the 3-5 year old range so you will have a variety. Or ask people to buy their favourite books from when they were children, or their children's favourite books. Stephanie

19 You've got some great suggestions above. No one has mentioned puddle pads yet. I found these useful, and so did my daughter-in-law. They are basically rubber pads, lap or bassinet sized, that look and feel like flannel. As babies change size and shape, diapers don't always contain what they should as you go figuring out the next brand/size diaper to use, also, babies love to empty their systems during diaper changes, so having a water proof pad that's easy to clean is much nicer than stripping sheets off a surface. The other item, but it's a bigger one, is a rocking chair or glider. If you don't have one, I highly recommend one. They and feeding/restless babies are made for each other. My babies liked motion, whether it was the rocker or a trip around the block in a car when you just couldn't get them settled. Last item, my kids needed a quiet routine to settle at night, during the day they would sleep through anything, but, at night, a transition was nice. I'm old fashioned, youngest is 21 now. I liked the wind up as in.. no batteries.. lullaby devices without lights. I found some wind up stuffed animals that the heads moved that I gave my daughter-in-law three years ago that worked. We kept them next to but outside the crib. Not sure of the brand. You've mentioned recognizing the knees and feet that you see in the ultrasound, you will after she's born, and, you will also have a reasonable idea as to her temperment as well. It's clear that you are going to enjoy being a mom! She's a lucky little lady.

20 LOL, you're in the stage where you find out half of the products marketed to new moms are crap and half are God-sends ... and you need to figure out which are which!

Things I recommend:

-Hooter Hider if you're going to breastfeed. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that name, LOL!

-Other breastfeeding items that worked for me: Lanisoh ointment (can't recommend this highly enough!), Johnson's nursing pads, and the Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump. A bonus is that you can pump directly into the Avent Bottles and them pop the bottle right into the freezer for storage. Don't get the humungo sized bottles -- the small ones are fine for a long time.

I see that others recommended a wipe warmer -- I wish they would list a specific brand, because the warmer I bought with my first cooked the wipes ... literally. It dried them out and made them crunchy and hard. I've been afraid to try one again.

We've tried every diaper in the book, but I swear by  the Pampers Swadlers because they didn't leak everywhere!

For the first month at home, we liked to dress our babies in the "Gerber Short Sleeve Side Snap t-shirt" under a baby gown. The side-snap t-shirts are indispensable when they still have their little umbilical stump hanging on. Since they can't really extend their legs at first, the gowns just make it easier to get dressed and for quick changes.

I couldn't figure out how most slings worked, so we didn't use one with our first two boys, but with our third we discovered the Bjorn carrier. LOVE it!

Make sure the bouncy seats you have  have that "Vibration" setting. OH. MY. GOODNESS. That setting is a lifesaver for a crying baby and a sleep deprived mom in the beginning!!! Make sure you have enough batteries to never let it run out.

Hope this helps! Have fun! :-)

21 I echo other posters recommendation of BOOKS.  I had a book shower - perfect.  My friends brought a book and something associated with the book (like a stuffed lamb with a sweet going to bed book (sorry forgot the name) with a lamb on the front cover.  A toy truck and a book about trucks... get the idea?  I ended up with quite a variety of cool books and small items seen in the books - no registering required.  Instead, your friends are asked to be a little creative in your honor!

Quick tip ~ You can warm up wipes by rubbing them around in your hands a bit.  I had this habit and my babies never complained.  It's also a  nice trick for on-the-go when a wiper warmer (which I never used) wouldn't be available anyway. 

Oh, congrats again - how exciting you'll be holding her soon

22 Sara did a post recently and I am pretty sure you read it, but in case you didn't - I left a long ass comment on some things.  And here is some more shizz...

This is my favorite carrier contraption.  These are a personal choice kind of thing as there are so many.  Just say the word and I will send the snugli, metro mama wrap and jelly bean sling down your way from some try before you buy, but my vote totally goes to the linked one.  I seriously use my baby k'tan every day as he likes being close and I like getting to use my hands. 

If you are going the wipe warmer route this is kind of a waste, but if you don't think you will be changing her solely on the changing pad in the nursery, this thing is for realz awesome!  They have different patterns, but it has little pockets and dividers for wipes tub, diapers, butt stuff, nail clippers, thermometer, burp clothes, bibs, onesies ....  basically whatever things you might find yourself needing to grab/use while you and baby are in a room or moving around the home.  I loved it so much we have one upstairs and one downstairs.  Hella useful.  And purty.  Even though Mark hates wicker and by extention any basket of any kind. 

