The Belated Birth Announcements
I finally mailed out Baby Bug’s birth announcements…. only ten weeks late.
Sigh.
I had such good intentions, addressing all my pretty pink envelopes weeks before she was born. A lot of good it did me. Toby and I couldn’t agree on the design of the announcement for the longest time and finally I just went ahead and had them printed without his approval because it was just plain getting embarrassing.
Many of my friend’s had babies around the same time and all their birth announcements decorate my refrigerator mocking me. I should have just done one of those automated photo cards… it would have been so much easier. It’s just that I’m a graphic artist! I have a reputation to uphold. I can’t not design something. That’s what I do for a living. So I finally banged it out and now it’s in the mail. Done. Phew!
It’s silly that there’s this unwritten rule that birth announcements need to be timely. I mean, I understand they need to “announce” the event and waiting a year doesn’t really help a baby’s introduction into the world. But still, why do you get a whole year to send thank you notes after you get married? I had tons of free time after I got married. If I was an over achiever, I could have gotten all my thank you notes done on the plane ride to my honeymoon! Hah! Gone are those days. I don’t even know the meaning of free time now. I know it’s been said a zillion times but it really is true that when you are a mom, it’s a major accomplishment to get a shower every day.
I’m lucky. Baby Bug takes a nap every morning just long enough for me to take the quickest shower on earth. I’ve taken a shower every single day since she was born (I think, there may have been one day I skipped when I was out in Hemet where it’s okay to stink). I have to! Ever since she was born I’ve been the stickiest, smelliest, most disgustingist I’ve ever been. That morning shower keeps me sane. I look forward to it.
So anyway, the announcements are out. (Yay!) If you’re family or a close friend on my short mailing list, you can expect it in your mailbox in the next few days. If you don’t get one, email me because I have this dreaded feeling I left some people out. Please forgive me! I’m an addle brained mom now. Plus, I ran out of envelopes. But I’ll get some more, one of these days.
22 Comments
Daisy Mae
I am one of those crazy people that did their thank you notes on day two of the honeymoon and then mailed them from Niagra Falls paying extra for Canadian postage (silly I know).
I think you are doing good to get your baby announcements out before she turns 6 months. The ones i made for my granddaughter and hand delivered to her mommy didn’t get mailed out until my granddaughter was 5 or 6 months old. I think as long as you mail them before they graduate high school it is okay.
ginger incognito
I think we mailed the Doodle’s out when she was almost three months old. They were darling cards made by a friend, and the husband insisted on including a small photo after the fact. He printed them up himself, and I spent much time cutting all the photos and addressing envelopes. Grr. In any case, I agree with Daisy Mae: if they get out before the baby graduates high school, then it’s okay.
Felix
Got it in the mail today. Very nice. I sent my out pretty quickly but they were just boring store-bought ones. Yours was so much nicer – worth the wait.
Becky Z
I just got ours too. Thanks Brenda! They’re so creative. I like all the pictures that you took of Baby bug. :-)
Kristina
10 weeks isn’t too bad, I think! I know a lot of people (family included) from whom I’ve never received a birth announcement when their little bundles arrived, and it never bothered me – new moms are BUSY! :) And think of it this way – look at all of the wonderful photos you had to choose from for the front of your announcement! SO cute!! :)
BeachMama
Congrats on a shower every day!! THat is the one thing that Mom’s should make sure they get into their daily schedule. If you do it from the beginning, the baby just gets used to it. I used to roll J into the bathroom in the bassinet, he would fall asleep from the warmth of the steam and the sound of the shower.
Your announcements are gorgeous. Such talent :)
american girl
Cute announcements! I actually got (most) of mine out when the baby was about a month old, but that’s only because I have a super-disciplined husband who made it a priority for me. There are still a few that I haven’t sent, mostly because I ran out of supplies. Somehow I can’t bring myself to go to the store and get the supplies to finish, like, 10 cards. Argh.
Also–the shower? A necessity. It makes life so much better if I can get a shower. I’m thankful my baby likes the bathroom so much she’d sit in there for hours if she could!
lauren
i have 4 children .. i have sent zero birth announcments. i never ever tried.
shamefull!
