My coffee table

As I sit with my feet propped up on my coffee table, I can't help but notice that it is littered with assorted items relating to a baby: four books, all with the express purpose of fully preparing me for parenthood prior the baby's arrival, assorted ultrasound photos, a few of the baby presents I've already received, some congratulatory cards. Now, lest my husband think that I have actually become the neat freak he wishes he married, I should state that the major issue here is not one of cleanliness. My coffee table is not typically spotless. Under normal circumstances, it might have a couple of remotes, the laptop, the earrings I wore the day before, and a stray copy of Real Simple decorating its surface. Quite frankly, this new type of clutter frightens me. I very much suspect that this is only the beginning of a very long, losing battle against the "stuff," for lack of a better word, that comes with kids.



Here is the main reason for my concern. I live in a 1500 square foot basic cookie-cutter home which, thanks to the tanking economy, will probably continue to be my home for the next several years. Each of my three bedrooms has a reasonably sized closet, but that is the extent of the storage in my house. My problem is that every conceivable storage space in my house is currently in use. How on earth will I make room for everything that I'm supposed to purchase over the next 6 months? I have to admit that I will be terribly disappointed to get rid of the wine rack so a pack & play can fit in the living room. And I'm not entirely sure I want a bottle drying rack on the counter where my cannisters currently reside. What about the exersaucer? Where will the stroller fit when I'm not using it? I really like the way my house looks right now. Every item has a place and function.

Which leads me to this question: Do kids really need all that stuff? I can't imagine that a child's life would be empty without the bouncy seat, the swing, the highchair, the exersaucer, the play yard. How many rattles and teething toys can a child actually use in one lifetime? On the other hand, I have a feeling that some of these items are more for my sanity than the baby's actual needs. It seems wise to have two or three or maybe even ten options for calming a screaming infant. And I am going to need something to keep the child occupied for ten minutes while I take a shower.

Surely the great, encompassing love that I feel for this child will make me immune to the actual condition of my house. Or maybe it will be the sheer exhaustion. Regardless, I need to learn to put aside what I have considered to be my grown-up necessities for the primary colored toys that will inevitably be strewn over the living room floor. They say that having a child changes your world. I am guessing that this change is only the beginning.