the power of the "SHUSSSSHHHH"

when i was registering for baby items and looking through 'baby bargains' books and trying to figure out what i really NEEDED and what was just a gimmick, there were plenty of things i figure i could do without. i thought for sure that a crib would be a high need item. in fact, when i was first pregnant and mentioned to chad that we'd need to do a "nursery" and buy a crib, he was convinced we didn't need a nursery or a crib. "he can sleep in our drawer...we can change will on our bed...why do we need so much stuff...it'll be fine." now a few months into this, chad's favorite baby thing (besides the yoga ball---which is really more of a love/ hate relationship) is the changing table. the yoga ball kills our back, and the changing table saves it. or so he says. and we still have yet to use the crib...much less the nursery (though my sewing machine lives there...so it's getting a little workout)

well for me...i must say, one of my favorite items that i would have thought would never have been needed includes our white noise machines. we have 2 (one at the bed, one that's portable) and then the MOST important--- a digital voice recorder (that i used to use as a verbal to do list back when i had things 'to do' other than being a mom). the digital voice recorder has a 2 minute recording of our vacuum cleaner---that i recorded one nite out of pure exasperation... now, three mos later, im guessing that i've probably listened to that for 10+ hrs of our vacuum cleaner recording (no wonder my brain is mush). we take it most everywhere, and it has a volume control so that it can get pretty intense (chat HATES it---which is funny as vacuuming is chad's job in our relationship). anyway...who would have thought that the kiddo would love the vacuum cleaner so much...or rather it would calm him so much (is he destined for a life in the service industry?!).

there was a day a few weeks ago that our friend carlee was visiting. we were out downtown boulder and left the 'vacuum' in the car. sure enough william melted down. i tried nursing him as we walked down the street as there was nowhere to sit, so he was in the sling, crying, nursing, sputtering milk, as i smiled at the passerby's. then in harmony, carlee and i both started to "shhhh" (trying to sound as much like the vacuum cleaner as possible), and i even added it a bounce that tried to mimic the yoga ball....sure enough a few minutes later he was soundly sleeping, and comforted.

mother's day (i owe a whole blog entry to the day...more to come) was another time the vacuum cleaner came in handy. we went on a breakfast hike/ picnic to one of our favorite hiking spots. despite taking us 30 min to get out the door, and having to turn back around once b/c we forgot the baby carrier, we got there...we hiked...we ate...enjoyed the view...and even cooed a bit (will's fun new trick). on the way back, poor will, tired as could be, gave chad quite a workout...that is until we pulled out the 'vacuum.' there we were hiking this beautiful hike, and listening to the damn vacuum. we smiled at the passerby's, and no one even wondered who in the world was vacuuming the trail....or at least they didn't let on to us that they wondered. maybe they were parents too, with children who liked the sound of their vacuum.