Sleep Sacks and Car Seats

Naps and sleep sacks. Baby swings and car seats. 

A whole lot of the baby essentials have changed since Charlie Jo was born in 2017. I remember Amazon'ing the Owlet sleep sock from our hospital room because that just seemed like the most important thing any new parents could own. Or counting down the days (and the pounds) we needed to be to order our first Baby Merlin's Magic Sleep Suit because how could any baby sleep without it? (Her first night in the thing, she slept 12 hours - just saying). 

We got the trendy bottles. The carseat system an influencer said was the best. The baby bag a different influencer told me was "mom chic." The list goes on.

Then my sweet Hattie came along. As I continue to pull the huge bins of clothes separated by months down from my attic, I realize just how 4.5 years apart in age feels. Why did I hold on to the Chevron print sleep sack, the snap cotton jammies, the baby food-stained play clothes? 

My Mom used to call me a pack rat. Neat - yes. Overly sentimental - also yes. 

There is something about what you think is essential with baby #1 that simply is not with baby #2. We used the Owlet a total of three nights (maybe). We are re-using our original car seat (no Doona here). We are still loving our Tommee Tippee bottles.  We LOVED our Merlin while it lasted, then we purchased a Kyte Sleep Bag because - bamboo cotton. 

I refuse to believe it is baby #1 vs. baby #2 - the all in vs. anything goes kinda thing a lot of parents talk about. As a baby #2 myself, I try to be super intentional with how I talk about that. 

No, I just think what I thought was essential 4.5 years ago, isn't. Maybe it's less about giving less and more about knowing where you need to give more. What do I know? I'm only nine months into this whole mom-of-two thing. 

All photos by the talented Cassie Treuil Photography.

SHOP CHEL'S LOOK....

Top: $74 | Bottoms: $118 | Purse: $128 | Loafers: $42 | Necklace: $28 | Bracelet Stack: $36