Wednesday, February 29, 2012

baby registry!

When Victor and I got married in the US last summer, "wedding presents" were an issue.  How do you politely say, we really want that blender, but international shipping is phenomenally expensive and not worth it? And as much as I really, really, really want a KitchenAid mixer, it wasn't worth the extra headache (or double the cost!) of ordering from a European website to make sure it has the correct electrical outlet plug, etc.  

Vic and I are both shameless givers... so talking about gifts makes both of us squirm.  We were very grateful for ALL of our wedding presents (and our entire honeymoon was paid for by our wedding guests, so is our future living room wall-to-wall bookcase that I've been obsessing over via IKEA website... Hello spring projects!).  

Anyhow, with this whole Baby business happening all up in my belly, I've already had several requests of "What can we get you guys?!"  And seeing I have no idea... I've been doing a lot of research. Buying baby stuff as a first time mama is difficult and stressful.  There are a zillion baby products that are marketed as "Must Have Or You Won't Survive."  And I shamelessly by into it.  I relish in my hours of online research, the lists I have gone over, and the general idea of "how" I want to prepare for baby: Organic.  Minimalist. Relatively gender neutral.  Vintage inspired.  Oh, and punk 'effin rock.        

Shopping online for baby can be relatively painless when you can read.  This seems.... like a stupid thing to say.  But let's face it.  I am not fluent in Portuguese.  Yet.  I can figure out the basics, look things up in my dictionaries.  (You will need more than one...)  But unfortunately, I can't obsess about the detail differences between products, etc.  A lot of websites don't have English translations, and online shopping is a newly emerging trend here.  (Weird, right?!  When I asked friends (and store employees) about Wedding Registries last year, people had NO idea what I was talking about.... ?!!)  

SO... I cannot in my right mind order The. Best. Stroller. Ever (according to the MommyBlogs in the US online.  As in, from the US.  I am in Portugal.  Even if companies DO ship here, the shipping cost is usually doubles (or more!) the price of items.  (Example, my beloved KitchenAid Mixer.) My poor mother has already spent a small fortune on international shipping in the past two years, sending everything from online shopping purchases (and returns....), Twizzlers (NONE in Portugal...?!), camera parts, my favorite Neutrogena face wash that I can't live without, etc.  Instead of burdening her with the epic task of scrambling around in the next few months to collect all of the baby stuff I "won't be able to live without," I decided to make a registry that our generous, wonderful, delightful and technology-capable friends and family members can use... to generously help share shipping costs... I highly recommend utilizing Amazon UK whenever necessary, as it is much cheaper to order from there, when shipping to us here in Portugal.  

If any new mamas (or old pro' mamas and professional papas too!) notice that we are missing Must Have Baby Products, please let me know!  You know my email address/ facebook!  Who wants to buy me some organic nipple cream?!  OOOOHHH!!!!  How awkward?!  I'm trying to be my pathologically liberal and open-minded self... But nipple cream?  I want someone REALLY AWKWARD to send a supply of that stuff.  And stretch mark cream.  So far, I am heavily moisturized and not stretching anything yet... but I have no problem spending the next 22 weeks dipping myself in every kind of lotion available.  Just in case.  I think I am more anxious about the aftermath of my body, post-baby, than I am about the act of giving birth...  WOAH.              

SO!  We are registered at


Just look us up, under Jacqui Castro & Victor Castro (listed in Ossining, New York) and for shipping information, you can email my mama Patti at JJBeens1[at]aol.com for our home address here in Portugal.

MUITO OBRIGADA!! Thank you thank you thank you!

XxxoOOooooo

PS. I haven't registered for my Perfect Portuguese car seat, stroller, crib set (etc!) yet, I am still... researching and translating...  but don't you worry!  I will have those items posted as soon as possible!  HAhah!!! 

  


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