A couple of weeks ago I posted a list of things I had to do before the baby so I thought I'd update it:
* Buy whatever is left from registries - Done!
* Arrange Baby Room - Done!
* Get/Set up Pack & Play - Done!
* Install Car Seat - Done!
* Get cars cleaned inside - Still need to do this
* Get animals Groomed - Still need to do this, may not be done
* Get blinds for baby room - Done!
* Wash baby clothes and bedding - Done!
* Pack my hospital bag - Done (except for last minute things like laptop)
* Order more contacts - Done!
* Write 2 weeks worth of sub plans - Actually found out I don't have to do this
* Decide, then tell custodians how to set up classroom - Pretty much done!
* Decide if I want to rent or buy a breast pump and do it (after BF class on 7/25) - Going to buy one, I need to call the hospital and order it (they sell them at cost!) worst case scenario, I can actually buy one while I'm admitted to the hospital and they'll send it up to me. I'd like to have it before hand though if possible.
* Buy another nursing tank or 2 - Done!
* Decide which pediatrician will be our primary one (group is already chosen) - Waiting until after baby is born since they don't all do interviews. We'll get assigned one and can just change it if we like someone else in the group better
So I've pretty much accomplished it all. We installed the car seat base in my car today but then it started pouring so we'll do Bill's tomorrow. I'll call to make an appointment to get them checked when they open on Monday.
Alright, I know I have 11 days until my due date so I shouldn't be rushing this but, baby, if you're ready to come out, WE'RE READY FOR YOU!!!
Showing posts with label baby prep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby prep. Show all posts
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
False Labor Sucks
Yup. The title basically says it all. I went grocery shopping yesterday afternoon and my belly was contracted the whole time. After I got home, I went to my uncle's house to help with some campaign stuff and had BH contractions the whole time about 25-30 minutes apart. They weren't painful but noticeable. After that I went to watch Bill's softball game (they beat the number 1 team!) and the contractions started to intensify and come more frequently. I wasn't timing them but I'd guess about every 10 minutes or so. When we got home, I put some final touches on my hospital bag just in case, and went to bed.
I woke up at 1am with extreme lower back pain and intense, period-like, cramps in my lower abdomen. It didn't come in waves like contractions are supposed to, it was constant. This lasted for about an hour and no amount of moving around or bouncing on my birthing ball made it go away. Bill got up at 2am to go to work and asked if he should go. I kind of broke down because I didn't know. I was pretty sure this was it but I wasn't ready to go to the hospital. He was scheduled to ride with another driver today so we decided that he should go to work and just drive his car to all of the stops behind the truck and if I needed him home, he could come.
After he left for work, I started to have contractions. I timed them for an hour and they ranged from 4 1/2 and 8 1/2 minutes apart. They were painful but not unbareable. I decided to keep timing and see if they became more intense in the second hour. They didn't. In fact, they went away. I went to sleep and only woke up 2 times with contractions. I've been up for about an hour now and I've had 2 contractions.
I'm 38 weeks today and while I know I'm supposed to say that I want our little boy to stay in as long as he needs, I am ready for him to come out after last night. I can handle the contractions if I know that it will result in me holding our little guy but contractions that just disappear? Not fun. I go to the doctor tomorrow and we'll see what they say. My mom told me that when she was pregnant with my sister, this happened to her for 2 days before she gave birth. We'll see!
I woke up at 1am with extreme lower back pain and intense, period-like, cramps in my lower abdomen. It didn't come in waves like contractions are supposed to, it was constant. This lasted for about an hour and no amount of moving around or bouncing on my birthing ball made it go away. Bill got up at 2am to go to work and asked if he should go. I kind of broke down because I didn't know. I was pretty sure this was it but I wasn't ready to go to the hospital. He was scheduled to ride with another driver today so we decided that he should go to work and just drive his car to all of the stops behind the truck and if I needed him home, he could come.
After he left for work, I started to have contractions. I timed them for an hour and they ranged from 4 1/2 and 8 1/2 minutes apart. They were painful but not unbareable. I decided to keep timing and see if they became more intense in the second hour. They didn't. In fact, they went away. I went to sleep and only woke up 2 times with contractions. I've been up for about an hour now and I've had 2 contractions.
I'm 38 weeks today and while I know I'm supposed to say that I want our little boy to stay in as long as he needs, I am ready for him to come out after last night. I can handle the contractions if I know that it will result in me holding our little guy but contractions that just disappear? Not fun. I go to the doctor tomorrow and we'll see what they say. My mom told me that when she was pregnant with my sister, this happened to her for 2 days before she gave birth. We'll see!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Baby Room is DONE!!!
FINALLY!!! We finally finished the baby room! I'm so happy with it.
Now we just need the baby!
Now we just need the baby!
Weekly Check-In (37 weeks)
How far along? 37 weeks, 5 days
Weight gain/loss: +40 lbs...
Maternity clothes? Yes, of course.
Sleep? I wake up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom. I wake up slightly sore in the hips and never feel fully comfortable. The good news is that I am sleeping, just not feeling totally rested.
Best moment this past week? The nursery is essentially done! The glider was brought over to us yesterday (it was delivered to my aunt’s house) so we have to put that together but other than that, it’s done!
Sex: We're having a boy!
Belly button in or out? I can officially see it through shirts.
Movement: He has definitely slowed down. Still moving a lot but not the big kicks that I used to get.
What I miss? Drinks, turkey subs, and sleeping like a rock though I know that is gone for a long time...
What I'm looking forward to this week: 38 week appointment on Thursday, I’m excited to see if I’m dilated at all. Also, looking forward to the pedicure I’m supposed to be getting! My mom is also convinced that I will have the baby on Wednesday. My dad has been saying the whole time that I’ll have him on the 14th (my late grandmother’s birthday). If mom is right, I only have a couple more days! haha
Milestones: From babygaga.com, "Your smooshed-up baby is weighing in at around 6.3 lbs and 19 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls).
