I spent all day today taking everything out of Maya's closet and attempting to put it away in some order in her room. That's hard work! I got all of her clothes put into her dresser, from birth to one year. Surprisingly, it all fit! I also put all her clothes that needed to be hung up into her closet. They look so funny in there. Her clothes are SO TINY!! Now, all I need to do is go through and wash everything. I debated about washing her clothes or not (and leaving the tags on in case she outgrew something before she had a chance to wear it), and I decided that I'll just wash everything in advance. I don't want to have to plan what she's going to wear, so that I can make sure it's been washed before she wears it. I'd rather everything be ready when we need it. I did get her extra linens (Boppy cover, crib pad, lap pads, etc...) washed today, so that's one thing that's done! Now I just have to wash/clean/sterilize her pacifiers, toys, burp cloths, bibs...WOW... pretty much everything! Well, I felt like I got a lot done today, that is, until now. I barely scratched the surface! Maybe next I'll start decorating her walls. That will at least get more things out of her closet, and her nursery will be looking cuter and cuter!
Ruby has found a new favorite spot in Maya's room. She got brave enough to jump up onto the glider. I really didn't think that she would ever have anything to do with that chair because it's so touchy. Any slight movement causes it to glide very easily, and typically that would scare the daylights out of Ruby. I guess she got a little more brave than usual because once she settled into it for the first time, it was all over. She was in that chair most of the time I was organizing the nursery. The chair sits right next to the crib, so maybe Ruby will start sleeping in the chair and "watching over" Maya. I could only hope... then I would have room to sleep in our bed! That would be wonderful!!
Maya's really been on the move today. Her kicks and movements are so strong that they are definitely unmistakable. She doesn't move a whole lot when I'm up moving about. I think the movement puts her to sleep. She really gets going when I'm sitting and watching TV or on the computer (like right now!). I can't see individual body parts sticking out yet. I do notice, though, when she has her butt sticking out. It makes my belly a little lopsided, and it feels like a big hard lump in my belly. I think it's so cute! I love knowing that I can rub or pat her butt while she's still inside me. Only a couple months and I'll be patting and rubbing her butt outside of me! Can you believe it?! My due date's just about 2 months away... maybe less! I can't wait to meet her!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Can I Get A Little Chocolate With That?
Here I am, goofing off in the Hershey's store! Look at that huge belly!! I can't believe it's mine!!
Monday, March 26, 2007
A Magnificent Mile It Is!
Today, Diane and I (and Maya) rode the Amtrak to Chicago for some shopping on Michigan Avenue. The trip started off kind of slow, with a couple of issues that delayed our arrival to Chicago by about one hour. Since this was my first time on a train, I didn't know what to expect. A couple of misconceptions I had that were cleared up right away were that they don't yell, "ALL ABOARD!" when you're supposed to get on the train, and the seats don't face each other (both things I thought were true because of Hollywood!). Diane thought it was hysterical that I was expecting the conductor to swing off the side of the train and yell, "ALL ABOARD!". I was dead serious and admittedly a little disappointed when he didn't! Hahaha... The most pleasant surprise about the ride was the comfort! Oh. My. Gosh. Trains are SO MUCH more comfortable than airplanes (or cars for that matter)! We got to ride on the second floor of a double-decker train. First of all, the seats recline WAY back, and secondly, there were leg rests like the ones on reclining chairs! There were also feet rests that were separate from the leg rests and fold down tray tables. The ride was quite smooth, too. I would say that It wasn't any more bumpy than a typical car ride in Michigan (and actually, it was probably smoother!).
For the first time I noticed my belly having what seemed to be a startling effect on people. When I walked into the train station this morning, I could see the look of nervous concern wash over many faces. It wasn't until we were about 30 minutes from the train station in Chicago that I realized just how much I had actually scared some people. I was sitting in my seat, minding my own business, when the conductor walked right up to my seat and just stood there a second looking at me. I noticed he was staring, so I smiled and said, "Hi." He said, "How are you feeling?" I laughed a little and said, "I feel great!" To that, he responded, "Good. I don't want any surprises!" I cracked up laughing and thanked him for his concern. It was hilarious. I hadn't ever seen that conductor either, so I think the first conductor that took my ticket wrote down my seat number and gave it to the second guy. I couldn't believe it, and I'll never forget that conversation! I'm not sure if he thought I was in labor and going to Chicago for delivery or what! What a nice fellow, anyway. That just added to the joyful experience I was already having with my new found love for riding the train. Overall, I give Amtrak two very enthusiastic thumbs way up!!
