January 21, 2011

Death by Strawberry Hat.

I was wandering around in Babies R Us again the other day... not because I particularly needed anything or had anything on the agenda, but just because, I don't know... it's where pregnant people are supposed to go?

Like, when you are injured, you go to the hospital.

And when you are pregnant, you go to Babies R Us.

(It's a primal instinct. Like holding your breath under water.)

Every time I've gone there recently, I don't end up buying anything, I mostly just wander around in the double wide isles and marvel at human society and the fact that there is a warehouse-sized store like this in every city in America that has somehow convinced all of us parents-to-be that we NEED this crap when in reality, we just need a few blankets, some tiny clothes & diapers, and, I suppose, a car seat so you can go places without getting arrested. The rest of that stuff is all FLUFF.

(Fluff that sells itself mostly by preying on our fears.)

(But perhaps that is another rant for another time?)

Anywho, with every pregnancy there has been ONE baby item that I have obsessed over for some reason. I latch onto this one item and research it until I am an expert on all forms and variations of it, and I know who carries it and who doesn't and who sells it for $1.00 cheaper and why option A is better than option B or C.

With Ezra, it was the crib bedding. (We went with airplanes.)
With Myer, it was the ring sling. (I fell in love with the Maya Wrap.)
With this baby, it has recently been the baby's coming home outfit.

Do I buy something practical and neutral so a boy OR a girl could wear it? Or do I go crazy and buy a tiny little boy outfit AND a tiny little girl outfit and bring them both to the hospital?

A normal person would just buy one of each and then forget about it. But not me, no siree! I am concerned about the psychological effects that buying a little girl outfit might have upon me if I don't end up getting to USE it.

A normal person would say "Just give away the outfit that you don't end up using!" But not me, no siree! I fret about the mental implications and distress that could occur if I have another boy and then give away the girly outfit and then see a friend's little girl wearing it, causing me to mourn a little on the inside for the girl I didn't have and then feel guilty about said mourning when I should be rejoicing over a friend's new baby girl!

Someone needs to just come slap me. I am wearing a hole in my brain.

All of this is just to say, as I was wandering around in Babies R Us the other day, I came upon this little number:



The strawberry cuteness juuuust about did me in. No, really! I think I almost died. I'm pretty sure that my pulse slowed way down and I saw a bright light.

I didn't buy it, of course, because I had to come home and obsessively obsess about the purchase before I could ever allow myself to bring something pink home with me.

But now I'm thinking that I should just go back and get it. Or at least allow myself to buy SOMETHING girly, just in case? It's like, just live a little, Emery!

Right?

Plus, you never know... maybe allowing myself to buy something pink would flush some of this crazy out of my system!

*cough*notlikely*cough*cough*

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I was pregnant with #2 (didn't find out what we were having) I obsessed over the take home outfit, too! I didn't care AT ALL about the take home outfit with baby #1, but for some reason it mattered with baby #2. I ended up getting something gender neutral and lovely, and I stuck with it even after we had a girl. I didn't buy a single girl item during my pregnancy because I knew that if I did I wouldn't have a girl. That's just how the jinx works! We stopped at Target on the way home from the hospital and I blew $100 on girl stuff (most of which I returned a few days later out of guilt). Yes, I was the crazy diapered woman pushing my two-day old baby around Target with hospital bands and knitted hospital hat.

Morgan | Mrs. Priss said...

That hat absolutely kills me. SO DANG CUTE. At least you only have a few more weeks! I'm right ahead of you, like 3 weeks or so, and I think we were both pregnant at the same time with Myer and Maddie too. :) It's so fun to see other girls going through all the same stuff and reaching the same milestones... and knowing that you're not the only miserable one makes it a little more bearable too, lol.

I'm so excited for you guys that you're keeping it a surprise... it's going to be the best moment ever!

weird, babbling, rambling comment over. :)

Krista Meyer said...

okay seriously...the suspense is more than I can take! You are killing me with all of this surprise stuff! I just want to turn to the last page and peek to see if newest little Clark came home in "strawberries" or "airplanes".

