With my due date now only one day away, I am looking forward to the labor and delivery of this baby, my fifth, with an entirely different energy and perspective.

For one, this pregnancy has been different. Physically, the last nine months have been harder than prior pregnancies. More kids to take care of, less rest, and a heavier belly due to weaker, older abdominal muscles.

On the other hand, the familiarity of it all has also made it easier. With the exception of a few splurges at an overpriced children's boutique and a new Boppy pillow cover, I haven't had to buy anything. No stressing over strollers, infant carriers, or nursery paint colors. My preparations have consisted of washing linens and baby clothes from my "newborn girl" bin in the basement and a trip to Wal-Mart for diapers and wipes.

The other day I found myself wandering the aisles of Babies R' Us looking for a few small items for my almost-toddler aged son. I was surrounded by hundreds--no, thousands--of items, and by nearly as many bewildered parents-to-be, all of them searching for just the right...everything!

Seems like first time parents have a really hard time making sense of what they really need, what can wait, and what is fad or just plain silly (see, in my opinion, wipe warmers). The second time around, though, it should be easier to figure out what you need, right?

And, what's moreso, you should already have all the stuff, or at least most of it, right? Here is the thing, though--well, several of them:

1. People tend to get rid of stuff, whether or not they need it.

2. Even if they do have the space to store baby items, it's entirely possible the old version will be covered with baby much OR, what's worse, the item will be declared unsafe or find itself recalled.

3. Some people really have an issue with using the same items--sheets, blankets, clothes--for children of the opposite sex. Not many of us really have that much green or yellow baby clothing. And bedding and that sort of thing tend to be very specific toward one sex or the other.

Ever get tired of eating at home or suffering through take out? Ever fantasize about going out to a nice meal that someone else cooks, someone else serves you and someone else cleans up? Ever figure out how to turn that fantasy into a reality and actually get you, your spouse and your kids out the door at a reasonable hour before things get too crowded and miraculously find yourselves seated at a table at--oh!--a restaurant?

You've finally managed to sit down and rest your aching feet, your aching back, your aching everything. You've got the kid's food and his toys and his diaper changer and your spouse has managed to put down the stroller and find a safe place for it out of the way. The server has brought the high chair. And, as you're sliding the baby down into it, you realize it's broken. The latches don't work or don't exist or whatever. You kindly ask for another one, explaining this one is broken.

The server obliges and brings you another one, which is, alas, also broken. Not only is it not safe, but it simply won't hold your son, who is more excited than ever to be in a new place with new faces and smells and ever so much excitement. He can't sit still. In fact, he won't sit at all and you have to hold him down to keep him from standing in the high chair.

Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of about 5,000 Munchkin Deluxe Bottle and Food Warmers. Munchkin has has received nine reports of the units overheating, with several of them actually igniting and causing damage to counter tops. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

The recall involves the Munchkin Deluxe Bottle and Food Warmer with Pacifier Cleaning Basket 2-in-1 Design. This is model #13301, lot number TP-1487. The set includes a main basket, a lift-out basket, an adapter ring, and a measuring cup. You will find the lot number on the bottom of the unit and the word "Munchkin" on the front.

These were made in China and sold at various retailers nationwide as well as the Munchkin company's catalog from June 2007 through April 2008 for about $20 each.

If you have one of these warmers with lot number TP-1487 on the bottom, you are advised to stop using it immediately and contact Munchkin to receive a free replacement. You can reach the company by calling them toll-free at (866) 619-8673 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or by visiting their Web site.

Hand-me-downs are a beautiful thing. The bane of a younger sibling's existence can be a financial lifesaver for economy-minded parents. While the practice of passing an older child's things down to a younger child might be motivated by fiscal responsibility and a desire to reuse what is still usable, here's another reason to love hand-me-downs: you can get great stuff with a celebrity connection and support a good cause at the same time.