When we got to Chicago, we only had about 6 hours to shop. If any men are reading this, I know, you're saying only 6 hours?! Yes, only 6 hours... we were on Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile, for crying out loud! We ran from mall to mall and from store to store, non-stop, only to pause briefly to shovel some lunch down our throats. I had a Chicago style hot dog, and it was in a mall food court! We went to Ghirardelli and Hershey's chocolate stores... yummy! I found to REALLY cute shirts at Gap in the maternity section. I also bought my brother, Alex, a birthday present, and I bought some cute magnets that spell "Maya". Diane was very disappointed because we shopped for half the day, and all she found was a t-shirt! It is a cute shirt, though, Diane! I guess we'll just have to go again sometime, so Diane can get something better. Bummer. Just kidding! I can't wait! I loved that place, and we didn't even have time to go to a museum or up in the Sears Tower or anything! Oh yeah, and the cab rides to and from Union Station were VERY SCARY. Why must they drive SO FAST??!! Chicago was beautiful, and Michigan Avenue was very clean. The buildings were all so tall that when you looked up to the tops of the skyscrapers, the clouds moving made it look like the buildings were actually moving. It was cool. The malls we went to, Chicago Place and Water Tower Place, were each 8 floors tall, and the elevators were fast! It's so different there because they build everything up instead of sprawled out. I really had a great time, and I can't wait to go back! There's so much more I want to see there. (By the way, FAO Schwartz is closed!! That was the one store I definitely wanted to visit, but I guess it closed 4 years ago. Bummer!)
Of the entire trip, the one thing that disturbed me the most (besides the cab rides and the toy store closing) was the little dogs I saw walking with people on the sidewalks. There is no grass on Michigan Avenue. Where do the little guys piddle? Diane says the sidewalks. Poor dogs. Ruby would hate it there!! She once pooped on a fake putting-green because she thought it was grass! I don't think she'd care for a concrete toilet! Oh, the things we think about. I guess that's what keeps it interesting!
Anyway, I loved downtown Chicago so much that I'm sure I'll be schlepping Maya around the city within the next year. I'd love to go back while we're still living this close. I wish I would have made the trip earlier. We've been here almost 3 years. I could have gone to Chicago dozens of times by now, but no, I had to wait until I'm about ready to have a baby to get a little taste of the Windy City. I hope Maya likes it because we'll be going back!
For the first time I noticed my belly having what seemed to be a startling effect on people. When I walked into the train station this morning, I could see the look of nervous concern wash over many faces. It wasn't until we were about 30 minutes from the train station in Chicago that I realized just how much I had actually scared some people. I was sitting in my seat, minding my own business, when the conductor walked right up to my seat and just stood there a second looking at me. I noticed he was staring, so I smiled and said, "Hi." He said, "How are you feeling?" I laughed a little and said, "I feel great!" To that, he responded, "Good. I don't want any surprises!" I cracked up laughing and thanked him for his concern. It was hilarious. I hadn't ever seen that conductor either, so I think the first conductor that took my ticket wrote down my seat number and gave it to the second guy. I couldn't believe it, and I'll never forget that conversation! I'm not sure if he thought I was in labor and going to Chicago for delivery or what! What a nice fellow, anyway. That just added to the joyful experience I was already having with my new found love for riding the train. Overall, I give Amtrak two very enthusiastic thumbs way up!!
When we got to Chicago, we only had about 6 hours to shop. If any men are reading this, I know, you're saying only 6 hours?! Yes, only 6 hours... we were on Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile, for crying out loud! We ran from mall to mall and from store to store, non-stop, only to pause briefly to shovel some lunch down our throats. I had a Chicago style hot dog, and it was in a mall food court! We went to Ghirardelli and Hershey's chocolate stores... yummy! I found to REALLY cute shirts at Gap in the maternity section. I also bought my brother, Alex, a birthday present, and I bought some cute magnets that spell "Maya". Diane was very disappointed because we shopped for half the day, and all she found was a t-shirt! It is a cute shirt, though, Diane! I guess we'll just have to go again sometime, so Diane can get something better. Bummer. Just kidding! I can't wait! I loved that place, and we didn't even have time to go to a museum or up in the Sears Tower or anything! Oh yeah, and the cab rides to and from Union Station were VERY SCARY. Why must they drive SO FAST??!! Chicago was beautiful, and Michigan Avenue was very clean. The buildings were all so tall that when you looked up to the tops of the skyscrapers, the clouds moving made it look like the buildings were actually moving. It was cool. The malls we went to, Chicago Place and Water Tower Place, were each 8 floors tall, and the elevators were fast! It's so different there because they build everything up instead of sprawled out. I really had a great time, and I can't wait to go back! There's so much more I want to see there. (By the way, FAO Schwartz is closed!! That was the one store I definitely wanted to visit, but I guess it closed 4 years ago. Bummer!)
Of the entire trip, the one thing that disturbed me the most (besides the cab rides and the toy store closing) was the little dogs I saw walking with people on the sidewalks. There is no grass on Michigan Avenue. Where do the little guys piddle? Diane says the sidewalks. Poor dogs. Ruby would hate it there!! She once pooped on a fake putting-green because she thought it was grass! I don't think she'd care for a concrete toilet! Oh, the things we think about. I guess that's what keeps it interesting!
Anyway, I loved downtown Chicago so much that I'm sure I'll be schlepping Maya around the city within the next year. I'd love to go back while we're still living this close. I wish I would have made the trip earlier. We've been here almost 3 years. I could have gone to Chicago dozens of times by now, but no, I had to wait until I'm about ready to have a baby to get a little taste of the Windy City. I hope Maya likes it because we'll be going back!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
He's Gone Mad!!
Will is looking quite enthusiastic (or delirious, one of the two) while finishing up the construction of the changing table! Hahaha... I love it!!
The Furniture is IN!
