November 06 Mommies ~ The 2nd Trimester!!!

[Toonces]

Rubbersoul ~ Congrats on your little boy!!!

Like everyone else, I cannot believe how many boys are in this thread!!

mermccau ~ When I told my mom the names we were considering for our DD, she said, "Well, at least I have 9 months to change your mind. Those are God awful names!" :rolleyes: This time we're going to tell people after we've made our final decision. My mom is already throwing her ideas into the rink... needless to say, we won't be using any of those. :)

Sare ~ I'm so sorry about your experience!

Brio ~ I'm sorry to hear what you, your DD & your family are going through. You'll all be in my thoughts.

[lilo]

Wow, 6 boys in our thread so far? Amazing. Maybe next week will be all girls! :) I mentioned to my DH how everyone who has found out so far is having a boy and he said, "Can you imagine if every single person in your thread were to have a boy. How cool would that be!" :rolleyes: Uh, no. Some of us want girls!! Can you tell how much he wants a boy??!! Too funny.

Rubbersoul: Congrats on your BOY!

Sorry to hear about your stressful doctor's appointment Sare. The doctor and tech should've definitely been more courteous and gentle.

mermccau: Connor is a great name! I'm so surprised you had negative comments. And the middle name is so unique. My mother is highly opinionated as well, which is one big reason why I refuse to divulge the name until after the baby is born. No matter what name we come up with, she will have something to say about it.

Strollers: I think we'll be getting the Infinity. We might also get a jogger stroller but I don’t know if I’d use it enough since I’m not really a ‘runner’ outside of running on the treadmill. Knowing myself, I will end up with several strollers within the first year because like someone else said, there is no 'one' perfect stroller and I like choices. :D

[Lydia]

Beth, we have a Colin and a Connor in our little knitting group...I love both names

Double stroller-just bought the Graco DuoGlider LXI from www.babycatalog.com. Can't believe how fast the shipping was and it was FREE!

Names-we kept it a secret last time and are doing the same this time.

[Sare79]

Thank you so much Kadee_29, CityGirl, mermccau, Lilla, katnbug, roberta, RubberSoul, nic, Rancid 13, neenbean, catgirl1007, lilo, and especially Lizzie Beth. Your support was a very nice thing to see when I was feeling down.
I can't believe all the Boys in here! I think it will be about a week before we find out the gender from the genetics clinic, so I started a gender poll in my journal, if you would like to vote.

[kadee_29]

So, who is getting an u/s next week? Where are all the GIRLS?

Kyrsten is up first on the 12th I know there are others next week but can't remember who.

ETA ~ Here is a list of u/s's from Monday to Saturday.
12~Kyrsten
14~Ilovemygeek
16~ellidew
17~katnbug

Hopefully there are some girls in there. :)

[November06Mommies]

Thread updated to here.

[katnbug]

Lydia- I had to check out the DuoGlider LXI on that website. It looks nicer than the DuoGliders I've seen. It must be the top model? The seats actually look to both be a good size. I always thought the front DuoGlider seat was so small. But it still says only good up to 40lbs. DS is about 33lbs at 20 months. I want something we can use for a while. Maybe I'll try to find a floor model at BRU to look closer at. :) Thanks for posting that site.

[kadee_29]

Lydia ~ Is there a difference in the LXI's that they show?? I have been looking at the regular ones at BRU but the LXI looks so much nicer. DH is going to look at it when he gets home since its only about $20 more than the one we were looking at.

[mermccau]

We had free time yesterday so we started our registry at BRU. How overwhelming! The store and the people were great but we had no idea what to pick out. My husband would ask me questions about stuff and I was as clueless as him!

We made a dent and I will have to add to it online or in the store another time. We tried to get the big things done and I am wondering if my choices will change over time.

So, I can address the stroller question:

We were so confused and there were so many patterns that we ruled out right away, such as pinks and flowers and such.

We could not decide on whether to get a car seat that can be used for toddlers or to get the stroller with infant seat that everyone can snap into their cars. We decided to do the stroller/infant seat for now since we need it for the hospital and there will be about 4 cars transporting this kid around. We can worry about the bigger car seat later. We are also going to get a cheapy umbrella stroller.

We unfortunately picked one of the more expensive models on feel and color and such, which I am not entirely happy about. We picked this. My husband loves it. He was so cute pushing the strollers around the store, checking them out, and making me laugh.

Cortina Travel System - Sahara
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009KBU2I.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


Question: Can we order strollers in different fabrics? That may be a silly question but so many were so girly and not for boys at all, which made our choices limited.

We should share what we register for or let each other know if we see a great product. I know it would help me out! :D


I am going to post this and then catch up with another.

[scarlett74]

Hi girls!
I have my u/s friday 16th also... I hope to have a confirm on the sex: it seemed a BOY, let's see if it will be like that or if she was a joking girl... ;)
A friend of mine said that a baby was a boy for the u/s than they discovered it should be the finger and not the ..., so now there's girl around the house, in an all blue crib! :D

[RubberSoul]

Whew! What a weekend so far! I feel like I have spent a ton of money. We ordered the crib and dresser.

We ordered the Baby's Dream Infinty crib in Amber:

http://www.babysdream.com/img_product/INCRPNCN_L.jpg

And a Rumble Tuff dresser in Cognac - It's the one on the far right, but we didn't get the hutch.

http://www.rumbletuff.com/assets/images/7700AW.jpg

I am a little concerned that the colors are not going to match up when the pieces come in. In the store the Baby's Dream line did not have actual wood chip samples with the stain just a picture representation of the stain. The Rumble Tuff did have an actual wood chip so I just eyed and went for it. If they don't match...oh well.

I also went to Mimi Maternity to get some more clothes because I have about 5 things that fit me now and I got sick of wearing the same thing. The clothes in there are a little on the pricey side. I liked the styles much better than Motherhood though. I can't find any cute maternity tops to save my life though. Most of the ones I like are empire waisted with limited boob space. There is just no way I could wear them. I have just decided to buy regular shirts in larger sizes :rolleyes:.

Today I decided to get new tires put on the truck and that led to the domino effect of things wrong with your vehicle :eek:. You know, go in for one thing and find out it is just one of many things that need to be fixed. Turns out I need new struts, brakes, rotors, and shocks. My husband is an aircraft mechanic and he did agree that I did in fact need all those things done. Luckily DH is able to do some of this work himself and save us some $$$.

mermccau- I really like the stroller you picked. This may be a dumb question, but does the infant seat snap into the stoller somehow? When I look at the picture I just don't see how it fits in there if it does. A travel system means the infant seat fits in the stroller, right? I am clueless when it comes to strollers. I haven't even begun to tackle that yet.

[mimieliza]

Brio - I'm so sorry about your DD. I hope everything turns out okay. I can't imagine how worried you must be. :(

Rubbersoul - That's a very nice crib. That's the one DH and I were close to choosing, but we decided we wanted a drop-side crib instead.

I started my registries online - I think we're going with Target and REI (I know, very odd). REI has all the accessories for our BOB stroller, and they have very nice backpacks for carrying baby on hikes. When they start carrying winter stuff, we'll also add a polar fleece bunting or suit to the list as well. PM me if you're interested in what's on my registry - I don't want to put the link out here in public since the registry has our full names.

Where are all the girls? I hope I can add a girl to our roster (well, a boy would be great, too!), but I'll probably be the last one to have an u/s at this point - I have to wait until mid-July.

Names - DH has decided he doesn't like Ivan anymore, so we're back to the drawing board. We're considering Henry or Ethan. We're also debating middlenames - it will be a Japanese name. DH likes Masayoshi - that's his father's middle name.

For a girl, we're also reconsidering Maya. We may go with Madeline Kimie instead - Kimie is DH's grandmother's name (pronounced kim-EE-ay).

My mom has given us feedback on names that is at times bit harsh. For instance, we are strongly considering James, nn Jamie. My mom acted like we suggested naming him Bezelbub or something. She then made suggestions that are very much not my style - trendy names like Jaylin or Austyn.

Nursery -
DH and I bought the nursery bedding this weekend so we can match the paint to it. We got this:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000CPIY5Q.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS384_.jpg
Except no bumper and no quilt (we got the fleece blanket and we'll use a breathable mesh bumper).

We also got these curtain panels:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000BR3TTQ.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS384_.jpg

We'll do the walls in a light khaki/taupe and then add lots of colorful accents. My mom is going to paint all sorts of jungle animals on canvasses to hang around the room.