As far as their internal organs go, your adorable poop and blood factory has reached "term" - a medical term that means your sweet little bun is birth-ready and labor is welcome and normal at this point. Despite being physically ready to land on planet Earth, your baby's immune system is quite weak and will continue to be that way for their first years of life. Thankfully, your breast milk (aka "boob medicine") protects your child via protective antibodies that are present in your breast milk.”
Labor Signs: Some very strong Braxton Hicks and they are definitely getting more and more frequent though definitely not time-able. I don’t know if this is a labor sign per say but man, I have been in the bathroom A LOT lately. It’s as if my body wants food out of me as fast as possible.
Picture: Taken at 38 weeks.
Weight gain/loss: +40 lbs...
Maternity clothes? Yes, of course.
Sleep? I wake up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom. I wake up slightly sore in the hips and never feel fully comfortable. The good news is that I am sleeping, just not feeling totally rested.
Best moment this past week? The nursery is essentially done! The glider was brought over to us yesterday (it was delivered to my aunt’s house) so we have to put that together but other than that, it’s done!
Sex: We're having a boy!
Belly button in or out? I can officially see it through shirts.
Movement: He has definitely slowed down. Still moving a lot but not the big kicks that I used to get.
What I miss? Drinks, turkey subs, and sleeping like a rock though I know that is gone for a long time...
What I'm looking forward to this week: 38 week appointment on Thursday, I’m excited to see if I’m dilated at all. Also, looking forward to the pedicure I’m supposed to be getting! My mom is also convinced that I will have the baby on Wednesday. My dad has been saying the whole time that I’ll have him on the 14th (my late grandmother’s birthday). If mom is right, I only have a couple more days! haha
Milestones: From babygaga.com, "Your smooshed-up baby is weighing in at around 6.3 lbs and 19 inches (with boys somewhat heavier and longer than girls).
As far as their internal organs go, your adorable poop and blood factory has reached "term" - a medical term that means your sweet little bun is birth-ready and labor is welcome and normal at this point. Despite being physically ready to land on planet Earth, your baby's immune system is quite weak and will continue to be that way for their first years of life. Thankfully, your breast milk (aka "boob medicine") protects your child via protective antibodies that are present in your breast milk.”
Labor Signs: Some very strong Braxton Hicks and they are definitely getting more and more frequent though definitely not time-able. I don’t know if this is a labor sign per say but man, I have been in the bathroom A LOT lately. It’s as if my body wants food out of me as fast as possible.
Picture: Taken at 38 weeks.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Officially at Full Term
Today I am officially 37 weeks pregnant and at full term! I can't believe I'm here, 3 weeks from my due date! I do know that most first time moms go late and I could still have another 5 weeks before our little guy is here but to know that if I went into labor now, he would be born and fully developed, kinda freaks me out! We now have pretty much everything that we need to bring him home. I'm sure there is plenty we don't have but I don't think we're missing anything crucial (I hope!). My dad is coming over today to help me with the blinds for the windows. I hope they work! Then I can get the curtains up and finish decorating. The glider still hasn't been delivered but should be soon. The extra car seat base arrived so we can get those installed as soon as Bill has a day off. EEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!
In other news, I went to the breastfeeding on Monday. I definitely learned some information but it was not what I hoped it would be. Bill didn't go because the class went from 6:30-9:00 and he had to get up at 3:00am to go to work. I figured since he's been to all of the other classes, I'd let him sleep! Basically the class was a very basic, intro to breast feeding. Don't get me wrong, I did learn some things, but for the most part it was information that I either knew already or read in a book recently. I was really hoping for more information about pumping and making breastfeeding work when I return to my job. They did say that they offer another class (also free) specifically for this purpose but you don't take it until after you have the baby. While this does make sense, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to focus on the information in the class with a newborn!
They did tell us that the in-house pharmacy sells breast pumps as cost! They aren't the lowest prices I've seen (on sale and with coupons) that people on the Bump have posted but definitely cheaper than anything I've been able to find. I'll most likely just go through them. The other thing they told us is that they have lactation consultants available to answer questions and/or meet with us free of charge. I'm thinking about taking the course after I give birth but then also meeting with an LC if I don't feel like I got enough out of the class. I'll figure it out.
In other news, I went to the breastfeeding on Monday. I definitely learned some information but it was not what I hoped it would be. Bill didn't go because the class went from 6:30-9:00 and he had to get up at 3:00am to go to work. I figured since he's been to all of the other classes, I'd let him sleep! Basically the class was a very basic, intro to breast feeding. Don't get me wrong, I did learn some things, but for the most part it was information that I either knew already or read in a book recently. I was really hoping for more information about pumping and making breastfeeding work when I return to my job. They did say that they offer another class (also free) specifically for this purpose but you don't take it until after you have the baby. While this does make sense, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to focus on the information in the class with a newborn!
They did tell us that the in-house pharmacy sells breast pumps as cost! They aren't the lowest prices I've seen (on sale and with coupons) that people on the Bump have posted but definitely cheaper than anything I've been able to find. I'll most likely just go through them. The other thing they told us is that they have lactation consultants available to answer questions and/or meet with us free of charge. I'm thinking about taking the course after I give birth but then also meeting with an LC if I don't feel like I got enough out of the class. I'll figure it out.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Weekly Check-In (36 weeks)
How far along? 36 weeks, 5 days
Weight gain/loss: +39 pounds...uhg
Maternity clothes? Yes, of course.
Sleep? Sleep is getting less comfortable but I'm still able to get enough, this wouldn't be the case if I was working though.
