So fact about me... I struggle with making decisions. And I’m not just talking about major life decisions that have a serious impact. I’m talking about really small, day-to-day inconsequential decisions like where to order take-out from. And while things have improved over the years, I still tend to overthink things A LOT.
When I got engaged, and my husband and I were putting our wedding registry together, my indecision really reared its ugly head. As we perused the 7th floor of our beloved Bloomingdales in Manhattan with our little scanner gun in tow, I felt anxiety rising in me. Each time, the situation was the same. I’d stare at a platter. I’d think, “I like this platter. It’s a good size and shape. I like the design.” But when Matt would go to scan said platter to officially add it to the registry, I’d start to internally panic. “But is this the oval platter I’m going to want to use on Thanksgiving for the rest of my life? Is it the best oval platter here? Should we look around more? Maybe we should look at other stores? Maybe I should google reviews of oval platters! What does Wirecutter say about oval platters?” And the pattern continued throughout the wedding registry process, until I had basically ruined the entire thing for myself (and Matt, my poor, ever-patient husband).
But this time around I’ve decided I am NOT doing that. I learned my lesson doing the wedding registry and I will not go down that road again. Putting together the baby registry for our little girl might take some work and research. And sure, we’re doing this in the middle of the pandemic where it's unlikely I'll be going into any stores to see items in person. But that’s okay! Because THIS time, registering is going to be fun!
Since there does not seem to be any kind of magic baby registry fairy (trust me I looked) to help put all this together, I’m taking control of the situation and putting my neuroses to good use: I’m arming myself with knowledge by polling close friends and members of this community trying to get a feel for what we’ll actually need/want. I’m asking what items they couldn’t live without, what stuff they wish they registered for but didn't know to, what was recommended to them that they never ever used, stroller recs, crib recs, carriers, diaper bags, bouncers vs. swing—literally every question I can think of. I’ll also be using my knowledge from working with families, doing safety and brand research, and only slightly overthinking to put this baby registry together. I’ll be sharing what I learn along the way, which will hopefully be a useful resource to some of the soon-to-be-mamas out there looking for guidance. So stay tuned for part two (and possibly parts three, four, etc.) as I share more about my baby registry process!
Comments