Baby Shower!

While I wish we could all get together over decaffeinated tea and cupcakes to celebrate the impending arrival of the miraculous Baby D, I know we are a bit too far flung for that. And you might feel compelled to bring the sweetest little presents, too.

Sounds wonderful, but a bit overwhelming!

Instead, I'm hoping some of you might feel moved to celebrate Baby D in one of two ways that  support moms and babies who don't have the resources Tim and I do.

I read an article in the paper today about how low-income families spend nearly 14 percent of their after-tax income on diapers, while for middle-income families, it's closer to 3 percent! I have great laundry facilities in my home if I want to use cloth diapers, and enough money to cover initial cloth diaper purchases if I choose to go in that direction. I can easily have disposable diapers delivered to my home in bulk, or I can hop in my car to find  the best deals; but for many people, buying diapers means taking multiple busses to buy overpriced, smaller packs that run out quickly, and even leave them debating whether to re-use disposables in order to stretch a pack just a little bit longer.

If an online baby shower interests you, it's easy to send monetary or physical donations to the DC Diaper Bank in Baby Donaldson's name. DC Diaper Bank provides diapers to 30 social service organizations that are already helping families in need.

If you would like to help a mom and a baby in a different way, you know I love the offerings in the World Vision Catalog. The New Mother and Baby Kit provides a bassinet, new baby essentials such as cloth diapers, blankets, a bucket for clean water, soap, and parent support/training for a needy mom around the world. No amount of donation is too small!

There's absolutely NO PRESSURE to participate, but I thought it would be neat to share these opportunities with you as we await the baby's arrival.

With Love and Thanks.