Best moment this past week? Getting tons accomplished on the baby front. Pack N Play is set up in our room, the rest of the stuff we need from our registries has been purchased, and more work in the room was accomplished. We did run into a snag with the new blinds. We cannot figure out how to hang them up so my dad is coming over in a couple of days to see if it's just us or if they don't work for our windows.
Sex: We're having a boy!
Belly button in or out? I can officially see it through shirts.
Movement: He has definitely slowed down. Still moving a lot but not the big kicks that I used to get.
What I miss? Drinks, turkey subs, and sleeping like a rock though I know that is gone for a long time...
What I'm looking forward to this week: Reaching full-term on Wednesday!!!
Milestones: From babygaga.com, "In fetal developments: most of the bones (soft skull aside) in their little body are now completely hardened, providing a solid structure from which they can now make their grand debut into the world.In physical fitness news: your mini-champ's muscle tone is improving, and you’ll be impressed by their steel-like Ulnar grasp (a newborn reflex that occurs if you lay your finger in their palm)."
Labor Signs: Some very strong Braxton Hicks.
Picture: (36 weeks 4 days)
Weight gain/loss: +39 pounds...uhg
Maternity clothes? Yes, of course.
Sleep? Sleep is getting less comfortable but I'm still able to get enough, this wouldn't be the case if I was working though.
Best moment this past week? Getting tons accomplished on the baby front. Pack N Play is set up in our room, the rest of the stuff we need from our registries has been purchased, and more work in the room was accomplished. We did run into a snag with the new blinds. We cannot figure out how to hang them up so my dad is coming over in a couple of days to see if it's just us or if they don't work for our windows.
Sex: We're having a boy!
Belly button in or out? I can officially see it through shirts.
Movement: He has definitely slowed down. Still moving a lot but not the big kicks that I used to get.
What I miss? Drinks, turkey subs, and sleeping like a rock though I know that is gone for a long time...
What I'm looking forward to this week: Reaching full-term on Wednesday!!!
Milestones: From babygaga.com, "In fetal developments: most of the bones (soft skull aside) in their little body are now completely hardened, providing a solid structure from which they can now make their grand debut into the world.In physical fitness news: your mini-champ's muscle tone is improving, and you’ll be impressed by their steel-like Ulnar grasp (a newborn reflex that occurs if you lay your finger in their palm)."
Labor Signs: Some very strong Braxton Hicks.
Picture: (36 weeks 4 days)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
36 week pictures
I didn't take a picture on Monday so here I am today, at 36 weeks :)
It's super crazy hot here (and I'm sure everywhere in the US right now) so I'm hiding out in the air conditioning as much as possible today. Our little window units are getting a work out! I ended up getting a bunch of work done in the baby room so here's a little sneak peak (sorry the picture is kind crappy).
It's super crazy hot here (and I'm sure everywhere in the US right now) so I'm hiding out in the air conditioning as much as possible today. Our little window units are getting a work out! I ended up getting a bunch of work done in the baby room so here's a little sneak peak (sorry the picture is kind crappy).
Monday, July 18, 2011
Weekly Check-In (35 weeks)
How far along? 35 weeks, 5 days
Weight gain/loss: I stepped on the scale this morning and it said I'm up 37 pounds. Did I really gain 7 pounds this week?! I've been very hungry lately but 7 pounds?! I'm definitely puffy, I even had to take my rings off today because my fingers are so big so maybe some of it is water weight. I go to the doctor on Thursday so we'll see what he says about it then. Uhg.
Maternity clothes? Yes, of course.
Sleep? Still sleeping in the pillow fortress waking up a lot throughout the night.
Best moment this past week? My baby shower! Pictures to come (I didn't take any so I need to wait for others to send me theirs).
Sex: We're having a boy!
Belly button in or out? I can officially see it through shirts.
Movement: Lots until yesterday and today. I actually decided to do kick counts last night (I haven't been doing them because he's moving all the time). When I laid down and actually counted, I realized that he is moving but not hard kicks or anything. He must be running on of room!
What I miss? Moving around comfortably.
What I'm looking forward to this week: Lunch with some coworkers today, my MIL's bridal shower, my cousin's baby shower, and getting our shower gifts all organized and put away. We're hoping to have the baby room done by this weekend!
Milestones: From babygaga.com, "Congratulations! You’re now carrying over 5 pounds of baby-goodness - not counting their amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord, or the placenta itself. Developmentally, your wee womb-tenant has the fat-factory running at full tilt while their digestive system puts the finishing touches on critical organs in preparation for their first meal."
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks come and go.
Weight gain/loss: I stepped on the scale this morning and it said I'm up 37 pounds. Did I really gain 7 pounds this week?! I've been very hungry lately but 7 pounds?! I'm definitely puffy, I even had to take my rings off today because my fingers are so big so maybe some of it is water weight. I go to the doctor on Thursday so we'll see what he says about it then. Uhg.
Maternity clothes? Yes, of course.
Sleep? Still sleeping in the pillow fortress waking up a lot throughout the night.
Best moment this past week? My baby shower! Pictures to come (I didn't take any so I need to wait for others to send me theirs).
Sex: We're having a boy!
Belly button in or out? I can officially see it through shirts.
Movement: Lots until yesterday and today. I actually decided to do kick counts last night (I haven't been doing them because he's moving all the time). When I laid down and actually counted, I realized that he is moving but not hard kicks or anything. He must be running on of room!
What I miss? Moving around comfortably.
What I'm looking forward to this week: Lunch with some coworkers today, my MIL's bridal shower, my cousin's baby shower, and getting our shower gifts all organized and put away. We're hoping to have the baby room done by this weekend!
