31wks, 5days

On Friday we placed the order for baby furniture. We bought two cribs (both of which convert into toddler beds) as well as two mattresses of course, a large dresser/changing table, and it came as part of a package that included one set of sheets (a fitted sheet, blanket, and bumper), a bottle, two pacifiers, a brush/comb set, a formula divider, a bottle drying rack, a baby bath on a stand with a plastic seat-like insert, cotton and flannel diaper/burp cloths, three each infant tops and leggings, digital, room, and bath thermometers, nail scissors, baby q-tips, a pack of wet wipes, baby soap, and probably a few other odds and ends I'm forgetting. Not enough of all the various things we'll need of course, but it was a nice little package to get us started. The store is assembling the furniture and after I give birth we just call them up and they send it over, so by the time I come home from the hospital the nursery will be ready.

We've also been able to better assess all the other items we will need/want, most of which we plan on holding off on buying for now in order to see first what we receive as gifts.

I don't mean to be presumptuous, but I am posting this here since several people have asked: There are a bunch of things people can get for us if they are thinking of buying baby items as a gift. If you are abroad we would prefer money, as it is very costly to ship items to Israel (it also costs us a lot in customs and taxes to pick up a package). If, however, you or someone you know is coming in to Israel and can bring items with them, that is very much appreciated (in fact, there are quite a few smaller items I would like to order online if anyone from the US or Canada is coming to Israel before the birth and can bring things with them for us). Otherwise, the best option is financial gifts which you are of course free to direct towards a specific purchase.

Among the things we would need/like, there are those that are small, lesser expensive items (sheets, clothes, etc.). There are those that are larger purchases of which we would need only one each (bouncer, swing, play mat, double stroller, etc.) and there are larger items of which we would need two (car seat/infant carriers, baby carriers, pack 'n plays, etc.).

We have already received generous offers from friends and family for several of these items so if anyone is curious as to what we still need, please ask.

I feel like this is so rude of me but I know many of you are interested in giving us gifts and we appreciate it so much. Since the situation is a unique one, with friends and family spread around the world, I'm just being very blunt and up-front here in order to make things as uncomplicated as possible. I'm past the point of shame anyways, since it's astounding the number of things we need for two children and Shawn and I are fully aware that there's no way we could do all of this on our own.

Meanwhile we are working on preparing the room that will be the nursery. As I mentioned above the furniture won't be coming till after the birth but currently the room is a messy storage room so we're trying to clear it out and get it painted. We bought a wall-mounted electric heater for the room and will probably be getting a ceiling fan/light fixture installed so we want to get the painting done first then have an electrician come over and install those. Everything is starting to feel much more real but hey, the kicks are getting more vicious and the calender is rolling forward. In less than two months we will be welcoming two new members into our family. Tomorrow we start childbirth classes. Ready or not, here they come! So, we're just trying to get ready :)