Dear Liz,
It was 6 years ago when you came to me asking for some advice. I thought it was funny, my brother’s best friend, asking to talk to me. You were scared, you were freaking out. You were pregnant. Still young, naive, and in school, you were the first of us kids to have a baby. You thought that you and your baby daddy would stay together forever. You questioned how you would go to school, work both jobs, and raise a child. Where were the both of you going to live? It’s been 6 years and your little guy is now in school. But in those six years you began my interest, in a sense, my journey to motherhood. I was young, in love and naive also, but I had a few years of babysitting and nanny experience under my belt. Who would have known that you getting pregnant would start my journey to becoming “The Baby Whisperer”?
I was geared with your questions in hand and went on the google of all google adventures. Trying to find you answers. Trying to figure out how to support you. Trying to work within your budget! And so the journey began, along with the countless trips to babiesRus, giggle, and google.
Because of your pregnancy, I learned to coupon, so we could get you stocked up on diapers and wipes. I learned the value of breastfeeding and its cost benefits because we were trying to figure out what would work best for your budget. I learned about breastpumps, which freaked me out the first few times I read and watched youtube videos on it. I learned about cloth diapers, babywearing, baby gear, the benefits and cons of travel systems, verses separate stroller and car seat purchases. I learned that “Car Seats” is two words!
Six years ago, I started learning all about baby stuff for you. To help you on your journey to motherhood. I was young, and interested. My natural mothering instinct came out to help you, my pseudo little sister. It’s been six years and even though Little Kai is no longer so little, the thirst for knowledge of the baby world has not stopped growing. I still read the blogs, I still read the safety standards, I still want to learn. But now my pool of those who need my assistance has grown.
So many friends are welcoming their second or third children at this point, and its weird sometimes that while I focus and put my career first, I am also the gear guru for them. The baby whisperer of sorts. Since those first few months of google and extreme blog and article reading, many laws, recommendations and standards have changed, but my thirst for knowledge has also. Along with turning my knowledge and experience in babypalooza into a profitable side business, I have also become certified in more baby related things than I would have ever imagined. Car seat safety, breastfeeding and even birth support. Who would have thought that the girl who fainted at a paper cut would be able to handle supporting women through child birth, staring at friends boobs as I helped them get the right latch for breastfeeding or helping them sleep train and play formula roulette.
6 years have come and go, and it seems like its time to let go of my time as baby guru for a while as I focus on my career aspirations and spending time with my guy before we jump into parenthood. But I wanted to say, thanks Liz, without you, I would not have been able to pay for such frivolous things. Without you, I would have never have started this journey of learning, exploring and explaining, and without you, I would have never found this addiction to know all there is to know about all things baby through age 6. It’s fitting that as Kai grows to 7, my time being the baby whisperer ends. But sometimes I wonder, what am I going to do now that I am no longer needing to be well versed and the gear guru?
Only time will tell if I can stay away for long. If my certifications lapse then we will know for sure which side I picked but lets revisit this next year and see, if I could stay away from this addiction for long.
Sincerely, J
The Jayne Project 