This dohick is fantastic.  It is something that won't get used for awhile, but this is great for traveling and visiting family and friends.  It is compact, comes in different patterns, works well and adapts to A LOT of different chairs.  We use this quite a bit.

And I never thought of the mirror as being for the baby!  What a doof.  I am terribly uneasy if Mark moves the seats around and doesn't put it in place and went and bought another one when he somehow broke the other one.  Both boys' heads would flop down no matter how I tried to avoid it and when they warn you of their lack of neck muscles and air in the windpipe getting cut off, this momma checks that mirror to see what's what way more than is necessary.  Especially to see if I need to reach back to adjust their head back up into the padding. 

I really recommend the under tshirts or onesies that are long sleeve with the fold over part.  Even with cutting his nails, Cooper still manages to scratch his face more often then not.  So I usually put one on underneath his I AM THE BESTEST KID EVAH AND THEN SOME onesies.  Babies have velociraptor claws and it really is nice to keep them covered.

I might come back if I think of anything else.....

23 I know I e-mailed you, but then I thought of another thing after being with my baby nephew this weekend:

A booger sucker.  Or, in fancy terms--a nasal aspirator  You will likely get a blue bulb syringe at the hospital, but know you will want more than one b/c you will inevitably lose it & you will need it at the most inopportune times.

24 To directly answer some of your questions - I used the Bumbo tray and it was a waste of money. Of course, the boy HATED the Bumbo and arched himself out of it almost as soon as he was old enough to use it, and the tray would fall off. My niece loved the Bumbo though - so I guess it depends on the kid. For carriers, I LOVED my Moby - which you already have, so hopefully you like it as much! If you are talented, supposedly you can also use it for keeping yourself covered while nursing - but I could never quite figure our a comfortable way to do that. I also used a Hotsling from Target when the baby got a little bigger. I liked that too, because it was easy to throw the baby in and hit the store, leaving my arms relatively free. I never used the grocery cart covers. I guess that is a personal preference thing - but a lot of stores offer sanitary wipes at the entrance by the carts which you can use to wipe down the cart seat and handle before you plop the kid down. I never used a boppy - only a "Breast Friend". Also loved that! Stayed in place and was especially helpful with the first one when I was still figuring out the whole nursing business. I only had one cover - but I would lay a spit-rag under the baby's head to catch dribbles or spit-up, so I wouldn't have to wash it every day. I loved the mirror in the car so I could see what the baby was doing - but the kids didn't seem to care if it was there or not. I never had a sun-shade - but they would occasionally scream if the sun got in their eyes, and we usually ended up propping a blanket across the window - so that actually might be something I should register for this time around! I think someone mentioned it above - but the baby-proofing stuff is helpful when they get a little bigger - outlet plugs and cabinet locks especially.

25

A dozen old-fashioned cloth diapers.  Useful in hundreds of ways.  28 years later still have and use a couple as cleaning cloths.

If they still exist, that springy seat you hang from a clamp on the top of a doorframe - set the height so she can just about stand up (once she gets to that point, which will be before you know it) and she can push and bounce.  And once she can walk you can still put her in it for a few months more of periods of time where you can actually divert your attention briefly.

26

I just realized that I do have a tip/suggestion. Make sure you have extra crib sheets and waterproof pads.  Then layer as many as you can on the crib mattress.  Pad/sheet/pad/sheet/pad/sheet.

I could get three sets on mine.  Then if you have a baby with leaky diapers or happens to have reflux like one of mine did, you can just pull off that first set of sheet and pad and the new one is alreay in place.  At 3 am, you really appreciate not having to put on a new waterproof pad and crib sheet.

Also, have you looked into getting an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper.  My younger two slept in one instead of the crib.  It was so much easier to tend to them all night and we all slept better. 

1 WOW!! And I thought you were big in the first photo! I like how you're wearing the same thing in both pictures. Nice to see Charlie's eyes too!

2 You should've taken a picture of your feet so you could remember what they looked like.

Has Charlie gained weight?

3 Thanks, that was a nice present for your readers.
Happy New Year, Happy new baby!

4 *happy sniffles!*   Too big to fail, indeed!  I am SO happy for you!!!   Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year your way, too!

5 That's the only time the words "too big to fail" didn't make me cringe this year.  Merry Christmas!

6 This is just so awesome.  And you really are an adorable pregnant chick!  

7 Merry Christmas! I'm glad!!

8 You look amazing!!! 

30 weeks!  Holy canoli!!!  30 WEEKS!!!!

