week 30: dr. rosenberg could use some toys

By now, the good doctor is approximately 15.5 inches long, and weighing in at a nice and hefty three pounds. Apparently, he can open and close his eyes, and in addition to hearing all kinds of things, he can distinguish between light and dark. His post-meal "squirmy-ness" is increasing, and Overboard always get a "kick" out of his rolling around in her belly.

With his arrival closing in, we've picked up steam in getting things ready and have narrowed down our choices for a crib and a dresser/changing table. Last night we ventured out to the "good" Babies R Us in Vernon Hills to inspect said items, as well as grab a registry gun and start tagging things we'd like to get down the road.

Overboard was foolish enough to let me man the weapon, and occasionally she found herself wondering where I had wandered off to. The "ding" of the scanner gun gave me away, and Overboard would ask why I kept ending up in the toy section. Ladies and gentlemen, I say to you, just as I said to my wife, "I'm in this for the toys." Future conversations with Dr. Rosenberg at the toy store may very well go something like this: "No, no, no, son, Daddy wants the train with the whistle, not the boat with the air horn. Of course, now that you mention it, air horns are kind of cool too...just don't use it around your mother or the dog."

Stores like Babies R Us can be pretty overwhelming, and somewhat intimidating, due to the sheer volume of "stuff" they've stockpiled in there. The trick is to distinguish between the things your child will actually need and the things he can probably live without. Stroller? Yes. Stroller with off-road capabilities, a GPS tracking system, and sub-woofers the size of mini-fridges? Not so much. You just can't justify the need to "Pimp My Baby" when said baby will outgrow everything in a matter of weeks. Besides, if I've learned anything from this year's Oscars, it's that "it's hard out here for a pimp." Babies included.