Milestones: From babygaga.com, "Congratulations! You’re now carrying over 5 pounds of baby-goodness - not counting their amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord, or the placenta itself. Developmentally, your wee womb-tenant has the fat-factory running at full tilt while their digestive system puts the finishing touches on critical organs in preparation for their first meal."
Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks come and go.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sometimes I'm crafty
The other day I went to Micheal's and bought some wood letters that spell out our baby's name and some acrylic paint. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with them, whether I'm going to put them on ribbon and hang them on the wall or just stand them on one of the floating shelves we have but I LOVE how they came out and wanted to show them off! We still aren't telling anyone the name but obviously there is a Y and an M!
Weekend
Today is Bill's first Saturday off for which he did not have to use vacation time in over 7 years! He started his new job on Thursday and it seems to be going well. He has to get up super early (like 2:30 or 3:00 am) and works long days, 12-14 hours but he's only working 4 days a week and has weekends off! This makes both of us happy. So how are we spending our Saturday? We're going to the mall to buy him a suit...ugh. It will be like pulling teeth but he needs an all black suit to wear for his mom's wedding on July 30th.
The problem with buying Bill clothes is that he hates to try anything on. He prefers to buy things off the internet and rips the tags off before he puts it on to wear for the day. If it doesn't fit right he'll either wear it anyway or just donate it. It makes me CRAZY! Suits really need to be tried on and he's been made aware of this. He also hates bargain shopping. He'll find a suit that fits and he likes and will just buy it, not even looking to see if there are others that he likes that are cheaper. Basically, I go with him to keep him in line. Wish me luck with that!
Then this afternoon, he's working the Valley Field Days which is a small carnival in our neighborhood that the Valley Men's Club (of which Bill is a member) puts on every year. It's pretty cool, they have food and rides and carnival games. They bring in a couple of local bands and will have fireworks tonight. Bill and a few of his friends joined the club last year and my dad and uncles are also members. My grandfather (whom we lost last September) was a long time member and had such pride in the club.
Me? I'm going to hide my my parents' air conditioning and my mom is going to paint my toes for me since I get out of breath after just one toe!
Tomorrow is my family baby shower!!!!!!! So excited!!!!! I can't wait to see everyone, eat good food, and of course, open presents. I've been getting very anxious lately wondering what we will still need to purchase ourselves. I appreciate any gift that we are given but my nesting instincts are starting to kick in big time. I need to know what we have and what we need to buy so we can get this place baby ready. After tomorrow, I'll be a happy girl!
Enjoy your weekend!
The problem with buying Bill clothes is that he hates to try anything on. He prefers to buy things off the internet and rips the tags off before he puts it on to wear for the day. If it doesn't fit right he'll either wear it anyway or just donate it. It makes me CRAZY! Suits really need to be tried on and he's been made aware of this. He also hates bargain shopping. He'll find a suit that fits and he likes and will just buy it, not even looking to see if there are others that he likes that are cheaper. Basically, I go with him to keep him in line. Wish me luck with that!
Then this afternoon, he's working the Valley Field Days which is a small carnival in our neighborhood that the Valley Men's Club (of which Bill is a member) puts on every year. It's pretty cool, they have food and rides and carnival games. They bring in a couple of local bands and will have fireworks tonight. Bill and a few of his friends joined the club last year and my dad and uncles are also members. My grandfather (whom we lost last September) was a long time member and had such pride in the club.
Me? I'm going to hide my my parents' air conditioning and my mom is going to paint my toes for me since I get out of breath after just one toe!
Tomorrow is my family baby shower!!!!!!! So excited!!!!! I can't wait to see everyone, eat good food, and of course, open presents. I've been getting very anxious lately wondering what we will still need to purchase ourselves. I appreciate any gift that we are given but my nesting instincts are starting to kick in big time. I need to know what we have and what we need to buy so we can get this place baby ready. After tomorrow, I'll be a happy girl!
Enjoy your weekend!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
To-do
So yesterday on the Bump, there was a thread where a bunch of people posted what they had left to do before the baby gets here. It kind of freaked me out because I feel like we have so little ready. After our shower this Sunday though, it's game on. I had a couple of (what I think were) contractions today and it kind of reminded me that I need to get my butt in gear here. This is the list I came up with tonight:
* Buy whatever is left from registries
* Arrange Baby Room
* Get/Set up Pack & Play
* Install Car Seat
* Get cars cleaned inside
* Get animals Groomed
* Get blinds for baby room
* Wash baby clothes and bedding
* Pack my hospital bag
* Order more contacts
* Write 2 weeks worth of sub plans
* Decide, then tell custodians how to set up classroom
* Decide if I want to rent or buy a breast pump and do it (after BF class on 7/25)
* Buy another nursing tank or 2
* Decide which pediatrician will be our primary one (group is already chosen)
Eeeeeeek
* Buy whatever is left from registries
* Arrange Baby Room
* Get/Set up Pack & Play
* Install Car Seat
* Get cars cleaned inside
* Get animals Groomed
* Get blinds for baby room
* Wash baby clothes and bedding
* Pack my hospital bag
* Order more contacts
* Write 2 weeks worth of sub plans
* Decide, then tell custodians how to set up classroom
* Decide if I want to rent or buy a breast pump and do it (after BF class on 7/25)
* Buy another nursing tank or 2
* Decide which pediatrician will be our primary one (group is already chosen)
Eeeeeeek
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Shopping Spree
I mentioned recently that part of my birthday present from Bill was a small shopping spree to buy some fun things for the baby. Well, we went today! Babies R Us was having a pretty decent sale on baby clothes and I had a couple of coupons that we could use. We went and looked through the clothes but they were pretty picked over. There really wasn't a lot left and I got overwhelmed trying to decide what size to get anything in so we just decided to get toys instead! The first thing we got, Bill picked out:
It's the Ocean Wonders Musical Bubbles Activity Center. You can hang it on the side of the crib or it can be a floor toy. It's super cute and plays fun songs.