Anonymous said...

Go with gender neutral. If it is a girl you will have a lifetime (well at least several years when you still dress her) to buy cute super girl outfits. If it is a boy, then you save yourself the emotions you mentioned.

Lil Muse Lily said...

again, i don't know how you do it!!! as soon as i found out i was having a girl, i started shopping. ;)

Charlotte said...

Can I say that, when I'm pregnant, I am making it a goal to never go inside a Babies R Us. It kind of terrifies me/grosses me out.

Danielle of Graydon Avenue Photography said...

I can NOT wait to find out if you're having a boy or a girl!! So so exciting. :D

Chelsea said...

I say get the strawberry outfit! It will make you smile. We're kind of in the same boat of not wanting to know the gender but secretly hoping for a girl at the same time. It's so hard. Especially when I see such cute girl clothes and imagine girl toys and dolls laying around my house. *sigh*

either way we'll be happy, but having a girl would be SO much fun! You're so close to the end! I can't wait to see your precious little one!

Ashley said...

When I was pregnant with my first. I wanted a girl so bad but decided to wait to find out. One day I came upon some little crib shoes that looked like ponies. I didn't dare buy them and I have regretted it ever since.That makes me sound crazy, but I had the little girl I wanted and eventually a second daughter. The shoes became a reminder of my hesitation. Why did it matter? If I had, had a boy (and in my mind I was in no way prepared to have a son) I could have kept those shoes until I came to terms and eventually was convinced of the awesomness that, I now know are boys.

I say you buy the little bringing home baby outfit. Bond with it. Get excited. Because no matter what the moment that baby come it wont matter what color they wear home.

Alivia said...

Oh, Emery! This is so cute...I think I'd be in the same conundrum as you if I were expecting a little one! However, I think I'd buy one outfit either a boy or girl would love...but now that I've written that, I kind of changed my mind. Oh, bother!

<3 good luck!

MFEO2009 said...

I am a new follower. :)
You are so funny &&& blessed to have another little one on the way. Congrats!

Chicago Mom (Heather) said...

Go back and buy it. I was obsessed with a strawberry dress when I was pregnant with my daughter. I had no idea she was a girl and didn't get it. I wish I'd bought it!

Katie said...

Buy a neutral outfit and avoid all the emotions you mentioned. I'm pregnant with my second (my first is a boy), and would never allow myself to look at girl clothes. Call me a killjoy, but I just couldn't imagine buying something girl only to find out this baby is a boy. But do it if you must, knowing full well that that baby has a 50% of being a wonderful boy!! There will always be a strawberry outfit you could buy after she's here. :)

SkittleSkattle said...

It is going to be a girl. You were sick in your first trimester (as was I with my girl - and didn't find out until she popped out). I just know it by the way you were talking about being sick. I had a boy the first time (didn't find out then either) and was never sick. But, really, when they come home, they never fit into those outfits anyway! I brought so many clothes to the hospital and none of them fit! She ended up coming home in the tiny white onesie the hospital put on her. Good luck!
And, you will get so many cute new clothes at your baby viewing party! :)

misguided mommy said...

this is so so so so hard. because buying a pink think would so cause the world to make sure it was a boy. with codi i started a fake registry cuz i was on bed rest and bored and couldn't go to the actual store and browse, and i put a couple girl things on it. i still blame that stupid registry for having a second boy (which i love and am thrilled about but still blame)

also my word verification is unsad

Kalle said...

so adorable, definitely a must have for any girl. I'm one of those who stock piles both genders and then takes back or exchanges if it's wrong. I just found out that this pregnancy I'm having a girl but I can't quite believe it yet.

Enjoy the last few weeks.

glynis said...

We go to church together and yet, i don't think we've ever met...but if that little outfit shows up on your chair (or somewhere in your vicinity) I absolutely did not give into the cuteness and buy it for you. Just so we're clear :-)

Sarah said...

Oh so cool .. you must be waiting to find out the sex!