[acrane]

Just reposting because I think this was missed before:

My next regular appointment is 7/5/06 and the "big" ultrasound is 7/10/06.

Thanks!

[katnbug]

Rubbersoul- I love the furniture you picked. :)
I know you asked mermccau, but I'll answer about the "travel system"... YES, the infant carrier does snap into the stroller. Very convenient because you don't ever have to wake your sleeping baby by moving him/her from car to stroller or reverse. The car seat snaps backwards (facing you) like this:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002IK4H4.01.PT02._SS400_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

mimieliza- Love that bedding! Where is it from? You won't miss the quilt. I got one for DS and it's never been used. I thought of hanging it as a "wall hanging", but didn't have a good space to put it in his room.

scarlet- Yikes! I don't like to hear stories like your friends!!! I need the dr. to be ABSOLUTELY 100% sure or I'll worry the whole time. :eek:

[kadee_29]

I updated stats.

acrane ~ I apologize for missing it before. I do have it in now though. :)

[Sare79]

We've made a few decisions about the big stuff...

Stroller(Graco Quatro Tour in Oakwood):
http://www.gracobaby.com/assets/images/product/7419OWD2_z.jpg

The stroller I really liked was the one in teal and chocolate brown (Aqua Bay) by Graco, but when we asked at Toys R Us yesterday to see if they could special order it, we found out that the car seat is not up to code in Canada. Apparently our standards are a bit different, so I was glad to find that out.

Crib (Ellis 4 in 1 convertible crib in Natural):
http://www.toysrus.ca/TRUCA/images/common/prod/E619F06D_1d.jpg

We're contemplating whether we should go with the matching dresser or one from ikea. Here is the matching dresser in a darker finish:
http://www.toysrus.ca/TRUCA/images/common/prod/087E145B_1d.jpg

We're also getting a pale beige microfiber glider from Dutalier and matching ottoman.

[acrane]

kadee - no problem at all! I wish I was finding out sooner, but the earliest I could get an appointment at the center my doctor sends patients to for the big ultrasound was 7/10.

For those of you considering convertible style cribs (they change from a crib to toddler bed to twin/full bed), I just wanted to say we have one for our son and it has been great. He is in the toddler bed now and we thought about passing all his current furniture down to the baby, but I think we'll let him keep it. We picked out a set we hoped would grow with him, and it really has. The color is prettier in person (the wood is golden pine) and I'm really glad what we picked out in 2003 we still like today! :) It is the Heirloom Pine series from Child Craft.
ETA: This is a picture from Child Craft's website:
http://www.childcraftindustries.com/pictures/HeirloomPine.jpg

[kadee_29]

Question ~ Is anyone else having problems coming up with a name?? I used the excel sheet that someone posted in the pg forum and both DH and I went through the list saying which ones we like and which ones we don't. Let's seriously hope this baby is a girl because out of all the boys names there is ONE that we both like. :rolleyes:

[civats]

Hello, everyone. I am still around. I have been by to read up on everyone, but I haven't had a great deal of time to post.

First off, my ultrasound is Friday, June 30. I will not have any exciting news to report, since we aren't finding out the gender. With my travel schedule and doctor's availability, this was the earliest appt. I could get. I am still traveling a lot, but things should calm down in July.

Cribs - We went to a couple of stores that specialize in nursery furniture, but we didn't see anything we loved. There were a few we liked, but they sharp edges. Now I know it will be a long time before the our child is old enough to walk into the crib, but we would really prefer softer edges. The cribs we liked didn't have hidden hardware and I think the cribs with hidden hardware look much better than the ones with screws and bolts showing IMO. I will keep looking. I hope to find something soon since the stores said it take 10-14 weeks for the cribs to arrive.

Strollers & Car seats - I 'm clueless. I do know I would prefer a stroller with a simple design that can be collapsed with one hand. I haven't started any research yet.

Childbirth classes - We are signed up for a class starting October 3. I heard they fill up pretty quickly, so I went ahead and scheduled it. Have any of you started scheduling your classes, if so, how close to your due date?

Is it just me, or is the decision-making about baby gear overwhelming? I feel like I am going to have an anxiety attack just thinking about all the stuff I have to learn before November!

[mimieliza]

katnbug - The bedding is an Amy Coe line from Target. The greens are brighter IRL. The quilt was a duvet with a cover, so it wasn't even something I could consider hanging on the wall. I'll going to drape the fleece blanket over the back of our rocking chair.

Sare - I saw that travel system at BRU awhile back. I love the colors in it. I really like blue and brown together.

Childbirth classes - Yes, I signed up for one that starts Spet. 6 and goes for five weeks. We'll finish just over a month before my due date, which sounded like good timing to me.

[Lilla]

What a weekend! We got our Target registry pretty much done and yesterday we rounded out our BRU registry, so we're probably 80% done. We'll make some additions/adjustments as time goes on and once we find out the gender.

Just thought I'd add a couple things that we did decide on getting:


The Peg Perego P3 stroller

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000BN4EMG.01._SS400_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


The Graco SafeSeat (fits into the P3)

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000BDBBKY.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg


Pack n Play

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000BMJ1CA.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS384_.jpg



I also ordered my Dutailier glider today. I got the Cognac wood finish with the beige microfiber fabric. And the matching nursing ottoman.

[Calla Lilly]

Hi,

I haven't had a chance to go back through the whole thread...can't believe it is already Sunday afternoon!

RubberSoul-I like your furniture choices....our dresser/crib choices are narrowed down between AP and Rumble Tuff. The Baby USA store near us is having a sale Saturday (different then the Once a Trimester Sale), so we plan on making our final decision then. We were really impressed with the quality of either company, but I think we will go with the AP because it comes in a weathered white, which goes with our beachy theme a bit better.

mimieliza- I like your bedding choices! Not certain what you registered for at REI, but they have the REI Outlet which has the Kelty backpacks at a discounted price. I have been thinking about getting one for my husband.

We did get the toddler quilt. Mainly because we plan on using a toddler bed, and the toddler quilt was on sale. I figure once the kid is out of the toddler bed, then we will redo the room.

kadee- I am impressed that you put together a spreadsheet for the names, I am way to unorganized to do that. I think we are fairly comfortable with names...but they might change when we know the sex...Jonathan Lee (after my dad, brother, husband, fil) and Lillian Grace (i.e. Lily) after my husband's grandmother.

civats- yes, figuring out all of this stuff is very overwhelming!

Strollers-- As far as I know, there isn't a single stroller that meets all of our needs. We walk a decent amount, with crappy sidewalks...so I really wanted something with decent air tires...however, those strollers are all pretty big and not suitable for indoor things...plus a lot of the strollers I am interested in have to be purchased sight unseen. For outside we had a tough time deciding between a Valco stroller and a Zooper Boogie. The 2005 versions are on sale right now, so we decided to go ahead and buy the Zooper Boogie. What we liked about it, was the seat is reversible, so the baby can face us when we go for walks...it fully reclines, comes with a footmuff, UV mesh screen and rain cover. The handle bars adjust, the back part also unzips so there is a mesh cover to let air flow through the stroller. I also believe it has adjustable footrest for the baby. It isn't a great stroller for running because the tires are 12 inches (instead of 16 inches), but the front wheel does fix...so if I wanted to run a couple of miles it should be fine. We haven't seen it in person, but generally it gets good reviews...the main bad things about it is the weight (31 lbs for the 2005 version) and it doesn't fold easily. Since we are getting a stroller to be used while we are out, we weren't concered about that. Also, we don't plan on putting the infant seat in the stroller..but we could if we chose. Anyway, I don't expect anyone got through our reasoning, but I thought I would share how we came up with what we did.

For inside it is between the Zooper Hula (depending on how much we liked the above), Zippy or Peg Pergo P3. Eventually, we will also get an umbrella stroller, and right now the Silver Cross V2 is the front runner.

Car Seats- Most likely we will go with the Snugride and the Britax Marathon.

Highchairs- Is our current thing...I want one that is easy to clean, multiple trays, and where the high chair has different heights (so I can sit down and feed the kid)....

