Category Archives: pregnant

10 Must-Do’s Before Having Kids

I love my kids. I really do, and would not trade them in for anything in the world. However, there are several things I am grateful for having done prior to having children, as well as some things I wish I had done, and still hope to do one day.
1. I am glad I got to have my “party phase.” Now I have no regrets about how limited my husband and I are in going out, or how scarcely we get to see our friends.
2. I went to school. I am still working on my Masters, and I realize how hard it is with small children. I cannot imagine what having to get a Bachelor’s would have been like under these circumstances. Kudos to all those women who do it.
3. Getting a nice car. I got to appreciate my nice car prior to kids, as now it is full of baby gear, spilled apple juice (the sticky never gets out, even with a leather interior), and baby snacks. With my brood ever growing, I no longer want the nice car, but am longing for something more family oriented.
4. Working out. Being in pretty good shape prior to getting pregnant helped me keep my figure through the first and second kid.
5. I wish I would have travelled abroad more. I travelled a lot with my parents when I was younger, but haven’t been since finishing high school. I think I would appreciate it more now, but I will just have to wait until the kids are a bit older.
6. I wish I had taken some dance classes. I would love to show my daughter how to dance. Perhaps this is for the best. Maybe we can take classes together one day.
7. I bought all the purses and shoes I will ever need! (At least that is what I tell myself). Now all my extra money goes towards my children, and I can no longer justify frivolous shopping sprees.
8. I wish I had taken a cruise. I have never been on a cruise, but have always wanted to experience it, regardless of where the cruise would be taking me.
9. I had an all girls’ trip. For my best friend’s wedding, the other bridesmaids and I had a mini road trip. We spent a week with the bride before the big day. It was excruciatingly tiring, but an absolute blast!
10. I wish I had slept more. I think this is pretty self explanatory.

Channeling Creativity

Over the years I have been to several baby showers. Then, one day I saw a diaper cake. I thought it was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I wanted one. No, I wanted to make one. Something inside of me yearned to create something as cute and practical. I could not wait until another one of my friends got pregnant so I could have an excuse to make one. The wait was long. Finally I got the opportunity, and had so much fun with it, I was hooked! I had to make another one!
In spending the time making the piece I realized that it was more than just cute and practical. It was a way of creating a very unique gift for the mother to be. All the items included could be customized to her bundle of joy, and she could use all of the diapers afterward. Also, it makes an amazing centerpiece for the gift table, or even the pastries table. It was fun to make. It was fun to give.
I explored the possibilities and my creative engines started going. I found better ways of making diaper cakes. I had ideas! I just needed another friend to get knocked up so I could execute them. The wait was again long. Finally several of my friends were pregnant, but none were having baby showers in the foreseeable future, if at all. Bummed out I finally found a solution to channel my creative nature into. I would make diaper cakes and sell them online.
I found a self sustaining hobby. I would make just enough money to sponsor the next cake. I no longer have to wait for an excuse; I just have to wait for a buyer. I decided it would be better if I expanded my market and started taking custom orders too. I could make diaper cakes all day!

Should I Have A Baby Shower For My Second Child?

Baby showers are a lot of fun! For your first baby. When you are having a baby shower for your second baby, regardless of having a different gender, things begin to get dicey. Who do you invite? Do you still have a registry? At first I was hesitant to even have a shower, but several family members coaxed me into the idea, assuring me it is perfectly fine. In planning my second baby shower I have been struggling with some of these hurdles and found ways to manage negative connotations that may be associated with the event.

Should I Register?

I want to celebrate the birth of our son, but I do not want anyone to feel that I am gift grabbing. I am not looking to have a baby shower just to receive clothes and toys for the baby. I genuinely want an excuse to celebrate with all our friends and relatives since I am just as excited about this baby as I was about our first. But I know a lot of people who really do want to get us stuff, so I feel as if I should have a registry more as a guide. I did not put down where we are registered on the invitation, and only mention we have a registry when asked. This way, if someone is not looking to get us anything, they should not feel obliged to do so.

What should I register for?

Again, stressing I am not trying to have a shower just to get gifts, I thought it would be best to register for small items that would not set anyone back, but would make everyone feel comfortable giving. This way, those who feel they cannot show up without a gift have something, and the rest of our guest list doesn’t have to worry about it. I comprised my entire registry of onesies, pacifiers, and booties. Nothing is over the $5-$10 range.

Who Should I Invite?

This too becomes a concern. We were so excited when I was pregnant with my daughter we invited everyone we knew to our baby shower. It was a massive event which took almost as long as a wedding to plan and coordinate. Even though my excitement has not weaned, others’ has. This time around, we limited the invite list considerably. We kept it to family, and a few close friends. Now I am beginning to wonder if we limited it too much. I fear some of our friends may feel slighted that they were not also invited. What if they hear about the baby shower from mutual friends and feel as though we do not perceive them as important? Will they wonder why we didn’t want them there celebrating with us? Hopefully not.

What do you think about second baby showers?