Christmas 2010 and packing for the big day

Christmas this year was interesting to say the least - a lot happened.  I had a great birthday - 33 feels great and I am so happy with where I am at 33.  My sweet husband got me a beautiful Coach purse for my b-day which was very sweet.  I have a love/hate relationship with Coach and he picked a great purse, a "mom-style" purse with built in organization and I loved it-but exchanged it for one size larger!  We made Santa's Snack Mix on that day and put it in jars to pass out to family and headed over to my MIL's for our annual Christmas gift exchange.  That was fun. 

Christmas morning J and I woke up and started preparing breakfast for guests we invited over.  We made two Christmas morning Casseroles the night before and made french toast that morning.  Our guests left at 11:30 or so and J and I opened our gifts to each other shortly after.  We took turns picking out gifts for each other to open.  I received a large bottle of my favorite perfume, Jadore' by Dior along with a great lotion and purse sized bottle as well as body scrub and more lotion and a face scrub by Bliss (love that stuff).  I also received a down comforter which I am excited to put on our bed.  Perhaps the best gift was a gift that came in a box I have come to love over the years...a blue Tiffany & Co. box with a red bow.  I opened it and there was a beautiful necklace with a star shaped pendant.  I knew exactly what it was in reference to but it wasn't until I opened the card which I had missed that I teared up, as did Jamie.  The card read, "Merry Christmas.  Love, Star"  It was the single sweetest moment of my holiday season.  I hugged and kissed J.  J put it on me that morning and I haven't taken it off.  The fact that he thought to do that was so sweet.  I am so lucky.

 

As for J, I wanted to give him something he really needed and has needed for a long time.  A new set of tools, and a tool chest and cabinet to store them in.  J has become quite the handy man over the years.  He needed a complete set of good tools and a means to organize them.  His current tool collection consisted of mis-matched odds and ends and were kept in a box.  He now has 8 drawers with liners to organize a complete set of tools as well as his first Dewalt power drill with bits.   He needed these things and I wanted him to have them before Star was here.  Every Dad needs a complete set of tools.  :)  J got to open a few gifts not related to tools, a t-shirt, a hoodie and athletic shorts with his favorite college team logo on them, a coffee gift card and a grooming tool as well.  We put his tool cabinet together and last night we used the tools for the first time to hang shelves and picture frames up in Star's room.  It was nice to know we had the tools we needed and where to find them. 

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In other news we have officially started packing our hospital bag!  I have a list of what is recommended we bring by our hospital and another list from the Subfertile Frugalista of what she packed for her hospital trip.  She gives a nice account of what she used and didn't use for her hospital stay.  With both lists in hand I went out and tried to find the best buys I could.  I already had some nightgowns that would be perfect but I needed options to wear during the day as well.  I wanted versatile, loose clothing.  I checked all over and finally found these at Destination Maternity...

 

















I got three of these 3-piece ensembles in different colors (they were only $45 for each set).  They will be perfect for the stay.  They are perfect for feedings, lounging or company when the robe is used.  I also got 4 bras, some small toiletry items, snacks and a pair of slippers to toss away after our stay.  Our hospital recommends packing a bag for Mom, one for Dad and one for Labor filled with massage items, etc.  I think our third suit case will be filled more with electronics and paper work than labor items.  We are thinking that J will stay in the hospital with me most of the time and we have a dog sitter on stand by so that is taken care of.  Here is the list of what I have packed so far and what I still need to pack...

Packed:
3 nightgowns
3 pajama pants
4 pair of socks
slippers
swim suit (recommended by hospital for tub)
3 3-piece day outfits
4 nursing bras
toiletries including chap stick, head bands and pony tail holders
Go home outfit for Star
Snacks

Need to pack:
J's suit case
Paper work
Go home outfit for me with Shoes
underwear
Baby book
Flip camera
Nikon camera with charger and extra disc
Cell phones/chargers
Nook (electronic book) and charger
J's lap top
Hat for Star
Car seat/base installed in car
Baby help books?

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On another front...J and I went back to look at stroller's just to make sure we liked the stroller we were getting and decided on a different stroller.  The city mini is so great except for one thing...storage.  There is the tiniest little storage compartment on the bottom that is hardly accessible.  My purse wouldn't fit in there and I couldn't imagine a trip to the mall with a diaper bag, purse and shopping bags and no storage.  As much as I loved that stroller we had to part ways...I have pushed enough strollers to know the value of that storage below.  So we moved up one level to the City Select.  It was on sale for $399 but we went home and found it for $70 cheaper on-line and ordered it as well as the Chicco Romantic (that's the color) Car Seat with additional base which we also found for a great deal on line.  Here they are...everything in basic black because the other color options are downright SCARY!

 


What I love about this stroller is the baby can sit high close to us or lower and the baby can face us or out all the way up to 55 pounds and did I mention the fabulous storage?  I could but 5 of my purses down there.  It also has the capability to add a second seat in the event there is a second child...ever...which I am doubting but it's a nice option to have.   Here it is with the car seat installed and below you can see the many different ways it can be used.

So, that's about it.  We removed those items from our "need to get" list at BRU and they are on their way!  When the car seat bases come in we will go to our local fire house and have them installed in each of our cars.  Our holiday weekend was wonderful.  The best I have probably ever had and filled with love, cheer and baby gear.