[mermccau]

brio – hahaha, thanks for the Connor support :D I am sorry to hear about your DD! I hope the dr has some good answers for you and that these seizures are short lived. How stressful!

rubbersoul – Congratulations!!! Let the boy obsession begin. Personally, since I found out I was having a boy, I cannot stop thinking about him. :) I am glad that you have become more relaxed regarding the Down’s. I have a feeling you will be one of those people who can sympathize with the false positives of other expecting mothers because you will have a healthy baby. I like your crib choice quite a bit. I find it hard to find a “masculine” crib. Your stroller question is not dumb. The picture is a bit deceiving. Yes, the seat snaps into the stroller. That was one of the things my husband liked about it. It snaps in instead of just fitting in like other travel strollers.

lizzie beth – you are so right that everyone deals with unnecessary opinions. It seems silly now that I was so upset. I guess my hormones reared their head on that day :D

rancid – you are so right! Good point. I guess we are picking a name that we think will make our son happy :) You have a great attitude. I must have been emotional on that day because your rational post really put it in perspective.

neenbean – I love how a total stranger feels it appropriate to give their opinion. Jeesh!

catgirl – Hahaha, oh my lord, I would freak if my mom said that. I would seriously snap back at her. You are more patient than me.

lilo – I think my mom thought the middle name was weird but she has always been one of those people who are overly concerned about what other people think. My sister works at a preschool and made the Connor association with all the little boys named Connor that she has come across. I guess the association is not good.

mimieliza – REI?? That is a great place to register! I am wondering whether I should mention that to my husband. I love the bedding.

sare – I like your choices!

[kadee_29]

Calla Lily ~ Oh I didn't do the spreadsheet. I am not organized or talented enough to even think of something like that. MrsHill made it and posted in over on the pg forum. Here is the link if anyone wants it. http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=20470 But be warned it is LONG and took me a while to actually go through it all.

brio ~ I don't know how on earth I missed what was happening with your dd. I just went back and reread your post. I hope everything is ok and your dr gives you some good news.

[ellidew]

Fly by post since i don't have time to really read until i get to work but i have a Question: Should i call my regular doctor or my ob if i have a medical issue? My right eye lid is completely swollen!! This happened twice pre pregnancy. Once it wasn't too bad but the other time it was so horrible it got to the point that i couldn't even hold the eyelid open! I'm worried it may come to that again. I know it's not pregnancy related since it happened pre pg but i want to make sure that if i'm given something it's pg safe. (Not that i don't trust my pcp but i just think my ob may be more up to date on what is and isn't safe. Both previous times i was given a steroid shot to reduce the swelling and hydrocortisone pills and once i was given a hydrocortisone shot. So, who should i call?

[mermccau]

ellidew - It seems that you would be more comfortable calling your OB so it seems like a good idea to start there. :)

[kadee_29]

I normally call my regular dr for things not pg'cy related. They are pretty good about knowing what I can and can't have but they delivered babies up until 2004. Since they know you are pg they should know what meds they can and can't give you.

[mayham]

How did I get so behind on this thread???

brio - I hope everything turns out okay with your DD! Sorry she has to go through this.

RubberSoul - Congrats on your BOY!!!

I still have to wait 2 weeks to find out the gender... I think finding out will make it much more real for me! My u/s appointment is 6/27.

Emergency Room Visit - so I had an unintentionally eventful weekend and landed in the ER this weekend. After lunch I felt a little odd, and thought it was just indigestion. Then I noticed I was having a hard time breathing. Long story short, I finally called my dr. (regular one, I didn't have my OB's # on me at the time... but I should!) and she said to go to the ER. After waiting forever, a doctor finally saw me and thought I was having Refulx/Esophagitis problems, where my abdomen is pushing up and causing more acid in my esophagus, and giving my lungs less room to expand. Don't quote me on all of that, but I think that was the gist. I was getting 100% oxygen, so it was good it wasn't affecting the baby at all, just making me really uncomfortable. On the way home I did indeed start to taste acid coming up my throat... gross! I got a prescription for Zantac, which did help. I went to bed feeling crappy still, but woke up and was able to breathe just fine. Off to call my OB to see what she says...

[Lilla]

Calla For a highchair, check out the Chicco Polly. It has 7 height adjustments and also comes with two dishwasher safe trays. Also gets a good review from Baby Bargains. DH and I played around with it at BRU this weekend, and I quite like it!

ellidew Sorry to hear about the swelling! I'd just put in a quick call to your OB's office to see if they can help you or if they recommend calling your regular doc.

[Calla Lilly]

ellidew- by any chance are you wearing contacts? if so, are you using that contact lense solution that was recalled? my friend had similar problems with her eye swelling shut, and thought it had to do with the solution she was using. not certain if that really caused the swelling, but thought i would throw it out there.

lilla, thanks! that was actually our top runner at babies r us...but i didn't write down the name, and then when i went to baby usa...i didn't know if the polly one was adjustable. i liked that the tray was easy to put on and off the high chair...

[kadee_29]

Good Luck today Kyrsten!!!

[katnbug]

kaydee- We are also having a heck of a time figuring out a boy name. We'll both like something and then a week later I'm usually the one who says "I don't really like that anymore!" It stinks because we were so set on our first son's name before we knew he was a he. We started calling him by his name as soon as we had the big u/s. I looked at that spreadsheet the other day too, trying to get some ideas.... nothing.
On the other hand - if we have a girl, we're set on her name. :)

mayham- Yikes! I'm glad that they figured out what was wrong. The acid taste can't be good though. :(

ellidew- I hope your eye gets better soon. :)

childbirth classes- Being an RO I'm not signing up for them again... except the infant CPR class. First time around we started our classes about 2 months before the due date. We made it through the standard "child preparedness" class which we took first. We weren't so lucky with our other classes... DS was 2 weeks early (and I was put on bedrest 2 weeks prior to that) & we missed the final Lamaze class, the breastfeeding class and our CPR class (both of which were one day classes). We always meant to reschedule the CPR class but didn't. I want to take it before this baby. The hospital has a "sibling" class, but it looks to be for kids older than DS will be.
Lesson to be learned: There's no harm in taking the classes early!!!

[ellidew]

Thanks ladies. I haven't called anyone yet. For several reasons. 1.) work has kept me SUPER busy since i walked in the door this morning. I'm hoping things start to slow down today and 2.) I rubbed hydrocortisone cream on my eyelids and the swelling went down a little but not all the way. I'm not 100% sure that hydrocortisone cream on the eyelids is safe but i know it's safe to use while pg since i had that horrible itching problem at the beginning of my pg. I'm going to try to hold out today and hope the swelling goes down tonight. I'm not sure what causes this. The doctor at the ER the first time i couldn't hold my eye open said it was an allergic reaction but that's a pretty broad answer. I am trying to avoid having to get a steroid shot or something like that. The only thing keeping me sane is that everything i've read about psoriasis, eczema, and other (auto-immune) skin conditions does not effect the baby. My best guess is that this is tied to one of those things since they administer a steroid shot when it happens and i also get a flare up of psoriasis/eczema on my hands when my eye swells up. I honestly didn't have time to type all of that this morning or think things through. Thanks for weighing in on it and for the well wishes! I've decided that if i have to call i'll call the ob and tell them it's happened before and what they've done for it and see if that's safe. If so, i'll call my pcp and take care of it. I'm due for a monthly injection of vitamin b this week anyway. Gosh, when i write all of that down i sound like a mess! My life isn't usually this complicated ;)

childbirth classes- Yup, i set up this class starting during 26 weeks and ending during 31 weeks. The next class they offered didn't end until after our due date! lol. this was the best option obviously. It's a Lamaze, Childcare, Epidural class all rolled into one. I'm really looking forward to it!

Calla Lilly- Nope, no contacts. I had perfect vision up until pregnancy. lol. I'm hoping i get it back post partum!

No time for SO's right now but from the looks of it there was a lot of shopping going on this weekend! Dh and i hit BRU too. We picked out a pack n play :)

They don't list the price online but in the store it is only $89.99. We didn't want to spend a fortune and we fell in love with this one! It was such an easy decision i was utterly impressed!
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009XC01U.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

This is the bouncy seat we picked out. My sister bought it around Christmas time and it's so awesome. It's brightly colored and has a fishy/ocean theme. It plays reggae music!!!
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0009SPSIC.01._SS400_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I can't wait to register. Dh wants to wait until July so there isn't such a gap between the time we register and our shower but i'm ready to go as soon as we know the gender! lol. I might convince him to do it this saturday, we'll see. He did tell me i could buy an outfit for the baby once we know what it is. I have an itch for something gender related!!

[Lilla]

childbirth classes Yep, I'm registered for a class that starts at the end of August - I'll be 29 weeks. It's a 6 week class. We'll also take a child CPR class in October.

ellidew You'll have such a good time registering! I can't believe what a ball DH and I had. Go ahead and go this Saturday - you'll feel better knowing it's done anyway. ;)

[Rancid13]

mermccau~I love that stroller you posted! I was thinking along the same lines, getting something not pink & flowery, and I really like the look and style of that stroller. DH and I still need to think about visiting BRU and also getting a registry started in the next month or so.

