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So you're going to have a baby...

Congratulations!! Once you get through the "Whoa, I'm going to be a mom / dad" to "Can I do this?" to "Okay! I'm ready!" your next thought should be "What do I need?" Some will give you horrifying lists that will cause your head to spin. As a mother of 2 young children I have figured out that you don't need as much as the lists say, and you certainly don't need it all at once. I have broken my list down into age categories: 0-3mos (thing you should have on hand when baby comes home), 3-6mos, and 6-12mos. A word of advice: your baby doesn't care if the onsie she's wearing cost $5 or $50, so save yourself some money and put it towards the important stuff, like college tuition!

0-3 Months
Must haves:

- Place for baby to sleep: crib, bassinette, cardboard box (kidding) etc
- 10 Receiving blankets - for swaddling baby or cleaning off spit up
- 5-10 onsies - good for under layer in winter, or only layer on hot days
- 5-10 sleepers
- Nail clippers & hairbrush
- Baby soap/shampoo
- Washcloths
- Diapers & wipes
- Car Seat
- Bulb Syringe
- Diaper rash cream
- Thermometer
- Bottles/Formula/Breast Pump (depending on your choice)
- Bunting suit for cold days (if needed)

Nice to haves:

- Diaper Bag
- Baby soap
- Other clothes
- Baby Monitor
- Stroller
- Baby Sling
- Play Pen
- Change Table / Dresser
- Rocking Chair
- Baby bathtub
- Toys, etc
- Swing
- Soothers

TIP - Put all this on your gift registry and you won't have to buy very much!

3-6 mos

- More clothes (assuming baby has grown)
- High chair
- Safety items (baby gate, outlet covers, etc)
- Age appropriate toys and books
- Bibs (a lot of bibs)
- Baby spoons
- Baby cereal (ie: Pablum)
- Jolly jumper

6-12 mos

- Yes, more clothes!
- Baby walker
- New carseat (once baby reaches Federal recommended age/weight limit to move to forward-facing seat)
- Even more books & toys!

See? Not so bad once you get through the first list is it? If you start a few months before the baby comes and just buy a few things when you are out an about you will be done in no time.

I am a mother of two who freelance writes for extra money. To read more articles or to learn about how you can become a work at home mom please visit my blog at http://workathomemom-angelaheidt.blogspot.com/

An effective way to gain company recognition is to order custom t-shirts with your company name, logo, phone number, and other important information on them. You can use customized apparel to outfit your employees as well as to contribute a sense of professionalism and reliability to your company. In addition to outfitting your company with the custom apparel, you can market your brand by distributing the custom designed clothing to your customers and potential clients.

Ordering custom t-shirts is easy: you can contact a local printer to make them, or you can design and order them online. There are several websites that have t-shirt design interfaces in which you can design and order your t-shirts entirely online. Whatever type of company you choose, however, you will want to make sure that the process they use is screen-printing rather than heat transferring because the prints will last longer and look more professional.

Because printing prices can vary drastically, you should get quotes from several different companies before ordering. The benefits of ordering online include convenience, not having to pay taxes on the goods, and in some cases, complimentary shipping. The benefits of using a local screenprinter include being able to see the goods before you purchase them, and perhaps, speaking directly with the artist. A downside to ordering locally includes having to go to the local screenprinter to place your order and then picking the items up yourself. If you order online, however, you will have the items shipped directly to you. An online screenprinter that we find very reputable for printing company apparel and custom t-shirts is DesignAShirt.com. Check the yellow pages for local printers.

Whether you are ordering locally or online, the entire process from ordering to receiving your apparel should take around 2 weeks. If you need the apparel faster, you can opt for other production and/or shipping methods for additional fees. Some companies can get the goods to you from the time of ordering in as early as three business days.

Ordering your own company t-shirts is not the only way to advertise on apparel. Inquire about sponsoring community events that are coming up in your area. These events may have their own custom t-shirts in addition to other promotional materials that you could have your company logo printed onto if you are helping sponsor it. Such events include fundraisers, sporting events, and school functions. Check your local papers and community newsletters for more information about such community events and sponsorship opportunities.

Kelli Fassbender is a writer and designer for Custom-t-shirts.info. This article is provided courtesy of custom-t-shirts.info and can be reprinted as long as the author and company information is included. Custom-t-shirts.info offers advice for printing, sizing, and pricing custom t-shirts. For more information about custom t-shirts visit: http://www.custom-t-shirts.info.