Registries, a Formality or Just Plain Fun?

I'm very aware of the controversy of having a shower for the second and additional kids, some people believe it's "in bad taste" to make your friends and family buy you more stuff when you already know what to do.  HOWEVER,  It's been 4 years!  I barely remember what it's like to have a newborn, much less a newborn GIRL.  We have absolutely nothing that applies to a girl, and all the diapers, formula, creams, washes and related are long gone. 

So, I've created some registries for your perusing convenience.  I have some guidelines and disclaimers though before you go! 

(The color theme and general theme is in a blog post earlier on.)

1.  In no way do I expect everything on my registries!  I've simply clicked "add to registry" on everything I liked so you can get a better idea of what we're looking for.  ALSO, you are not confined to the registry items, if you see something that seems to fit into the criteria, have at it!

2.  CLOTHING: No characters, please.  I'm not a big fan of characters ON clothing, I think it limits their usage.  Now, I love cartoons, and characters, and storybooks, so don't consider me a grinch!  No Pooh, no princesses, no Dora the Explorer, etc.  Not a big fan of yellow, but girly is girly!

3.  Babies R Us is having a "Trade In" sale, where we can trade in some of our old used stuff for 25% off new stuff.  So, I've got a carseat, dual stroller and pack n' play on Babies R Us registry for reference only.  If you want to be one to help us get those items, let me know and I'll take them off the registry once we've obtained them. 

4.  I chose 3 stores to "register" at because they are convenient for everyone and hold a lot of great affordable stuff.  I also realize that the three stores carry the same stuff at competitive rates, don't feel like you have to stick to one registry!  And if you found something at another store, that's on another registry, JUST LET ME KNOW and I'll take it off the respective registry!  I'm not picky where stuff comes from, seriously.

Registries:


Babies R Us
Registry #: 44961321
(Click Here For Direct Link)

Target
Registry #: 014399700940199
(Click Here For Direct Link)

Wal-Mart
Registry #: 86180310271
(Click Here For Direct Link)

Paying Stuff Off Pays Off

So, we got the final costs for the baby.  Called Willowbrook Methodist Hospital to get the price for cash-pay patients (we have insurance, but they won't cover maternity unless it turns into an emergency) and got the final pre-pay amount. 

It's $3,300. 

This covers everything needed for delivery, food and 2 nights in the hospital.  We hung up after finding this out, excited that it wasn't as much as we thought it was going to be!  But then I remembered something really painful, that this does not cover an epidural!  So we had to call back and get the anesthesiologists number to call and see what THAT number was... shockingly $1,500.  GEEZ.  I remember receiving the invoice billed to insurance when Aiden was born and the Epi was only $658!  We're getting shafted!  Anyone a lawyer that wants to argue the bill for us for no fee?  Hahaha.

We've already paid $3,000 to the OB for all the appointments, labs, sonos and delivery.  That makes the grand total $7,800!  That's a lot of money, yes, but it's a lot less than what we thought it was going to be.  We thought it'd be between $10-15k!  So all we have to come up with is $4800 by April 19th.  That's 103 days.  That's $46.60/day.  But, Josh has a mountain bike on eBay and right now it's at $3100, and after fees and such we may get $3000 out of it.  That lowers our saving efforts to $1800 until April 19th at $17.47/day.  *sigh*  While that's better, I'm sad that it all has to go toward the baby and not toward our cars! 

By the way, we paid off the motorcycle! (Now I just wish Josh would sell it.)  We saved $1200 (or somehow magically accumulated $1k extra) by NOT EATING OUT FOR ONE ENTIRE MONTH!  Do it, see how much it saves you.  Now all we have left are our cars and this house (and hopefully not that for very long).

No, we haven't put the house on the market yet, we're not exactly in a huge hurry - though - where would we stay!?  I still have to have this baby in April!  We can't be living in a cardboard box when we bring her home!  We ARE, however, just about done going through EVERYTHING in the house.  We've even packed up all the extras and staged a few rooms.  Next step is to touch up some paint and stage the rest of the house and put it on the market!

Anyway, I'm feeling baby girl a lot more now, still fairly gentle, just moving like she can't find a comfortable spot!  The center of my back KILLS me at the spine and I can't find a cure!  I've tried heat, I've tried kneading, I've tried laying down, I've tried stretching out... *sigh* owwie.  HELP.

Anyway, more later.