Tonight, we finally got all of the major furniture set up in Maya's nursery! The final touch was the glider, and it's in position and ready to rock! Our plans for Maya's room have changed so many times that I can't believe it's almost done! We ended up buying a changing table after all. We purchased one that looks like a dresser with a little taller extension piece on one end. The end has a drawer and cabinet in it that will hold her diapering supplies (at least that's my idea for now), and it's a good spot for a lamp. The best thing about it is that she won't outgrow it because it doesn't really look like a changing table. Now, we just have to organize and decorate. Someday soon, I'll lay out all the pictures, frames, etc... and map out where all of that will go on her walls. When that's done, I'll post a couple of pictures, so you can see her nursery. I think it's going to be really cute!
I checked on the breathable bumper from Babies R Us to see if it would work in Maya's crib, and it won't. Go figure. Her crib has closed ends, and those are about the ONLY cribs those bumpers won't work on. I couldn't believe it. So, unless I can figure out how to custom-make a breathable bumper (or hire someone to do it), she won't be having a bumper on her crib... at least for a while. It couldn't be that easy, could it?
Will installed an automatic garage door opener today. The project looked very intimidating, with a several page instruction book and about a billion pieces of equipment. He did it, though, all by himself, and it works perfectly! He was pleased as punch.
Tomorrow, I'm going on a day-trip to Chicago with my friend, Diane. We're taking the Amtrak, which I've never ridden on, so I'm sure it will be quite an adventure! I'll let you know how it goes!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The Great Bumper Debate
It seems as though the issue of whether or not to use a bumper in a crib is quite a hot topic. When I started thinking about the issue, I thought the best people to ask for advice would be my girlfriends who have recently become moms. After all, they have already had to make the decision to bumper or not to bumper, and they would all have their own reasons why they made their decision. So, I emailed several of my girlfriends, asking their advice on the issue, and every single one of them responded (and rather quickly, I might add).
The verdict? Hands down, they all used (or are currently using) them. The reasons varied greatly, too. They ranged from protecting their baby's arms and legs from getting stuck in the bars to (overwhelmingly) protecting their heads from smacking the bars and waking them up, and my favorite use... pacifier corral. That was my favorite mainly because it brought up a problem that I had not considered. Without the bumper, baby sucks on pacifier while sound asleep, baby spits out pacifier, baby wakes up and finds the pacifier is MIA (because pacifier has rolled off the crib), and baby ultimately has a mid-night meltdown! With the bumper, baby loses pacifier, baby wakes up and recovers pacifier (because it is still in his crib), and baby goes back to sleep, avoiding the mid-night meltdown. That is BRILLIANT!
Several moms sited reasons for NOT using a bumper, such as suffocation risk and climbing prevention. One mom had been told "horror stories", and another mom told me a story about a baby getting their head caught underneath the bumper, between the bumper, mattress, and side rail. As for getting arms and legs stuck, this does not seem to be a very common problem. This is the reason my own mom used a bumper for me and my brother (and she's a little horrified that I would consider not using a bumper). To her, the bumper served a purpose of protecting our fragile arms and legs. Crib standards have come a long way since I was a baby, and I'm sure that makes a big difference in the frequency of baby's limbs getting caught up in the side rails. Thank goodness for regulations! Some moms ended up removing the bumper for a period of time when their baby did not have the head and neck strength to get away from the bumper if they scooted into it at night. These moms also said they put the bumper back into the crib as soon as their baby was rolling around a lot and crashing into the side rails. The other reason moms removed the bumper is when it became an aid for climbing.
The current literature suggests that bumpers are a hazard in a crib. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to keep all soft items out of cribs, including toys, blankets, pillows, and bumpers. This information is found in their guidelines for SIDS prevention. The idea reason is two-fold. One, before a baby has good control over their head and neck, they may scoot into a bumper and not be able to turn away from it, causing suffocation. Two, the bumper impedes natural airflow over the baby and through the crib, potentially causing carbon dioxide levels to rise. This can be dangerous because a baby's brain is not developed fully enough to change the baby's breathing pattern to compensate for the higher carbon dioxide levels, which can ultimately lead to respiratory failure. For more in-depth explanation, refer to the AAP's website and search "bumper pads" or "SIDS".
I had NO IDEA that a simple bumper pad was such a hot topic! Before this, I had looked at them mainly as a cute decorative piece of crib bedding. There definitely are many pros and cons to consider, and the decision to bumper or not to bumper can change at any time according to the baby's needs and developmental milestones. It's a personal choice for each parent to make, and I don't believe that one reason is any better or worse than another reason to either place a bumper in a crib or to leave it out.
Regardless of how my girlfriends responded to my inquiry, I respect all of their opinions and experiences. I have the utmost respect for these women as mothers, and I believe that Maya will be one lucky girl if I am half as good of a mom as any of my girlfriends are. I know that every decision these moms make is with the best interest of their babies in mind. They may have different opinions and reasons for their decisions, but what they do have in common is their ability to be wonderful moms!
From all of this debate (and discussion with my hubby), I have made the decision to leave the bumper out of Maya's crib. I am paranoid about SIDS, so I'm going to have to go with the AAP on this issue. I have seen "breathable bumpers" that are made out of mesh fabric at Babies R Us, and that's what I plan on placing in Maya's crib. While it won't provide protection from bumping her head into the side rails, it will protect her arms and legs from getting caught and act as a pacifier corral. If in the future I feel like she needs more protection for her head, I'll reconsider buying a cushioned bumper, but for now, she'll have to go without. Sorry, mom!
