[tbrown0428]

Hi everyone! Hope everyone is having a fantastic Friday!

I was curious when to have a baby shower? Not that I am planning my own but some friends and family members asked my DH when they should throw us one and he was unsure! Since we really have no idea when our beautiful daughter will join our forever family he had no time frame to give to them!! They asked him to get an idea and let them know. They also asked where we had our baby registry at and he told them we did not have one yet and explained to them again, that since we have no clear time frame when we would arrive home with her we we did not have a the baby registry set up yet since some of the items may not be available that far down the line.

Does anyone have any advice on this? I feel like we are kinda jumping the gun here but then again I am so excited about having a shower thrown for us!!!

THANKS SO MUCH!!

[prechrswife]

We asked for ours to be held after our referral came in so that we would have a better idea of size and age. We actually had 2 showers, and the second one was after we got home with our daughter. The one between referral and travel was the more practical one timing-wise for us because it helped to meet needs we would have immediately upon arrival at home.

[chinagirl2006]

Our 1st baby shower was in May 2006. We didn't get our referral until April 2007. DH's family was probably thinking "what the heck is going on?" We had no idea we would be waiting that long. Our 2nd baby shower just happened to be 2 weeks after we got our referral, so it was nice to show my family those pics. Our 3rd baby shower is coming up in September...I have no idea what she needs!

[sfalone]

I cannot wait to have our shower. When did people start buying baby items? We are not even done our dossier but I have to admit that I did buy this really soft rattle doll that was dressed as a ladybug. I couldn't resist. I just stored it away in the closet

Having a son at home it's fun to be able to look at all the cute girly items.

Stacy

[Trace7]

Our first baby shower is TOMORROW!! I can't wait!! We are 1-2 (probably 2 months) away from referral, and now feels like the right time to have it.

We requested either gender, so everything on our registry is gender-neutral anyways

We can't wait to celebrate with all our loved ones - it's a couple shower - so DH and our Dads will be there, too And all of our couple friends (and a few singles, too)

I think there will be a few more smaller showers for us (most likely after referral) - but tomorrow is our BIG one that we have waited so long for!

[lovemybulldog]

Originally Posted by Trace7

Our first baby shower is TOMORROW!!

Congrats early on your shower!

We're getting questions too, especially since the world has seen Ian...and we also expect to have LOA and hopefully TA by the end of summer.

We are planning to do a couple's "countdown to lost freedom" dinner next month at The Melting Pot. 8 of our closest couples. We'll then wait until we return from China for a real shower-shower, with our family and general friends. By then we'll know what we need, don't need, and what was a total waste from my boredom shopping now (like half this kid's closet that probably won't fit him on Adoption Day).

We are also making an "optional" suggestion to our friends and family to make a donation to Half the Sky or A Child's Right in Ian's honor vs. buying a gift. I can only handle so many trinkety gifts before I've had it...and Babies R Us is getting boring already...

So. Go for it and have two if you want! Just make sure not to do it so far in advance that you won't be able to return anything!

Have fun!

[tbrown0428]

Originally Posted by Trace7

Our first baby shower is TOMORROW!! I can't wait!!

I am so happy for you! CONGRATS!!!

[sak9645]

I asked that mine be given at least two weeks AFTER I returned home with my daughter. Before referral, I felt that I wouldn't know the age, size, or temperament of my daughter. Between referral and travel, I would be too rushed. In the first two weeks at home, I would want to "cocoon" with my daughter and also to deal with any illnesses, etc. that we had.

And, in fact, that is when the showers I had were scheduled. It was great. Once Becca emerged from her "shutdown" mode, it was clear that she was a very social child. While she would look back to make sure that Mom was nearby, she would make the rounds of a room, happily bumming Cheerios, yogurt, and such, and working the crowd. She enjoyed opening presents and playing with both the contents and the wrappings.

The shower guests absolutely LOVED having Becca present, especially since she was such a party animal. They were amazed at how secure she seemed, how much she understood of what was said to her, and so on. And we were both over jet lag and minor bugs, and ready for some celebrating.

Sharon

[SanRN]

Tracey,
So happy for you!! Hopefully, you are NEXT!!!!!
Have fun tomorrow and enjoy every moment, you waited a LONG time for this!!!

[Trace7]

Thanks so much lovemybulldog, tbrown0428 and SanRN

[Nichole98]

Our Shower was originally going to be held this summer. We we're told we would have a 10-12 month wait when we applied so our families planned on this summer. We have since asked them to hold off. We may have it next summer if things speed up once they get through the 2005 families. We have our hearts set on a co-ed outdoor party for our shower. We dont want the typical shower (im bored at them so why bore my family and friends). Our family is planning a Chinese themed shower with lanterns, fans, chopsticks, lots of red and little chinese takeout boxes w/ fortune cookies or candies as favors as well as some Chinese dishes on the menu. We really didnt want a traditional shower so we love what they have planned so far!

[Chrysanthemum]

I had mine after my daughter's referral.

[Karen in MT]

As soon as we get that referral I'll be ready to celebrate and I can't think of a better way to do it then with a big shower. After we get our daughter I'm sure we will be exhausted and busy with her needs as well as ours. It is fun just thinking about a celebration. LID 7-14-06! -Karen

[Trace7]

Our shower was on Saturday and it could not have been better - great food (Chinese, of course - sweet and sour pork ribs, jewel fried rice and veggie stir fry, as well as adorable ladybug cupcakes), wonderful friends and family (it was a couples shower), fun games (especially watching the guys try to drink water fast out of tiny baby bottles, guys trying to speed-change diapers on dollas, and everyone trying to make clay babies or draw babies on a paperplate on their head), and such beautiful gifts. We got two hand-made quilts, a panda picture that my friend painted and SO many wonderful baby gifts - inlcuding the stroller we wanted and a burley for biking!

We were overhwhelmed by how many people came to celebrate with us and overwhlemed by their generosity. And the timing is perfect. This gives us the next couple weeks to get thank-you notes out, and the next couple months until referral to get the room oroganized. Then we can focus on packing and prep for our trip after referral (and actually - I think there may be 2-3 more smaller showers for us after referral - between work and other small groups of friends).

The big shower was great, though - and having it in the summer on the lucky day of 7/7/07 and with all of our closest friends in one place was amazing. My sister did a great job putting it all together!

[Trace7]

You can read about/see a slide show of our shower here, if you are interested:

A Red Thread to China