second-baby syndrome? or something else?

it's funny. planning for the birth of lucy involved a LOT of shopping. generally speaking, items had to be new--the crib, the bedroom rug, the clothes, shoes, blankets, etc. all of the toys--i couldn't dream of letting my newborn baby touch anything that *might* have had some kind of contact with any kind of grossness from a former user, even if said user was an innocent little baby. yes, we had a few hand-me-down clothes from people that we knew, and purchased a couple of vintage items for the nursery because it fit our decor. but for the most part, lucy was the recipient of a LOT of brand-new (expensive) things.

fast forward 18 months. what a difference a little time (and perspective) can make. baby number #02, we love you dearly already. we're decorating your nursery and putting together your wardrobe with (almost) as much thought and excitement as we did for lucy. but i have to tell you, baby-to-be, you're not getting anything new.

clothes? garage & consignment sales. crib? craigslist. furniture? toys? hand-me-downs from lucy. antique fair. decor? handmade. i've yet to waltz into baby gap, janie & jack, or gymboree with the desire to buy a single thing.

here's the thing about buying secondhand. not only can you (for the most part) save a lot of money, but items are less likely to be coated with chemicals (due to repeated washing) or need time to "off-gas." i distinctly recall getting a severe headache after unpacking lucy's stroller from the box. and don't get me started on the way her crib stunk up the nursery--so that we left the windows open for a week before her due date to get it all aired out.

on the subject of nurseries, baby's room is really starting to come together. a few more craigslist purchases (got the crib yesterday), and i'll be posting photos of the finished product. hopefully this post will come very soon--after all, only 5 more weeks to go!