That's the idea behind Johnson's Celebrity Hand Me Down Auction. Famous parents like Matt Damon and Elisabeth Hasslebeck are passing on their child's outgrown things to the highest bidder in support of charities such as the March of Dimes, Save the Children, Zero to Three and Baby Buggy.

The auction runs from April 29 to May 9 on eBay and will feature items such as Matt Damon's diaper bag, an Adidas track suit worn by Mariska Hargitay's son, Julianne Moore's high chair, Elisabeth Hasslebeck's car seat and more. Sign up now to receive email notification when the auction begins.

As has been noted earlier, traveling with children in an era of tightly buckled car seats can be quite miserable ear-piercing horrific challenging. Part of the problem is due to kids' frustration at the limited play space and due to the constant loss toys to gravity once it falls out of their hand and out of arm's reach of everyone in the vehicle.

Snack and Play provides a safe (and washable!) surface on which kids can play, draw, or even eat while remaining safely buckled. The 2" soft retaining wall keeps toys or snacks from rolling off and the nylon side pockets provide a storage area to fill with time-killing diversions.

At just over $18, Snack and Play costs less than a new release DVD and will provide hours more quieter travel time too! The unit fits most car and booster seats and can attach to strollers as well.

Today's celebrity rumor wins points for the details. Thanks to an 'an insider', we know not only that Jennifer Aniston is preparing a nursery for her soon-to-be-adopted child, we also know when the child will arrive (December) and his name (Alexander). Pretty impressive insider information, I'd say.

The source says that the adoption is being handled through a Los Angeles-based agency and that Jen has spent $300,000 preparing the perfect nursery in her Beverly Hills mansion. The nursery includes a nanny's suite, a playroom and two children's bedrooms. The extra room is for the daughter she plans to adopt next. "She thinks having a boy first would be best, so he can look out for his sister", the insider said.

Maybe it is just the way she's been portrayed in the press, but to me Jennifer Aniston always looks sad. Maybe some children in her life would put a smile back on her face.

As my wife and I prepare for the arrival of our third child, we've been surveying the stash of gear that fills our garage to see what is usable and what has not survived the first two. One of the big questions is whether or not we need a new stroller -- There's the cheap one that was falling apart when Sara used it, the nice one that Jared had whose footrest broke, and the fancy one Rachel's mom got us when Jared was first born that was more trouble than it was worth. Chances are, we'll end up getting a new one.

If so, I've found a line of strollers that sure looks pretty gosh-darned cool. The Roddler series from Kid Kustoms offers "vintage tins and fins for your tots." These retro strollers harken back to the days of drive-ins, malt shops, and fins the size of surfboards on cars. The three-wheeled strollers come in a host of colors and options designed to make sure you -- and your kids -- are the coolest cats on the block.

The only downside that I can see is that they start at $2,000 and go up from there. Of course, knowing my tastes, two grand wouldn't come close to covering what I would want. Still, if you can afford them, these are pretty hot rides for your little one.

The arrival of a new baby usually means an arrival of another kind -- loads and loads of brightly-colored, plastic, and usually bulky baby items. Before you know it, your sensibly decorated home has become a circus of primary or pastel colors with tiny little animals trotting across every surface.

Some parents don't mind this change and welcome it as part of new parenthood. Others, like Fiona Rattray, are horrified at the thought of their well-designed living space becoming cluttered. Rattray recently wrote a "diary" of what it was like trying to find gear that she could live with in her designer home.

Rattray depended on modern labels, such as Stokke's Tripp Trapp high chair, but also on secondhand stores to find items that fit her taste. Her diary is funny, though some of you my find yourself rolling your eyes; I can respect her quest to find peace between her desires and her baby's needs.

The first thing I thought of while looking at this photo was the song We Got The Beat by the Go-Go's. Hello, I AM OLD. Thanks to mjp3md for making me feel like a geezer.

If you'd like your own picture featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr Pool - We'll highlight an image every day. Remember: we're on the lookout for shots with interesting backgrounds, cool angles, or original composition. Be sure to read the intro on our main Flickr page for more information and limit your uploading to 5 photos per day.

