Using AmazingRegistry.com, you can create baby registries at all the stores you want, even if your new baby registry only has two gifts on it. You get your own baby registry website that brings together all the gifts on all your baby registries from all the stores you registered at. You put your website (ex, www.amazingregistry.com/Moncada) on your baby shower invitations, and tell everyone that you’re baby registry is on AmazingRegistry.com. After you’ve sent your baby shower initiations, if you realize you want one thing from Giggle.com, you can create a baby registry at Giggle.com, and the one gift you put on your baby registry will show up on your existing website. Your friends and family will see it, and buy it for you. It’s that simple.

We have a four way tie for the most baby registries associated to someone’s Amazing Registry. The record number is to have a baby registry at six different stores. Will you register at seven? Your friends and family won’t know the difference because all the gifts you want from all the stores you want them from will show up together.

MyRegistry.com does something similar, but they don’t let you have baby registries at each store. You have a single baby registry at MyRegistry.com, but if your friends and family go into Babies R US looking for your baby registry, they won’t have it. Likewise, if someone clicks on a gift from a MyRegistry.com baby registry, MyRegistry.com asks them if they bought you the gift. If they say yes, then the gift shows up as purchased on your baby registry. Someone could easily go to your baby registry and make everything look like it was purchased. Since AmazingRegistry.com uses the stores own baby registry program, when the gift is bought, it automatically shows up as bought. There is no question whether it was actually purchased off of your baby registry. An added benefit is that you can still participate in the store’s baby registry completion coupon program. Most stores will let you buy everything not bought off of your registry for a 10% discount.

Are you convinced? If you’re still hesitating, we have a few more features to win you over. When something is bought off of your baby registry, we show you what was bought and when. All the stores tell you what is available and what is purchased, but if you have many gifts, it’s hard to figure out what that 21st gift showing up as purchased is. If you have a baby registry at more than one store, it becomes even harder. We also show you information about your baby registries including how many gifts are still available, their average price, how many gifts are purchased, and their average price.

What are you waiting for? Click ‘Create a new registry’ to start your Amazing Baby Registry.

My First Baby Registry
by Lindsey Clair

It was the summer of 2002 when I found out that I was expecting my first baby. My husband and I were so ecstatic we could hardly wait for a baby to be present in our home. I was already planning out in my head what we were going to put on our baby registry such as the latest and greatest baby items available.

I already knew that I wanted to have a baby registry at both Babies R Us and Target. Babies R Us has everything imaginable for a baby’s room as well as needs. Target was just the icing on the cake. My husband and I love Target! Their baby registry was also a bonus for our registry experience. As soon as we found out that we were having a girl, it made the baby registry experience very exciting.

We chose Babies R Us as our baby registry headquarters so to speak. We made sure that we scanned all the major items from things for the baby’s room such as dresser, changing table and all the bedding required. We wanted our precious daughter’s room to be Raggedy Anne so we bought the border and lamp from a specialty shop. The rest of the items we did find throughout the Babies R Us store. We scanned things like a diaper bag, diaper pale, bottles, breast pump, diapers, wipes and even little outfits. Scanning the infant toys was an absolute blast. It was so difficult deciding which toys could possibly be added to our sweet little princess’s toy chest. We also took the time to add books tour baby registry to begin her little book collection. It was so much fun that I totally could have scanned every possible item within the store.

Our baby registry experience at Target was just as fun. We used Target for all of the baby odds and ends like onesies, bibs, washcloths, baby bathtub, baby skin care, and even the much required infant car seat. We also scanned as many baby fleece blankets as we could as well. I originally had wanted to get a specific rocking chair from Babies R Us but we were able to find the exact same model at Target for a cheaper price. Granted, baby items can be pricy and most people will purchase what is on your list even if they go in on it together to cut down the costs. In this instance we thought we would help people with this in mind.

Prior to our baby registry experience we attended a baby safety/parenting seminar where they sold baby safe furniture by Babee Tenda. We purchased a crib and feeding table at the seminar. They provided us with registry cards where people could just opt to put money towards these items to help out with the costs. It was a really neat idea.

I really miss and enjoyed the baby registry experience and would love to relive those moments again. They are one of the most precious moments and experiences I think moms and dads-to-be will ever encounter next to their sweet little baby being born into the world.

