Target, Babies R Us, or..

I debated whether I should have posted this now or not, or even at all. But since I have no filter, or a very tiny one, I decided to just go with it.

You know when you get married there are the staple places that people register at: Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Macy's, and occasionally Pottery Barn. The same thing is true for baby registries, only the list is much smaller: Target, BabiesRUs. That's it.

It is a frustration of mine that these two stores have the monopoly on this market. I decided to go with Babies R Us just because I thought that it might have more things than Target. I have no idea what I based that on. No real research was done before coming to that conclusion. Maybe it is just that the baby section of Target is a only a few aisles, while Babies R Us is an entire store building. Who knows. But upon my very first visit to Babies R Us for my own baby I was disappointed. Deep down I knew I would be, but I still had hope, naive though it was. Walking around that store, my baby daddy and I were nearly immobilized by the overwhelming number of "stuff" for a baby. The sheer quantity is daunting and immediately makes one question their ability to parent. "There is no way I can afford all this stuff! How can I ever be a good parent to this baby???" We certainly had a little spat while in the store. I wonder how many times a day that occurs- hormonal mom, irritated father trapped in an obnoxious store. And when we left, my husband was so grumpy; he just couldn't get over the audacity of the registry attendant telling us what we absolutely needed, and that we didn't have enough stuff on our registy. Sigh.

In the end I added only another 10 items to our registry. That is all I wanted. From there. There are other stores that I wanted stuff from, and I decided that I was going to take the gamble and register at those smaller, less known stores. Because they actually have the kind of things I am looking for. Remember me, the granola mama. Cloth diapers are definitely on the list. Baby wearing-check. Organic materials-check. And they have an online option, so people could just order the stuff online and avoid having to drive to Anaheim. So convenient, right? Not to mention that it is the exact stuff that I really want, which they do NOT carry at Babies R Us. Yup, convenient and useful, right?

I thought so anyway. But I am starting to fear that the only store I will get gifts from is Babies R Us. That damn store! Even when I try to limit my exposure to you, it seems that I cannot escape you. I haven't had my baby shower yet, so who knows, I may be pleasantly surprised. But I am not hopeful. It was a gamble registering at Babies R Us, a gamble that no one would even visit the online registries for the other stores. But when you play with fire, you should expect to get burned.

Yes, I totally compared Babies R Us to fire. Did I mention that I am hormonal??? So here's to me learning, yet again, to trust in the Great Designer, that all I need will be provided for, and to let go of that silly illusion of control.

Really?!?!?

So there are a few things I expected to eventually hear when I found out we were pregnant. They are as follows:

1.) Your belly is so big/cute.
2.) You look great!
3.) I can tell you are having a boy/girl just by the way you are carrying the baby.

So far, I have heard all of these, and I welcome these comments of excitement with open arms.

But then there are the things I never never NEVER anticipated people would say to me. They are as follows:

4.) Wow! You are so big! Are you sure there is only one baby in there???
5.) Your butt has definitely gotten bigger.
6.) So, whose the father?

Just kidding about the last one. No one has ever said #6 to me (yet) but the other two...yup, and on more than one occasion. Admittedly, I do look big, but I would never have the guts to tell a woman that she looks so big she must be having multiple babies. In the wise words of Stephanie Tanner, "How rude". And this comment (#4) is made to me at least once every few weeks. In fact my mother-in-law started making these comments to me as early as 14 weeks. Thankfully my midwife says that my uterus is measuring at the normal size, so really I am not that BIG, but I just carry the baby differently, i.e. sticking way out.

And the comments about my butt?!?!? Really?!?!? Even though I am pregnant, I am still a woman people. Think to yourself, is this the kind of comment a woman would appreciate. Or better yet, ask yourself, "Would I like someone to tell me that by butt looks bigger?" then decide not to ask the question. Sheesh!

In summary, keep comments 1-3 coming. Me love those! And the rest, those are the ones you say in your head but never to a mom-to-be.

FYI :)