We also got the book, Peek-a-Who. It's so cute!
Then Bill picked out a nice, big, squishy baseball since Bill's a huge baseball fan:
I got a fun rubber ducky that tells you if the bath water is too hot:
And I couldn't pass up a nice lightweight SwaddleMe SleepSac in sage:
We also walked around and visited some of the things we registered for like the glider, Pack N Play, and the swing. We're so excited to really get ready for the baby and waiting for the shower to receive gifts (or not, so we know what to buy) is starting to kill me! We are fortunate to have extremely generous families and friends and know that if we wait until the shower, we'll receive the vast majority of what we need. There will be some things left for us to buy but it's smart to wait and see what we really need to spend our money on. I can't wait for the shower to be here but until then, we had a blast buying some things today and that should hold me over for a while!
It's the Ocean Wonders Musical Bubbles Activity Center. You can hang it on the side of the crib or it can be a floor toy. It's super cute and plays fun songs.We also got the book, Peek-a-Who. It's so cute!
Then Bill picked out a nice, big, squishy baseball since Bill's a huge baseball fan:
I got a fun rubber ducky that tells you if the bath water is too hot:
And I couldn't pass up a nice lightweight SwaddleMe SleepSac in sage:
We also walked around and visited some of the things we registered for like the glider, Pack N Play, and the swing. We're so excited to really get ready for the baby and waiting for the shower to receive gifts (or not, so we know what to buy) is starting to kill me! We are fortunate to have extremely generous families and friends and know that if we wait until the shower, we'll receive the vast majority of what we need. There will be some things left for us to buy but it's smart to wait and see what we really need to spend our money on. I can't wait for the shower to be here but until then, we had a blast buying some things today and that should hold me over for a while!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Ch-ch-changes
This past week was extremely eventful. Tuesday was my work baby shower and I was overwhelmed by the amount of extremely generous gifts we received. My coworkers are amazing.
Besides the shower, I also had tons of end of the year paperwork to do and I also had to completely pack my classroom. I had to literally go through everything and put it all into two piles, one of things that stay with the classroom and one of things that belong to me and need to be moved to my new room. It was very time consuming and hard to do. I didn't want to pick up anything too heavy and hurt myself so once I got boxes packed, I'd basically shove them to the correct side of the room. It took much longer than it would have if I wasn't pregnant but it all was accomplished, whew!
Then, Thursday was our last birthing class. We talked about what to expect after giving birth and went on the tour of Labor and Delivery. It was very helpful to see everything and to be prepared for what our stay will be like in just a few weeks but it was also a bit scary knowing that sometime in the next 9 weeks, I'll be giving birth there (my doctor doesn't really go much longer than 41 weeks).
On top of the stress of packing up my room and finishing birthing classes, Bill got a call Thursday evening that may change a lot of things for us. Last year around this time, he applied for a driving position with another company. Neither of us have been all that happy with his current employer and when the opening was posted at this other company, Bill applied immediately. We have a friend who drives for this company and he put in a good word for Bill. He ended up interviewing and it came down to being between him and another guy and they offered the position to this other guy because he had slightly more experience but promised Bill that if they had any other openings, they would be calling him back.
Well, the guy they hired last year put in his two week notice this week and the supervisor who is in charge of hiring called our friend to see if Bill would still be interested. He said to have Bill update his application on their website and they would call him early next week.
It's a huge decision, one that we basically discussed from the moment Bill got the call on Thursday until we went to bed last night. Currently, Bill works five days a week with Sundays and Tuesdays off. He goes in at around 6am and is usually home between 5:30-6:30pm depending on the day. He works a lot of hours but does get paid pretty well for it. He gets no sick time (which drives me nuts) and 2 weeks of vacation time. This new job would be 5 days a week but with weekends off (would be amazing). He'd go in around 3am and work between 12 and 14 hours a day. He would get sick time and 2 weeks of vacation. At first, he'd be training and not making as much as he makes now but once training was over, he'd be making significantly more than his current salary. They also said that in November, they are hoping to hire another driver and everyone would go down to 4 days a week. Even at 4 days a week, Bill would be making more than he makes now.
Sounds pretty good huh? Here are my concerns. We are having a baby (in case you didn't know that by now) and the thought of another big change at the same time is scary. Also, if Bill is working until about 4 or 5 then needing to get up at 2am, he's going to be getting home and going to bed pretty quickly. He won't be able to help out with the baby at all on the days he works. It will be all me. We're really fortunate in that our families are here and I know I can rely on them for help but I worry about Bill being able to bond with our son.
Another concern I have is that this is a far more physical job than the one he has now. He now has between 2 and 4 stops a day where he pulls his pallets of merchandise straight off of his trailer onto the dock, this new position would mean running ramps at around 15-20 stops per day. He's in pretty good shape now but I worry about how long his body will be able to do this job. He turns 30 this year and while that certainly isn't old, his body will begin to slow down at some point.
We really discussed everything and he's going to talk with his dad (who is in the same industry) about the opportunity but I think the pros out weight the cons. The only major con is that I'll be taking care of the baby on my own. I'm pretty positive that Bill bonding with our child isn't going to be a problem, even if he only sees the baby for a couple of hours a day at first. He is so excited that I'm sure as soon as he walks through the door, he'll be making a bee-line for our son.
I don't know, I'm very emotional about the whole thing and a big part of me really wishes that we didn't have to think about this right now. I wish that the offer would come after we had the baby but there must be a reason for it to be happening now. Maybe it will be easier if Bill takes it now and gets through training before the baby is here. I'm sure it's going to be a huge adjustment for him and it will probably be easier to do now when he can go to sleep whenever he needs to and not be interrupted at all. It's probably for the best.
