advice on what to do?

crunchyNMmama

A little back story...DH and I moved to New Mexico in June of 2009.  We are both from New Hampshire and all of our family and many of our friends are there.  We moved my MIL  out here at the same time after a nasty divorce and are helping her to get settled (i.e. we bought 20 acres and are building her a house and us a house). 

My MIL has been living on our property full-time while we are still in Albuquerque going to school, working, etc.  She has a friend out near our property (extreme rural area) who had offered to through me a baby-shower.  I thought the gesture was wonderful.  The only problem is that now she would prefer to through a meet the baby bbq in early May.  A pipe burst in her home around new years and destroyed her floors in her main living area.  She would like to ensure her house is put back together before having strangers come to her home (which I completely respect). 

My only problem is that many of my family members and friends back east want to know what they can do for me baby wise.  I have a registry put together (on amazon.com to make shipping really easy!) and would love to give them the info (we could use the help while trying to build our own house), but I am not sure the best way to do it.  My sister offered to send out invitations to a virtual baby shower where we could all skype each other, but I am not sure if that is tacky.  None of my family or friends would really make the flight out here for a meet the baby party because most are all coming in April when I am due, and DH and I are going to NH in July.  What should I do?

We are having a diaper party at our home in Albuquerque in early March with all of our work friends.  We both work for the same company so this is great way to have a co-ed and fun party.  That will be a big help, but I do not expect any of them to look at my registry and buy other things for our LO.  It is sort-of tradition where we work to have diaper parties and your ticket for a keg cup is a diaper item (we are cloth diapering and they are all on board to get covers and prefolds, fitteds, etc from our local diaper boutique).

I do not want to be tacky because I know baby showers are a gift themselves.  This is our first baby and I keep getting asked on fb by different family members (I have 5 older step-siblings!) when they will get info because they want to send us stuff!  I just want to do the right thing.  What would you do?  Thanks.   

EastCoastBride

If people ASK if you're registered, or what can they get you, you can tell them "I'm registered at ___".  No biggie.

I would NOT have a virtual shower. I find the concept very tacky.  If people want to get you a gift, they will (and as people keep asking, obviously they want to!).

karakel

EastCoastBride:

If people ASK if you're registered, or what can they get you, you can tell them "I'm registered at ___".  No biggie.

This.  If people ask what you need or where you are registered, you can tell them.

blush64

If most are coming out when you are due, or you will be bringing the baby to where most are, just have a sower then. I know most showers are before the baby but there can be an excpetion. Don't have a virtual shower. If people ask what they can do let your sister pass word to them that you are registered.

 

KtotheYtotheM

I can't get behind the concept of a virtual shower, it just does not seem fun to me at all.  If people ask you where you are registered or what items you might want for the baby you can certainly point them in the direction of the registry but I don't really see any other way to host a shower for that particular group. 

 

kgunz11

karakel:

EastCoastBride:

If people ASK if you're registered, or what can they get you, you can tell them "I'm registered at ___".  No biggie.

This.  If people ask what you need or where you are registered, you can tell them.

ITA.  Virtual baby showers are totally tacky IMHO, unless there is a medical/physical reason hampering the mother's attendance at the shower.