I, honestly, could not be more thrilled for you and your husband.  Seriously, Sarah.  All I have to do is think the word "Panera" and I almost cry.  Sure.  Their new mac 'n cheese is terrific, but our lunch that day was perfection!

Yea!!

30 weeks!!

9 Guard Wife -- Remember our shock when we saw WifeUnit's FB that she had had the baby?  And she was 30 WEEKS!  Doesn't seem possible...

10 You look fantastic!

11 Merry Christmas from one husbandless mil wife to another! Do those holiday deployment troop ads make you tear up a little like me? Btw you do look fantastic and if I didn't know better would say that Charlie is trying to steal baby's limelight! lol 30 weeks! That is amazing!

12 Darla -- There was another pic where I thought I looked the best -- good smile and hair -- but Charlie's head was waaaay encroaching on the photo.  You couldn't even see my belly!

13 Sarah, with Photoshop, it's possible to transplant that "good smile and hair" onto another photo in which Charlie wasn't hiding your belly.

There is experimental software which can do that almost automatically:

When taking group photographs, it is often difficult to get a "perfect" picture -- where, for example, everyone is smiling, with eyes open, and looking at the camera. From a set of images taken using the "burst" mode of a camera (left panel), a composite image is created in which everyone is smiling and has their eyes open (right panel) [...] While in this case the best replacement face for each child was selected manually (outlined in blue), blink and smile detection could be applied to select them automatically.

Check out the results. The software can also produce much odder effects.

14 I know it is just the angle that the pictures were taken from, but I love the fact that you can't see the bookshelf in the second one.  I have a picture of myself in which I block out the entire Christmas tree with my belly, and it cracks me up.  Delurking to say how thrilled I am for you, your husband and Charlie.  Merry Christmas!

15

Looking GOOD!  Can't wait to see all of her being hugged by her Mom!

16 It is truly awesome! Too big to fail indeed. I had one extra week, but that has passed for you too already. Yay! I still can't believe Mark updated my Facebook while I was in surgery or recovering or whenever he did it. And 30 or 31 weeks is somewhat elderly for the NICU. In our final pod, a wee boy pod person was heading home after 115 days or so. He was 14 ounces when he was born. Just smacks me with perspective. Your little girl has just a couple months and some to keep you company and dreaming crazy dreams. I remember reading SisB's early delivery and being hugely rocked by the severity of it. And just a year-ish later I had the mini in too similar a fashion. I am just glad you will not be having that on your plate. Seriously, if you buy into the 'they come in threes' argument, there is another milspouse already. I found her link but lost it and need to find it again. Her husband was deployed at the time. Mark totally did math in his head and smiled and then agreed with your post title. Too big to fail is awesome.

17 Damn phone. Apparently return does not translate as a paragragh defining tool when I hit post here even though it looks like it on the screen. Annoying.

18 Pregnancy agrees with you. You look great!

1 How precious!

2 So sweet! I love it! Merry Christmas to you.

3 Amazing, Sarah. look at those little piggies. Merry Christmas.

4 Very cool!

M1's toes were also something special for us.  When she ran her foot right into the camera, we could see she has this space between her big toe and her second toe--just like her dad.

Your baby's toes look quite smoochable!  Can't wait to see them in person. 

5 That's what I call a great Christmas gift. Merry Christmas little one. And mommy, too.

6 I keep pulling it up on the computer

If I were you, I'd make it my wallpaper. Beats the Tangut desert ruins I have right now. They represent the end of a civilization. This ultrasound represents a beginning.

And all of a sudden, she seems real.

"Seems"? She is real!

And kiss her toes.

The very toes that kick you!

Archive this site. When she's old enough to read it, the links may not work anymore, but our thoughts about her never grow old.

7 Amritas -- My husband is my wallpaper.  He's good to look at too

8 A Christmas miracle indeed!  So precious...you are blessed indeed!

9 A miracle and a gift all wrapped into one precious package!
And how much love we out here in the blogosphere have for this little one...
Merry Christmas Sarah!

10 Aw, Sarah...

*happy tears*

11 Incredibly adorable.

So happy for you.

12 So cute!

13 Toes are very edible I hear!

1

Sarah,

 

While I know you didn’t mean it to be, this post is a perfect example of what we often hear but never truly fully appreciate regarding our military families making sacrifices.

 

While I’m sorry that you had no one in that moment, I’m so grateful for you, Sarah, and your husband.

 

Best Wishes.

 

P.S. Camel Back?

2 It sucks that y'all can't be together during this wonderful period in your lives... But, again, I am so happy you have this period, waiting for your child to arrive...