Where are all the girls? I know, I'm thinking the same thing! I'm hoping I can add a girl to the list in a week or 2 when I get my u/s. I need to call this week to schedule one, per my ob. I had a dream last night that I had my u/s and it was apparent immediately that our baby was a girl. Here's hoping that dreams do come true!! :)

Strollers & carseats~ Totally clueless! I think my mom said my brother has an infant carseat that we can have~I'll have to check out the condition of it first though. She said it looks brand new, they only used it for a few weeks for their little one. I think I would like a carseat that snaps into a stroller, it sounds like a great idea!

Childbirth classes~I'm going to hold off signing up for any until we've done our hospital orientation & tea, which is coming up in 3 weeks. Our hospital has a women's center where they hold the classes and I'd like to check it out and find out dates/times of classes since they don't have that info online and their call-in hotline is always busy. They have a prepared childbirth series of classes, a cesarean class, a baby care basics class, a babysaver class (CPR), a breastfeeding class, a breastfeeding clinic (for after the birth). I'd like to check out several of them. :)

mayham~ OMG, so sorry to hear about your visit to the e-room! Glad to hear your condition was diagnosed and the doc was able to give you something to help with the acid reflux.

[Esq.]

I haven't caught up yet but...

Where is my prize? ;)

[Esq.]

come on...isn't anyone going to ask what I get prize for?

[nic]

Krysten-I know, I know but I don't want to say before you do!!!!

Now come back here and post, will ya!

[Esq.]

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!

[ellidew]

Dang it Kyrsten... now i have to figure out why you get a prize! You couldn't just come out and say it could ya? ;)

[nic]

I knew it!!!!!

Congratulations Kyrsten

I'm so excited for you, maybe this really will be girl week.


ellidew, last week I posted that the first member to post back that they were expecting a girl should win a prize for finally bringing some pink into our group

[ellidew]

Hey, thanks for cross posting... you saved me from a treasure hunt. lol.

CONGRATS ON YOUR GIRL!!!

Girl week is off to a roaring start! LOL.

I was looking at girls clothes this weekend with dh and i was saying... 'please be a girl, please be a girl.' I don't really care but the clothes are so gosh darn adorable!

[RubberSoul]

mimieliza- I like your name choices! I have always loved the name Ethan in particular. I like the bedding you picked out too, very cute. I really like the green in it.

katnbug- thanks for the info on the stroller. That picture helps a lot. When I see them without the carseat on them, it always makes me scratch my head and wonder how the carseat fits on it.

acrane- good to know that the convertible style cribs are practical. The one I ordered converts to a toddler bed/full size bed. One of the things I considered when picking it out was would a young boy like the way it looked as a bed. I tried to pick something that looked more boyish to me even though I liked other cribs better :).

kadee- I have had a boy name picked out for quite some time. When I got pregnant I decided to look at a name book just to see if there was something else out there I liked better now. Turns out I ended up back at the name I picked out about 2 years ago :rolleyes:. Now if we were having a girl - we would be in trouble. DH and I can't agree on girl names - good thing we don't have to right now :).

civats- good to see you are still around! I agree that the baby gear decisions are very overwhelming. I am trying to focus on one piece at a time and go from there. However at the rate I am going trying to decide on things the baby is going to be here before I can pick a stroller and car seat :eek:.

Lilla- I have narrowed down my stroller choice to the P3 and the Inglesina Zippy. Did you consider the Zippy? Just curious what it was about the P3 that made you pick it over any others you were considering.

mermccau- I agree it is hard to find a masculine crib. I actually liked a couple of the Munire cribs better, but they seemed more girly to me in the long run. I could see our son getting older and not liking his bed if the headboard was really ornate and detailed, kwim? That was why I went with the Baby's Dream Infinity. It seemed more conservative and looked like it would work well as our son got older. Doesn't hurt that it was much less expensive than the Munire cribs too :). We also got it on sale at USA Baby.

ellidew- I hope your eye gets better quickly!

mayham- Sorry to hear about your trip to the ER. I hope you are feeling better today!

Kyrsten- CONGRATULATIONS on your GIRL!!!!!

childbirth classes- I signed up for those about a month ago. We have to sign up early because the classes at our hospital fill up quickly. We are taking a weekend intensive course due to DH's traveling for work. Ours is Sept. 23rd and 24th.

Furniture- After I mentioned here that I was concerned about the colors not matching for the crib and dresser I made the mistake of looking at the Baby's Dream website. I know colors on the monitor aren't very true to life, but the Amber on the website was nowhere near the color we saw in store. So, I panicked and decided to change the color of the crib to cherry. So, we then had to change the color of the Rumble Tuff dresser to match the crib better. I had to go with what the people in the store thought would match the best since I can't compare the actual stains. I just hope they have steered me in the right direction.

Glider Question- I have seen a few people mention ordering a glider with microfiber cushions. What is the advantage of the microfiber? I know nothing about fabric.

Names- DH and I have decided on a name. We aren't telling anyone IRL, but I have to share here to tell someone! I actually picked out this name a couple years ago and came back to it after contemplating a few others. We will be naming our son - Ian Alexander.

[Esq.]

We got a ton of pictures, and I am going to post them ALL! Hate me if you will, but I MUST post them :)

http://static.flickr.com/66/165804844_d2024e0306.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/68/165804781_e9d5332bb5.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/47/165804693_0964693ae6.jpg?v=0

[Rancid13]

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!


Congratulations!!!! :D Yay, our first girl! Right after I posted, I had to go around the office and do some work stuff otherwise I would've asked you right away what the prize was for. You get it for sure!! :D :D

Edited to add:

Those u/s pictures are awesome!! I LOVE the ones where you can see the leg and the hand, they are AMAZING!!! :D Congrats again!

ellidew~ I find myself saying "Please be a girl, please be a girl" on what seems to be a daily basis. I'm horrible, and also say out loud "Please don't be a boy". Now what will I do if it's a boy?! I hope it's not...

[Lilla]

Congrats on your GIRL Kyrsten!! Girl week has officially started! **patiently waiting until freaking June 30 for my u/s!**

RubberSoul The P3 and Zippy are pretty comparable, but for us, it really came down to little things. DH is a bit taller than me, so the adjustable height on the handles of the P3 make a big difference (the Zippy handles don't adjust). Also, when DH would walk with the Zippy, he kept kicking the back of the wheels if he took a longer stride. He didn't have that problem with the P3. Good luck with your decision! Also, re: the microfiber fabric....supposedly microfiber is easy to clean. But honestly, I just liked the look of the microfiber better than the other fabric that was offered.

[Sare79]

Congratulations Kyrsten!!!!

[lilo]

Congratulations on your GIRL Kyrsten!! Great u/s pictures!

Wow, I am impressed that some of you have already started your registry and bought nursery furniture!

Furniture: I have some ideas on what I want but it will depend on the baby's gender so we'll wait until we find out. If it's a girl, I will probably get a super cute white crib and if it's a boy, I'd like to get something in the cherry or cognac color.

childbirth classes: Yet another thing I've been procrastinating about. I keep meaning to sign up but I keep putting it off or just forget since work is so busy these days. We will take the intensive weekend class so that it's done pretty quickly. Honestly, I'm not really looking forward to it but I'm sure it will be beneficial in the long run. I definitely want to sign up for the infant CPR though. I think that's extremely important and will probably have my parents take it as well since they will (hopefully) be babysitting quite a bit. As for the breastfeeding class, I've read in some other threads that you can rent a video (from where, I have no idea) and it's just as beneficial so that's what I'll do. I figure that if I have problems after giving birth, I will likely use a LC anyway. From what I've heard from my other friends who have babies, some of the LC make house calls.

RubberSoul: Ian Alexander is a great name. It flows really nicely. :)

[Sinclair319]

Congrats Krysten!!! I love all the u/s picts--doesn't it make it so much more real?! Do you have a name picked out yet?


I ordered this crib from sears.com (they agreed to match target.com's price and shipping was a little cheaper). They said it would be delivered in 5-8 days--it's been 3 freaking weeks since I've ordered it and I still don't have it! I've made 4 phone calls to their 'customer service' :rolleyes: line and they still don't know what's going on. Of course they've charged me for it. I'd cancel the order, but Baby Bargains has it rated very high.
Child Craft Life Time Crib
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000BLL3G8.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg

MIL got us this travel system before we knew the sex. We have it put together and in our dining room, obviously haven't used it yet, but it had really high reviews on target.com's website.
Graco Willow Travel System--watch Target's site for free shipping
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000BHN8L0.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg

I'm starting to work on my registry list now--I know we have awhile (my first shower is Aug 13th) but it beats working! ;)

[nic]

Furniture We've looked a little so far but we haven't found anything definate. The Child Craft line got good review in Baby Bargain and they don't seem super expensive so we've got to find a local store that carries that line.

