Cyber Monday Giveaway (Thanks Little Partridge!)

WINNER IS KIM!!!

Thanks to everyone for participating in the Little Partridge.  Kim, the second ("anonymous") entrant emailed me her name and email address (she had trouble using the comment function, damnit!!!).  She loved the nautical pieces from Little Partridge.  Congrats Kim!  

Next Stop Baby is participating in today's cyber Monday fun.

Just in time for the holidays, Little Partridge is giving away a Baby's 1st Christmas set (below).  The set includes everything you see: a long sleeve onesie, a festive tutu, a burp cloth (the cupcake) and gerber daisy hair accessory.  The winner will choose the size of the onesie (0-3 m, 3-6 m, 6-12 m, 12-18 m) and the onesie design (either the heart you see below or a personalized letter monogram).

  
Prize: Baby's First Christmas set (onesie, tutu, burpcloth, flower hair accessory).
How to enter (and win): Go to the Little Partridge Etsy Shop and check out all the adorable, handmade baby products.  Then post a comment (on this blog, BELOW) about your favorite.  And that's it. One entry per email address.  "Anonymous" entrants won't count, so leave a name.
Enter by: Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 at 5 pm (EST)
Number of Winners: One
Shipping: US only
Winner Announcement: One winner will be selected using http://www.random-draw.org/ and posted by Friday (12/2/11). So, check back!


Here are a few of my favorite Little Partridge items: football onesie, gender neutral burp clothes, toy and pacifier clips.

Stuff People Google 28

Today's Stuff People Google hit home-ish for me.  I have a friend who asked how much money he or she (I'm not giving this away) could expect in wedding gifts.  Said friend wanted to make some future spending plans based on their upcoming nuptials.

how much money do people get at their first baby shower

For the record - POOR TASTE.

Gender Neutral Nursery - Brainstorm

I've written plenty of posts on gender neutral nurseries (plenty = five).  There was yesterday's post on an orange nursery (here) and earlier posts on a gray and yellow nursery (here), a fish themed nursery (here), an owl themed nursery (here), and a neutral toned nursery (here).

Remember all these lovely products and images?

Orange and white everything

Grey and yellow art

Fish pillows

Owl bedding

Neutral colored everything

It seems I've instinctively focused my nursery suggestions to color and animals.  Meaning, I've left a lot untouched - polka dots, plaid, Winnie the Pooh, fabric textures, jungle, ocean...and a lot of other stuff.  What have you seen lately by way of gender neutral nurseries?  What unisex scheme did you choose or will you choose?  Do you agree that owls are way overplayed in nursery decorating and baby products in general?

I on purpose accidentally forgot that I also wrote about a Peter Rabbit themed nursery (check it out here...if you want).

Orange You Excited to Decorate a Gender Neutral Nursery?

Another gender neutral color (other than yellow...and green...which is the new yellow) is orange.  Maybe orange will become the new green?  Orange and turquoise is a trendy color combination, but a little too modern and loud for my taste.  I prefer bringing the orange down with white, cream and tans.

1. Macaroni pumpkin crib bedding set by Nurseryworks ($330-$340)
2. Orange slice pillow by Winter Petals ($39)
3. Chunky baby blanket by How Cute Are You? ($25)
4. Owl coin bank by Z Gallerie ($12.95)
5. Orange dandelion photograph by Carl Christensen ($15)

Telltale Signs

Technically, us ladies are physically ready to have a baby the moment we get our first period, but it usually takes a bit longer for our hearts and brains to catch up.  When the stars align and that full mind-body-soul-readiness manifests itself, articulating the feeling can be difficult.  Being "ready" to have a baby is a funny thing.  It's a state of being, an abstract idea that can't really be described in terms of how or why it comes about.  It's like loving someone - you can describe all the things that you love about a person, but describing the emotion itself is hard (if not impossible) to do.  On the other hand, actions tend to speak louder than words (or so the saying goes) and there seem to be a few telltale signs of a "ready" person.

Fiscal prioritizing.  All of the sudden trying the hottest restaurant, buying the newest seasonal fashion trends and planning the next vacation are no longer priority.  Money is more consciously spent and more frequently saved.  Long term financial priorities take front seat and trendy must haves fall to the wayside.

Totally not grossed out.  Vomiting, pooping, boogers and drooling are no big deal.  People love holding babies.  We specifically visit babies for the opportunity to hold them, seeing our friends and family is collateral.  There's nothing better than that perfect baby smell and soft baby skin as you cuddle your new mini best friend.  But, all things come to a crashing halt when your adorable bestie spits up all over your favorite cashmere sweater.  There's usually a quick pass off to mommy and a run to the bathroom to try and minimize the damage.  When you respond by giggling and shrug that you've been in dire need to bring the sweater for a good dry cleaning anyway, that's a serious moment of truth.

Are you thinking - SO cute or SO gross?
(image here)

Virgin margaritas taste the same as the real thing, pretty much.  No one's saying that your taste for Cabernet will suddenly vanish, but the thought of not being able to drink alcohol on New Year's Eve is no longer the biggest downer in the world.

Jealousy (much like imitation) is the sincerest form of flattery.  Every toddler, baby, pregnant lady and stroller in your line of sight is noticed.  People who want to live in Paris watch French movies, eat French food and obsessively eavesdrop on strangers with French accents.  People who want to have babies follow baby blogs....ehem...watch television shows about babies and awkwardly stare at every baby and pregnant lady that crosses their path.

What are the other telltale signs that you're seeing in people around you 

or you saw in yourself when the time was right?