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*Don't worry, you'll figure it out as you keep reading.

So last night, my sister and I toddled off to Cosco to purchase the rib roast and green beans for Christmas dinner. It may seem odd to do this at Cosco, but honestly? Their meat is some of the best I've tasted (with the notable exception of their hamburger meat. I'm not sure what's wrong with their ground beef but it's....icky. I will still be trodding the aisles of Safeway for my ground beef.) And they had "French Green Beans", also known as haricots verts or "the long skinny green beans", so all was well. In discussing the menu with my sister as we stood in the produce aisle, I began to doubt the sufficiency of my plans. "No bread?" she asked. "Well, Yorkshire Pudding is bread-like, it's certainly in the carb family." says I. "But it's dessert, right?" asks she. "No. Or at least, I don't think it is. You put gravy on it. It's savory. And not really any kind of pudding." says I. "Hmmm." says she. So we consider a few moments before deciding that, ultimately, we'll just have more dessert if people are feeling left out of the carb department. Which then leads to the quite natural question of what will be for dessert.

I haven't the foggiest idea.

I've considered plum pudding, since it seems that we're leaning toward a rather British meal anyway. But, as with Yorkshire pudding, I've never had one so I don't know if it's something that would go over. There's always apple pie or apple strudel, two solid stand ins that never fail to please. But they don't seem particularly Christmas-y. What do you all have for Christmas dessert?

Anyway, ingredients in hand, we proceeded toward the front of the vast warehouse of bargains you don't need and I was taken in by little golden books and tinker toys and lincoln logs and all manner of things for small children. And my sister, bless her, reminded me that you can't give an infant tinker toys or lincoln logs and that I should read "real books" to the child so that he learns how to form more than one word sentences. I bought the books anyway and left the tinker toys on the shelf with just a few longing backward glances. But we did also buy a box of diapers and a box of wipes.

And here is where the dilemma arises. See, I am exceedingly tempted by the idea of cloth diapers. They've come a long way since the days of wimpy quilted white things and big pins. And honestly? While I would never in a million years consider myself an environmentalist, at the end of the day I have a very tough time justifying putting diapers, full of human waste, into landfills that are not designed to handle human waste. Let alone the fact that diapers take an immeasurably long time to biodegrade - so long in fact that you really are better off just saying that they don't decompose at all. And at 12 - 14 diapers a day for the first few months and only slightly fewer thereafter...well...that's a lot. Ignorance, in this case, would certainly for me be bliss. Because knowing this makes me cringe and seriously consider alternative options. Which in turn makes the majority of our friends laugh derisively and begin taking bets on how long we would actually last using cloth. (Which of course makes me want to do it and stick with it just to make them give me the money. Hey, we're gonna have a kid, we could use it!)

So, on seeing the diapers Tim gave me a quizzical look. I explained that even as pro-cloth as I am, I really don't see myself using them on car trips or travel because who wants to tote dirty dipes around longer than necessary? He agreed with the sanity of this decision. "Besides," I pointed out, "This box has 240 diapers. At just 10 a day, which is low for a newborn I'm told, this'll only last a month." Tim eyed the ginormous box skeptically, "A month?" "Or thereabout," I shrugged. "How much was it?" he asks and I can see the gears clicking in his brain. "About $40." At that point he simply swallowed audibly, but I think he might be warming up to the idea of cloth a little more seriously. We haven't really decided one way or the other - but it's something that is currently eating up a good portion of my spare brain cycles.

Also - anyone introduced a newborn to a dog (or dogs) before? I've read up on the various ideas recommended by la Internet, but would be curious to hear real experiences. I'm hesitant, for example, to attempt to locate and then flood my house with the sounds of a baby crying. If it really would help, I would do it. But...if it's not going to help the dogs, I'd just as soon maintain my own sanity for just that much longer.

I'm thinking maybe this weekend we can paint the nursery. We bought the paint on Sunday. And the cloud Wallies. I had to order the airplane Wallies. But I think they'll go nicely with the new quilt for the double bed that's staying in there (and will eventually be his big boy bed). And if it's a girl (which is a possibility to some degree), then she'll just have to like airplanes. I like airplanes, so it shouldn't be too big of a stretch. Now I just need to find a cute airplane lamp that isn't too cheesy.

Finally, what would you consider the absolute necessities for taking to pick up the baby? Obviously the car seat (duh) and some clothes (do I have to wash those first? Is All Free & Clear ok for that?) and bottles and diapers and wipes. But are there any other traveling necessities that you just wouldn't leave home without? (He'll be borrowing a pack n play with a bassinet thingy, so the bed is taken care of). And it's not like we'll be in the boonies - so is there stuff that we'll need that we can just buy down there vs. hauling with us? (We're driving, so there is more room than if we were to fly.) And how soon is too soon to start putting stuff aside/packing it? Cause if she's right on time, we've got 20 days.