The Lust List: Adoption Edition

There's a bunch of updates that have been happening around here (namely in the nursery) So I should have updates this week and next (woot woot!) In the mean time - until I can get my act together to take pictures - and finish up. I'll share some adoption related goodies. There's been many things I've been lusting after regarding the child we should be adopting (hopefully) soon. I was able to work through some of that building our registry on the Baby List site - it's pretty freakin' awesome) You should check it out, it's a great way to have your registry central to one spot, and you can register places like Etsy & Chapters (score!) Anyway! Here's some things I'm lusting after...

A super cute shirt on a super cute little model. I like that this is an embroidered shirt, versus the screen print.

I love this map, doesn't really apply to us this time around, but I'll be keeping it in mind for when we do our international adoption.

   

I love this cute little elephant print, but unfortunately it's no longer available. (sad face) It was produced in limited quantities to help a family, so I guess I missed the  boat.

This cute onesie isn't really adoption specific, because any baby is worth the wait; but I definitely think it speaks to those families that have been trying and trying for a child, and finally were given that gift. Or to those who have had to wait years for their adoptions to go through, or meet their child.

I think this chosen necklace (also a fundraiser) would be a great gotcha day or happy court gift for a child. Take the little pearl off and it'd even work for a boy.

Yet another cute shirt on another cute model.

I think this shirt is hilarious! I feel like it would probably be lost on a lot of people, but it would be a great conversation starter. There are a TON of other great shirts on this site as well, and the greatest this is that every single one of them goes towards helping a family cover their costs of an international adoption.

This shirt says, "Change the World for One." I love it - the model helps. This is from the company "Ordinary Hero" and they also have a number of different shirts (as well as other products) that help adoptive families. They are specific to Africa, but through their help you could potentially take your needed trips there for free. They also do a lot of work with African orphans that are over there, such a fantastic company.

The Lust List : Baby Gear

Since we're currently on schedule to be finished our assessments and ready to be placed on the "ready to adopt" list about a month earlier than we were initially thinking, it's bumped up our timeline for having to have things for time of placement. We're hoping to get a baby through our adoption, and just like any first time parent we have nothing. I've had a number of things on my wish list from when we were just thinking of having our own, here's what I'm lusting after right now.

I've worked with, and babysat a few little ones who's parents have used glass bottles, and I really liked them. These ones are from Lifefactory and have great reviews. They're BPA free, and are easy to clean (you can throw them in the dishwasher without even taking the rubber sleeve off), and they have interchangeable lids, so it can go from a nipple bottle to a sippy bottle, to a flat cap bottle. They can grow with the child, making them a lot more environmentally friendly than most plastic ones. Plus the fun silicone sleeves give them a bit of personality! 

I don't really know too much about baby carriers, since I haven't really used them very often. But this Ergo Baby Carrier, has received some of the best reviews out of all the carriers I've looked into. It's light weight, and will fit both Jason and I, and grows with the baby, even growing with the child until they're around 90lbs. Plus it's not ugly haha, Jason gave it his stamp of approval, and since he'll most likely be the one carrying the kid in this the most that's important. We like to go hiking, and while we plan on getting an off-roading stroller, it'll be nice to have a carrier for times when the stroller just isn't practical.

 

Speaking of the off-road stroller that we plan on getting...the Bob Sport U Stroller is our man! I've seriously been lusting over this bad boy for eons! I've used enough strollers in my days to know what I do and don't want in a stroller. And since both Jason and I are tall it can often be a challenge to find strollers that give us enough leg room and that have a high enough handle as to not cause me more back pain. So we figured a jogging stroller would be our best bet. I like that this stroller can fit a baby from two months to up to 90lbs, and also is compatible with most infant car seats. So it's even more-so the right choice for us now, not knowing what age child we're going to get. It's a pretty kick-butt stroller, you can go pretty much anywhere with it!