(shameless, really.)
you are the rockinest mommy..;)
Ninotchka
I never got around to sending my first daughter’s announcements for the same reason: indecision. My second daughter I sent out at 4 months and Anna Sofia, it was 3, I think? Who cares! It got done. Yours are adorable. :)
Jamie
So cute! I’m sure they were worth the wait and much more creative than your standard printed announcement. I did a similar “e-mail” invite for my daughter’s first birthday. It featured a small thumbnail photo from each month of her first year. and said “Celebrating 12 Months of Amelia Grace.” And you are doing great on the announcements. I sent my first daughter’s out within 6 weeks and my second daughter’s were sent out oh…when she was 3 months old!!
Kyla's Mama
Very creative photo collage! Good job. Our Kyla is 6 weeks old and I’m still working on it, so ashamed because most of my family has already seen her and has received photos too. I think I can make an excuse, I sat on my camera when she was 3 weeks old and I haven’t figured out the new one yet…. But still. Oh well. I barely have time for a shower, she doesn’t sleep well in the morning, most of the time she is awake until 10 or 11am or so, and by that time hunger wins over need of a shower. Normally shower waits until my hubby gets home.
Stephanie
I want to be on the short list!!! :-) Love the pics!!!
The shower is KEY to the feeling of your whole day. Even if you put pj’s back on you at least know your CLEAN!!! LOL
Your a super mom!!!
JBomb
I still have not sent out my son’s birth announcement card. He is 5 month and half now. You are doing good. I will definitely get to it before he is one…:)
I have received baby bug’s birth announcement card. It is so cute. She is just adorable!
aunt kathy
You’re too hard on yourself, B. If I had clean kids with their hair combed and with full tummies and a semi tidy house I was on top of the world. I could cope then with the curve balls thrown at me. Once in a while I picked up my therapy (ie. x-stitch, knitting or a book) and let things slide but that was my THERAPY! It kept me sane. Having company was great. It helped me to stay on top of things and then when the company got there the moms helped in the kitchen and their kids entertained my kids. Once I had cleaning supplies by the toilet and a secret helper finished up for me. (I was only cleaning it for her!) Anyway, I know you’re doing fine. You won’t let things get too far out of hand and that’s key. Don’t forget to accept help when offered. Also planning meals a week in advance was/is a big help. A lot of stress is involved in the line “I wonder what we can have for dinner tonight?” when it’s already 3:30PM. Finally, relax and enjoy bb, for the time does go by so fast. (ie. take a day off and don’t feel guilty)
Lots of love.
Carrie
Definetly worth the wait, Brenda! You are just so talented and she is so beautiful. I really enjoyed the montage. Made me wish I had done something other than the store printed generic kind, but who has time for something like that? If I had tried to be creative it would have taken me a lot longer than 10 weeks.
jo
Errrrrr, I was supposed to send birth announcements? I guess we just did a group email to friends and family with a link to a webpage full of pics and stats – very much the easy way out.
Beck's Mom
Since Lisa took all the Christmas photos off the mantle piece this past week (finallly!), the family room looked a bit bare… Your announcement and photos will get lots more attention than otherwise.
We designed our birth announcements ahead of time, so Stan added the pertinent data (name, date, etc.) and printed and mailed them all without much assistance from me. No pictures either.
By the time we got to Baby #4, the creativity was harder to come by — doubtless related to lack of mentality, lack of sleep, lack of a schedule that resembled anything ‘normal,’ lack of peace and quiet, etc. Kids are INDEED worth anything we invest in them.
Blessings!
Scarlett
I think you are doing SO fabulously well! You really are! Give yourself some credit, girl, you deserve it! I just think you’re doing a fine job! It takes all new moms a little time to get the hang of it all! And look at that darling girl! I love all your way cool designs and I hope I’m on your list!! ;)
rebecca
Ummm… my baby will be a year old on Easter Sunday and I NEVER sent his announcements out at all! I still feel bad about it. And I’m sure someday it will come back to bite me.
Lu
the announcements look really good.
silver
My friend had a baby Feb 20th, 2005. She included the birth announcement with her Christmas cards.
Francesca Clarke
I think people give a bit more slack with birth announcements in a way they don’t with wedding thank you’s etc… You’re just a little busy ;-)
10 days really isn’t bad at all. Also, it’s nice to collect extra days worth of pictures so that you can choose the ones you really like when designing the announcement.