Beware, the Struggle Is Real.

As I type this, I am counting down the days until I my new niece arrives in this world.  I've been an aunt for 13 years, I love my nieces and nephew to pieces.  But this baby, this is the first Abele cousin, the first baby on my side of the family.  I am Just. So. Excited.  

Of course my brother and sister in law haven't been able to escape my insight (I am sure they tune me out plenty).  I know how it is when you are an expecting mom - everyone has advice, everyone tells you how they managed morning sickness, how they kept from swelling up like a giant whale, how they ate only low sodium diets and never went to a fast food establishment and binged on french fries, because sometimes a salt soaked potato is the answer to all pregnancy woes.  I get that you want to roll your eyes and walk on past these well meaning people.  But there is one bit of advice, a little something, that when shared by existing parents, you should perk up and listen to real close. 

That message is this: Never, ever, in your whole life will you struggle so much to put things together and set up equipment.  Baby gear is the devil's work folks.   It's the most complicated, least user friendly, most frustratingly difficult stuff to set up that you will ever encounter.  I tell this to soon to be first time parents, I see the look in their eyes.  They are thinking I'm being overly dramatic.  I'm not.  I am stating a well known fact among the parent circle, I am letting you in on the secret.  Baby gear is an awful necessity that you will woller down, body slam off the top ropes and still come up no further ahead in getting things setup.

Case in point, the baby co-sleeper.  They are handy, you need one if you have a newborn.  I passed this onto my unsuspecting brother and sister in law, the new parents to be.  Last week, I got the text from my brother.  It went like this:

Brother: "That co sleeper might be the hardest thing I've ever encountered to tear down."

Erica: "LOL.  You haven't tangled with a pack and play."

Brother:  "Christ.  I finally realized you just have to get really physical with it."  

Erica: "Yes, you can't hurt it."

Brother: "It was asking for it if I did."

Bless his little new parent heart.  The bottom line, you will hate baby gear.  It will rule your life for years.  It gets easier.  But never forget, putting up a pack and play is about like fixing a baler out in the hayfield, you cuss a lot and you rarely get things fixed you way you want.