Experience of a Baby Shower
by Lindsey Clair

In March of 2007, I had the wonderful privilege of helping plan my sister-in-law’s baby shower. It was such a rewarding experience especially, since it was going to be for my little niece.

The mother and father-to-be decided that they would like the baby shower to be co-ed. This is becoming more popular and was a great idea. My brother found that instead of showing up to help open the gifts from their baby registry, it would be more fun to include his friends on the occasion in which they agreed with the idea.

Instead of scouting out locations for the baby shower, my brother and sister-in-law had already established that they wanted their baby shower to be held at the club house in their subdivision. It was the perfect size to hold such a gathering. There was even room to spare and this is so important especially, when inviting a large group of people.

I handmade all of the baby shower favors for the tables which saved a lot of money but really took extra time to complete. Since it was around Easter time all of the fun springy/pastel candies were available. I bought sheer pink fabric from the fabric store with pink and brown polka dot ribbon and rhinestone stickers. I put a few of the chocolate eggs into the fabric and gathered it at the top with the ribbon and added cute little welcoming stickers as tags. They turned out to be darling.

We of course bought a helium tank for all the balloons. They were generously scattered throughout the club house making it very obvious that there was a baby shower taking place that day.

The baby shower centerpieces were an absolute hit. My sister-in-law’s father made cutouts of children big enough for them to wear little outfits which could be removed and given to the new and upcoming arrival. I had never seen this idea done before and thought that it was very clever.

I tried to be different and creative with some of the baby shower games since there were men involved as well. For one of the games I bought small items that could be useful for the parents and the baby. 10 items were scattered about and taped securely under random chairs. It was announced that 'If you find a baby item taped under your chair, please present it to the mother and father-to-be.' Those individuals would give those items to the future parents and in return they would get a wrapped prize.

Another cute baby shower game idea I included was instead of stealing the safety pin when someone blurts out the word 'BABY' and then getting a prize when they have the most safety pins; I purchased yarn which represented hair and tiny baby barrettes. I attached one barrette to each strand of pretend hair. Whoever ended up with the most barrettes after hearing an individual say 'BABY' would receive a prize. This worked out perfectly since we knew the baby was a girl.

My family is filled with creative minds so the food was a work of art. Someone made a bouquet of flowers out of fruit. A big and beautiful watermelon was carved to resemble a weaved basket. The bouquet was then placed within the basket. Absolutely gorgeous! The main courses were served buffet style that way everyone could choose the food they liked rather than one set meal. Besides the beautiful cake being the dessert there were also pies, cheesecakes, brownies etc. The baby shower wasn’t lacking in the dessert department whatsoever. It was beautiful.

The baby shower turned out being a huge success. The mother and father-to-be received pretty much everything off of their baby registry and then some.

Finding out you are pregnant, feeling your body changing, seeing the baby on the Ultrasound and telling family and friends about your wonderful news is all part of the excitement of your first baby. Your whole life is about to change in unimaginable ways and you want the world to celebrate with you. Of course there be someone wanting to give you a baby shower; and you can bet it will be so much fun. In order to help out all the guests and your sanity, it is a good idea to set up a baby registry at several stores that cater to baby items.

Why a baby registry? Well, everyone who knows you will want to get you and the baby something will special. By registering at a variety of stores, it gives your well wishers a list of the items you really want and need. Plus, by using a baby registry at several stores not only do you give them wide selection of gifts while being convenient at the same time; it also will help avoid duplicate presents. This really isn’t being pretentious; it just makes sense as you will probably purchase many of your baby’s items yourself, so your family and friends need to know what else they can get you.

What should you list in your baby registry? That’s a good question. The answer is fairly easy as well; list everything you want and need with a few things desired thrown in for good measure. Plus, you can design your baby registry around your own situation (i.e. amount of family & friends, your income, your feelings on what you want to buy yourself). Here are a few tips to get you thinking:

You need to decide what you want to buy on your own, so nobody buys them for you.

You also need to know that you will not get everything you list and to expect to receive something you did not register for.

List items you really need - useful items like mattress pads, crib sheets, diapers, baby bath items, diaper bag, formula, wipes, soft toys, picture frames, baby book, onesies, towels, blankets and so on.

Don’t leave off the larger items - list a stroller, a car seat, a highchair, a playpen, a swing or bouncy, video recorder, camera, carry sling, etc.