Who knew there were so many decisions to make for a baby before they even arrive?! Sometimes, it seems a little overwhelming. Whew! I'm exhausted (but I guess that could be because it's 2am as I'm finishing this)! If anyone has an further opinions on the subject of bumpers, I would love to hear them, so leave a comment!! In the meantime, I'll start trying to think up another controversial topic! I have to admit, I love a good debate! Plus, with parenting issues, I get to learn a lot... double bonus!!
The verdict? Hands down, they all used (or are currently using) them. The reasons varied greatly, too. They ranged from protecting their baby's arms and legs from getting stuck in the bars to (overwhelmingly) protecting their heads from smacking the bars and waking them up, and my favorite use... pacifier corral. That was my favorite mainly because it brought up a problem that I had not considered. Without the bumper, baby sucks on pacifier while sound asleep, baby spits out pacifier, baby wakes up and finds the pacifier is MIA (because pacifier has rolled off the crib), and baby ultimately has a mid-night meltdown! With the bumper, baby loses pacifier, baby wakes up and recovers pacifier (because it is still in his crib), and baby goes back to sleep, avoiding the mid-night meltdown. That is BRILLIANT!
Several moms sited reasons for NOT using a bumper, such as suffocation risk and climbing prevention. One mom had been told "horror stories", and another mom told me a story about a baby getting their head caught underneath the bumper, between the bumper, mattress, and side rail. As for getting arms and legs stuck, this does not seem to be a very common problem. This is the reason my own mom used a bumper for me and my brother (and she's a little horrified that I would consider not using a bumper). To her, the bumper served a purpose of protecting our fragile arms and legs. Crib standards have come a long way since I was a baby, and I'm sure that makes a big difference in the frequency of baby's limbs getting caught up in the side rails. Thank goodness for regulations! Some moms ended up removing the bumper for a period of time when their baby did not have the head and neck strength to get away from the bumper if they scooted into it at night. These moms also said they put the bumper back into the crib as soon as their baby was rolling around a lot and crashing into the side rails. The other reason moms removed the bumper is when it became an aid for climbing.
The current literature suggests that bumpers are a hazard in a crib. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to keep all soft items out of cribs, including toys, blankets, pillows, and bumpers. This information is found in their guidelines for SIDS prevention. The idea reason is two-fold. One, before a baby has good control over their head and neck, they may scoot into a bumper and not be able to turn away from it, causing suffocation. Two, the bumper impedes natural airflow over the baby and through the crib, potentially causing carbon dioxide levels to rise. This can be dangerous because a baby's brain is not developed fully enough to change the baby's breathing pattern to compensate for the higher carbon dioxide levels, which can ultimately lead to respiratory failure. For more in-depth explanation, refer to the AAP's website and search "bumper pads" or "SIDS".
I had NO IDEA that a simple bumper pad was such a hot topic! Before this, I had looked at them mainly as a cute decorative piece of crib bedding. There definitely are many pros and cons to consider, and the decision to bumper or not to bumper can change at any time according to the baby's needs and developmental milestones. It's a personal choice for each parent to make, and I don't believe that one reason is any better or worse than another reason to either place a bumper in a crib or to leave it out.
Regardless of how my girlfriends responded to my inquiry, I respect all of their opinions and experiences. I have the utmost respect for these women as mothers, and I believe that Maya will be one lucky girl if I am half as good of a mom as any of my girlfriends are. I know that every decision these moms make is with the best interest of their babies in mind. They may have different opinions and reasons for their decisions, but what they do have in common is their ability to be wonderful moms!
From all of this debate (and discussion with my hubby), I have made the decision to leave the bumper out of Maya's crib. I am paranoid about SIDS, so I'm going to have to go with the AAP on this issue. I have seen "breathable bumpers" that are made out of mesh fabric at Babies R Us, and that's what I plan on placing in Maya's crib. While it won't provide protection from bumping her head into the side rails, it will protect her arms and legs from getting caught and act as a pacifier corral. If in the future I feel like she needs more protection for her head, I'll reconsider buying a cushioned bumper, but for now, she'll have to go without. Sorry, mom!
Who knew there were so many decisions to make for a baby before they even arrive?! Sometimes, it seems a little overwhelming. Whew! I'm exhausted (but I guess that could be because it's 2am as I'm finishing this)! If anyone has an further opinions on the subject of bumpers, I would love to hear them, so leave a comment!! In the meantime, I'll start trying to think up another controversial topic! I have to admit, I love a good debate! Plus, with parenting issues, I get to learn a lot... double bonus!!
She's Getting BIG!
We had another doctor's appointment today, and Maya is growing very quickly! This is the second appointment in a row that she has consistently measured one week ahead of schedule. We have an ultrasound scheduled for 2 weeks from now to check placenta placement and now, too, to check her size. My doctor already mentioned the word "induction"!! Can you believe it?! I think it's still going to be too early to tell at a 32 week ultrasound. I'm hoping we'll just do another one around 36 weeks and go from there. I'm really NOT thrilled with the idea of being induced, but if that's going to make delivery less traumatic and stressing on Maya, then that's what I'll do.
