[amylulu]

Is there anything you wished you would have bought while you were picking up your baby that you didn't and now kick yourself that you do not have? I have 13 more days and decided shopping will help pass the time. Now anyone want to share what they bought and are so happy to have....and things they wish they would have gotten but didn't?

Thanks,

[jemmawag]

It is very important to fm that I dress him once a year in his Mayan clothes. I wish I had bought bigger clothes. Also, a nativity I ran out of time unfortunately.

[mama8]

This was surely the second best part of the trip! I love my nativity set - very simple, but sweet! Wish I had bought one of the beautiful hammocks in Antigua. Fabric! I also wish I had more little things like purses, table runners, misc native items that make great gifts over the years - I am ready to travel back just to shop!!! Have fun and buy more than you think you want - you will be so glad to have it!

Buy 18 gifts for your child's birthday - we did this in China and we are so glad to have them!

Enjoy!

[ERAmy]

There was a small metal tree with carved birds/butterflies hanging from it I wish I would have just bought. I kept walking by it and looking at it but never went back to buy it.
Like someone else said, I will try to buy other small items to give as birthday gifts in the future.
I did buy dresses in a few different sizes but have to buy bigger ones also (shes has them in 1,2 and 3).

[brink]

Each of our kids has a beautiful wool, offwhite and blue blanket from Central Market. They come complete with small burrs that appear now and then to pick out! We paid average about $25 for them. We've bought eleven over the course of four adoptions, eight kids plus some extras for me! Haven't seen them except at Central Market, though. And sometimes we had to ask them to look in the storerooms for the blue patterned ones. They're wool and not the really colorful ones. More nuetral for my decor. I wished I'd bought more small clay chicken buses. I tie ribbon on them for Christmas tree ornaments for each of the kids...but if one breaks through the years, I wish I had more. This time we also bought a rain stick and drum of wood. The drum is about arms' length with two slit like openings that you play with a small mallet. Love them both, plus some wooden flutes. Wish I'd bought more of each at only $7. Also should have bought many more small wooden boxes from Central Market for gifts. They're stained dark with carving on top. I love the stone animals, too. They're a green stone, but obviously not jade. Should have given the gal at El Pueblito (near Radisson, great place to find lots of things) the $12 she wanted for the beautiful Christmas stocking. It was the principle of the thing, that she wouldn't come down in price, but what was I thinking qwibbling over a couple bucks?

[mattecook]

We bought the girls many small tokens for their gotcha days to come. One thing I wish I would have bought but have finally gotten now. A nativity scene. Wood or clay they are gorgeous and a wonderful conversation piece

Ami

[Mariais5]

In my 8 trips to Guatemala, I think I've bought just about everything you can imagine except a Nativity set. The one I really wanted was so large, and I just had no way to carry it back.. On our next trip, it will come home with me though.. ;-)

Things I am SO glad I bought ~

lavender jade bracelets for the girls,
table runners that I put out at Christmas,
blankets made from different fabrics from around the country ~ the lady at the market showed me which ones were from the areas that Sofie and Bryce's birthfamilies are from (thanks to my friend Nancy for giving me a heads up on those when I met her at the market!),
mayan dolls dressed in the dress from the area the girls are from,
dresses in different sizes for the girls to wear on their birthdays,
Guatemalan soccer uniforms ~ SO CUTE
purses, balls, toys ~ the girls play with them a lot, and Bryce knows they are from Guatemala..
hammock ~ haven't hung it yet, but it looks comfortable..
placemats ~ We plan to have Guatemalan nights.. thought we would have started by now.. :-(
large totes ~ I use these for overnight trips and our oldest daughter always uses hers when she spends the night with a friend.. perfect sizes..
Shoes ~ I bought the girls the cutest little shoes at the mall.. They were only around $14 and leather.. They remind me of expensive european brands..

There is so much to look at.. Have fun!

[sweetjourney]

I really wished we would have remembered to get Allyson a dress. And maybe a little purse. We did get jade necklaces and fabric etc but forgot the dress

[DPline]

It is funny that so many people are mentioning natvity sets as that was exactly what I was thinking. I felt SO broke after two adoptions that I hardly bought anything, but the nativity set is the one thing I really kick myself for not buying.

[judymend]

I wished I would have thought about larger size clothing for Peter Jack for picture taking !!

I did purchase:

• A beautiful wood carved nativity set
• Colorful Guatemalan Blanket
• Handcrafted w/beading Deep Purple Box w/lid - so beautifully made and I have it displayed in Peter Jack's room
• Train Set
• Colorful Handmade Donkey
• Colorful Handmade Bracelet (for me)
• Beautiful Wood Cross w/crucifix
• Art

[photogeek]

We brought back bottles of this wonderful Guatemalan rum to celebrate all the special times (birthday, gotcha day, New Year's) - a little goes a long way.

My suitcase was also loaded up with a table cloth, purse, passport holder, a flute, bookmarks, and lbs of coffee (almost all gone now).

I regretted not picking up a handful of the beautiful scrunchies for my nieces (I have 4 - all of them with long hair), and some of the little wallets. Again - great little gifts for the kids.

Remember there are online stores that sell Mayan wares and send the profits back to the crafters (in case there is something you forget).

[brink]

One of my very favorite things to bring back are photos I take of the gorgeous colors and fabrics at the markets. I zoom in on a stack of fabrics and colorful traditional items that won't all fit in my suitcase. If it's possible, I also take photos of people in native dress, if I can do it without being obtrusive or rude. You can take a general scene without people feeling you are zooming in on them and then later crop to show the clothing close up. I hope this doesn't seem intrusive, as I don't know these people and only use the photos for my kids' books and to show the culture. The colors are what amaze me. I've asked a few merchants if I could take photos of them in their shops, or with DH and his empty wallet, always good for a laugh in the kids' photo albums. I have some very colorful photos now for my screensaver. They bring back wonderful memories of Guatemala and our trips for our kids. I also buy colorful postcards when I see them, especially ones of Guatemalan children.

[MNStarr]

I wish I would have splurged and went for the jade ring at the Jade factory in Antigua. I am kicking myself still two years later. But at the time we were so broke and I would have had to put the whole thing on a card and just couldn't do it. It was beautiful green jade and had diamonds as well. My idea was to get it and give it to Olivia on her wedding day.

My "longterm" plan is to get a beautiful piece of jewelry whenever we add to our family so that when I am gone each child has their own piece.

I am glad we bought a loom hanging as well as other things around our house. We also have a jewelry box, cross, and earrings.

Wish I would have got a painting I saw but it would have been so inconvenient. But other than that just more jewelry.

[CEB]

More art - we did buy a few prints and had them framed when we got home, but I would like more. Of course, I could go back and buy bunches of other things tomorrow but somehow its the art that sticks out as missing. We have every intention of returning to visit so I content myself with "someday"

[mi_amiga]

This is a great thread, keep the ideas coming. I will be with Amy in 2 days!

-Jaimee