Equipment

I have been thinking about those things that are most essential to managing the early weeks of life with baby. The two most essential accoutrements are categories of things rather than individual items. First, I have been extremely grateful for various feedings aids. We have relied heavily from birth (he was not keen on breast feeding for the first week) upon the breast pump. We have also been able to share the (significant) burden of feeding as a result of what we call "the finger." It is a tiny tube connected to a soft bottle that Will tapes to his finger. Emmett loves sucking on fingers and is able to get food at the same time. We have photos of this, but they look a bit bizarre (there is one where he is sucking on W's middle finger and holding the two neighbor fingers as though they were handle bars). Will has been able to do late- and middle-of-the-night feedings now and then and he was able to take care of little M when I saw Lucinda Willilams last week. This is so wonderful, since, as it is, I spend most of my waking hours feeding the bearito.

Second category of can't-live-without items are the baby carriers. We have three that are great under different circumstances. But, if the baby is a major fuss bucket, putting him in a carrier is a solution 75% of the time. He will almost always chill out and go to sleep (though he may not remain asleep when removed). He feels very safe in them. It is great for doing stuff around the house when he won't sit quietly on his own; i.e., most of the time. Also, they are very handy for the use of public transportation and navigating the narrow isles of urban grocery markets--much less cumbersome than a stroller. (Also, we don't yet own a stroller, or "poussette.")

Third, we love our bouncy chair. I think most parents know how necessary such an item is for survival. He is also coming to enjoy the swing. He will often nap or sit quietly for a little while in these fantastic seats.

Fourthly, we adore the camera. We takes pics almost every day. Without it, we would not capture the outrageous cuteness.