List a few frivolous items as well - sterling silver rattle, baby booties, dress up clothes, hats and so on.

GO OVERBOARD - it is always best to list as many gifts as you can, so your guests can find something they like for your baby shower gifts too.

Why register at more than one store? Not all stores carry everything you need and there may be a few unique items you want that are only carried at specialty stores. And it offers your friends and family a choice of places to shop from. Here are a few stores to consider setting up a baby registry:

Target - lots of clothes and everyday items including strollers, playpens and car seats, plus very affordable prices.

Amazon.com - a huge variety of items from clothes to everyday items to strollers and more. Many items will ship for free when you spend more than $25.00.

Pottery Barn Kids - unique and eclectic nursery items including crib sets, clothing, toys and furniture.

One Step Ahead - another lovely website full of wonderfully different nursery items to delight one and all.

Giggle.com - offers a unique variety of nursery items with a European flair, very chic.

Babies R US -avoid registering here. It is the most common place to register, but they are more expensive and their selection isn’t great compared to other stores.

Don’t feel bad about putting only 2 gifts on your baby registry from one store. All your gifts from all the stores you registered at will show up together on your registry website from AmazingRegistry.com.

Now is a very important and memorable time in your life and you want to make it special for everyone around you as well. Creating a baby registry at a variety of stores will help make your baby shower that much easier for you and your guests. Once you complete your baby registries, do come to AmazingRegistry.com and set up your own registry website to manage all your store registrations. Your baby shower guests can access your site and get a complete and up to date listing of all the gifts you want from all the stores you registered at. It couldn’t be simpler and more convenient for you or your well wishers.

You just found out your best friend is pregnant and you know you want to give her a baby shower, but you don’t know what to do next. It’s really not that difficult, it only takes communication and planning; communication with your guest of honor, the Mother-to-be, and planning each part of the event. However, you should wait until 'Mommy' is further along, say around five or six months into her pregnancy. You want to get past the first trimester and well into the second one before any showers are given - it’s just a precaution. The following list should serve as a blueprint and help you through the entire baby shower process:

Pick a date for the baby shower - A Saturday afternoon is the general rule but any day and time is appropriate if it works for the Mom-to-be and guests.

Pick the guests - get with the 'Guest of Honor' and decide who to invite. If it is a surprise baby shower, ask her Mom or the 'Daddy' who to invite. You will need to send out the invitations at least four to six weeks prior to the date chosen.

Pick a venue - This will depend upon you and how much effort you want to expend. You can choose your home or a family member’s home, where you work, a nice restaurant, or even a cozy pub; it’s all up to you and your wallet.

Pick a theme - Now this can be anything from the gender of the baby (if known) to type of gifts (all essential items, all clothes, all baby equipment items, etc.) to a couples party or even a specific nursery focus (Barney, Elmo, Thomas, etc.). You could try making it a 'Baby Helper Shower' by asking the guests to RSVP with a special chore or helper project they are willing to do once the baby arrives and goes home with Mom.

Pick some games - This always makes the baby shower really fun. Have a name game with the silliest name as the winner or a birth date game that will have the winner named on the momentous occasion.

What will you serve - There must be a beautiful cake and some punch at the very least. On the extreme end, you can have a complete meal for everyone or if you want to, just have some nice snacks like finger sandwiches, vegetable and cheese trays, and fresh fruit.

Make sure the expectant Mom has registered - the easiest way for her to do that is to use AmazingRegistry.com. She can set up her on website and register at over twelve stores which specialize in baby items. Once she does, anyone can access her baby registry site and see all of the items she wants from all the stores she registered at altogether.

Send out the invitations - Don’t forget to list the date, time, place (with a map) and the baby registry website URL from AmazingRegistry.com.

Two weeks prior to the baby shower - Confirm any reservations (venue, flowers, cake, and guest RSVP), purchase or make decorations, get a notepad and pen for writing down who brought what gift, and get several thank you cards for the soon to be Mommy.

Arrive at the baby shower at least one hour before the actual party begins - This way you can set up the place cards (if used), make sure everything is on schedule (food, beverages, etc.), have one table for the gifts making sure all the guests can view the unwrapping, bring a large box for the ribbons and wrapping decorations to be saved in, a few garbage sacks too, peel and stick name tags, a camera and/or video recorder, guest book to sign in when they arrive, several pens and markers, and plenty of Kleenex tissue (just in case).

