A Pregnant Co-Worker

It’s amazing I’ve gone this long without ever having worked alongside a pregnant co-worker, until now. I met Jamee in the late 90s at an advertising agency. I didn’t really get to know her that well, but, for some reason, I just kind of considered her as the kid sister I never had. Our contact throughout the intervening years has been very sporadic, but when le•top started this blog, I immediately thought she’d be a great fit…little did I know she was just announcing her second pregnancy! WOW! What great timing; Jamee’s pregnant, and I’m getting her to write for a baby/kids/clothes blog! Tons of material (excuse the pun)! But now, as she’s getting ready to actually have the baby, it’s suddenly dawning on me that I’m going to “lose” her for a little while. Ack!! How will the blog go on without her? OK, never mind the blog, how will I go on without her? 😉 We’ve become closer through our mutual enthusiasm and ambition to create a great blog…community…for our readers. Jamee’s writing furiously now, so that we can schedule her posts to be published into the future while she’s on maternity leave, but wow, I’m sure going to miss that “kid sis” of mine. I value not only her creativity and myriad talents, but…you know how it is when you have a co-worker you not only like, but also highly respect…you turn to her for feedback, reality checks, constructive criticism and…venting! When your co-worker is a friend as well as a colleague, it’s doubly hard when they’re not around. How do people cope?!?

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Zoo-rific is Terrific!

It’s fun… It’s uproarious… It’s like going to the circus! This bright and fashionable Zoo-rific line from le•top’s fall collection is definitely something to smile about. The whimsical and brightly colored zoo animals playfully turn frowns upside down. C’mon, let’s all get happy!

Zoo-rific is still available in stores (or use our convenient online shopping options) in sizes 3 month to 4T for girls and boys. Our store locator will show you how to make tracks to your nearest le•top retailer!

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The Nest Is Ready

It’s finally done! After two weeks of nesting, our nursery is ready for baby. This room was our spare room. Actually it was my husband’s personal space/office space (a.k.a. “The Doghouse”). As soon as we found out we were pregnant, he moved into MY office. Now we have to play nice in our shared office to give our new child his/her own bedroom. The things we give up… it’s all worth it.

The first project to tackle was to empty out the closet. It was full of empty boxes, files, rolls of gift wrap, an air mattress, extra pillows and linens for guests, and other random things. It was like a huge junk drawer! We didn’t know where we were going to put all of THAT stuff.

Next, we had to dig through our garage, my parents’ garage, and other storage areas in our house to look for the baby stuff (swing, bouncer, crib, toys, clothes, play yard, etc.) Good thing I’m so meticulous: I’d put everything back in the same boxes after my first-born stopped using them, and labeled everything so I’d know what we had without having to open up every box. Surprisingly, since all the baby stuff came out of storage, we found space for all the closet junk. Yippee!

Thirdly, I had to make sure all the bedding and clothes were cleaned, washed and ready for use. I know I still have roughly 8 more weeks to go but I figure, I could always wash the sheets and clothes again each week. It’s best to be prepared than not.

Lastly, I had my husband hang the curtains, shelves and art on the walls. Ahhh… now I can rest easy knowing that my nest is ready.

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