Baby Registries are Evil
Maybe they didn’t used to be, but now that they’re online, a registry becomes a constant source of obsession and worry. I’m always checking mine to see what’s on sale, what’s out of stock, what I need to order, what might be discontinued…and what people have bought. It’s terrible of me to ruin the surprise like that, but with a million things to buy it’s nice to know what I DON’T have to save up for. I actually shouted for joy today when I saw someone had bought the super cute high chair I wanted. Bless you, friend or family member, and I’ll write you a lovely thank you note once I know who you are.
The real problem with registries is that they’re mostly useless. There’s no polite way to tell people where to shop. Some of your friends and family live no where near a Target or a Babies R Us (hard to believe, but possible). Many things are “online only” but the shipping costs are almost as much as the actual stuff. Plus buying things off a list takes a lot of the joy out of spending an afternoon squeeing over tiny socks and brightly colored rattles. Who wants to buy a changing pad or a pack of spit-up cloths?
The worst part is I feel greedy and selfish. One of the reasons we waited to have a baby was so we could afford to provide all the crap that comes with them. It seems ridiculous that people are expected to buy gifts just because I’ve (almost) managed to reproduce. Whoopee, we figured out how all the parts go together, now open your wallets! Ugh, no. All I really need is people to tell me I don’t look so bad and my baby is sure to be adorable and I’ll love them forever. But to be fair, if any of my friends want to throw a Sex and the City-style “I’m NOT Having a Baby Shower”, I promise I will buy you a $50 bottle of booze to celebrate. I’ll even wrap it in pastel alphabet block paper.
I have I’m Not Having a Baby parties all the damn time! Most recently, Saturday. Because if I did have a baby it would probably have starved to death during the 12 hours I spent in bed with a hangover/the stomach flu, moaning piteously and occasionally getting up to hurl and then hydrate. God, that was fun. The next I’m Not Having a Baby happy hour is scheduled for Wednesday.
Also, that countdown is seriously starting to freak me out. You and E made a PERSON. And he’s COMING. And he’ll want to STAY. FOREVER. I don’t know how you aren’t effing terrified.
I don’t know why but I get endless entertainment at the idea of inappropriate things for a baby (like booze) wrapped in pastel alphabet paper.
Dude, who says I’m not effing terrified? It’s a real shame drinking until you forget is frowned on during pregnancy.
29 Days to go!!!! I have a friend who was due yesterday and thankfully she did not go into labor during the storm.
The whole registry thing is annoying me too; while I do not feel guilty about having my friends and relatives buy us the things we need, it’s such an issue as to when where how that i’m making it a non-issue by not doing it just yet. I’ve still got 2 + months till the shower!
My biggest worry about it is that I am only setting up registries at a few places, but what if people buy me the same thing somewhere I’m not registered and then someone else gets it from my registry? I saw this happen at a bridal shower recently where she ended up with 3 of the same toaster and 2 of the same cappuccino machine. I guess that’s what return/exchange is for and I guess I could make this one of grandma or aunties tasks. :)