Getting ready for the shower

I can't believe its happening so fast! It seems like just yesterday I was peeing on a stick and now its time for what...a baby shower? Crazy!

As I mentioned before, we have been truly blessed with our circle of friends and family who have passed along sooo much of what we need to prepare for our first foray into parenthood. I don't think we had any clue of the scope of things that these little ones need!

So, since there really is no Emily Post way to tell people what you still need, I figure spilling it all out on my blog where there is already a ton of inappropriate sharing is as good a place as any.

Here is our getting ready for "Peanut" and parenthood wish list:

The Goodnight Room:
This store is absolutely adorable and ended up being where we ordered our glider from. We still have half to go before we take it home and start to rock n roll with it into the wee hours. And yes, we bought one that was comfortable for dad too so he can be a part of the wonderful round the clock feedings. We expect this to be our one big purchase...that is...until she wants a car and college right ;-)

IKEA:
Ahhh....Ikea. Thank God for the over-crowded, over-stimulating, full of screaming children just like yours shopping experience! We struggled with our nursery furniture for months; finding the wrong sizes at the right price or perfectly sized but NOT perfectly priced changing table and wardrobe for our tiny, yet oddly shaped nursery. It almost became a joke between Willie and I until Ikea introduced their new 2010 nursery line and we found just what we were looking for. Now, if we could only pronounce it we would be set!

Dream Dinners:
Everyone tells us how hard it is to squeeze in time to shower in those first few weeks much less find the time and energy to cook a healthy meal. So we hope to stock up our chest freezer with some hearty, healthy, quick-fix meals that wont tax the brain and give us some leftovers. We have used Dream Dinners before and really enjoyed their meals and convenience.
The Sunnyside store is great and they issue gift certificates:
Phone (day) 503-558-8260 * Phone (evening) 503-558-8260
SunnysideVillageOR@dreamdinners.com
*We would also love your own home-made freezer-to-table contributions.

Tidee Didee diaper service:
We know everyone has an opinion on the cloth vs disposable diapers subject. We have polled our friends and family, talked with experts, know the inconveniences and the benefits and have made a decision to give it a whole hearted try. Now, does that mean we are never going to use disposables? Puh-leez! We know that we will find times when that is just a better option. But today's cloth diaper services are not your mommas old school cloth diapers...nope, now they have all sorts of new fangled bells and whistles! Velcro closures, extra absorption, different sizing, no rinsing, adorable little accessories, delivery and pick up and...a little less guilt. Plus, we know the owners and they are wonderful people.

Nursery Artwork:
We saw this on Etsy and fell in love even before we discovered it was the boyfriend of a friend of ours here in Portland. We love the whimsy of these paintings, the bright colors and pseudo circus animal theme. Plus, it makes us feel good that he's local and know who he is! We like Disco Inferno Chickens and Snail on Display.

NW Women's Fitness Club...or...losing the baby fat.
There comes a time in every new mom's life where she just needs to get out and spend a little time away from baby and take a deep breath. They say moms who take time out to take care of themselves are better moms and set good examples for their little ones. I want to be THAT mom! Plus, I have a few really great girlfriends that attend this gym, the atmosphere is safe and comfortable, close to home, not over-crowded and they offer some superb classes to shed that baby weight fast! Ummm....did I mention they also offer daycare?

Amazon.com
We don't own a camera. I know. I know.

Your favorite new-parent/baby necessity:
We know we are in for the learning curve of our lives! For those who have done this before, or know you have just the thing for us or our new bundle...I have no doubt we will thank you for it over and over and over!

Nursery Colors: *Turquoise * Orange * Lime Green * Dark Pink (Think rainbow sherbert)

So, there you have it. Emily Post be damned.

Again, thank you to everyone who has passed along to us tons of amazing baby gear. We are very blessed to have such great friends and family starting us off on the right path to parenthood.

The Smith Family.

Names

Now I realize that there are really only so many questions that you can ask a pregnant woman before you approach the dreaded territory...

1.) How far along are you ? or When are you due?
2.) Do you know what you are having?
3.) How do you feel?
4.) Can I touch your belly?
(And, yes, I appreciate your asking if you can touch my belly...and yes, you can. Unless you are creepy stranger, then, NO you cannot touch my belly.)