Last night I went to sleep around 10:30 and slept until 10:30 this morning. I don't know if it was just making up for all that has gone on this week or if I'm starting to slow down. I've been far less comfortable this week. I feel really big and it's really getting difficult to get out of bed and off the couch. There is so much left to be done that I can't really afford to slow down this soon. Luckily, I only have 2 days of work left (Mon and Tues are workshop days) then I'm off for the summer. I'll be able to get it all done once I'm home all day.
Besides the shower, I also had tons of end of the year paperwork to do and I also had to completely pack my classroom. I had to literally go through everything and put it all into two piles, one of things that stay with the classroom and one of things that belong to me and need to be moved to my new room. It was very time consuming and hard to do. I didn't want to pick up anything too heavy and hurt myself so once I got boxes packed, I'd basically shove them to the correct side of the room. It took much longer than it would have if I wasn't pregnant but it all was accomplished, whew!
Then, Thursday was our last birthing class. We talked about what to expect after giving birth and went on the tour of Labor and Delivery. It was very helpful to see everything and to be prepared for what our stay will be like in just a few weeks but it was also a bit scary knowing that sometime in the next 9 weeks, I'll be giving birth there (my doctor doesn't really go much longer than 41 weeks).
On top of the stress of packing up my room and finishing birthing classes, Bill got a call Thursday evening that may change a lot of things for us. Last year around this time, he applied for a driving position with another company. Neither of us have been all that happy with his current employer and when the opening was posted at this other company, Bill applied immediately. We have a friend who drives for this company and he put in a good word for Bill. He ended up interviewing and it came down to being between him and another guy and they offered the position to this other guy because he had slightly more experience but promised Bill that if they had any other openings, they would be calling him back.
Well, the guy they hired last year put in his two week notice this week and the supervisor who is in charge of hiring called our friend to see if Bill would still be interested. He said to have Bill update his application on their website and they would call him early next week.
It's a huge decision, one that we basically discussed from the moment Bill got the call on Thursday until we went to bed last night. Currently, Bill works five days a week with Sundays and Tuesdays off. He goes in at around 6am and is usually home between 5:30-6:30pm depending on the day. He works a lot of hours but does get paid pretty well for it. He gets no sick time (which drives me nuts) and 2 weeks of vacation time. This new job would be 5 days a week but with weekends off (would be amazing). He'd go in around 3am and work between 12 and 14 hours a day. He would get sick time and 2 weeks of vacation. At first, he'd be training and not making as much as he makes now but once training was over, he'd be making significantly more than his current salary. They also said that in November, they are hoping to hire another driver and everyone would go down to 4 days a week. Even at 4 days a week, Bill would be making more than he makes now.
Sounds pretty good huh? Here are my concerns. We are having a baby (in case you didn't know that by now) and the thought of another big change at the same time is scary. Also, if Bill is working until about 4 or 5 then needing to get up at 2am, he's going to be getting home and going to bed pretty quickly. He won't be able to help out with the baby at all on the days he works. It will be all me. We're really fortunate in that our families are here and I know I can rely on them for help but I worry about Bill being able to bond with our son.
Another concern I have is that this is a far more physical job than the one he has now. He now has between 2 and 4 stops a day where he pulls his pallets of merchandise straight off of his trailer onto the dock, this new position would mean running ramps at around 15-20 stops per day. He's in pretty good shape now but I worry about how long his body will be able to do this job. He turns 30 this year and while that certainly isn't old, his body will begin to slow down at some point.
We really discussed everything and he's going to talk with his dad (who is in the same industry) about the opportunity but I think the pros out weight the cons. The only major con is that I'll be taking care of the baby on my own. I'm pretty positive that Bill bonding with our child isn't going to be a problem, even if he only sees the baby for a couple of hours a day at first. He is so excited that I'm sure as soon as he walks through the door, he'll be making a bee-line for our son.
I don't know, I'm very emotional about the whole thing and a big part of me really wishes that we didn't have to think about this right now. I wish that the offer would come after we had the baby but there must be a reason for it to be happening now. Maybe it will be easier if Bill takes it now and gets through training before the baby is here. I'm sure it's going to be a huge adjustment for him and it will probably be easier to do now when he can go to sleep whenever he needs to and not be interrupted at all. It's probably for the best.
Last night I went to sleep around 10:30 and slept until 10:30 this morning. I don't know if it was just making up for all that has gone on this week or if I'm starting to slow down. I've been far less comfortable this week. I feel really big and it's really getting difficult to get out of bed and off the couch. There is so much left to be done that I can't really afford to slow down this soon. Luckily, I only have 2 days of work left (Mon and Tues are workshop days) then I'm off for the summer. I'll be able to get it all done once I'm home all day.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Becoming real
Today is June 17. My due date is August 17. Yikes! We had better get our butts in gear here!
We had our third birthing class last night and it was incredibly informative but it definitely made things feel a bit more real. The fourth and last class next week is basically just a tour of L&D. After that I'm supposed to know how to give birth and if I'm being honest, I don't have a clue! I don't know what to expect at all. I think the scare we had last weekend has really got me realizing that this could happen at any moment. Hopefully our little one stays put until he's full term but he could potentially come at any point. Yikes!
We had our third birthing class last night and it was incredibly informative but it definitely made things feel a bit more real. The fourth and last class next week is basically just a tour of L&D. After that I'm supposed to know how to give birth and if I'm being honest, I don't have a clue! I don't know what to expect at all. I think the scare we had last weekend has really got me realizing that this could happen at any moment. Hopefully our little one stays put until he's full term but he could potentially come at any point. Yikes!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Nursery Drama
Bill and I bought our house about 2 and a half years ago, minutes from where we both grew up. We love our house but it's definitely on the small side. It's about 1100 square feet with 3 bedrooms, well it's technically only 2 bedrooms with an office because the third has no closet. When we moved in, we took the master bedroom (obviously) and made the office our, well, office. The third bedroom was the catch-all for stuff we didn't have a place for, the elliptical machine, and a couple of boxes of keepsakes from each of us (Bill's trumpet from high school, my ballet shoes, etc.). We also put the litter box in that third room since there really wasn't any other option.