I love Etsy, but the sheer enormity of that much goodness in one place can make it a bit overwhelming to browse around. However, a new function has been added that makes window shopping easier and appeals to the competitive primitive gatherer in us all.

The Pounce option allows Etsy shoppers to view items that were just listed or recently sold. I like seeing the things that got away because it's easier on our checkbook. When I find something I'm really saddened I missed out on, I check out that seller's store and see if they have other treasures (which they usually do!).

If you haven't set up an Etsy account yet, I highly recommend it. Unlike Ebay where the majority of the items for sale were mass-produced, items at Etsy are handmade with love by the seller and are generally one-of-a kind. If you find something you like, it's a good idea to pounce on it while it's still available!

I'm left-handed, although not exclusively so -- I write and throw a ball with my left hand, but I bat and wield scissors with my right hand. However, I can ONLY hold a kid on my left side. When I need to carry Riley I put him on my left hip, and when I'm carrying or feeding Dylan I have him on my left arm. I've tried to switch it up but it's as impossible as trying to sign my name with my right hand.

Carrying the carseat, however, is equally difficult whether I've got it in my left or right hand -- either way, I have to put it down after a few minutes so I can take a break to whimper in pain. I don't know if I've got a particularly heavy carseat (it's a Graco SnugRide) or if I'm just a giant pussy (probably) but man, it is HARD WORK carrying a kid that way. I usually end up carrying it sort of in front of me so I can use both hands, at which point it usually bounces against me and knocks the baby back and forth.

I find it particularly challenging to lift the carseat and perform the bending-over/arms-stretched-out maneuver to get it situated in the backseat of my car. I've actually been focusing on upper body strength training just to address the entire carseat-hefting issue, because JEEZ.

How do you carry a heavy carseat? Did your arms beef up over time so it got easier, even as your baby got heavier?

I'm always on the lookout for organic goods for my little man, but sometimes, I am just plain overwhelmed with all of the options out there. One of my favorite sites, Giggle, has put together a great Organic checklist of sorts, including everything from nursery decor to feeding items to cleaning supplies.

Some great finds from this checklist are California Baby personal care products, Stokke nursery decor (we love our Sleepi crib - great space saver!), Plan Toys and Sweet Pea cleaning supplies.

If you are looking for tons of Organic items in one place, check out Giggle's checklist today.

An early arrival doesn't mean an immature sense of humor! Fig Leaf Baby's clever preemie onesies allow parents the opportunity to finally exhale and dress their baby in a lighthearted manner while acknowledging what they've been through with sayings like "N.I.C.U. alumni", "Preemie Donna", and "Couldn't Wait". The shirts are 100% Peruvian Pima cotton, stain and UVA resistant and available in sizes 3 to 6 lbs.

There's also an array of t-shirts in larger sizes with cute embroidered sayings available. My favorite is "Ripe" which was one of our descriptors on our Diaper Assessment and Ranking Scale. (Code red was "Toxic Waste".)

Onesies start at $27 and would make a great home-from-the-hospital gift for an early baby. Larger t-shirts are $29.

When son #3 unexpectedly joinied our family six weeks before his due date and the day after we moved into a new house, I joked the empty cardboard boxes in every room meant we wouldn't have to set up a crib for months. Who would have guessed that years later cradles made from cardboard would actually be available?!

The Green Lullaby cradle for newborns and babies up to three months is flame retardant and meets all EU safety standards. Unlike traditional bassinets, it can be recycled when outgrown or stored flat where it would take up practically no space at all.

I think this is a pretty ingenious idea and decorating the outside of the cradle could keep older siblings occupied for a while, but you'd have to be prepared for a lot of teasing down the road. Stuff like "When I was a baby, we were so poor I slept in a cardboard box. Yeah, instead of selling girl scout cookies I went door-to-door asking for spare change with my little tin cup..."

The Green Lullaby cradle comes with a mattress and is currently on sale at Rose and Radish.