Five On Friday ::: Man, It Feels Good To Blog!

Boy, does it feel good to be back at the keyboard again for a little blogging! Don't get me wrong ... losing myself in my little one's eyes has been a pretty sweet feeling, but writing out a blog post is another passion of mine that I will be very happy to keep up.

So let's get right to it! Time for Five On Friday with my lovely cohostesses Christina, Darci, and Natasha. This week, after a recent conversation with my middle sister about how she can help out a grad school classmate who is expecting a baby, I thought I'd focus on five easy ways to support a mom-to-be or new mom. All of these acts -- some big, some small -- have really meant so much to me.

O N E
Send a note or card via snail mail. I can't tell you how many times I've procrastinated on reaching out to a new mama because I was waiting to find the "perfect" gift to mail ... but I've realized that even just a simple "congratulations" or "thinking of you" card or note from the mailman's hands means a lot! New mamas aren't able to drive for at least one week, so -- speaking from experience -- sometimes the trip to the mailbox is a highlight of the day. If I get a personal card outside of the normal bills and junk mail, my day is made!

T W O
Invite a mom-to-be to join you for a pedicure. For me, once I hit the halfway mark in my pregnancy, bending over didn't feel too good. And a little after that, it was downright impossible unless you are an experienced yogi (I am not).

I loved the opportunity to grab a pedi with a girlfriend! Even if you are watching your spending, you can just opt for a polish change which should run you $5-10 ... much less than the cost of a pedicure, but still gets the job done.

T H R E E
Drop off a meal for the new parents. This week we were completely spoiled by my friend Kristen with a meal fit for a king. This is how you know she's a pro (being a recent new mama herself): she made it abundantly clear to us that she was more than happy to just drop off the meal on our doorstep if life was a little too crazy for a visit. Obviously, I wanted her to meet Camille and I wanted to catch up with her, but that was such a sweet and selfless offer.

She packaged up a wonderful meal -- breakfast muffins, fresh fruit, fruit dip, and an amazing dinner complete with sides and "adult beverages" -- in containers that she doesn't need back. So easy, so thoughtful. And the coup de grace? She brought Drake a dog toy. A dog toy! And he loves it.

F O U R
Send a quick text to a new mom or a mom-to-be asking how they are feeling. That question never gets old and it's always appreciated!

A quick call is also sweet, even the calls I couldn't take where the caller clearly said on the voicemail "No need to call me back, I know you are busy - just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you!"

F I V E
If you are a mom yourself and you have baby gear you can lend out to a friend, that can be a godsend! There are an overwhelming number of baby gear items that are considered by marketers to be "essential", and guess what - they are all expensive. Sort of harkens back to the days of wedding planning where I found myself thinking "BUT I JUST HAVE TO HAVE GOLD CHIVIARI CHAIRS" when in fact, I really didn't need them at all to have my dream wedding.

You can easily drop a few hundred dollars on bouncers, swings, playards, bassinets, etc -- and your baby may not like them. We were so fortunate to be lent several items which is totally appreciated. Baby girl loves her borrowed bouncer, by the way!

So there's my five ways that you can support an expectant or new mama. I'd love to hear your tips as well!

Your turn to link up, ladies -- I'd love to read your five! Any five things on your mind will do. Just link to one or all of the hostess sites and insert the logo below. Then link up with us and you are set. :)

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