Stroller, I'm pretty sure we've going with the P3as well, although I'm not sure which color we'll go with yet.

Childbirth class , we're undecided about class, we might not even take one. Is that awful? I've had friends say alot of the infor isn't that helpful. If we decide to fore go the class we'll buy some books to help us prepare.

Are you getting anything for DH for Father's Day? I got Dh a couple of onesies with cute sayings from Cafepress.com and I might get him a grill utensil set.

Rubbersoul- I love the name

Sare, how are you doing? Have you heard anything about your amnio?

Kyrsten, great pictures of your little one!

[ellidew]

Are you getting anything for DH for Father's Day? We're finding out the gender on Friday so i was going to pick up something gender related for dh. Like a bib that says 'daddy's little princess' or 'i love my daddy' in blue or something along those lines. I'm not sure what i'll be able to find the Friday before Fathers Day.

[katnbug]

Congratulations on your GIRL Kyrsten!
Great pics too!

Rubbersoul- I love your son's name!

Fathers Day- I think DH will be getting grill accessories as well. Definitely something cooking related.. he's a cooking fanatic & I'm not complaining! ;)
I don't know what I'll get him from DS... I didn't get anything except a card from DS. :( And DH had me pick out my own Mothers Day gift.

[roberta]

Congrats Krysten on your baby girl!

ellidew first thing I thought of was an allergic reaction. My friend had similar problems and just found out he is now allergic to shellfish. After 30+ years of eating it with no problems! hope you find out what is causing your swollen eye.

civats I too am completely overwhelmed by all of the choices, especiallyon the big items like strollers and car seats.

briohow is your DD? any word on what might be causing the seizures? hope she is doing better!

mayham hope the Zantac is helping you to feel better!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
prenatal classes I just registered for our classes- breastfeeding, childbirth and all about babies. All about babies is more for DH since he has never cared for an infant before.

registering I am waiting to find out what we are having to select the big items like bedding, crib, stroller and car seat. I also need more time with my Baby Bargains book. I started a Target registry but just a few small items on there.

Tums have become my new friend. I am getting heartburn and indigstion more and more regardless of what or how much I eat. :rolleyes:

[RubberSoul]

Lilla- Thanks for the tips on the stollers and the microfiber:). I think I will have to test out the P3 since the handle bars are height adjustable. I am about 4 inches taller than my DH so I will probably want something that adjusts.

lilo, nic, and katnbug- Thanks for the compliments on the name!

Sinclair319- I like your crib! I hope it comes in soon.

Father's Day- Not doing anything special for him since he didn't do anything for me. Sadly DH didn't even send his own Mother a card on Mother's Day and she called him that day :rolleyes:.

[katnbug]

I just revisited a website I found when pregnant with DS.

It's Javis Davis (www.javisdavis.com) & they make custom bedding. You can atually pick from swatches of fabric and create your own bedding ensemble. Pricing is a bit higher than most ($350-$450 for a set) but so original!

It won't let me post the Girl bedding set that I like, but it's called Mod Mod World. You can see the swatches under "Girl Bedding" and they have a photo of a complete crib set under "Photo Gallery"....

I can't wait until Satuday to find out what we're having!!!!! I knew I shouldn't have started looking until then! :rolleyes:

[Rancid13]

Are you getting anything for DH for Father's Day? He got me a card and some yummy treats for Mother's Day. At the time I was craving cheesy foods and lemonade, and he got me some Cheeto Puffs and Country Time lemonade 12-oz cans. I know I'm getting him a card at least, but maybe also a cute bib that says "I love my daddy" or something like that, since we won't be getting an u/s until next week or the week after so don't know the gender.

Skin issues~ For the last 3 weeks my facial/neck skin has been so incredibly dry, it's driving me crazy! I have eczema also (on my legs & arms), which isn't nearly as bad because (I know this is horrible) when I itch it, it immediately feels better and stays that way for pretty much the whole day. This dry facial skin just feels tight and itchy in a way that scratching it doesn't relieve it. Also, the texture of this dry skin is different than the times I've had an eczema flareup on my face in the past. Plus, eczema never caused my skin to flake off the way it is.

I've begun using Cetaphil facial moisturizer, quit using my Olay toner, and have always used a sensitive skin foaming face wash to wash my face/neck. My skin has always been very above-normal. Not dry, not oily, never got acne and now it's so dry and flaky. It's gotten ~50% better this week over last week, but it's still enough to consume a great portion of my time dealing with it. :eek:

[ellidew]

I think i've convinced dh to go register on Saturday!! YAY!!

Also, i told him that the pack n play we want is no longer available online and suggested we buy this while we are there just in case they stop carrying it in the store. We've been putting money into savings for this stuff so he agreed. So our first big baby purchase will be the pack n play!! We'll need it too since my mom told me she isn't buying the crib until September because money is tight and blah blah blah. I told her she didn't have to buy it but she is insisting. Geez... i'll never hear the end of it. It's being ordered from JCPenney's so it could take many weeks to arrive. I'm currently having mother issues. I posted about it in Emotional Support. Luckily when i'm away from her i'm on baby high so she can't bring me down :D

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009XC01U.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I'm so freakin' excited! I love it!!

[ellidew]

Rancid I feel your pain! I had horrible eczema at the beginning of my pg. It's gotten better but there are a couple of patches on my hands that i can't get rid of for the life of me! Hopefully your face and neck clear up soon. It sounds like you've got a good plan of action in place! I heart the cetaphil products. I wash my hands with the soap and use the lotion. My hands (and possibly my eye issue) are my only flare ups.

[Rancid13]

Rancid I feel your pain! I had horrible eczema at the beginning of my pg. It's gotten better but there are a couple of patches on my hands that i can't get rid of for the life of me! Hopefully your face and neck clear up soon. It sounds like you've got a good plan of action in place! I heart the cetaphil products. I wash my hands with the soap and use the lotion. My hands (and possibly my eye issue) are my only flare ups.

Thanks! My eczema did flare up at the beginning of my pregnancy too, and I was told by my ob not to use the steroid cream that I'd been using since right before I found out I was pg. It's somewhat gone away on it's own. It's still there, as it always is, but doesn't bother me more than once a day or even less often.

[November06Mommies]

Stats have been updated.

Kyrsten ~ Congrats on your GIRL!! I haven't put in the new u/s pics yet. Let me know which one you want me to use and I will post it on the first page.

[Esq.]

The pictures were scanned in threes...so can someone crop out the second ultrasound pic for me? I have no photo editing program :( I really need to fix that bc I know I am going to need one once the baby is here.

Furniture- I have looked at a few cribs, but we haven't really decided on anything. I want a good convertible.

Stroller I think that I am going to have to get 2, one for indoors and one for jogging/walking. So far I am looking at the Graco Passage 540 Bancroft Travel System and the Zooper 3-Wheel Boogie Stroller.

childbirth classes we were talking about this yesterday, and we are not sure that we are going to take them. I guess I am just lazy. :o And part of me thinks that it will make me more scared of childbirth instead of less. But we haven't really decided yet.

Father's Day I will get him something, but I haven't thought of anything yet.

Names- right now we are debating Anabella, India and Layne.

[mermccau]

I need to catch up but I wanted to post a quick question:

What do you think about crib bumpers? Are the risks really dependent on the child itself and whether they move around alot and wedge themselves against sides and corners? Do those baby sleep positioner pillows help with this?

Just curious as to what you thought. I would be interested to hear what the ROs have to say.

Thanks and have a good one :)

[Lilla]

Catching up a bit on some QOTDs:

Furniture We've decided on some pieces from Legacy (same company as Child Craft). We are getting this crib, but in a darker wood finish:

http://www.childcraftindustries.com/pictures/29011.jpg

We will also order a matching double dresser from Legacy, but I can't find it online. Otherwise, I am still looking for a nice, but basic bookshelf as well.

