Aidric's Corner
Lima, Peru

This corner has been the focus of much attention since mid-January, when Aidric was born.

Aidric's corner in our bedroom

As you can see, it doesn't take an entire room full of expensive things to successfully manage a newborn. We converted a desk into a changing station by cutting a padded yoga mat down to size (or was that a sleeping bag mat?) and covering it with a sheet. Above you can see the plaster cast I made of Tatiana's torso before she got really big, supported by some fancy fishing line work tied to hook.

Aidric's bassinet was made by hand by Tatiana's mother and a relative, and sports a gently sloping piece of foam for his mattress, as well as plenty of warm blankets and little pillows. The piece can be disassembled and collapsed, and we're probably going to try bringing it with us to Miami.

I'm fortunate that the women in this household are an artistic bunch who love to create—either in a kitchen or a workshop, or both. It's impressive to think about all the things Tatiana made for Aidric while waiting for his birth here in Lima: All his towels (both hand- and bath-sized), a fancy baby-gear tote bag, pillows, and sheets (both for his bed and two for the changing station with nylon drawstrings), as well as knitted hats, booties, blankets, and other wearable gear.

I think there's a strong build attitude when it comes to build versus buy decisions in Latin America. This is good, as we can build or sew most anything we need for a fraction of the price found in a store. We're both rather practical, non-materialistic people, and have no problem making due on a shoestring. It's our preference, really.