battling the urge

Consumption, consumption. Oh, woe is me!

Babies- and people, in general- don't really need much. David says it all the time. I know it. I have lived it.

Food, clothing, and shelter. The basics.

But alas, I am also a daughter of Ochun, and I love fine things. Pretty things. Sweet smelling things. Things!!

I could live without them, and have. And even liked living without them for extended periods of time. But they are so nice to have... sometimes. Even the hippiest of the hippiest (ahem, some of you all. Ok. Us, all.), have their natural and organic finery. U.S. culture turns everything into a damned consumer feast. So even if you want to make, your sweet, fine things, you have to buy the materials!

[Ok, we can grow our materials, too, but that's a bit harder with a manic (or not so manic) American life. 8-10 hours of work. 1-3 hours of commuting time. Maybe some time to sleep, eat, walk, breathe fresh air and make love... You know. The basics!!!]

Lawd...

So back to the topic at hand. As we prepare for the baby, and I hit the first week in which my regular pants kinda don't fit(thank you bella band and belly belt for extending the waist on my pants), I realize how quickly my head has started spinning with images and thoughts of things!

Maternity clothes. Not too many, but enough to ensure I look like gente when I go to work.

And for the baby...

Food: breast milk. Easy, right? Wrong. If you have to work like I do, then you need to buy a breast pump! Yessir. And the "cheapest" one is not cheap, because who has time to sit around with a hand pump. Not I. No, sir.

Shelter: we have that covered for now but we need to move because the amount of time it takes me to commute to my job will be extraordinarily nuts if i have a little people (yes, I called him a little people) to rush home to.

Clothing: lawd!!! Why is everything so damned cute?! Thankfully, he'll be born in late Spring. By the time summer, hits, he will be out in the world in diapers and camisetas! Holler! But we live in the north, people. He needs warm jammies and things.

And babies need other cloth things. Bibs and socks. Burp cloths and blankets. "Not a lot" is plenty... and it is also designed to be small and cute and perfect, and make you want it all.

So, I have discipline- and common sense. But, oh, am I fighting the urge.

I don't want the boy to be a gluttonous American consumer. Hell, I don't want to be a gluttonous American consumer. God knows, people all over the world are raised with less and turn out beautifully. But alas, I have to admit that I am enchanted by the cut of a onesie, and the trippy colors of the baby layette universe. I've loved miniature everything since I was a kid, and now I am really fighting the urge!

[Note to my peeps: I am a work in progress, and some urges, will be satisfied.]