Work Shower, Hospital Tour, Latest US Pics - Oh My!

On Thursday 1/10/08 the ladies at the office threw us a baby shower. Both my old team and hubby's current team went together on one shower.

I'll be honest, I was so worried that my old teamates would have better things to do than come to a shower for us. I was kinda feeling like they would consider the baby and I to be "old news" since I no longer work there.

There was not only a great turnout, but also everyone was so excited to see how big I'd gotten since Thanksgiving. :) At one point people were actually forming a line to get a chance to talk to me. It felt so amazing to know that people really care about me and the baby. They really, really do. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it. Several people asked that I add them to our "call list" for the announcement email. They all want me to bring the baby to the office ASAP too. :) So sweet!

We got the most important 3 things - the car seat, a 2nd car seat base, and 2 Ultimate Crib Sheets (thanks S&S, so much!!).

If you haven't heard about that last item, listen up! The Ultimate Crib Sheet sheet snaps over top of your normal "cute" crib sheets.

According to my baby-wise friends, with the Ultimate Crib Sheet you simply pick up baby, change them, snaps off the UCS... Then you snap on another UCS... Job done, put that baby back to bed. Note: some people actually put 2 UCS on the bed, but the manufacturer does not recommend this - too much padding can be a SIDS risk.

Bonus - you can't see the UCS when you look at the crib from the side - so the crib stays cute, and so does that expensive cute sheet. The baby lays on the UCS, not the cute sheet, so you don't have to wash/fade the cute one.

So, after the 1st time you are awoken at 3 AM by a baby screaming because they are wet, their clothes are wet, the crib sheet is wet, the mattress pad is wet and you are cussing how tightly the mattress fits because you just.cannot.lift.it to put the new pad and sheet on - you will remember this post and thank me/my friends for coming to your rescue. :)

Commercial over, back to our regularly scheduled program...

Later Thursday night we went on the Gigantic Hospital Tour. Everything seemed to be nice and new - huge labor/delivery rooms - and lots of basic info about where to sign in, protocols for basic needs, and lots of reassurance that the baby will be with Mom/Dad as much or as little as we want. They can take care of everything we'll be needing, it seems.

HOWEVER, and there is always a however, there are lots of "rules" and "protocols" that are just standard policy. The answer to just about every question ends up being "all the hospitals do x and so do we x" or "that is our policy/protocol". Oh boy... Not a good way to get my confidence up... I don't like it when people do things just because that is how they've always done them. This is such a HUGE place though, that I imagine they have to have policies/procedures/rules for just about everything or nothing would get done.

So, I'll plan to argue and refuse alot... I'll also expect to provide LOTS of treats for the nurses... Nurses please feel free to suggest your favorite bribes, I mean treats, to recieve from ornery patients!!!! :)

OK, I'll shut up now - I know you are really here to see the star of our show!

I gotta say, I am in love with my baby's already fat cheeks! Everytime I look at our latest US pics I get all giggly excited. It is just so surreal - this little cutie is hanging out in my tummy, just waiting to make it's big entrance!



30 Wks 3 days, weight est at 4.2 lbs - Ooooh, look at those fat cheeks!!!!!

Just A Quick Upate...

Yep, still here, still pregnant, and still reading all of your blogs!!! However, I've not felt like commenting much so I hope you all will forgive me if I seem a bit distant.

Being laid off work and unable to find new work has left me feeling a little like I'm on bed rest. Nowhere to go, nothing to do, and I can't afford to do it even if I could think of something. :(

ANYWAY! On to more interesting news...

Last Thursday we had a GREAT ultrasound at the peri's office! He said things are going great, other than the fact that baby is very large for this stage. He's hoping the GD diet will help slow the baby's growth just a tad. The GD diet isn't so great, and I fell off the wagon for a few days over the weekend, so I'm not sure how happy he'll be when we visit next.

BTW - at both Dr's offices we've moved into the "visit every 2 weeks" stage! I never thought we would get to this point. It is so sureal...

