Nice Package

Sure, gifts are great. But a creative gift wrapping job? Now we're talking. It is something that is equally as exciting to me.

So imagine my delight when I opened a box of gifts from my fellow blogger friend, Eileen, who is a professional dynamo at creating hand-stamped cards and stationery. Sure the gifts were great (organic baby wash/lotion and a hooded towel) but I was blown away by the gorgeous, custom greeting card she created just for us and the coordinating note card and gift wrap with handcrafted details. Everything was painstakingly created and customized, and the teddy bear was even hand-watercolored!

Eileen went out of her way to find just the right theme for it all to match our Tuscan inspired nursery, after seeing the pictures I posted back in September. What an exquisite design and what a lovely gesture. Thank you so much, Eileen -- you rock!

click to enlarge

Speaking of the baby’s room, we recently made a very special addition to it. Not quite as special as a baby, but after weeks of searching, we found the perfect rocker/recliner. It was difficult to find one that was the ideal mix of aesthetics, comfort, durability and affordability. But we finally found this very important piece of equipment. We anticipate many special moments in this chair…feeding, reading, giggling, snuggling, just hanging out and, of course, snoozing.

It is very cushy, covered in resilient microfiber, gently rocks and fully reclines for some good sleeping (we’ve both tested that out.) The late evening sun has been shining into Habibi’s room so nicely, so I love to curl up in the sun-dappled chair after a long day at work.

I am enjoying the nesting ritual, but it was while I was on this quest for the perfect chair that I suddenly felt incredibly self-indulgent and guilty. I couldn’t help but think that many parents don’t have the luxury of being finicky about their rocker, not to mention the colors of the room décor or finding the best developmental toys. Instead, they worry about things like their child having enough to eat, contracting malaria or having a soft place to sleep.

Frank and I are very sensible consumers, yet when I think of the less fortunate I still feel a sense of over-indulgence. We have both worked so hard for everything we’ve ever had, including our child-to-be and all of the typical American accoutrements that go along with it. But there are other families in the world who have worked just as hard or harder, yet live in a situation where it just doesn’t make a difference. We give our fair share to charity, but I suppose we could always give more, or maybe direct it toward something that feels more relevant to us now. (Or I could just assuage my guilt by opening the pages of People magazine and gawking at J-Lo’s nursery. Oh my stars, that woman could feed all of Africa with the cost of that room!)

I just feel so incredibly grateful to be living in a country, time and place that allows for such trivial indulgences as pretty little packages and the perfect snuggling chair. Everyone should be so lucky.

P.S. Sending our love to the “mother-of-all-bloggers,” Suzanne and her husband, Matt, who recently arrived in Kaz and met their children yesterday!