I have pretty strong ideas about what I think a labor and delivery experience should be like, even though I know things happen and plans change. I would like the labor and delivery to be as natural as possible (with the exception of a "walking epidural"). By that I mean, no inductions, forceps, vacuums, or c-sections if at all possible. I want to be able to be up walking around with a lower-dose epidural (for as long as I can stand it, then we can bump up the rate on the pump if the pain becomes too much to handle!). What I don't want is to go to the hospital, have them slap in an IV, start Pitocin, then be strapped to the bed with a fetal heart monitor on until I deliver. To me, labor and delivery should be a natural process... something that happens on its own, not something that is DONE TO YOU. I'm probably just getting all worked up for nothing. I guess we'll just wait for the ultrasound and see what my doctor says. I'll try not to think about it too much until then!
Maya's heart sounded very good today. Her heart rate was 148 beats/min, which is normal. He asked if she's moving around a lot, and I said, "Oh, yeah!". She moves all the time. I told Will that I've never felt the need to do an actual kick-count because she stays so active. Sometimes when she is really going nuts, it feels like thunder in my belly. Other times, when she makes big slower movements, it feels like she's rubbing my belly (from the inside out). I love feeling her move around and watching my belly bump around. It's so fun!
We got her crib put together tonight! It looks really nice. Apparently, we do not have ANY luck when it comes to buying furniture. Will opened the box to take out the crib parts, and one of the legs was busted in half, length-ways! That's the second piece of furniture for the nursery in about a week that we have had to return, exchange, or replace! Babies R Us was really good about it, though, and they let us just bring back the broken part in exchange for a new one. We couldn't believe it. What luck! Wish us luck for when we get our glider!! Hopefully, it's not damaged!
Well, the dryer just buzzed, and that's the rest of her bedding. I'm going to get the sheets and bumper put on tonight real quick before I go to bed. Her room is going to be so cute!! I'll post some pics when there is more done to it! Stay tuned!
I have pretty strong ideas about what I think a labor and delivery experience should be like, even though I know things happen and plans change. I would like the labor and delivery to be as natural as possible (with the exception of a "walking epidural"). By that I mean, no inductions, forceps, vacuums, or c-sections if at all possible. I want to be able to be up walking around with a lower-dose epidural (for as long as I can stand it, then we can bump up the rate on the pump if the pain becomes too much to handle!). What I don't want is to go to the hospital, have them slap in an IV, start Pitocin, then be strapped to the bed with a fetal heart monitor on until I deliver. To me, labor and delivery should be a natural process... something that happens on its own, not something that is DONE TO YOU. I'm probably just getting all worked up for nothing. I guess we'll just wait for the ultrasound and see what my doctor says. I'll try not to think about it too much until then!
Maya's heart sounded very good today. Her heart rate was 148 beats/min, which is normal. He asked if she's moving around a lot, and I said, "Oh, yeah!". She moves all the time. I told Will that I've never felt the need to do an actual kick-count because she stays so active. Sometimes when she is really going nuts, it feels like thunder in my belly. Other times, when she makes big slower movements, it feels like she's rubbing my belly (from the inside out). I love feeling her move around and watching my belly bump around. It's so fun!
We got her crib put together tonight! It looks really nice. Apparently, we do not have ANY luck when it comes to buying furniture. Will opened the box to take out the crib parts, and one of the legs was busted in half, length-ways! That's the second piece of furniture for the nursery in about a week that we have had to return, exchange, or replace! Babies R Us was really good about it, though, and they let us just bring back the broken part in exchange for a new one. We couldn't believe it. What luck! Wish us luck for when we get our glider!! Hopefully, it's not damaged!
Well, the dryer just buzzed, and that's the rest of her bedding. I'm going to get the sheets and bumper put on tonight real quick before I go to bed. Her room is going to be so cute!! I'll post some pics when there is more done to it! Stay tuned!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
All Hail the Chief!!
Will has been asked to be the Chief Resident next year! He was chosen out of the four ER residents that will be seniors. He'll be responsible for making the ER schedules for the 6 months that he'll be in the ER, and he'll have to make the lecture schedule for their education days (every Wednesday). It's a little more responsibility, but he feels honored that his attending physicians chose him for the job! He'll be great. He's very fair, level-headed, and he gets along with everybody, so hopefully his peers will be as nice to him as I'm sure he will be to them! I'm so proud of him!
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Happy St. Patty's Day!
We're starting to get Maya's room put together! Yay! Matt and Miriam came over for a bit to help Will get her dresser up the stairs and into the nursery. I think Matt was in for much more than he bargained for! Since our house is SO OLD and SMALL, the staircase is tiny. It is very difficult to maneuver the corners with large furniture to fit it up the narrow passage. It took them a couple of tries and changes in strategy, but with some perseverance and maybe a little sweat, it worked! Thanks again, Matt!! The nursery is going to look great!
We went to Dave and Jill's tonight for a little St. Patty's Day get-together. It was a lot of fun. I got the opportunity to get to know Stephanie (and meet her husband Mike), one of the girls that many of my friends hang out with, but I have not spent much time around her before. We've worked together and been in larger groups together, but we've not really spent time in such a small group. Turns out, we get along quite well! We also got to spend some quality time with Matt and Miriam, which we haven't done in awhile, either. It was great company, all the way around! Dinner was really good, too. We had corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, salad, cheese and crackers, guacamole, veges with "green goddess dip", Watergate salad, two kinds of soda bread, green rice crispies, and apple crisp with homemade Irish whiskey cool whip! Everything we had was either Irish or green, and everything was delicious!