In terms of a diaper bag, I want something more masculine so Jason doesn't have to be ashamed to be seen in public carrying it. While neither of these options are actually "diaper bags" they're both decent options. The first is a weekender bag, and is actually a DIY, that I could try and rope someone much more gifted than I with a sewing machine into "helping" me make. (I can think of a couple aunts and cousins). It's massive, which is both a good thing and a bad thing, because as an owner of a massive purse, you tend to shove way more in there than needs to be just because you can haha. The other option I like is actually a camera bag. Which means it's not massive, and would be better for streamlining, and only packing the essentials in the diaper bag.

 

The crib...probably the most essential aspect of the nursery. I love the modern lines of this white BabyLetto crib, and it has a fairly reasonable price tag as well. Because I don't know if you've noticed, but I certainly have...cribs can be bloody expensive! I like the neutrality of a white crib, over the wood tone ones that I've seen.

Since we have no idea the exact age of the child we'll be getting, we wont' be picking up a car seat until we get the call, and know what age. But we still need to know what we're going to get, because sometimes you have to make a quick decision, so we'd have to make a mad dash to pick things up. If we get a fresh out of the hospital baby, we want the Britax Bob B-Safe infant car seat, because it's light weight and matches our Bob stroller, and safe, that matters too. If we get a baby that's three months or older, this all-in-one car seat would be our best bet, and the best use of our money. It can be a rear racing seat for baby's 5-20lbs, then sits forward, and can get rid of the base and it becomes a booster seat, so you don't have to buy three different car seats.

The Lust List

Every now and then you find something that you really really like, but just can't justify getting at the moment. Ok, that's a bit of an under exaggeration isn't it? Every other day you find a boat load of stuff that you really like, and can't justify getting, so you pin them and lust after them constantly. No? Just me? Here's a few things that I've been wanting for a while, but unfortunately we plucked our money tree dry for renovations, so I've had to do with mentally petting them, instead of actually holding them and petting them.

This fantastic briefcase from Heavenbag on Etsy is actually on my lust-list for Jason. He wants/needs a nice bag like this, and I would love to get it for him. It's so rich and soft looking, and is a fairly reasonably price for a leather bag like this.

How cute is this needle felted husky? (Also from Etsy) She looks just like Kai, standing all proud as punch guarding the backyard. It could totally go in our future child's room, and guard over our little one while they sleep...or it can be my cuddle mate - I bet she doesn't snore like my other two roommates do.

This music map (again from Etsy - seriously that place has so many cool things) combines two things I love, music and maps! Not to mention the fact I can play most of those instruments - including the metronome, I'm the best at that one! There's so many places I could hang this in the house, and I plan on having maps in every room.

Oh hey look, another map! I told you I love maps, and these are super cool. They're from Below the Boat and they're laser cut, wood bathymetric (underwater version of topographic) charts of "what lies below the boat". They are hand crafted, and framed behind plexiglass, they are absolutely stunning! This is top of the list for living room decorations whenever we get around to that! I may see if they'll be able to do one from around the cottage, or maybe Peru where we visited on our honeymoon.

While this tree stump vase isn't for sale (that I know of) but is definitely something that's been on my mind for a while. It's something that's totally DIYable if you can find the right hunk of wood. So, naturally Kai and I have been looking every time we go trekking through the forest. As of yet, Kai hasn't been able to sniff out the right stump, she always gets distracted by squirrels.

Cutest. Bookends. Ever. I am definitely lusting hard after these rabbits from Restoration Hardware. They remind me of the Velveteen Rabbit, so therefore my great grandma (since she gave me the book) It was one of my favourites as a child, and I plan on passing down the great values to our children. Our children will also have a bunch of books, so naturally they'll need adorable bookends to keep all their books from getting all willynilly and flip flopping all over the shelf hehe.

I think it's good to have things that you lust over, because it can make you work harder to get them. Put away a little here and there to get something you really, really want, versus making an impulse decision. This way, if I'm still in love with the item a few months down the road then I know it's something I'll most likely love for a few years; no regrets that way.