Sunday we went to our first Childbirth Prep class (1 of 4). That was very interesting - mostly because I have never been around that many pregnant people at one time. It also struck me that HEY! I'm one of the pregnant people in the room!!! OMG! So weird, huh? Interesting, and yet a "duh" kind of moment too! We didn't really cover much true content, but we got to know each other a little better, which seemed to open up communication and ease everyone's tension a bit.

I just sent a note to our doula to setup our consultation for the birth plan. I'd like to do this soon, just in case the OB is right and we are a bit early. I'm also working on what the packing list needs to contain. You ladies are the best source of "real" advice on what to bring. So many of you have made it to the other side and blogged about what worked and what didn't. I love getting real advice - you just can't beat having knowledgeable girlfriends to ask!!!!

Tomorrow we will take part in 2 big events - 1) Former workplace baby shower and 2) Hospital Tour! Hubby still works at the company I was just laid off from, and they are giving us a co-ed dual shower. It will be great fun to see everyone again. I hope to have time to do some wandering and seeing people that don't come to the shower too.

The Hospital Tour is something I'm really, really looking forward to. I've been there 2 times to visit friends who delivered there, but I visited the postpartum rooms, not the delivery rooms. I hope to be happy with the place. I understand that it is a great place to give birth - very comfortable and large rooms, which is great for having visitors.

Well, that's all the news that is news for now... I'll try to check in soon with US pics from Thursday and an update on how tomorrow went.

Sweet and Scary....

Lots of very sweet and very scary changes have happened this week in our household!

We had a GREAT Perinatologist vist on the 26th - see the photos at the end of the post - the pictures are so clear that it is amazing.... The Peri was extremely happy with how the baby looked. Once again he measured him/her at a week ahead in growth. Can you say "Excstatic Parents"? I knew you could!

The OB's office gave me the Pre-Registration package for the hospital on Friday. OMG! That is the most scary piece of paper I have ever recieved! You would think I would have come to grips with the fact that we are going to have a baby, but it shocked me that we are that close. People are wanting to start getting ready, pre-registering, oh my.

The baby has started kicking me several times a day... It is so comforting to know that everything seems to be OK in its little world.

We painted the baby's room, it is gorgeous!!!!!! I love the color - even hubby is impressed with the results (he painted it). I'll try to remember to post some photos so you can see...

The crib was delivered on Thursday along with the new glider and ottomon.

I put the crib together - it looks AMAZING!!! I can't believe how sturdy it is! I would absolutely recommend this crib to anyone - http://www.bonavita-cribs.com/cri2003.html. We bought the Peyton crib.

I've been frustrated with the mattress search - who the hell knows which one is best for baby?!?! Ugh... The specialty store wanted $179 for their "highest quaility" mattress. I'm thinking NO Way am I paying $ 200 for a crib mattress. That's just silly to me. The average top-end mattress at Babies R Us and Target in Georgia is around $100.

So, I've been quizzing my friends about what they bought. Most said they are getting the Sealy Perfect Night... So, I went and bought one of these mattresses, which I brought home and put on.

Putting the mattress on let me put on the bumper pads - how totally cute!!! However, I do have to lengthen two of the ties - the crib's rails on the front are too large for the bumper to tie on properly. I'm good at sewing, so I'm comfortable that I can make them safe. If I find I can't then I won't use the pad.

My Mother's-side family decided on a date for our baby shower! Thanksgiving!!! That is just SOOOOOOOOO close!!! Two weeks!!!! OMG!!! I'll be 24 + weeks, I've received lots of emails and calls from family asking and talking about registries and how excited they are to be buying baby things. It is so sweet... I feel so terribly blessed. :)

So, lots of scary milestones and yet it is so sweet to be here after so much anguish and torment from IF. We feel truly blessed with each day that passes, with each kick, each morning that I wake up and realize we are one day closer to our lives being changed forever.

Here he/she is, in all his/her glory!!!

Couple of Important Pics...

Warining - US pic below...

It is just amazing to me that in 40 days so much can change...
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From this (0dp3dt):





















To this (7 wks 0 days):




















And within 7 more days to this (8 wks 0 days)!





















Is it just me, or is there a distinct Gummy Bear resemblance??