Facebook

It took over a year, but I have finally become a true Facebook devotee. It's only since becoming a mom that I've figured out what exactly Facebook is good for. I have discovered the wonder of Facebook groups.

Someone in our Healthy Beginnings drop-in created a Facebook group called "Mommy and Me Walking Group". If you visit the main page, the profile of the group tells you that they meet at certain places around town to go for walks with our strollers or slings full o' baby. Through that group, I found many of the people I talk to at the drop-in, and added them as friends, which allows me not only to send them messages, make plans, and read their status messages, but also to ooh and aah over dozens of adorable baby pictures.

And if you're into adorable baby pictures - which I assume you are, to some extent, or you wouldn't be reading this blog - you can join one of the many Baby Photo Contest groups, where members post pictures on a certain theme and then vote for each others' pictures for a weekly winner. These groups are usually closed groups, meaning you have to be approved by an admin to join, thus eliminating the creepy factor.

The real goldmine, though, is the "Nanaimo Moms Swap and Shop", where people post pictures of goods they have for sale. All pictures are removed after a month to save space, though you can repost if the item is still for sale. It was through this group that I found a secondhand Bumbo chair for Gwen for only $20 (instead of the $60+tax they charge at Toys R Us). I've also posted a lot of the clothes that Gwen has outgrown, figuring I might make a bit more $$ that way instead of taking them to the consignment store.