Father's Day OK, I feel like I'm going a bit overboard here, but oh well! I am getting DH a couple books (sorry these pics are so huge):

We're huge Cubs fans and this book is ridiculously cute
http://a1204.g.akamai.net/7/1204/1401/05041315011/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/9410000/9410794.jpg

This book is cute and makes me laugh, but yet practical!
http://a1204.g.akamai.net/7/1204/1401/04020317011/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/7350000/7357852.jpg

I also ordered a onesie from Gap (can't see it too well, but it says "I love Daddy":
http://www.gap.com/Asset_Archive/GPWeb/Assets/Product/375/375173/big/gp375173-00vliv01.jpg

Crib bumpers/sleep positioners I was honestly going to skip both of these. I probably would tend not to use the bumper for safety reasons, so it seems like a waste of money. And from what I keep reading, those sleep positioners don't seem all that great. It will be good to hear from the RO's on this though.

[nic]

Rancid13 I'm sorry to hear about your skin issues, hopefully it'll clear up soon.

ellidew Nice pack n play-Have fun picking it up


mermccau We're undecided on the bumpers. I think I'm leaning more towards skipping them since they're purely decorative and have the potential to cause harm. They are damn cute though!

Boston area girls (Mermccau and Lydia, I think) - Where are you shopping for nursery furniture? Any place besides Babies R Us?

I think we decided on a stoller:

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/albee-baby_1901_73944700

[ellidew]

Bumpers: The key here is first finding bedding we like ;)

Crib: We've decided on this crib. Sussex crib by Baby Cache from JCPenney's (http://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/Products.aspx?DeptID=327&CatID=28404&CatTyp=DEP&ItemTyp=G&GrpTyp=STY&ItemID=0e6276f&ProdSeq=2&Cat=cribs&Dep=&PCat=&PCatID=28142&RefPage=ProductList&Sale=&ProdCount=30&RecPtr=&ShowMenu=&TTYP=&ShopBy=0&RefPageName=CategoryAll.aspx&RefCatID=28142&RefDeptID=327&Page=1&CmCatId=25438|25991|28142|28404). Sadly, my mother insists on buying the crib but informed me the other day it would have to be after the birth of my sisters baby in July and after her wedding reception in August. So, September. I'm mostly worried about the delivery time. I told her she doesn't have to buy it but she is stubborn.

We haven't decided on a finish yet... we're waiting to pick out bedding.

http://a603.g.akamai.net/7/603/175/2006030212/cache3.jcpenney.com/images/large/0900631b80e6ed02L.jpg

The other two available finishes.
http://a591.g.akamai.net/7/591/175/2006030212/cache3.jcpenney.com/images/swatch/0900631b80e6ed10W.jpghttp://a591.g.akamai.net/7/591/175/2006030212/cache3.jcpenney.com/images/swatch/0900631b80e6ed0eW.jpg

[mayham]

katnbug, Rancid13, RubberSoul, roberta -- thanks for your good wishes. The ER trip wasn't fun, but at least it wasn't serious and the baby wasn't in danger. I was kind of hoping for a just in case u/s, but no dice :)

Krysten -- congrats on your GIRL!!!!

ellidew -- You poor thing, I hate eye problems :( I'm so sorry, I hope you're feeling better today!

katnbug -- omg, the crib bedding at javisdavis is SOOOO cute!! I love the bright colors of the Mod Mod World one too! I'm going to refrain from looking at that site more until after my u/s!

Lilla -- cute crib! I'm starting to get inspired by the fact that so many of you are already picking out your furniture.

nic -- I'm in the Boston area as well. I looked at BRU and didn't fall in love with any cribs there. I've heard of a place called <a href="http://www.babyfurniturewarehouse.com/">Baby Furniture Warehouse</a> that I'm going to check out. They have locations in Braintree and Reading. Other than that, not sure where else to try. There are a bunch of baby type places along Route 9 in Wellesley and Natick, so when I can get DH to take a drive, we'll probably see what's over there.

crib bumpers -- I'm interested in hearing RO's thoughts on this as well. I think the look of bumpers is really cute, but I don't want to do it for that reason, b/c I have heard of safety issues as well. Also, if we don't end up going with a bumper, then I won't rule out the sleigh bed style of crib.

Father's Day -- DH got me some baby gear from our alma mater, chocolate covered strawberries, and flowers, so I'll definitely be doing something nice for him. Not sure just yet, but maybe breakfast in bed and a small gift tbd.

[katnbug]

What do you think about crib bumpers? Are the risks really dependent on the child itself and whether they move around alot and wedge themselves against sides and corners? Do those baby sleep positioner pillows help with this?


We used a bumper up until DS started stepping on it to escape from the crib at about 14 months. I never found a problem with it & DS was indeed an early "roller and scooter". Ours wasn't really "plush", more flat if that makes a difference. I heard concerns about them before we had DS but I honestly didn't see any big danger. I know others feel differently, and I guess it's just a matter of what makes you comfortable. I am at the point now that I realize if I worry about every single possible danger I'd go crazy. Living with a toddler will do that to you!! ;)
We also purchased a sleep positioner and DS hated it. BUT: I have friends who use them all of the time & their babies love them... so that's probably worth a try if you're concerned about them rolling over in the crib. :)

[Franni]

Crib bumpers I used one for when the baby was really small and finally removed it when she started to roll around in bed and wedge her face against it. She never smothered herself, but I removed them. Better safe than sorry.

There is also a difference between plush and flat ones from what I have read. I had a flatter one, so maybe that's why it didn't pose much of a danger.

Father's Day don't have anything special planned for DH. I was thinking of buying him lessons in something. I am a big fan of giving an experience (ie skydiving, beer tasting, salsa lessons, movie tickets).

Crib Being an RO, I think I might not even buy a new crib. For the first few months of DD's life, she slept in the swing because that was the only place she really slept. I think I might just put the new baby in the swing for the time being. It's also time to get DD to sleep in toddler bed/mattress on the floor. However I am just too tired to think of that right now.

KrystenCongrats on the girl.

[roberta]

Lilla where did you get the "Be Prepared: A Handbook for Dads"? That would be perfect for my DH.

Father's Day I will not be home for Father's Day. But FIL is coming to visit DH and they will have a great time together. I am going camping with my sisters, their fiances, and my sister's best friend at a music festival in Tennessee. My sister is a med student and her best friend is a doctor, so I should be in good hands. There is medical care available at the festival and I can always leave and stay at my sister's house if I need. I am really looking forward to it!

[mimieliza]

Bumpers - We are going to get a breathable mesh bumper like this (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-1574895-0610549?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I11LV8Y6VWYVVB&ref=cm%5Flc%5Fitem-detail-image-link&asin=B0007VZVAQ&colid=89UB26BC1QRC&bckreg=lc):
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007VZVAQ.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS384_.jpg

The bedding set we chose came with a sheet, bumper and quilt. So we didn't buy it! Instead, from the same line, we bought two sheets that come seperately, the crib skirt that comes seperately, curtain panels and a fleece blanket. We'll just add the mesh bumper and have an inexpensive, functional and safe set. :)

OTOH, I see the attraction of the cute sets with bumpers. There are quite a few that DH and I came very close to choosing!

[Rancid13]

Father's Day...I think I already posted about getting hubby a daddy-to-be card for FD (and some of his favorite Godiva dark chocolate), but I saw this at babyGap and fell in love with it and I think hubby would cry if I gave this to him as a gift:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/rancid13/daddy.jpg

I thought it would be perfect, considering we won't know the gender until next week at the absolute earliest. A cute, unisex, daddy's day gift. :D

[scarlett74]

Congratulations, Kyrsten, for your little princess! :)
http://forum.gravidanzaonline.it/forum/images/smiles/baby_f.gif
You're u/s pictures are beautiful!!

[ausi2b]

No time for a real post, but I just have to say that Dh has the "Be Prepared" book for Dads and it is fabulous! We both like it! :)

[brio96]

What do you think about crib bumpers? Are the risks really dependent on the child itself and whether they move around alot and wedge themselves against sides and corners? Do those baby sleep positioner pillows help with this?

We used a bumper with DD from day one and just took it off (at 17 months) only because she threw up on it. :rolleyes: We're likely going to leave it off now since she doesn't seem to mind it being gone and I'm too lazy to put it back on. Only when she got older did she "wedge" her face/self in it during the course of her sleeping, but never at any point was her breathing compromised and she never got caught underneath it. Hers is soft though and flat, so maybe the type of bumper makes a difference. The set we got was KidsLine but I don't know if they are all the same in terms of thickness.

We found the sleep positioner pillows a complete waste of time and money. She hated the few times we tried to use on and once she started moving around, at night (around 6 months) we would have had to take them out anyways because they wouldn't have held her in one place.

