[qs mom]

I threw my own adoption shower and listed that it was thown by my mom, sister and best friend. They paid for about 1/2 of it, I paid the other 1/2 and planned most of it. I felt guilty putting a couple expensive things on the registry, but I starting thinking about how many times I put in $ with my mom and my sister to get one of the bigger items on someone's registry and figured my aunts and cousins may want to do the same thing.

My son was nearly 3 when I adopted him. My parents bought his bed, so the most expensive thing on my registry was a digital camera, I didn't get it, but I didn't expect it either. And a stroller. I received 2 beautiful strollers. I returned one and got a car seat that I needed.

My friend was PO'ed that her aunt bought her a lamp that wasn't on her registry. My thought was be thankful that her aunt cared enough to get her a gift and attend the shower.

You just live a different lifestyle. I don't buy video games and gaming systems for my child. I don't allow him to spend hours in front of a screen. My sister and my friends do. My son dances, ice skates, attends Boy Scouts and Awana. Their excuse is that they can't afford it. If they didn't buy $40-$590 video games they might. Boy Scouts and Awana are $.50 a week. So, I can afford the $1 week. Ice skating costs me $50 for the season, as we get financial assistance for that. Dancing does cost me some money. But it costs me less than the couple of games they each buy every month.