You want her baby shower to be memorable not only for the Mom-to-be but also for all the attending guests too. A nice keepsake is to have an invitation framed along with baby pictures of the soon to be Mommy and Daddy. Take a lot of pictures, making as many candid shots as possible - a picture of everyone, of 'Mommy' alone and then with each guest, of the presents, the unwrapping and so on. Then take all the pictures and make a wonderful scrapbook for her so she can vividly remember her first baby shower. Just remember, having a baby shower is all about communication and planning; and having fun too.

The time has arrived and your little bundle of joy is here. How time flies when you’re having so much fun! Well, maybe not fun all the time but the excitement of finding out; telling your family and watching your baby grow within you certainly were terrific if not down right spectacular. Once you and your baby come home, it is time to handle that time honored tradition of sending out the Birth Announcements. It isn’t old fashioned or dated; it’s just a wonderful way to let everyone know the good news.

First, get a list together of everyone you want to notify that your baby has arrived. Don’t forget family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and anyone else you want. Be sure and list your baby registry website from AmazingRegistry.com so your newly thrilled well wishers have easy access to your baby registries and can purchase those last minute congratulatory gifts.

Second, now that you know how many to send, you need to purchase several Birth Announcement cards. An easy and convenient way to do this is to go to AmazingRegistry.com and choose any one of the eleven baby stores listed on the site to search for the perfect one. At Amazon.com alone, they offer a few thousand different options and with their 'free shipping on most orders over $25.00' you can’t lose. Choosing that one particular birth announcement is a momentous occasion and you should spend some time searching for just the right one to express your joy. And don’t forget the stamps!

Third, take your time; you don’t have to finish this task in one sitting. You have enough things to do with a new baby, getting over the delivery, getting your house in order and more. You can complete a few announcements a day until you have them all done. Mail them out as you complete them so you don’t forget or create another pile to clean up. Just pace yourself, you can take it slow.

Finally, enjoy your new baby. This is why you put up with the extra weight, stress and delivery; to have a beautiful little one to love you always. Having your first baby only happens once - revel in it and savor this time as it will slip away all too quickly.

It happened! He proposed and you happily accepted! Once your feet begin to touch the ground again, you will soon realize what a momentous occasion you are planning; momentous meaning huge, monumental, enormous - those kind of descriptive terms. Why? Because planning a wedding takes a lot of effort, ingenuity, time, patience and tolerance. Everyone will want to give you their own spin or input and tell how they would do it. Just remember, it’s your wedding and only pleasing you and your fiancé should be your focus.

One of the best things you can do for yourself and your guests is to register your wedding at a variety of stores. The more stores you register with, the easier it will be for your family and friends to select gifts. The perfect way to do this is to set up your wedding registry at AmazingRegistry.com. This website allows you to register at several different stores including Target.com, PotteryBarn.com, Amazon.com, Crate&Barrel.com, Williams-Sonoma.com, Linens-n-Things.com, Walmart.com, and even BedBath&Beyond.com. Many of these stores offer free shipping with a low order amount and all offer a wide array of items. Once your wedding registry is complete, AmazingRegistry.com will give you your own URL that you can give to your gift givers. When they go to your site, they will see where you have registered, what you want and what has already been purchased. It’s so simple!

If this is your first time to register a wedding, here are few tips to get you rolling on what to choose:

China, Stoneware, Silverware, Crystal, Glassware, Kitchen Appliances - unless you are sure your guests can afford to buy you the very best, pick out place settings that are beautiful and economical. Don’t forget things like a toaster, coffee maker, can opener, cook utensils, cookware, etc. These items are fairly inexpensive and many people like to give useful gifts.

Linens - placemats, napkins, kitchen towels, pot holders, bath towels, even bedding should also be registered.

Unusual items - roaster, toaster oven, microwave, jar opener, slow cooker, corkscrew, carving knives, warming tray, etc.

The more items you choose, the easier it is for your guests to pick something for you. You have no way of knowing what they can or will spend, so by having a large assortment of gift ideas that run the gambit on prices, you allow them the freedom to decide for themselves. The thing to remember is, as long as you chose the item by placing it in your wedding registry, your gift giver knows that is something you really wanted. This way, they can feel good about getting you something special that you truly wanted. That is the real reason why you should register your wedding.