When it came time to decide which room would be the baby room, we decided on the smallest room because it was in the best shape and it's right next to our room rather than across the hall. We painted the room and I love how the color turned out, Bill hates the color. He swears it's purple, I don't see purple, only gray. He decided to just deal with it. We put together the furniture, changing table (with drawers), dresser, and crib. It looks great in the room but there one major problem, that's all that fits in the room. No room for a chair even. We could use the dresser as the changer but I'm afraid that we wouldn't have enough room for storage since we there is no closet in that room either.
I was so upset when we got all the furniture in there and I realized the room is just too small. I need a chair of some sort for nighttime feedings and we don't want a room that's overly packed, especially if there is another room available! Bill is pretty bummed that we put so much work into fixing up that room and now we need to do the other room too but I think it's probably a good thing. We don't plan on staying in this house forever, probably just another 5 years or so. When we go to sell it, it would be nice to have the rooms all fixed up. This is the kick in the butt we needed to get them presentable.
I like our cat. I really do. I'm not a cat person and wasn't the one who brought him into the relationship but I do like Gizmo. I just hate his litter box. With. A. Passion. Litter boxes are disgusting. Even the fancy-shmancy automatic one that we have, you still have to change the poop bin every few days or it smells:
The thing is, logic would state that we take it out of the bedroom it's in now, and move it to the other room. But now that we've fixed up the other room, I'd really like to make it into a guest room. We have a twin sized bed we can put in there but I don't know too many of our guests that would be cool with sharing a room with our cat's excrements. Other than the bedrooms, here is a list of other rooms in our house: kitchen (I don't want to cook meals next to cat poop), bathroom (no space), living room (I don't want to hang out with friends next to cat poop), basement (best choice but you have to go through our garage to get to the basement and it's too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer to leave the door to the garage open).
Now that I've convinced Bill to fix up the other room and use that for our nursery, I'm feeling better and less stressed but of course I have to add some drama with the cat box. I think I might be SOL on this one thou
gh...
When it came time to decide which room would be the baby room, we decided on the smallest room because it was in the best shape and it's right next to our room rather than across the hall. We painted the room and I love how the color turned out, Bill hates the color. He swears it's purple, I don't see purple, only gray. He decided to just deal with it. We put together the furniture, changing table (with drawers), dresser, and crib. It looks great in the room but there one major problem, that's all that fits in the room. No room for a chair even. We could use the dresser as the changer but I'm afraid that we wouldn't have enough room for storage since we there is no closet in that room either.
I was so upset when we got all the furniture in there and I realized the room is just too small. I need a chair of some sort for nighttime feedings and we don't want a room that's overly packed, especially if there is another room available! Bill is pretty bummed that we put so much work into fixing up that room and now we need to do the other room too but I think it's probably a good thing. We don't plan on staying in this house forever, probably just another 5 years or so. When we go to sell it, it would be nice to have the rooms all fixed up. This is the kick in the butt we needed to get them presentable.
I like our cat. I really do. I'm not a cat person and wasn't the one who brought him into the relationship but I do like Gizmo. I just hate his litter box. With. A. Passion. Litter boxes are disgusting. Even the fancy-shmancy automatic one that we have, you still have to change the poop bin every few days or it smells:
The thing is, logic would state that we take it out of the bedroom it's in now, and move it to the other room. But now that we've fixed up the other room, I'd really like to make it into a guest room. We have a twin sized bed we can put in there but I don't know too many of our guests that would be cool with sharing a room with our cat's excrements. Other than the bedrooms, here is a list of other rooms in our house: kitchen (I don't want to cook meals next to cat poop), bathroom (no space), living room (I don't want to hang out with friends next to cat poop), basement (best choice but you have to go through our garage to get to the basement and it's too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer to leave the door to the garage open).
Now that I've convinced Bill to fix up the other room and use that for our nursery, I'm feeling better and less stressed but of course I have to add some drama with the cat box. I think I might be SOL on this one thou
gh...
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Daycare
I'm not sure if I've written about our daycare options before. If I give birth around my due date, I'll be taking the first month of school off and going back sometime in October which means we need childcare for our very tiny infant. It's not ideal but next school year is my tenure year and while I don't totally believe in tenure (a story for a different day) I do believe in doing what I can to keep my job! They can't deny me tenure because I had a baby but they can push back my tenure date if I stay out too long.
So anyway, we had a couple of options for daycare.
Yesterday I got the call from the director, WE GOT IN!!! I'm still pretty hesitant about putting my 6-8 week old infant in the care of anyone other than myself or my mom but we knew when we got pregnant that this was going to happen. We knew that we couldn't really afford for either of us to stop working and our young parents all still work. The next best option would be to find a center that really works for us and I think this is it! We go to sign paperwork and tour again on Tuesday. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted!
So anyway, we had a couple of options for daycare.
- A friend of the family sits for kids out of her house. Pros: Least expensive, someone we trust because we really know them. Cons: I love this woman but she's a liver and pancreas transplant survivor and because of that, gets sick and needs to go to the doctor quite often. I worry about her being able to take care of the baby regularly enough. We don't have a backup, one of us would have to call in if she couldn't take the baby and Bill doesn't have sick time, he doesn't get paid if he doesn't go in.
- A daycare center by my work. Pros: Highly recommended by several coworkers, close to work, clean and the staff seemed very competent. Cons: Most expensive option (both in weekly cost and we would have to pay for the summer even though I'd be home), long wait list, close to work but not home.
