The Traveling Baby Kit

So we experienced what's known as a failed adoption. A good thing that came out of that experience was our realization that we need a "Baby Kit." What's a baby kit? Well, for us soon to be adoptive families, a baby kit is a collection of stuff that you can pack into your car (or airplane) quickly in case you need to rush to another state and meet a birth mother who is delivering in another state ... or some similar scenario.

You've heard of adoptive parents staying in hotels for a week or longer waiting for the ICPC paperwork to clear. Well, during that time, the baby needs to eat, sleep and (ah-em) use the facilities. How's a little baby supposed to do that in a hotel room without a baby kit?

Now, we may not need a "Baby Kit" - because our adoptive baby may come from a local birth mother - but even so, it never hurts to be prepared. As Winston Churchill once said, "In failing to prepare, we prepare to fail."

See those diapers and wipes in the corner? Well, they might last us a day ... but it's a start! Also seen here are swaddling/burping cloths, blankets, hooded towels, wash cloths and I think some socks. We couldn't really focus on pink or blue because we have no idea what gender our adoptive baby will be. So we picked a little of both - and some neutral colors as well. Once we know, we can pick out more gender-appropriate colors. Remember, this is kind of like an emergency kit!

On the other side of the closet, we have bottles (4 oz for newborn), lotion, baby wash and powder, a bottle brush, pacifiers and nail clippers. Oh, and don't forget the onesies. These have little hand covers in them so baby doesn't scratch his or her face. So cute.

The thought of giving a baby a bath in a hotel bathtub is not my most favorite idea. So we bought a little baby bather just in case. Of course we'll clean out the tub ourselves to be sure it's as clean as can be but a baby bather is just the ticket to provide comfort and security. Next to the baby bather, you'll see a traveling bassinet. Made just for baby, this little bassinet provides a little Nook for a newborn to sleep just in case we have to stay for a week or so out of town. This might also come in handy if we take a trip to Nana's house anytime shortly after the baby is born.

Not pictured here (because the picture was blurry) is the Boppy newborn lounger we bought. I just love these things. My friend has one for her newborn daughter. It allows baby to sit right next to you on the couch, the bed, the floor ... whatever!

This diaper bag isn't necessarily what I would choose right off the bat but Robert wanted one of his own. I'm calling it his man-bag. We'll pack it with all the necessities and head on our way just in case we get the call. Some might say we're nesting before it's time. Oh well, our little shopping trip helped us deal with the heavy emotions we felt after our failed adoption so we're considering it a healthy coping mechanism. And it's not like we won't use the stuff. We're READY!

As we were unpacking our baby kit and storing it away in the nursery closet, the boys were quite intrigued. "A baby? What's that?" Oh just you wait, Chalky. Just you wait.

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