[I am at the point now that I realize if I worry about every single possible danger I'd go crazy. Living with a toddler will do that to you!!

No kidding! :D I took her yesterday to the library for a story time. Figured it was a "danger free zone" for the most part since it's the library. She wound up with a bloody lip because she tripped and went face first into a step. :rolleyes: I'm slowly learning the fine line between hovering and letting her fall a few times so she learns her own limitations.

Fortunately, she has been seizure free since last Sunday. We're trying not to get lulled into a false sense of security though since they can happen anytime. We got an MRI scheduled for July, so we'll see if that shows anything. I just wish they knew what is causing her to even have them in the first place. If they are just the fever related ones, I can deal with that but if it's something more then I need to get going with treatment. Thank you all for your kind words and I really hope I didn't scare anyone too badly with my tale.

Childbirth Classes IMO, they are worth taking even if all you get out of it is the tour of the maternity wing. We found them useful in knowing the possibilities of what to expect and were kind of bummed that we missed the breastfeeding class due to her early arrival. They aren't going to give you a thorough "how to" in terms of daily child care and/or all of labor and delivery details, but you never know what information you'll take away from it that will be useful later on. That being said, we aren't going to take them again since it hasn't been that long since the last one we took.

Father's Day DH picked out his own gift this year (a rolling tool chest) and isn't getting anything else. Maybe a picnic if the weather is good, but gift wise that's it.

Boston Moms There is also some place on Route 1 in Peabody (or Saugus...not sure where the cutoff is) that is next to a David's Bridal. The name of it escapes me, but I seem to remember a friend registering there and liking their furniture.

[lilo]

Another Question about Bumpers: Is there ever a 'safe' time for a baby to have a bumper inside their crib? We will probably buy a breathable mesh bumper too (or none at all) but I was hoping that at some point we could add it into the crib.

Franni: How many months did you use the bumper before taking it out? Less than 3 months?

[Franni]

Lilo Since the baby wasn't in the crib for the first 3 months, the bumper was a non-issue. I think I put in around month 6-7 (around the time she was strong enough to roll in both directions)

A breathable one might be a good long term option though.

[ellidew]

Typically, what are the weight limits on Pack N Plays? Specifically, the raised padding portion, the changing table, and just the play yard? I love the pack n play we've picked out but now i'm trying to decide if it's worth the money and if there are more important things for us to buy.

[Lilla]

roberta I ordered the book from Barnes and Noble, but it seems to be pretty widely available. Amazon also has it, and I think Borders does as well.

[roberta]

lilla Thanks! I bought the book at B&N and gave it to DH with his card last night. (since I am leaving today for my trip)

ellidew You might want to go shopping early to buy daddy related onsies and return the one you don't need (boy or girl)for your DH's gift. I had a hard time finding anything yesterday.

brio happy to hear your DD is doing well and hasn't had any more seizures.

I dreamt that everyone kept telling me I was having twins and advising me on what to buy, ect. I kept saying "But there is only one baby in there! We saw it on the US!"

[ellidew]

Thanks roberta, i thought that might be a problem. My solution is to buy dh the book we are all talking about :) and something from the university store where he went to college. That way it doesn't even have to be gender related but it's dh related! Both those ideas came from other on here so THANKS!!!!

We are telling the parents the gender of the baby by buying dh's dad something gender related for fathers day. (for mothers day we bought the moms $7.50 in bissinger chocolate - it was on special from $20 a box!! We also took them to brunch) We don't want to spend too much more than we did on Mothers day and dh is taking his dad to a baseball game sunday afternoon. If i can't find something gender related i like about grandpas i think i'll just buy those computer printable iron ons and make them myself!

Good luck at your ultrasound today Ilovemygeek! Can't wait to hear how it went.

[CityGirl]

Not too much going on around here. I bought DH a fathers day gift yesterday. He's a huge Giants fan, so I got him a cute Giants romper for the baby. I wish we were having the big ultrasound this week, because it was really hard to pick out something that could be used for a boy or girl. The one I ended up getting looks more boyish, but I could see it on a girl if we get a little hair bow or something.

Also, I am feeling kicks for sure now. Every night around 10pm I feel them for about a half hour. I'm starting to think that this coincides with my evening dessert. Baby loves ice cream.

[ellidew]

I'm so jealous CityGirl! I still don't know if the things i am feeling ARE the baby and i'm certainly not feeling them on a daily basis. Hopefully all is well. Is anyone else 19+ weeks along and still unsure of baby movements? I think some things i feel are the baby but i'm not 100% convinced. It could be a 'spasm' here and a 'spasm' there but nothing consistent. Is this normal?

[mermccau]

Monster post because I had a lot to catch up on….


Kyrsten! Congrats on your girl!!! I am glad you posted the pictures. What a clear u/s. Looks like your daughter is going to have some nice legs :D I am in the same boat as you regarding strollers. I want a jogging stroller also because I want to try to get back in shape after the pregnancy. I am going to wait though. Perhaps my husband can watch the kid during that time. Your names are wonderful. I love Layne.

Mayhem – how is the Zantac working?

Ellidew – glad you are feeling better. That is a great price for a pack-and-play. I was amazed at how relatively affordable they are. Even though I am having a boy, I have to agree with you – the girls stuff is so cute!!! Have fun registering this weekend! Lovely crib. Regarding baby kicks, I will be 19 weeks this Saturday (there I go, rounding up!) and I have not felt anything yet, I think. I feel something sometimes but I wonder if it is just me hoping I will feel a kick.

Rancid – my husband loves that stroller. He was gravitating toward anything beige! I had to stop him. This one is cool because the visors pull up from both sides causing a tent affect on the stroller. My husband loved that. Your hospital does an orientation and tea?? That sounds so fun! How is your neck feeling? I had a break out a while ago and used a product that was great. I am trying to remember what it was! I can find out if you want the suggestion.

Rubbersoul – I know EXACTLY what you mean. I have the same issue in regards to a crib because I am pretty set on getting a lifetime one. I picture them all as headboards and they are just too flowy and curvy. I am going to check out cribs at other places than BRU. I am hoping to find more of a variety. I hope your furniture matches up. It probably will look great :) I love the name.

Lilo – I had to start early just because I have so many things going on (two jobs and a side business). I am excited, which helps, but I also did not want to procrastinate because then I will get stressed out. Also, I try to spread out big financial situations over time so we are not hit all at once. Yes, I am one of those people who starts xmas shopping in the summer ;)

Sinclair – that crib may be worth waiting for if it gets a good rating and is affordable. Easier said than done though, huh? ;) You are right, browsing and adding to a registry does beat working!

Katnbug – I cannot find the exact bedding to which you are referring but the site is cool! Thanks for the bumper info. I agree, it is a matter of what each person is comfortable with and each child is different.

Nic – yeah, I agree about crib bumpers. The set we chose comes with one so I was curious. Perhaps I will play it by ear and remove it if it seems a problem. I actually asked my mother friends where to shop for furniture. They recommeneded Tiny Totland in NH and there is a place in Reading, MA (which mayhem covered) that is supposed to be very good. I like the stroller you picked.

Brio – I am sorry but it is funny that you removed the crib bumper because your daughter got sick on it, of all things :D Jeesh, I work at an MRI and could get your daughter in sooner! Why don’t you still live in MA??

Ciygirl – I am jealous you are feeling kicks! I have nothing yet, I think.



Baby classes – I hope to discuss this at my next dr appointment on June 22nd.

Signing classes – have you ladies considered this? BRU has one and my husband and I want to check it out. We have friends who have taught their babies to sign and they rave what a great idea it is.

Are you getting anything for DH for Father's Day? – No. My husband did not do anything for Mom’s Day. Actually, he was away that weekend. I was not bothered by it at all and it definitely gets me off the hook for Dad’s Day ;)

[brio96]

Why don’t you still live in MA??

Meredith-I ask myself this same question every single day. :D :D I think (hope) that we're moving back next year though which makes me VERY happy.

Baby Signs We didn't do a class or anything, but I taught DD a few signs (eat, more etc) that have been really helpful. I probably should have been more gung ho on the whole concept, but I figured I'd just teach her the ones that seemed to frustrate her the most. She still uses them even though she can generally speak the word.

Cribs For you New England moms, there is a Child Craft outlet in MA (not totally sure where but it does mention the location in that Baby Bargains book) that might be a good place to check out if that is the brand you're leaning towards. The other one is in Louisville, KY so if you're somewhat South, that's another option.

