Monday, August 27, 2012

baby B's room

But it's really our room. Luckily our room is quite large and we have the space. We just had to shuffle around Jamie's desk and our make-shift change table and add the pack 'n play. Babies really don't need much. All our boys started off their lives sleeping in our room. Noah lasted a mere 3 days {o hello Darth Vader-like sleeper!} but Jude was with us for a good 5 or 6 months!
We only ever decorated one nursery {for Noah} and we moved Jude and Noah into the same room when Jude was 9-10 months {the months that he didn't spend with us or Noah were in our office}.
It's up to each family to decide what works best for your kids and you {and your bank account!}, but for us we've found that saving space {room sharing} and money {by using hand-me-downs, borrowing items from friends or buying used} is the best way to make use of the things we've been given.


Right now we've got a bookshelf right by the door way. The top shelf has a banana fiber basket/tray with 0-3 month clothing including onesies, sleepers, socks, a few shirts and some comfy pants. The next shelf down has another banana fiber basket with things like diapers, wipes, diaper cream, q-tips and other little bottles of baby-type stuff.
Beside the bookshelf is our high-desk turned into a change table. Right now it just has a small change pad and some other ornamental-type stuff on it {my pretty lavender roses!} but I think I may end up moving the tray of diapers/wipes up beside the change pad as right now there's enough room. Baby B may quickly outgrow this tiny change pad {it was a freebie from another expat here in Kampala} but for now it'll work.
There is a pull-out drawer beneath that has things like diaper garbage bags, extra sleepers and a large tin of "bag balm".
Beneath the drawer is a cupboard that I have a small basket of toys that have been given to us from friends here and in Canada for baby B. I think there may also be a small stack of receiving blankets and burp cloths.
Beside the change table is our beloved pack 'n play that we had sent over with some students who came here in May/June. We got this brand new as a gift when I was pregnant with Noah so it's been well-loved and is now onto its third child! There is a bassinet insert which we'll use for as long as we can with baby B and a mosquito net that's hanging above.
I may move a chair into our room at some point to nurse in, but we'll see how things go. Initially we may have baby B in our bed with us for the first week or so to make things easier for nighttime nursing since it will require me getting out of our mosquito net, lifting up the baby's mosquito net and then bringing him back to our bed to nurse {back under the mosquito net} and then putting him back when I'm done nursing. It's tiring just writing it all out!
So that's all our baby stuff. Aside from the infant car seat we were given by our friends whose son has outgrown it, we just have one of those baby rocker-seats and a bumbo {don't even get me started on the recall. please. just watch your kids and stop putting the stupid chairs up high on top of things! honestly.} that we bought off our same friends.
We've been blessed with much and I am so thankful.
Here's to hoping baby B is a quieter sleeper like Jude and not another Darth Noah sleeper. :)
{the long-term plan is to keep baby B in our room with us until we move back to Canada - he'll be almost 10 months by that time - and then depending on our living arrangements to move all three boys into the same room! we'll see, though.}

4 comments:

  1. Ok, i dont know where to start. Holy creativity on the space Batman! (I dont think "batman" should really be written after such a long sentence, but oh well). Super good to see the room all set up. I bet you're feeling OODLES better now. Just hanging out and waiting?
    Also, BAG BALM??? Is this for real? Is it a nipple thing or a baby bum thing?
    And I wanted to comment on bumbo. Thats exactly what I thought about the recall. Recalled because kids were falling out, WHY were they on counter tops in them? Good to hear that I can safely purchase on of those. Or seek out a 2nd hand one. How often did you really use it? How old were the boys when they were able to start being seated in it? Yes, I know, its shameful, I know nothing.

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  2. Bag balm is the bomb. It's great for everything but I used it for bad diaper rash. Miracle worker right there.

    And the bumbo. Don't buy one brand new. Look on Kijiji or garage sales. You should be able to find one for like $15-25.
    And babies just need to be able to hold their head/neck steady - around 3ish months?
    Noah was not in long at all. Hello chunky thighs!
    Jude was in for a bit longer.
    I know some kids that were in theirs for awhile and their parents used them extensively - especially for feeding and whatnot.
    Those are my thoughts.
    :)

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  3. Love that you fit everything in! I even have another 'elephant head' to attach to the mobile! I guess you can tell Keven if there's anything you still need from 'home' and we'll bring it!
    So happy just to see the space where Mr. B will be! whoo hoo!!

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  4. I love the room! And I love pack n' plays! We had friends give us one with the bassinet insert right before Stevie was born, and he stayed in it in our room for about 6 months. Bumbos were recalled right before Leah was born (for the same reasons). I didn't get one then, and it's one of those baby things I haven't missed having.
    I can't believe we'll be meeting baby B when he's 10 months! Can't wait.

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Thanks for commenting!