It was the best St. Patty's Day ever!
We went to Dave and Jill's tonight for a little St. Patty's Day get-together. It was a lot of fun. I got the opportunity to get to know Stephanie (and meet her husband Mike), one of the girls that many of my friends hang out with, but I have not spent much time around her before. We've worked together and been in larger groups together, but we've not really spent time in such a small group. Turns out, we get along quite well! We also got to spend some quality time with Matt and Miriam, which we haven't done in awhile, either. It was great company, all the way around! Dinner was really good, too. We had corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, salad, cheese and crackers, guacamole, veges with "green goddess dip", Watergate salad, two kinds of soda bread, green rice crispies, and apple crisp with homemade Irish whiskey cool whip! Everything we had was either Irish or green, and everything was delicious!
It was the best St. Patty's Day ever!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Furniture Issues... Solved!
Will and I went to pick up the chest and dresser that we had ordered about two months ago for Maya's room. After the guy from the store loaded the boxes into the back of our truck, Will noticed that one of the boxes was tattered and the bottom of the dresser was busted up! The manager came out and said they would order a new one for us, and we could pick it up tomorrow. Well, that was okay, but Will's friend, Andy, was coming over today to help Will get the stuff up the stairs (and the rest of our heavy furniture back into the house). We also thought it was weird that they could get the dresser in one day, since it had taken about 8 weeks the first time we ordered it. We took the chest anyway and went home.
Right after we got home, the store called and said that the dresser would take 6-8 weeks to arrive at their store. Just as we suspected. We eventually talked it over, while poor Andy patiently waited to see whether or not we were taking the chest out of the truck, and we decided to return the chest and cancel the order on the dresser. Neither one of us wanted to wait until I was full-term to get all of the furniture for Maya's room. Plus, if the dresser was busted during shipping, how good of quality could it possibly be? We took the chest back and got our money back for everything. We were back to square one! Ugh!
We ended up stopping at this furniture store called Rooms Today that we had never been in before tonight. They had one white dresser, and it was perfect!! It has some wood on one of the drawers that is the same as what's on Maya's crib, and it looked like it was made to go together! We purchased the dresser, AND we get to pick it up on Friday (at the earliest)!! We like this dresser even better than the other things we had originally purchased, so it worked out for the best.
I think we're just going to put that dresser and a couple of book shelves in her room and skip the changing table altogether. We'll just change her on her crib. It worked for my mom, so I think it will work for me. We're going to put together one of the bookshelves, and if we think we'll need more storage than what they can offer, we'll reconsider the changing table. As of right now, though, all we need to find is a glider or rocker, and we'll be set! By next week, Maya's room will be well under way!
Right after we got home, the store called and said that the dresser would take 6-8 weeks to arrive at their store. Just as we suspected. We eventually talked it over, while poor Andy patiently waited to see whether or not we were taking the chest out of the truck, and we decided to return the chest and cancel the order on the dresser. Neither one of us wanted to wait until I was full-term to get all of the furniture for Maya's room. Plus, if the dresser was busted during shipping, how good of quality could it possibly be? We took the chest back and got our money back for everything. We were back to square one! Ugh!
We ended up stopping at this furniture store called Rooms Today that we had never been in before tonight. They had one white dresser, and it was perfect!! It has some wood on one of the drawers that is the same as what's on Maya's crib, and it looked like it was made to go together! We purchased the dresser, AND we get to pick it up on Friday (at the earliest)!! We like this dresser even better than the other things we had originally purchased, so it worked out for the best.
I think we're just going to put that dresser and a couple of book shelves in her room and skip the changing table altogether. We'll just change her on her crib. It worked for my mom, so I think it will work for me. We're going to put together one of the bookshelves, and if we think we'll need more storage than what they can offer, we'll reconsider the changing table. As of right now, though, all we need to find is a glider or rocker, and we'll be set! By next week, Maya's room will be well under way!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Busy, Busy, Busy!!
Will and I have been extremely busy over the past few days, so I haven't had time to sit and write for a little while... sorry! Last Friday, the 9th, we started organizing, rearranging, and moving pretty much everything out of our house. We spent the entire weekend working on project after project, cleaning, and making about million trips up and down the stairs to get everything ready for the carpet installers to come in on Tuesday. Sunday night, Chris, my friend from the ER, came over to help Will move the heavy items out to the garage (since I can't lift heavy stuff). That was a HUGE help! Will was on-call all night Monday, so I had to finish all the projects by myself. Bummer. I know Will would have much rather been home helping me than at the hospital, though! Lucky for him, he actually got to sleep most of the night there, uninterrupted by pages for orders or admissions.
Tuesday morning I medicated myself with some Tylenol then went to my orthodontist appointment. The plan was to take my braces off that day, but it didn't work out. I wasn't expecting it to, though, to be honest. I certainly hadn't been holding my breath because I had a gut feeling that I would need "just one more adjustment", and sure enough, that's what happened. The doctor said we are so close that we should "go for the gold" and do one more adjustment to get the 1 mm or so that will make a perfect smile. What was I going to say to that? No? I doubt it! I've had them this long. One more month certainly isn't going to kill me! The adjustment hurt like crazy, and I ended up being grateful that they didn't come off because of the pain factor. At my next OB appointment, I'm going to ask if it's safe for me to take Vicodin prior to getting my braces removed. I think that's the only way I will survive that kind of torture! I'm hoping that just one dose of pain meds will be fine for me and Maya. If it's not safe, then I will suffer through it! GULP! Wish me luck!
