(Yes, we still have Christmas lights up – lol!)

I’ll be 20 weeks on Monday, so I’ll post another picture.  Then on Friday, I’ll post what we found out at the ultrasound (Get it first on Twitter or Facebook).  For some reason, I’m really getting the feeling now that it’s a boy.. which means it’ll probably be a girl.  Either way, we cannot wait to find out!  I plan to go registry “shopping” with a cousin once we find out.  I don’t want a registry full of useless things that we’ll never use, so I’ll need the help of someone with experience

* Yes, I do love Where The Heart Is.. book and movie

I also bought a 6-month winter clothing piece for a boy and a girl. At that price, I could afford to get both I spent a total of $24.93 and saved $104.00.

I forgot to go with Hubby on the first (he owns a store in a local mall) but I went Tuesday and the crib set was still there and marked down further! Unfortunately, all the mobiles were gone.   Anyway, because JcP had marked all of their clearance items down to 80%-off, I did a little more shopping. These are the baby items I came back with:

“Safari” crib set (mattress sheet, comforter, skirt and bumper) original price $149.99. Bought for $29.97.
Carter “I Love Mommy” newborn wiggle onesie original price unknown, bought for $1.97.
6-18month hat and two-pair mittens set original price $16.99, bought for $3.37.

I didn’t purposely buy only boy things, that’s just all I found.  (A sign, maybe? )  If we don’t have a boy, these things will make great gifts for somebody who is

I also bought myself a couple shirts – a cute non-maternity sweater that works well for my pregnant belly (lol) and another that’ll be great for spring – and two of the most comfortable bras (I’m not buying maternity.. yet lol) I’ve ever owned. Both were $30+ each but I got them for less than $7 each. I also bought a really pretty, comfortable long nightgown that’ll come in handy with my growing belly I spent a total of just over $77, and saved $292.62. I could have saved more had I bought one thing and went back for the 15%-off survey coupon, but the last time I tried that I couldn’t get the stupid thing to print. Maybe I’ll just use it for other baby purchases

Madame Zaritska predicts your birth experience

The day you deliver, outside will be overcast. Your baby will arrive in the middle of the night. After a labor lasting approximately 16 hours, your child, a boy, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and will be 16 inches long. This child will have light blue eyes and curly brown hair.

The baby could have curly hair because Hubby and I both did, and also could have light blue eyes like it’s daddy I hope I don’t have a 16-hour labor, though!

Each of these sets includes the crib sheet, comforter, skirt and bumper and sells for around $300. You can buy it like that, as a set, or buy pieces individually if you want different colors, etc. They also sell matching curtains, high-chair pads, mobiles, diaper stackers and more! Talk about one-stop baby room shopping! You can even buy just the fabric if you want to make your own accessories, etc. (Isn’t that tree mural in the first picture amazing? You can buy it there too.. for $170)

Here are a few of my favorite “boy” sets too:

Even their “gender neutral” sets are gorgeous! Oh, but my favorite feature of the website is that you can design your own baby bedding! My computer isn’t cooperating with me at the moment, so I haven’t gotten to try out that feature yet, but it sounds fun

* We won’t have a nursery due to lack of space, but these pictures/designs sure make me wish we could have one! Oh, and would have $300 to spend on crib bedding alone It would be a great splurge though, wouldn’t it?

I still love the idea of getting “crafty” with the sewing machine though. I haven’t done much with it since I begged my husband for one last Christmas (as in ‘08). I made those cute elephants and mended a couple things. I’ve been meaning to hem some jeans but I never get around to it.. mostly because I’m afraid I’ll screw up a perfectly good – yet long – pair of jeans.

As soon as we find out if the baby is a boy or a girl, I think I’ll get started (possibly to keep myself from going crazy shopping!) on a couple things. One thing is a diaper stacker (—->). Sure, a diaper stacker isn’t a necessity but I’d like to give it a try. No big deal if it doesn’t work out, right?

While going through my clothes to sort what fits and doesn’t (aka clothes that I probably bought too small, therefore they never fit me in the first place ), I came across a super cute shirt that I’d love to make into a shirt or onesie (found this pattern) if we have a girl. I’ve also been sorting junk shirts out because I’ll probably use some to make burp clothes and things like that.

Make For Baby has a lot of great tutorials and patterns for just about anything you’d want to make, from cards to knit/crochet pieces. I’ve been browsing there off and on looking for neat things to try

Thanks, PaperCakes for sharing/retweeting!

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, check out the etsyBABY Valentine’s Challenge. There are only two days left to vote!

The Army Wife, after years of trying/infertility, gave birth to a gorgeous, miracle, baby girl just before the new year.

My two biggest “mom/wife” inspirations (Come on, they’re like Super Mom/Wife!): Tammy (due anytime, I think!) & Bethany (due in April) are both having their fourth children.

Jessica is 23 weeks and due in May.

Kalen is due the first week of July.  She gets to find out the baby’s sex today.. I’m so jealous!  My appointment is three weeks from today and I’m going crazy not knowing!

One of my sisters and a niece are pregnant and probably due about the same time. One cousin is due in March and we found out another cousin is pregnant and due ten days before me, in June. (I’m sad that we’ll be missing one in this little “group” this year, though.)

I love being surrounded by so many mothers!  It’s funny, because in Mark’s family, there are a couple aunts (and my mother-in-law!) who just love having babies around.  They practically fight over who gets to hold them  first.  I think with three by summer, they should be pretty well set on their baby time.  I say good luck getting ours away from Mark, though!

How many registries should parents have?  I’m thinking one, but the only thing really close to where we and most of our family lives is Wal-Mart (everything else is 30+ miles away), and that doesn’t give a lot of variety.  So, is it okay to have two?  If yes, should items be doubled up (same or similar items on both).

Where? If more than one registry is created, is it best to have one at an everything store like Wal-Mart, and another at a baby-specific store, like Babies ‘R’ Us?  That’s what I was thinking about doing anyway. I’ve been hearing great things about Burlington Coat Factory’s Baby Debot too.

What is necessary and what isn’t?  I’ve heard from some moms who said that they were sure they’d need certain things, and then ended up never using them.  And then there were thing they didn’t think they’d use, and later wished they’d had them.  So experienced moms out there, input please   (FYI – we have a crib, mattress and changing table already.  Is it okay to ask for a new/better crib mattress?)

Online, Off or both? A good portion of Mark’s family either doesn’t have the internet or probably doesn’t shop on the internet.  Should we stick to adding items in the store because of this, or do a little of both?  (I assume there’s an easy way to check if something in-store is available online and vice-versa.)

Publishing registry? A lot of our extended family wouldn’t be at the baby shower and may want to send gifts (everybody loves a new baby, right?), so we (or someone) would have to send them the registry info.  Would you all suggest that be done only for those who ask?  (This is where Facebook is nice.  I can just post the link(s) and anyone can see/use it, or not – haha.)  Like I said, I feel like I’m being greedy by even making a registry! lol  (That’s just how I am)

Requesting basics? Is it okay to ask for diapers, wipes, etc.?  Or clothing up to 12 months, for example?  I’ve heard some moms say that they prefer to get “older” clothes and diapers because they end up with so much stuff in newborn/0-3mo size.

I know some of those are probably stupid questions, but I really don’t know what I’m doing – lol.  Thankfully, I have some help from family and friends with babies   I kinda feel weird being a “first-time mom” when so many people are me have at least one kid.. and some of them (like my sisters) are younger than I am!

Many of you are more experienced in this area than I am, so any advice,tips and personal stories you have, please feel free to share!