If a trip to the mailbox results in a Netflix DVD or a flier with coupons it makes me happy, so yesterday’s trip to the mailbox felt a little like Christmas! Three unexpected surprises turned up in the mail.
For my birthday, Gary got me a subscription to my favorite magazine: Real Simple. I’m not a huge magazine reader. I prefer books or online articles, but I’ll read at least 80% of Real Simple magazine. They often have great recipes too. We got an excellent deal on the subscription price by waiting until my previous subscription (which was a gift from my mom) ran out. With the last issue they sent a card with the chance to renew for $1 per issue, which certainly beats the $4.99 cover price.
A friend of ours also surprised us by sending us a 5 pack of Gerber onesies in 6-9 month size. I’ve noticed that Gerber brand clothes tend to shrink in the wash. A 0-3 month set we have fit Baby G while she was still in newborn size clothes. They seem a little longer than most too, which works out well for us since Baby G is long, and her cloth diapers take up a little more space than disposables.
My favorite surprise of all though was a Shutterfly photo book that Gary put together. He mentioned making one, but I had no idea he’d finished. I love Shutterfly books. This is the second one we’ve ordered. They’re slim, which makes them easy to display or store, and there are so many options for the page layout. We ordered a large photobook with wedding pictures last year. This book is much smaller, but perfect for the photos Gary selected.
The book featured pictures of our adventures as a couple before becoming parents. We were so blessed to be able to travel and experience so much in the first 2 years of our relationship. We knew it wouldn’t be long before we’d want to start trying to have children, so we took advantage of all of the travel opportunities we could. There are pictures of our honeymoon, trip to Vegas, The Grand Canyon, L.A., Venice Beach, New York City, Miami, and Charlotte N.C., along with pictures of big events like the day we got our marriage license and the day we signed for our first house. And I love that the end of the book shows our pregnancy announcement and includes a maternity photo. As amazing as it was before children, our life is so full now that Baby G is here. I’m sure we’ll have a photobook featuring our first year with Baby G next spring.
It is so sweet that your hubby made you a photo book! How special! Yes, you will have lots of good memories to add to your next book, take lots of pictures!