After my orthodontist appointment, I picked up Ruby, and we went to spend the afternoon with my friend Jill. We walked for a long time on the White Pines Trail in Rockford, then went shopping in the little downtown shops. We topped off our afternoon with a couple of delicious hot dogs. It was tons of fun just hanging out, talking about being pregnant and our lives in general, and looking at baby stuff. I'm up for that pretty much any day! Plus, the weather was awesome. It was sunny and WARM! Yay! It was great to spend the day outside with a great friend.
When the carpet installers were finished, Will called, and Ruby and I headed back home to put our house back together. Our house looks so much nicer with new carpet!! The old carpet was just NASTY. I didn't even like for people to come over because I was embarrassed about the carpet! That's pretty bad. Now, the floors look fabulous! It really made our entire house look a lot nicer (and the old uneven floors and stairs more even!). I had no idea how much better our place would look by just replacing the carpet. It was definitely worth the money spent to do it! I can't stop looking at our floors! Hahaha....
Oh yeah, on Sunday, I went to a baby shower for my friend Carrie, who now lives in Montana. It was really good to see her, and the shower was a lot of fun. I got to see lots of girls I worked with in the ER that I haven't seen for quite a while. I think about half of the girls there were pregnant, so that was fun! We all took a picture together with our bellies! Everyone looked really great. Carrie got a lot of really nice gifts, and everyone at the shower was so glad to see her in all her pregnant glory! She looked fantastic! She is due about 3 weeks after I am, so it's fun to keep track of each other's pregnancy symptoms through frequent emails.
As with all of my pregnant friends, it's been so much fun to have other women to go through these experiences with. It's so nice to be able to call one or several of them and say, "Such and such is going on. Have you had that?" I'm also grateful that all of my friends are open and honest. I don't feel like anyone tries to sugar-coat anything, and that makes me trust their advice!
Tuesday morning I medicated myself with some Tylenol then went to my orthodontist appointment. The plan was to take my braces off that day, but it didn't work out. I wasn't expecting it to, though, to be honest. I certainly hadn't been holding my breath because I had a gut feeling that I would need "just one more adjustment", and sure enough, that's what happened. The doctor said we are so close that we should "go for the gold" and do one more adjustment to get the 1 mm or so that will make a perfect smile. What was I going to say to that? No? I doubt it! I've had them this long. One more month certainly isn't going to kill me! The adjustment hurt like crazy, and I ended up being grateful that they didn't come off because of the pain factor. At my next OB appointment, I'm going to ask if it's safe for me to take Vicodin prior to getting my braces removed. I think that's the only way I will survive that kind of torture! I'm hoping that just one dose of pain meds will be fine for me and Maya. If it's not safe, then I will suffer through it! GULP! Wish me luck!
After my orthodontist appointment, I picked up Ruby, and we went to spend the afternoon with my friend Jill. We walked for a long time on the White Pines Trail in Rockford, then went shopping in the little downtown shops. We topped off our afternoon with a couple of delicious hot dogs. It was tons of fun just hanging out, talking about being pregnant and our lives in general, and looking at baby stuff. I'm up for that pretty much any day! Plus, the weather was awesome. It was sunny and WARM! Yay! It was great to spend the day outside with a great friend.
When the carpet installers were finished, Will called, and Ruby and I headed back home to put our house back together. Our house looks so much nicer with new carpet!! The old carpet was just NASTY. I didn't even like for people to come over because I was embarrassed about the carpet! That's pretty bad. Now, the floors look fabulous! It really made our entire house look a lot nicer (and the old uneven floors and stairs more even!). I had no idea how much better our place would look by just replacing the carpet. It was definitely worth the money spent to do it! I can't stop looking at our floors! Hahaha....
Oh yeah, on Sunday, I went to a baby shower for my friend Carrie, who now lives in Montana. It was really good to see her, and the shower was a lot of fun. I got to see lots of girls I worked with in the ER that I haven't seen for quite a while. I think about half of the girls there were pregnant, so that was fun! We all took a picture together with our bellies! Everyone looked really great. Carrie got a lot of really nice gifts, and everyone at the shower was so glad to see her in all her pregnant glory! She looked fantastic! She is due about 3 weeks after I am, so it's fun to keep track of each other's pregnancy symptoms through frequent emails.
As with all of my pregnant friends, it's been so much fun to have other women to go through these experiences with. It's so nice to be able to call one or several of them and say, "Such and such is going on. Have you had that?" I'm also grateful that all of my friends are open and honest. I don't feel like anyone tries to sugar-coat anything, and that makes me trust their advice!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Feeling Spoiled!
Today, I had a fabulous date with my friend, Diane. We met at Starbuck's for drinks, went to a beauty boutique for some pampering, and ate dinner together at Olga's Kitchen. At the beauty boutique, Diane had a manicure, and she treated me to a fantastic pedicure! The gift of relaxation... what a wonderful thing! Pedicures and massages are my most favorite means of relaxation, and what pregnant woman doesn't need some R & R every once in a while? It was a perfect afternoon, and one that I won't soon forget. Thanks again, Diane!!