But then, it always comes down to..."Have you picked out a name yet?"

I thought this would be an easy question. Really, I did. But Willie and I have struggled with this probably more than anything. It has become a very daunting task and one we didnt realize would be so fraught with opinions. Both of us have rolled our eyes at each others suggestions, mulled over ideas, nixed several favorites off the list due to past associations or because celebrities and popularity are stupid or even because we looked up the meaning and just cant possibly name our child after "crooked nose" I mean really!

So, to answer your question. No. We have not chosen a name and we are not going to divulge our favorites but we are going to compile our list of favorites and let our little one make the decision for us when they come out.

Thank god for friends who are paving the way!

Our friends Anne and Pete who live in Tacoma had their baby Safra in early June. I cant tell you how great it is having friends run reconnaissance for us!

Anne has been a wonderful comfort and amazing resource for me.
Plus, she's damn smart, witty, pithy, sees the humor in things even when they are barreling down on her and is a REAL woman...and I LOVE that about her.
They are a great example to Willie and I that yes, we CAN do this and that you don't have to lose all the fun stuff that made you who you are up to this point when you have a baby.

She blogs too. You should read it. No. Really.

http://www.glossolaliac.typepad.com/glossolaliac/

6 pounds!

I just went in for another appointment last week and they did some measuring and some bloodwork. I also took that gawdawful diabetes screen. Blech! Ever had flat orange soda and been forced to drink it within 5 minutes.....ewwwwww!

My results came back this week looking pretty good. I still have that anti-M antibody floating around but they don't seem concerned so I'm not going to be. The diabetes screen also came back fine so that was reassuring.

What was not reassuring was the 6 pounds I had gained in just one month! My OBGYN said I was just fine but considering Ive gained 12 pounds overall this entire time, 6 in one month seems really extreme. It doesnt help that I am starting to feel as big as a house, my stomach is now residing somewhere right in-between my boobs, I have to get up to pee no less than 5 times a night and I get winded just walking up the stairs.

But its coupled with good stuff like: Being winded means that I can start slowing down and stop trying to be super woman, froglette finally started lots of hip-hip-hopping around and I can finally just let go and accept that I am not going to be able to see my hoo-hoo for a while so shaving down there just isnt that important. Our hospital birth tours and classes start very soon which makes it also feel just that much closer and I have been voraciously reading anything I can regarding child rearing and baby wrangling. PLUS, we finally decided what to do about the nursery furniture after 3 months of struggling with options and money freak outs. Now, I call that progress....
Here is my belly 07/04/09 vs 8/4/09





doesnt seem like 6 pounds huh!

That wierd moment...

...happened this weekend when Willie and I realized that we are no longer part of the younger generation.

Not in a bad way, just in a...hey look, 3 of our friends brought their new babies to the party tonight and 2 more are pregnant and another 2 are getting married this summer and pretty much everyone now owns a house...kind of way. And past conversations that used to include what wine was the best bottle under $5 bucks and what party the full bunny suit would make an appearance at this year and who was sleeping with who have now gone by the wayside in favor of child rearing tips, recommendations for roofers, and comments about how your basil grows so big!?

I think this all happened in the course of a year. I mean, it was only 2 years ago someone brought a live chicken in a box to the white elephant Xmas gift exchange right?

Its just so bizarre to think of us as part of that "other" sett that we used to view as so far off. Now its here and we are it. I mean, are we ready to be responsible parents? Do we have enough experience under our belts? Should we do more reading? Take another class?

Where is the manual and why don't I have a copy?

Okay okay, maybe Im just having a little internal freakout because I just turned 35 and the peanut has started kicking and punching my insides like Muhammed Ali as if to make sure to remind me that she's there and I better GET READY and Willie and I worked out where to put all the furniture in the nursery today (furniture we dont even have yet...) and are trying to figure out how in the hell we are going to afford the little bundle, not to mention how we take the time off to have her and bond with her and give us all a good start....

Well....its just weird.

Sooo. I think Ill go to bed and try not to think about it. Cause that's an adult thing to do. Right?