Building your wedding registry is the perfect time for you both to find things that will make your home more special, more fun, and reflect your new style as a couple. Sometimes it is called a bridal registry, but it is still about you as a couple.

When choosing where to register for your wedding, is more than ok to register at multiple stores. To help your guests easily find and purchase items from your wedding registries, try to pick national stores or those with website ordering to make things easier.

Registering for kitchenware and bedding is a great start to building a sophisticated and cohesive home collection as if you are like most young people, you have a mixed set of things you have picked up along the way. Put gifts on your wedding registry or bridal registry that you’ll use. For two of you, eight pieces each of salad plates, dinner plates, cereal bowls, soup bowls, a set of silverware, a knife set, and eight to twelve each of tumblers, rocks glasses and wine glasses are more than enough to get you started. Don’t forget the special extras like serving and appetizer trays, pitchers and other great touches. Don’t feel the pressure to put gifts like china, gravy boats, butter dishes, etc. on your wedding registry or bridal registry unless you will really use them. They take up space and wouldn’t it be more fun to get that BBQ anyway? With bedding and bathroom pieces, select a theme or pattern and add each gift separately to your wedding registry or bridal registry to allow guests to buy as many or as few pieces as they want. You will want at least two full bedding sets (top sheet, fitted sheet, two pillow cases), an extra set of pillow cases, and one comforter per bed in your home. For towels, two full sets of towels per person plus a set of nice hand towels is sufficient.

Select gifts from different price ranges on your wedding registry or bridal registry to make sure your guest can find something they like and afford. Larger items can be fun for a group of guests to get together and chip in for something. Also, a collection of smaller items can make a great gift basket. Make sure to put enough gifts on your combined wedding registry or bridal registry to accommodate your guest list. Two to three items per guest ensures that everyone has choices. Remember, they want to give you gifts! You should also be logging in to AmazingRegistry.com to see what was purchased when, and if you need to add more gifts. You likely aren’t going to get it all but by listing it in your wedding registry or bridal registry you are letting them know the things you are hoping for. Plus for items you don’t receive, many stores will allow a couple to purchase from their wedding registry or bridal registry after the date at a discount.

The wedding is over and you’ve happily unwrapped all of those great gifts from your wedding registry or bridal registry. Now it is time to send a thank you and make sure that you remember those fabulous people that generously sent you off into wedded bliss with a present.

You do not need to use fancy, expensive thank-you cards. No one remembers what the thank you card looks like but they do remember if they don’t get one. If you were able to negotiate thank you cards as part of your wedding invites great. Otherwise, art supply, stationery stores, and the internet provide great opportunities for affordable and simple note cards.

Can I send an e-card? These are much more informal and but etiquette is changing and a lovely thank you e-card is widely accepted by many younger and/or more tech-friendly friends. However, older or more traditional and conservative relatives and friends will still need a hand-written note. They did take the time to buy you something off of your wedding registry or bridal registry.

There are just a few steps to a simple thank you note.

Step 1: The salutation - This would be how you address the person inside the card or note. Dear..., For..., To.... Any of these is perfectly appropriate; Use what feels right.

Step 2: Thank them for the gift. Whatever it is, make sure you include the thank you AND what you are thanking them for. 'Thank you for the lovely vase'.

Step 3: The how did they impact you part-People love knowing that their gift is special to you. Acknowledge their gift and something about how you plan on using it. For example: 'Thank you for the great gift card. We are really excited to go out and get ourselves that treat I was telling you about'. Or, 'Thank you so much for the great crock-pot. We really are looking forward to exploring recipes together.' That’s the basic idea.

Step 4: The close-'Sincerely', 'love', 'See ya soon', just include something nice to sign off with.

Ideally you want to send your thank you cards as soon as possible. A good way to do it is as you receive the gift off of your wedding registry or bridal registry; send the thank you card the next day. That way, you won’t get overwhelmed. Some couples take their gift list and split the duty in half over a nice bottle of wine one evening. The rule is, just get them done. Make sure to double check your wedding registry or bridal registry to make sure you've sent thank you cards for everything. Guests and well-wishers have a year to send a gift. They usually will remind you if you take that long for the thank you.