After my pedi, I experienced my first public display of my pregnant belly. I was saying that the elastic of my pants was itchy on my belly, and before I knew it, my pedi-girl had my shirt whipped up over my belly and was fixing my pants for me! Then she pulled all of the elastic (you know the foot of elastic that stretches over the belly in maternity pants) down and folded it under my belly, exposing my now naked pregnant belly to the shocked bystanders. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just rolled with it. I'm not very modest, so it didn't so much bother me as it took me by surprise. We all giggled, and I received some "awwwws" from a couple of the women. I don't think Diane knew what she was in for or how to react to the situation. She just exclaimed, "I haven't seen your belly yet!" The whole situation was pretty funny. This pedi-girl also told me that my doctor was crazy to tell me that I could only gain 25 pounds, and she advised to gain as much as I want. Now if she was the one I had to answer to, I'd be all set!
It was a great day, and I'm noticing that my belly is definitely starting to attract some attention. How could it not, now that it just stands right out there?! I'm definitely loving my growing baby-bump!
After my pedi, I experienced my first public display of my pregnant belly. I was saying that the elastic of my pants was itchy on my belly, and before I knew it, my pedi-girl had my shirt whipped up over my belly and was fixing my pants for me! Then she pulled all of the elastic (you know the foot of elastic that stretches over the belly in maternity pants) down and folded it under my belly, exposing my now naked pregnant belly to the shocked bystanders. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just rolled with it. I'm not very modest, so it didn't so much bother me as it took me by surprise. We all giggled, and I received some "awwwws" from a couple of the women. I don't think Diane knew what she was in for or how to react to the situation. She just exclaimed, "I haven't seen your belly yet!" The whole situation was pretty funny. This pedi-girl also told me that my doctor was crazy to tell me that I could only gain 25 pounds, and she advised to gain as much as I want. Now if she was the one I had to answer to, I'd be all set!
It was a great day, and I'm noticing that my belly is definitely starting to attract some attention. How could it not, now that it just stands right out there?! I'm definitely loving my growing baby-bump!
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
I Passed!!
Good news! I passed my blood sugar test! Yah! My blood sugar had to be less than 140. It was just 75! I'm so happy! We both continue to be very healthy... what a blessing!
Monday, March 5, 2007
The Dreaded Doctor's Visit
I had my 28 week appointment with my doctor. I was really dreading this one because I had gained a ton of weight in the last four weeks. I actually DOUBLED my weight gain since my last appointment, and I knew it was not going to go unnoticed. I was right. The pleasant surprise came when my doctor laughed and said, "Valentine's Day must have been good for you, huh?" Whew! I wasn't in trouble! His next comment was, "Easter is coming up, so be careful!" Well, okay, maybe I'll take that as a warning. I really don't think I'm going to make the 25 pound limit that my doctor suggested in the beginning. For the first 24 weeks, yeah, I thought that was reasonable. Now I have 12 weeks of pregnancy left to go and only 5 pounds to spare. I don't think I'm going to make it! Oh well, as long as we're healthy, I'm okay with it.
Speaking of which, I also had blood drawn for the sugar test. I had to drink a very sweet orange flavored drink about an hour before my appointment, then they drew my blood exactly an hour after I had finished the drink. The drink wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It just tasted like orange kool-aid. Not so bad. In two days, I'll get the results of that test, and I'm really hoping that it's normal! I'm a little nervous that it won't be because of my weight gain, and Maya measured a little big. But, I'm not spilling any sugar into my urine, which makes me think that it will be okay. He said that Maya measuring big could just be because of how she is positioned, so we'll see at the next visit. Her heart sounded good, and she continues to wiggle around a ton. She seems to be doing very well!
My next appointment is in two weeks, and I'll have another ultrasound in one month. I like going to the doctor for check ups, so I'm glad that the visits are getting closer together now. For some reason, just hearing him say everything is looking good, makes me feel better. We are very anxious for the ultrasound. We are very excited to see her again! This time she'll have some fat on her bones, so hopefully we'll get to see a good picture of her little face! We can't wait!!
Speaking of which, I also had blood drawn for the sugar test. I had to drink a very sweet orange flavored drink about an hour before my appointment, then they drew my blood exactly an hour after I had finished the drink. The drink wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It just tasted like orange kool-aid. Not so bad. In two days, I'll get the results of that test, and I'm really hoping that it's normal! I'm a little nervous that it won't be because of my weight gain, and Maya measured a little big. But, I'm not spilling any sugar into my urine, which makes me think that it will be okay. He said that Maya measuring big could just be because of how she is positioned, so we'll see at the next visit. Her heart sounded good, and she continues to wiggle around a ton. She seems to be doing very well!
My next appointment is in two weeks, and I'll have another ultrasound in one month. I like going to the doctor for check ups, so I'm glad that the visits are getting closer together now. For some reason, just hearing him say everything is looking good, makes me feel better. We are very anxious for the ultrasound. We are very excited to see her again! This time she'll have some fat on her bones, so hopefully we'll get to see a good picture of her little face! We can't wait!!
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