With just about two months until Baby #4 arrives, the all too familiar nesting instinct is starting to kick in.  My sister Colleen returned our co-sleeper to us now that her son has outgrown it, so Chris and the kids set it up a few days ago.  I can’t believe our next little man will be sleeping there so soon!

My sister Caitie so generously shared her boy clothes with Mack when he was born, but everything was returned to her for her second son. So, I seriously have a very sparse set of baby boy clothes on-hand for #4.  Lucky for me, a recent post on a Chicago area mothers group I belong to on Facebook offered a stash of baby boy clothes – for free. The family is moving out of town and the mother didn’t need any of it any more, so she so nicely offered it to the first taker. Fortunately, I was the first to stake a claim!

The stash included plenty of newborn-9 months sized clothes, little booties, a beautiful knit sweater, even bed sheets and a lovely blanket.  Everything is now washed and neatly folded in a dresser, just waiting patiently. Like I am.

This generous stranger saved me lots of time and money by offering her son’s old clothes.  But, perhaps even more important to me, she saved the planet from producing even more “stuff” – and I’ve always said that reusing is the best way to help out Mother Nature. Little babies don’t care if the clothes they are wearing are hand-me-downs from an older sibling or a stranger from across town. All they care about is being warmly loved by the family that surrounds them.  And, I know my little guy will have plenty of love!

I showed Evie the stash when she came home from school, and she was so excited.  “All this little stuff makes me wish he could be born right now!” she said in an adorably squeaky high-pitched voice.  She picked up a little sock, no doubt pondering the little foot that will soon be wearing it.

Evie and her new brother will have nearly 6 years between them, but I know they are very lucky to have each other.  I’ve always thought that the best gift I can give my kids is a sibling, and this little guy sure is lucky to have Evie for a big sister!