“Star Wars” for the next generation

Brett and I on the night of the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” premiere.

The first time he watched “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” trailer, and that famous music blared through the speakers, his eyes glistened with nostalgia and awe. When tickets went on sale the month before the movie was set to release, we jumped online right away, scrambling to find the perfect seats. With our tickets securely in our grasp, he gave me the biggest hug and smile. It was like my 27-year-old husband had been transformed back into his 10-year-old self, eagerly awaiting the day when his favorite movie would be released.

I have never been much of a “Star Wars” fan. My parents had never watched the movies, and the later episodes were something I caught bits and pieces of when it was on TV. I won a lot of brownie points with Brett when we first started dating due to my love of “Lord of the Rings,” Marvel films, “Harry Potter,” etc. But when he discovered I had never really watched “Star Wars,” his eyes bulged and he sputtered in protest. Needless to say, a marathon of all six movies ensued soon after. I liked them, but they didn’t automatically make their way onto my list of favorite movies of all time.

But then the hype for the new “Star Wars” film began, and I couldn’t help but jump on the bandwagon. Perhaps it’s because the longer I have been with Brett, the more I learn more about myself and have fallen in love with so many things considered “nerdy.” Or it could also be that I love how excited my husband gets when he watches the movies over and over again. His excitement is contagious, and I found myself eagerly reading articles about the new movie and sharing tidbits with him that I had discovered.

I absolutely loved the latest movie, and we have already seen it three times. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have jumped on the “Star Wars” bandwagon very late in the game. There are a plethora of reasons for why I consider this latest installment to be awesome, but the number one reason I now adore this film franchise is because of our son. He may not be here yet, but just like his father before him, I want him to grow up watching these movies with his dad, standing in line the night of the premiere to see the next film and imagining that he is a Jedi. For me, I will never forget seeing every “Harry Potter” movie with my dad in theaters. For Brett, it was “Star Wars.” Even though we live seven hours from his parents, Brett made sure plans were in place so that he and his dad could watch “The Force Awakens” together. It’s what they have always done, and I know it’s something they will continue to do. And I can’t wait for the moment our son can be a part of that.  When our little boy hears that famous music and watches that scrolling text, I know how happy that will make his dad, because “Star Wars” is part of his family legacy. Being able to not only witness this bond form over three generations and being a part of it has and will forever make me a “Star Wars” fan.

Preparing for Baby B

 

Brett and I chose to do our baby shower fairly early in my pregnancy. Because my third trimester begins during the holiday season – which is Brett’s busiest time of year at work – we chose to have the shower before all the mayhem of the holidays and we were also hoping the weather would be nice for guests who were traveling.

Because of that, I began my baby registry pretty early. And I had so much fun picking out the items for our little guy! Brett works at Target, and I absolutely love that store, so that is where we registered for our shower. A lot of my research was asking my sisters what they used for their kids and what they liked best. I did use sites, such as The Bump and Baby Center, to give me ideas on what are the best brands and what items to avoid. I also see how other customers have rated or reviewed certain items to make sure there isn’t anything faulty with my selection.

I wanted Brett to be involved as much as possible. When it came to the big items, we went through everything together to make sure we both agreed on what we were getting. For our bigger items, we chose to go gender neutral because we are planning to have more kids, and we want to be able to reuse what we can.

On that note, here is a list of what we chose for our little guy:

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• Crib: Delta Children Clermont 4-in-1 Convertible Crib in Chocolate — I originally wanted the Eddie Bauer Port Townsend convertible crib, but I couldn’t find a dresser or changing table to match. The Clermont was my second choice, and it happened to go on sale, so we got a great deal on it as well.

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• Changing Table/Dresser: Delta Children Clermont 6-Drawer Dresser — I was set on buying just a changing table and using storage baskets, but as I looked into changing tables and dressers, I really liked the thought of all the extra storage a dresser would provide. And the Delta brand provides a changing top you can buy separately to attach to the top of the dresser. And because the crib and dresser would match perfectly, I was sold.

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• Stroller/Car seat: Graco Dynamo Lite Classic Connect Travel System Stroller – Hudson — For many of these items, we thought we knew what we wanted but soon changed our minds. The same went for choice of a car seat and stroller. I thought a convertible car seat sounded awesome, but then when I realized it’s not very portable, I changed my mind. My sister recommended the Graco Travel System. I also made sure to get a second base so we can easily take the little man in either car.

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•  Baby Carrier: BabyBjorn Miracle Baby Carrier — Even before we knew we were going to have a baby, Brett has wanted to be a baby-carrying dad. And because he is so excited about it, I wanted to make sure we got a high-quality baby carrier. Baby wraps kind of freak me out. I’m terrified I won’t be able to wrap it right, and I will end up smothering my child. I had read many great reviews about BabyBjorn and this particular carrier. I also loved that you can have the baby facing you or facing outward. And you can tote your tot in this until they are 26 pounds!

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• Diaper Bag: Eddie Bauer Bremmerton Duffle Diaper Bag — There are so many diaper bags out there to choose from! I loved the bags that are pretty and almost resemble a purse, but Brett didn’t love the idea of carrying a floral bag around. I loved that this bag had so many pockets and it also came with a changing pad.

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• Rocker or Sleeper: Eddie Bauer Slumber and Soothe Rocker — I was told by many moms that this is an absolute necessity for newborns. They are able to sleep right next to your bed at night, and they can sleep propped up if they are dealing with acid reflux. It also vibrates and plays music!

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• Bouncer: Fisher-Price My Little SnugaMonkey Special Edition Deluxe Bouncer — Both my sisters swear by their bouncers so this was one of the first items I registered for. This bouncer vibrates, plays music and is super soft. I also like that it has a detachable mobile.

Items we chose to skip (at least for now) are:

• Infant swing — I was told by a few different moms that they received swings and only used them a couple of times. Many of them recommended the bouncer instead.
• Doorway jumper — This was another item I had a few different moms say they received but rarely used. They recommended a play mat or activity center instead.
• Baby wipe warmer — This just seemed a little excessive. While it might be nice to have a warm wipe for the baby’s tush, it just didn’t seem like an absolute necessity.
• Breast pump — I admit I’m still on the fence about breast feeding. I’m going to give it a try, but if it doesn’t feel right for me or my little guy, I don’t to force it. Also, pumping does not sound like fun, especially when I return to work. I may completely change my mind and become gung-ho about breast feeding and pumping, but I’m going to wait to purchase this particular item until I know for sure what is going to be best for me and Baby B.

I consider this a list of necessities, but stay tuned for my list of fun items, such as books, toys, clothes, we have picked out. 🙂