it’s t-shirt time

Stuck at home today with something halfway between a cold/flu – normally Id just pop a few Codral and soldier on as they say, but seeing as I can’t take anything more effective than panadol am going to treat this thing with some r&r and check out some of the cuter baby t-shirts I could find online.

Yes, it’s t-shirt time, for those Jersey Shore viewers among us.

Not knowing the gender of my baby makes it a little bit harder (I keep looking wistfully at the cutesy girl wear) but there’s plenty of gender neutral tops to keep me going.

chimp dj from rock your baby

First cab off the rank is Rock Your Baby, a veritable treasure trove of gear for your little rock star. 

Some of them a lot of grown-ups will love, but might scare the littlies a bit (eg the chimp dj) but I guess a baby won’t know one way or the other.

There’s plenty of stripes too, but while my fancy towards the horizontal band borders on ridiculous, am not sure if I should indulge it tooooo much with baby clothes – a bit scared of ending up like those weird women who dress the same as their kids.

That being said, the little sailor girl number is pretty cute (oops, there I go looking at girl things again!  But I guess it’s a hard habit to break after 30 years).

sailor girl from Rock Your Baby

There are tons of sweet prints and graphics at Rock Your Baby, too many to mention them all – but the cherry print holds a place in my heart.

And I just realised I have basically summarised everything I love about baby gear (and home decorating come to think of it) – animals, fruit and stripes.

Staying on the fruit bandwagon, am loving the smalfolk apple delight t (you can pick this up at babysgotstyle).

Along with the apple t there are plenty of fruity/stripey/animal numbers to keep me happy, but even better I think are the shirts they have for toddlers and little kids. 

smalfolk apple t

I have a suspicion that many of them play up to parents a lot more than kids though and while that is pretty much expected, I imagine that when the little ones are old enough to have a say in what they wear, the Dora the Explorer shirt that grandma bought is going to get more of a look in than the shirt that makes dad feel cool.

Then there are the “funny” shirts of the iPood variety – some funny, some not so much.

The “I only cry when ugly people hold me” number is a good example of one which could be funny, but I dont like because I’m one of those people that makes babies cry when I hold them (hopefully this is a problem that can be rectified with practice).

I feel the same way about a lot of these comedy shirts on my baby as I do when adults wear them – Ill laugh at them occasionally (especially after a few beers) but wouldn’t wear them myself. 

But a few such as the “Congratulations, you get to sit near me” top from milkbomb (perfect for that holiday with a newborn) or the paperclip shirt from squirtshirts just might change my mind.

on the plus side

A little while ago I posted on some of the unwanted side effects of pregnancy, but I don’t want anyone to think that it’s all doom and gloom – far from it.

Apart from the obvious reasons why it’s nice to have a baby on the way (bringing a new life into the world, strengthening the bond with your partner etc) there are definitely some other perks that can bring a smile to your face.

Some of these might seem trivial but, much like getting an unexpected discount when you get to the cash register, they can make your day.

Carte blanche to eat whatever you want

OK, so that may not be the case. But I’m used to eating (almost whatever) I want, so having that last bit of restriction lifted has been a real pleasure.

Afternoon tea? Sure. Ice cream for dessert? Why not! Feeling a bit hefty from all the extra food? That’s just the baby weight!

And while I wouldn’t condone eating EVERYTHING in sight, it sure is nice not to feel guilty about having seconds.

Public transport

Getting an almost guaranteed seat on the bus is another little joy that can really make the day end on a high note when you’ve finished work late and don’t feel you have the energy to smile (this quickly changes when someone offers you their seat, though).

If only there was a big sign above your head begging for a seat in those early days of pregnancy when the fatigue seems at its worst!

That pregnancy glow

I’m not sure about the whole ‘glow’ thing, as a matter of course.

Most women I’ve spoken to, have felt decidedly un-glowy during certain times in their pregnancy.

But while there are days when you feel as sexy as a beached whale, paying better attention to my health does make me feel a lot healthier and happier, at least from the inside!

