oh, boy are we in it thick. the baby's doing flips and kicks and all sorts of breakdancing in utero. the room is cleared out, and we've got ourselves a nice start to baby's wardrobe. heck, the dogs are even getting calmer. all seems to be falling into place for our little boy.
so, as you may have already noticed, we have taken it upon ourselves to plan a celebration shindig. we're calling it the "anticipation celebration." perhaps it's a little tacky to be planning this ourselves... we hope you won't judge us too harshly. but to be fair, and honest, we had a whole lotta people in our lives that we felt should be a part of this. not simply the party. we have a lot of loving friends and family whom we want to be a part of our son's life. and while we are remaining open and curious as to what this parenting adventure will bring to our lives, we do have some very particular ideas about how we'd like to manage this journey. let's just say, we like to keep things simple.
that said, we're keeping our shindig simple, but thoughtful. we'll be having lots of yummy comfort foods, and are tailoring our menu to accommodate a variety of eating lifestyles. we'll have carnivores, herbivores, celiacs, and vegans, and we're shooting to please everyone. we're a meat-free household ourselves, but we're hoping that everyone will have enough to eat, without having to hang out around the veggie platter alone, or to have to skip out to mcdonalds to get some food in their belly. if you'd like to bring a dish to share, we certainly won't say no. just be sure it is something that you love.
we're also hoping to keep our parenting style simple. a person could get dizzy over the enormous amounts of "must-have" baby products out there, and it seems everyone has a truckload of free advice. it can get overwhelming at best, stressful at worst. so, we've taken the best of the advice we've been given, multiplied it by some common sense, divided it by our pleasure-to-cost ratio, and the following is what we've come up with:
amazon.com
babies r us
burlington coat factory
the following links do not have a baby registry available online;
the registry can be accessed in-store:
paris market
terra cotta
now, let us remember that we are in a recession of sorts. even if we weren't, money ain't easy to stumble upon. being artist-types ourselves, we know what it's like to be longer on time than on cash. so we've come up with a few ideas for gifts that are easy on the wallet, and will enrich our lives a whole heckuva lot.
homemade goodness- if you're the domestic goddess/kitchen witch type, we have a few needs to be filled. first and foremost- good food. the first few days are likely to be exhausting, and we don't want
to have to compromise our nutrition for the sake of convenience if we don't have to. nourishing, freezable, vegetarian soups and casseroles make our hearts go pitter-pat. seriously. or, if you're not the cooking kind, we would love to try any kind of shelf-stable home remedies or baby body treatments you might like to concoct. we're the sensual sort, and we love soothing scents and delicious baths. plus, this means we'll think of you when we touch ourselves.
potted plants- got a green thumb? we'd love to start a culinary herb garden, preferably in our kitchen or on our porch. rosemary, basil, thyme, and sage are among our favorites. aloe vera is also a plant we feel our home shouldn't be without, and not just for ornamental purposes. we're big believers in using our resources wisely, and we know aloe to be a gift from the gods on this gorgeous green earth. of course, nice, easy to grow houseplants are a welcome addition as well- we have more than a few pets, and we like breathing easy.
music- we all have our stash. we're seeking to build up our quality of life over accumulation of stuff. beautiful birth music, with soothing rhythms, bell-toned female voices, and grounding chants will serve as a blessed comfort during our labor and delivery. or perhaps a collection of lullabies or soothing guitar music for background music as baby and mommy rest. i've picked up on the notion that babies who are accustomed to some regular noise are calmer and sleep better. our neighborhood is full of colorful, loud characters, so we thought better to get him started now than to deal with a fussy mini-insomniac later.
art- organic forms in soft colors are what we're looking for. rather than fill baby's room with cartoon characters, we wish to feed his little tiny sensibilities with our art and that of the people we admire. dare we say we're hoping he's a wee artiste?
photography- anyone of the shutterbug ilk would be much appreciated to artfully document our pregnancy or first family photos. we're still discussing whether or not to document the birth itself, so if this idea tickles your fancy, let's talk.
hands-on stuff- who says gifts have to be spankin' new? we admire classic things, and if you have a sentimental wooden toy or favorite book, and would like to share it, please know it would be in good, loving hands. feeling crafty? hand-made softies are always welcome. we hope to fill our child's life with quality, well-considered items, and are interested in leaving the loud, light-up, blingin' toys on the store shelves. any quiet item you would like to share with us will be deeply appreciated.
(it probably wouldn't hurt to leave the gift wrap in the greeting card aisle. receiving blankets and uber-soft towels make wonderful gift wrap, and will always be put to good use.)
and lastly, the most impersonal, and yet somehow ingenious gift of all- the unassuming gift card. i've been told by many a mommy that these sly little buggers come in mighty handy when we least expect it. that considered, gift cards to any type of big-box mega-store (the ones we can't live with or without) would probably do in that middle-of-the-night desperate walking-dead screaming pinch we will inevitably find ourselves in. of course, we will be perfectly prepared in every way, and our baby will never need anything but us (giggle)....
we thank you deeply for considering our values and for being a part of our newest adventures as humans being. we hope to share many enriching and thought-provoking times with you in the years to come.
with respect and love,
brandi and john
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