I am very fortunate. I was amazed how much I was given to do shopping for my coworker. I think I ended up having our social committee spending (which I used to make his diaper cake) and then I stuffed/ overflowed it with presents from the money donations which was another few hundred. When my dad passed away, my mom made sure she found a good stepdad and community to raise my older brother and myself. I owe them both so much. I paid for my undergrad, but they just put me through my credential and master programs. I rent from them, and I get a huge discount so I can save up money to eventually buy my own place. When I was getting my teaching credential, they didn't charge me rent I just paid my utilities. My neighbors always went to my graduations. Very small town, takes a village to raise a child community.
I just want people to show up. I'm not in the best situation. If I'm being finally honest about it, this was an unplanned pregnancy. It was a one night thing with a friend of a friend I used to work with, our condom broke, and I took plan b two days later. We're not dating nor do we intend to date, and his support varies between what he thinks is right and what he wants to do. So if people just show up smiling I would be thrilled.
The fact that my coworker has said everyone at school will support me when I come out with the news, that they'll still want to do a shower at work next year, and she's been researching maternity leave laws and how the district has responded to women in my situation before... that means more to me than any gift. She checks in with me, if I can't stomach my lunch she'll slip me something of hers... that's really all I want.
Annnnd it does not help things that in the last 12 months I have adopted a ball python, two cats, and a puppy... So I have 5 pets. I'm moving the BP into the garage so I can move my dining table to my breakfast nook (which is just empty space/ dog beds) so I can set up the play pen there. My grandmother is going to hate that I'm letting the kittens keep the second bedroom and my baby is going to be in my room with me.