- A daycare center for employees of my school district. Pros: Recommended by my cousin who takes his kids there, clean and the staff seemed very competent, more inexpensive than option 2 (same weekly cost but because it's for school district employees it's not open when school is not so we only pay for the days we're in session), small - the director knows all of the children and parents by name, very close to our house and convenient for us, my parents, and Bill's mom if they ever needed to pick up the baby for us. Cons: Only take 8 infants a year, somewhat long wait list that only lets kids in at the beginning of the school year.
Yesterday I got the call from the director, WE GOT IN!!! I'm still pretty hesitant about putting my 6-8 week old infant in the care of anyone other than myself or my mom but we knew when we got pregnant that this was going to happen. We knew that we couldn't really afford for either of us to stop working and our young parents all still work. The next best option would be to find a center that really works for us and I think this is it! We go to sign paperwork and tour again on Tuesday. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Baby Bedding
As soon as I found out I was pregnant I began searching for the perfect baby bedding. I found a couple of sets on the Babies R Us website that I like but wasn't crazy about. I want something that is more pattern based and less cutesy baby but Bill want's something that "let's you know it's a baby room." I finally found a set that I'm totally in love with! Bill loves it too which is always a plus. I just want to buy it but I was told by many family members that I should not buy anything other than the furniture for the room because they need options for gifts (we won't tell them about the ERGO). I've been able to resist so far but hopefully I'll hear about a shower soon because this whole, not having a shower planned thing is making me very restless. I just want to buy stuff when I have coupons and it's on sale if there isn't going to be a shower (I know my family, there will be a shower, it just will be very late).
So anyway, here it is!
It's Nantucket by Bananafish.
Isn't the mobile adorable?!
So anyway, here it is!
It's Nantucket by Bananafish. 
Isn't the mobile adorable?!Now I just have to see how patient I am! I can keep myself under control for now but I have gift cards to Amazon from swagbucks burning a hole in my pocket and this set is available on there!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Ergo
I've heard amazing things about the Ergo brand of baby carriers, they're comfortable for mom and don't hurt the baby like some other brands have been known to do. The problem? They're pretty expensive, in my opinion. We haven't registered yet but I started a private wishlist on the Babies R Us website and had bookmarked a blue ERGObaby Sport. It was one of those things that I really would love to get but almost felt guilty registering for since everyone in my family has been perfectly happy with their Baby Bjorn which is a significant amount cheaper.
Luckily for me, I totally stalk www.babysteals.com for good deals and the steal of the day happens to be from Ergo! Babies R Us has the exact same carrier for $114.99. Me? I paid $57.75! I can't wait for it to be shipped to me!!! Watch out Gizmo, you are the perfect size for me to try out in the carrier!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
We're having a....
Boy!!! We went to the anatomy scan yesterday at 2:00 and the tech started right away. First she looked at my cervix and then showed us the baby's brain. She said she was going to work down from the top so I settled in to see my beautiful baby for a bit. She did lots of measurements and got a great shot of the four chambers of the heart. She did have to bop my belly a bit because our baby had his arm over his chest and was blocking the heart! Next she looked at the belly and the kidneys. Then she asked if we wanted to know the sex, after I said yes, I thought we'd go there next and got major butterflies! Bill grabbed my hand with his clammy one and we held our breath! Of course she then took measurements of the femur and showed us the feet kicking away (so cute!) then finally I saw the little horseshoe shape of the legs and bottom. At first I didn't see anything so I thought it was a girl, then it looked like something was there, then it disappeared and I had no clue! After a couple of attempts, she got a clear shot and said, "well that's a penis so it's a boy!" Bill did a small happy dance and I burst into tears!
After the scan, we met with the midwife in the practice and she told us that all of the measurements were perfect and talked to me a little about some questions I had (leg cramps at night, she told me to take a calcium supplement) and off we went!
We went and got an opaque bin, some blue balloons, and some I love Grandma and I love Grandpa bibs for our parents and spread the news!
We are so excited! Now we have to start talking about boy names!
Here's the best profile picture the tech was about to get:
After the scan, we met with the midwife in the practice and she told us that all of the measurements were perfect and talked to me a little about some questions I had (leg cramps at night, she told me to take a calcium supplement) and off we went!
We went and got an opaque bin, some blue balloons, and some I love Grandma and I love Grandpa bibs for our parents and spread the news!
We are so excited! Now we have to start talking about boy names!
Here's the best profile picture the tech was about to get:
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The Luckiest
I have to take a moment to brag about my husband. My husband is a guy's guy, through and through. He doesn't always think to do things just because they need to be done. A sink full of dishes can easily be ignored. I don't think he's cleaned the bathroom once since we've moved in together. That being said, he has turned into the most amazing husband and future father.
He decided that we need daily belly rubbing time (ok this creeps me out a little) so he can talk to our baby. I'm on pelvic rest so I'm not allowed to lift anything too heavy and he literally won't let me pick up anything heavier than a couple pounds. He took over cleaning the litter box as soon as I found out I was pregnant without even reminding him. He put away a whole bunch of Christmas presents while I napped today, and the only reason he didn't put them all away is because he didn't want to wake me up to put things away in the bedroom.
The kicker? He's voluntarily reading baby books. Anyone who has seen Knocked Up knows how important that is! We were laying in bed the other night and we each had a book, him: Hands Off My Belly, me: The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy. We stopped every now and then to read each other interesting parts.
He keeps telling me how beautiful I look, how much he loves me, and how excited he is for us to have our baby. I knew I married the right guy!
"And where was I before the day that I first saw your lovely face? Now I see it everyday and I know that I am, I am, I am the luckiest" - Ben Folds
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