Fourth Born, Second Hand

It's funny to me how much less you tend to want (or need) with each baby that comes along. When Arlo was born I had it all because I thought I had to. A walker, a bouncer, a bath tub propper, a moses basket, a bassinet, a wipe warmer, a properly designated designer diaper bag stocked with all kinds of fancy matching accessories and glass bottles and pretty plastic covers, and bibs, and socks and rattles, toys, carseat attachment toys and pacifiers on those little ringed clipped clenched to his brand new overall straps. (Odd now, considering how poor we were back. . .) 

By the fourth kid though you're as practical and frugal as you are exhausted. So that anything you take home then has got to be a fully functional, justified addition to your household. Otherwise the all the "stuff" that comes attached with infants will swallow you whole. 

With each of my boys came a little less. Hayes now scraping by with but a few quality toys, and a slim wardrobe made up of 40 % hand me downs, 50% second hand finds, and approx. 10% random items I occasionally find worthy of a full priced purchase on his sweet soul's, fourth birthed behalf. And while he is surely destined to grow up in the worn reflections of his brother's hand me downs for years to come, and may never know what it means to wear matching monster faced socks, or a clean bib around his neck. Or cling to rubber spoons perfectly suited to his little hands and sip juice from hip branded sippy cups, as of this winter he will know his very own hand knit oak colored hooded sweater made with love by a sweet lady in Instabul that has to be folded at the cuffs right now to fit. And, three pairs of 1940's dead stock ticking stripped overalls I snagged on Esty for $16 bucks this week because I simply could't talk myself away from the cute vision of him and his bare shoulders strapped in them all  summer long (Which is why as of now, they're a full size too big when he wears them) But his. And his alone.