10 Baby/Kid Things I Wish Would Disappear (Make That 11)

Having babies is an amazing experience. Being a mommy is the best job in the world! The coos, smiles, hugs, kisses, and laughs of your young children are priceless. But there are some items that are required for little ones that I can't wait to be done with. Here is my top ten list of baby/kid things that I won't miss:

1. Strollers: As the proud owner of 4 strollers, I can't wait to go on a walk, peruse the mall, or pack the car without a clunky, heavy, difficult to steer, baby vehicle. Don't get me wrong, at this point in my life, strollers have been a lifesaver! Packing my two boys into something they can't get out of has been the only way that I can leave the house without extra adult supervision. But I longingly look forward to the day that this will not be the case.

2. Swing/Bouncer: Once again, I could not function without these devices, but I loath them as well. Putting Nolan in one of these is just about the only way that I get anything done, but it would sure be nice to not have to maneuver around them every time I walk through my living room and have them cluttering the house. And don't get me started on the batteries!

3. Changing Table (diapers too!): Liam/Nolan's changing table is a necessity since newborn diapers are messy and I'm not willing to risk my couches or rug. However, it is huge and has become a great place to store random things that really should have found their own home. Also, Liam thinks that it makes a wonderful ladder and jumping platform, which adds a certain referee aspect to my life that I could do without. Diapers are not cheap, and since I spent 9 months not having to deal with them, I find it a bit revolting. Cloth diapers are even worse! I love that they save money, but ick!

4. Baby Laundry Detergent: As with most of this list, cost is a big reason I'm looking forward to leaving this behind. But there is also the inconvenience of having to do separate loads of laundry and purchasing two different kinds of soap. I'm in the process of trying out a homemade laundry soap, so hopefully this issue will be solved soon.

5. Baby Books: I'm a reading teacher; I love to read and want to foster that love for my boys. But if I have to read a ten page book with the same ten words repeated over and over, one more time, I'm going to scream! There are some amazing children's books, but anything that you read several times a day can turn into an annoyance very quickly. It will be lovely to read a chapter book, where every day there is something new (we're reading chapter books with Liam now, but then Nolan came along!).

6. Baby Toys: They are walking hazards, get disgusting quickly, my dog tries to steal them constantly, and they spread! 

7. Onsies: I hate the snaps and my boys are not the type to hold still. It is a long process to get off when a blow out occurs. I much prefer a t-shirt and pants.

8. Kid Shows (I know I have a good long while before these are out of my life): So far, most kid shows are extremely annoying. They repeat themselves over and over (which I know is for the purpose of learning), the songs get stuck in your head constantly, and the characters always seem to have the most high-pitched, horrendous voices. They sure are a good babysitter once in awhile though.

9. Plates, Bowls, Cups, Bottles, Pumping Supplies, and Silverware: They are never a good stacking shape, they take up all the room on the top rack of the dishwasher, my kids need shelves and drawers of the kitchen just for their supplies, and I never pick the "right one". It will be nice when we can all use the same eating supplies.

10. Car Seats: They take up a lot of space in the car, are heavy, difficult to install and remove, are a needed to travel so you need several or have to install/uninstall constantly. All car seats are a pain, but the newborn carrier kind are the worst! Their heavy, bulky, require two hands (at least for me), take up the whole shopping cart, and get dingy quickly.

I'm sure if I were to sit and dwell on it longer, I would be able to come up with many more things that I can't wait to pass on to an unsuspecting mommy-to-be, but I think this list will suffice for now.

After getting my boys ready for an outing this morning, I feel the need to add one more:

11. Diaper Bag: It's just one more thing to carry, it is always in need of replenishing (or you deal w/a disaster), and I feel the need to have everything short of the crib packed inside!