A shower of questions

The other day, we got a text from TJ's sister telling us to check our baby registry. So we did -- and low and behold, there sat a big "purchased" stamp next to one of our items: A real fancy stroller and car seat "travel system." A gift from sis and TJ's mom.

Dee and Leslie -- can not thank you enough.

Which is rock awesome.

Really, it was one of those things that you register for and think, "No one is buying this for us. It is a gazillion dollars." But you put it on there, hoping maybe you have a rich aunt you forgot about who has decided she loves you beyond all reason. You cross your fingers that you get enough gift cards and cash from people that you'll be able to cover it in the end.

Registries are sort of an unknown for us. We created two for our wedding, but very few people actually bought anything on them. Part of the problem was that we did the Peggy Post-appropriate thing and did not include a note in our invitations about where we were registered. This in spite of the fact that pretty much every other relative, friend and acquaintance we've known has done just that.

It didn't matter in the end. We got a lot of cash and filled in the blank spots of our home just fine. And instead of looking at a pitcher and thinking, "So-and-so got us that for the wedding," we say, "So-and-so gave us a check, and we bought that pitcher. On clearance on Black Friday. It was a sweet deal."

And it's all a wash.

But this time, people are asking about our registry and offering to throw me a shower. I missed out on the family shower for the wedding, seeing as how we lived several states away.

So now I'm facing Peggy Post again. Do I tell people where we registered? Do I just offer that info, do I wait to be asked? Should the eventual shower host include the info on the invites? And just how many showers can one expect, anyway? My aunt offered to throw a post-baby family shower, which is sweet and I'm really excited. Should I expect one from coworkers? From church folks? Do I have rights to invite people from outside those circles to it?

And finally, do I keep an eye on those registries, keeping track of what people bought us, adding more items as it gets depleted? Doing a little happy dance when someone actually forks over for that big ticket item, totally unexpectedly?

Does this entire post make me look like a gift-happy, ungrateful bitch? Because I'm not, I promise. We've already been so hugely blessed with so much -- my mom has our kid clothed for as long as he fits into 0-3 months sizes (so, about a minute). My Grandma bought us a crib. We have a swing, a baby backpack, blankets and sheets, a high-chair. People who have had boys recently have been overwhelmingly generous and we are eternally grateful.

So the very last thing I want to appear is greedy and ungrateful.

Oh dear, that reminds me. Should I write thank you notes for all the used items that people have given us? Or do I wait for new gifts? Because we have a mental list of all the people we've sent baby gifts to in the past three years who a) Didn't acknowledge them and/or b) Didn't bother to write a thank you note. Ever.

Peggy Post and I do agree on some details.

(Target and Babies 'R' Us, by the way. And our theme is dinosaurs. And superheroes).