Jackpot!

BD and I are currently in Pennsylvania visiting friends who happen to be parents of two. We came with a single duffle bag of overnight clothes and promises to make pie (which we did), but we are leaving with the motherload! Breast pump, bottles, nursing pads, nursing stool, pacifiers galore...not to mention the giant crate of maternity clothes (at least 100 articles of clothing easily).

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE hand-me-downs. Not only do they save me and others from having to shop or think about it too much, they also often come with personal, friendly instructions. My friend, for example, actually taught me how to use a breast pump yesterday.

But the best lessons of all have come from the hands-on experience with their two little ones (newborn and nearly 3-year-old). They are great kids, making the trial run very enjoyable. We've changed diapers and mini-potties, we've provided food via bottles and on Thomas the Tank Engine plates, and we've learned how to diffuse whining and infant cries with different (and brilliant) tactics.

Jackpot!