And I know my liver is probably dancing for joy. Which brings me to…

No ohmygod moments after too many vinos

Not everyone will get this one, but I love my wine (and beer, vodka etc). And I’ve been known to enjoy more than a couple on an embarrassingly large number of occasions in my pre-pregnancy life.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with anyone letting their hair down once in a while but if you’re like me you tend to shoot off at the mouth a bit (or a lot). And get a bit silly (insane/stupid/obnoxious).

So it’s great to wake up on a Sunday morning knowing I didn’t do anything to embarrass myself or offend anyone.

Shopaholics paradise So many excuses – sorry, important reasons – to shop!

Asos Maternity

Clothes for me (just discovered Asos Maternity, woo-ee), clothes for baby, clothes for me for after the baby, nursery gear…there are so many essentials to sort out that you pretty much won’t have time to even look at the real money wasters (that too tight frock for your old flatmate’s brothers party that you just know you’ll only wear once).

And to make sure I spend my hard earned dough in all the right places, I also get to indulge in extra glossies to satisfy my ridiculous obsession – Cosmo Pregnancy (what a joy!), Shop 4 Kids, Inside Out, Vogue Living (for the nursery, dahling).

There are plenty more to add to the list (a babymoon, well-deserved time off work and no heavy lifting to name just a few), but it’s time to put my feet up and have a bowl of ice cream.

to have or have not – baby showers

nesting dolls theme by decor8

A friend recently asked me if I was having a baby shower, and I wasn’t sure how to answer.  I’d always thought you shouldn’t organise your own and was about to say so, when I remembered that she had organised her own not all that long ago.

While the idea is nice, I’d feel like I was grabbing for presents if I invited people to my own shower.  Then again, I wasn’t sure what the difference would be if someone else ‘organised’ it – I’d still be sanctioning the event, providing a guest list (and even perhaps a registry of sorts).

Having thought about the issue a bit more I’m still not sure – a lot of my friends have other expenses on their plate at the moment between kids, mortgages, renovations, weddings etc, and even letting people know you request their ‘presence not presents’ doesn’t mean that people won’t feel obliged to bring a gift.

 

On the other hand, a few people have mentioned that they like the opportunity to buy something, however big or small, for their family, friends, neighbours or co-workers who are about to welcome a bundle of joy – plus its nice for an excuse to have a girly catch up (or more commonly these days, with boys included).

 

For now, I still haven’t decided, but if I was to have a shower, I’d be looking lustily at sites like these:

 

Kido Store – having lived close by for ages I’ve often driven or walked past, wishing I had an excuse to shop there – and now I do! The Atsuyo Et Akiko t’s are especially lovely.

baby panda onesie from tiny people

Tiny People – if only they made the panda onesie in grown up sizes, I think my BF would look very manly in one.

Little Bird bodysuits and stripey bloomers from Seed.  I’m going to have to be careful monitoring my baby’s stripe wear, considering my own obsession with all things stripey borders on ridiculous.

seed - little bird onesie

 Rockabye Baby CDs for a great shower gift that strays from the ubiquitous ‘baby cakes’.  For me, I’d be gunning for G’n’R although you can also buy lullaby renditions from the likes of Bon Jovi and Queens of the Stone Age .

anthropologie (for what, I don’t know!) – not even slight baby related, but the site is such a joy to shop through, with so many everyday items made into objects of art, beauty, whimsy, happiness and joy

pinkfrosting for decorations – this online store can provide hours of fun for someone like me who loves party planning, even when there’s no party to be planned (many a party has been started just as an excuse to use some cute decorations)

baby shower styling by Donna Hay

Food and style ideas provided by Donna Hay – another site that’s given me the inspiration to get friends together just to try out a new recipe or style idea.

nesting dolls theme by decor8

The decor8 style blog has a nesting dolls theme that is so adorable and is tipping me more towards the idea of having a shower, purely because I love the theme so much!

I suppose some practical (some would say necessary) items could come in handy as well, but at this stage I can’t get past the cute clothes and party themes.