[katnbug]

ellidew- I'll be 20 weeks on Friday and I just started feeling the baby move in the past week and a half. I actually remember the feeling from my first pregnancy... otherwise, they're sometimes so random that I might mistake them for a spasm or something like you said. :) Don't worry.. soon you'll know for sure!

baby signs- We didn't attempt this with DS & probably won't with the new baby. I've met a lot of women who have done it and they are glad they did. I just don't know if I have the patience. :D

[Rancid13]

Rancid – my husband loves that stroller. He was gravitating toward anything beige! I had to stop him. This one is cool because the visors pull up from both sides causing a tent affect on the stroller. My husband loved that. Your hospital does an orientation and tea?? That sounds so fun! How is your neck feeling? I had a break out a while ago and used a product that was great. I am trying to remember what it was! I can find out if you want the suggestion.


So far, DH really really likes the Bugaboo strollers (probably because his brother and SIL have one and he's gotten to push it around a bit) but we both agreed that $500+ for a stroller is just not worth it. :eek: So we'll be checking out some less expensive strollers at BRU when we begin to start our registry and I really like the look of that one you posted. Very gender-neutral and one that both he and I would feel comfortable pushing around.

I was reading thru the packet of paperwork and stuff my ob gave me at my first appointment, and there's info on the hospital and how they do an orientation and tea for expectant mothers (& their partners & families). I thought it would be really neat to get a tour of the newly built women's center and see where I'd be staying for labor & delivery. And plus, it's free and they give out refreshments & door prizes. And at the same time I'll get to find out about classes they offer (childbirth, breastfeeding, child safety, etc).

My dry skin is doing a LOT better today, thanks so much for asking! :D I bought some Aveeno lotion yesterday and have been using it since last night (also had tried Cetaphil & Aquaphor), and it has helped tremendously! That and the mild exfoliating I tried in the shower this morning with a wet washcloth. Still have dry patches here & there, but on a scale of 1-10 (1 being good, 10 being bad) they're more like a 4 or 5 instead of the 9 or 10 they were over the weekend. And my skin doesn't feel so tight and dry either. Big improvement!!

[nic]

Rancid- Glad to hear the dry skin is clearing up.

Movements- I'm pretty sure I'm feeling him move. At first I wasn't sure and although it's not consistent it's a feeling I've never felt before and it's always the same. I'm almost 20 weeks and it's been happening for about 2 weeks. My OB said most people don't feel anything until 20-21 weeks so I wouldn't worry.

Signing- I haven't thought about it much but I think it's a good idea and will probably teach him a few signs.

Thank you to everyone who posted furniture store recommendations. All of these decisions are really overwhelming. I thought planning a wedding was difficult.

I tried to wedge shoes with a semi-high wedge heel today, big mistake. I had to go home at lunch and change into a pair of flip-flops, those shoes are definately retired until next year.

What's everyone wearing? I hate empire waist shirts. They make me look so much bigger than I am. I'm already a little chubby so I don't shirts making me look any bigger.

[Sinclair319]

Clothes--I'm trying to find things that are appropriate for work--ie something that doesn't emphasize my massive cleavage (I was a 34 D, now I'm a 34 FF) and most everything in maternity comes in a V neck. I've found some cute things at Old Navy and I bought a couple of shirts by TM Style (I think that's the brand, I got them at Bergners) I hate spending lots of money on it knowing I'll only wear it another 5 months, but I need to be comfy.

Girls!--One of my best friends from college is due the day before me and just found out today that she's having a GIRL! Ilovemygeek hope your u/s today went well!

Movement--I've been feeling a rolling feeling (like a wave in my belly) since about 15w, I'm 19w3d today. I haven't felt anything that feels like a kick yet (although at the u/s last week, he only weighed 9 ounces, so no wonder!) I feel him throughout the day, but nothing consistent. When I try to put my hand on it to feel it externally he stops moving :rolleyes:

[nic]

Sinclair- where are you finding bras in that size that aren't a ton of money?
I was a 36 D before and I don't even want to know what I am now but I'm having a hard time finding bras in DD or F ( the size I assume I should be in)

[Sinclair319]

Nic--I went to a local place here in town (I live in Central Illinois) to get measured and find a really good bra. It was $56 so I only bought one to make sure I liked it. I just found it for $48 plus free shipping from www.inthemoodsintimates.com The bra I like is Panache Tango II. Good luck, I know what a pain it is, but it's so worth having good support!

[Sare79]

I caved today and phoned the genetic counsellor I have been seeing to find out when I will know the results of the amnio.
She said it takes 10 days to culture the cells to be able to test the chromosomes, so it could be as long as two weeks until we find out the gender and the other results of the amnio. (We go for our next ultrasound two weeks from tomorrow)

[ellidew]

I've ordered bras online before from www.herroom.com I own a really great bra by lilly of france (i believe) that is fleece lined and oh so soft! I love it! I'm not wearing it today since i have a shelf bra tank on under a v neck or i'd give you the exact style number. It's a D. My sister had to order bras much larger than D after her last child and she ordered them from the same website and was very happy.

Sorry your waits going to be longer than you expected Sare. Hopefully the time will fly!

Congrats to your friend Sinclair! Since we're sharing happy pregnancy news of others... MY SISTER IS PG AGAIN! All three sisters are currently pg! I can't believe it. My older sis had a girl in Nov 2005, my younger sister is due June 30, i'm due Nov 7th, and my older sister is due again Feb 7th! 4 babies in a year and a half!

[RubberSoul]

nic- I wear a 38FF and have gotten my most comfortable bras from Nordstrom. They do cost a lot of money though. I like the Mystere bras. I learned a while back that it is very difficult not to spend an arm and a leg on a bra if you are well endowed :rolleyes:.

[acrane]

Just wanted to chime in on a few things:
Crib bumpers - we used one in Andrew's crib from the beginning. It was lightly padded (but not huge), and we didn't feel it posed a threat. We did take it off once he started standing in his crib so he wouldn't be tempted to try to use it as a springboard to escape! I never once found his face up against it, and I felt better knowing his little arms and legs would stay inside versus going through the bars.

We bought a sleep positioner because Andrew had torticollis, but he hated it! Every baby is different though, so my advice is to try out what you think will work for your family. Some things will and some won't, but that's what ebay is for! :p If you can borrow items from friends or family, that helps a lot. We borrowed a bassinet and a FP Aquarium bouncer from a friend - Andrew hated the bassinet but loved the bouncer, so it was nice we didn't spend money on something he never wanted to be in.

ellidew - Graco's website lists the following about PNPs:
For use by children unable to climb out, less than 35” tall, and less than 30 lbs. Changing Station for use by children less than 25 lbs. Bassinet for use by children less than 15 lbs.
Hope that helps!

Childbirth classes - worth it for the first baby, especially the tour of the hospital. I won't be taking any this time around but am glad I did the first time. The video of an actual delivery of a baby and the placenta was quite eye opening!

[CityGirl]

kicking - It is still a very subtle feeling, and I only feel it if I am laying in bed or watching TV. But because it happens around the same time every night (and a few assorted time throughout the day) its got to be the baby. I wonder if I'm feeling it earlier than others because the babe is measuring a week ahead?

[Ilovemygeek]

It's a girl!

We are so excited! We did not really have a preference either way, so we were thrilled to see that I have what appears to be a healthy baby girl growing inside me! The ultrasound went very well and was quite long. The tech spent about 25 minutes looking around and getting pictures. It seems that my placenta previa has corrected itself, so that is a huge relief for me. The baby was moving so much the tech had some trouble getting good shots of the anatomy, but she said she is 99% certain the baby is a girl.

Movement I have been feeling quite a bit of movement for the past week. Now there are very distinct kicks that even DH can feel. My Dr. told me I would feel movement early because I am fairly thin and I have really been enjoying it. Women have tried to tell me what it feels like, but nothing can really describe it.

[Calla Lilly]

bras- I am a 38 F since being pg, and have been buying my bras at Nordstorm too. I was wearing the Mystere bras prior to getting pg, but switched to a less expensive Goddess bra. I don't like it as much, but it is working.

Speaking of bras, why do so many of the shirts have tiny straps or are very low cut?


Crib bumpers- didn't get one. I was pretty torn by this, but decided not to get one since I planned on removing it at 3 months anyway. I did get the toddler quilt though, because I plan on using a toddler bed for awhile after the baby outgrows the crib.

Childbirth classes- we are thinking about signing up for the Bradley Method classes...which are 12 sessions 2 hours each. It wouldn't start until September, so I am waiting to talk to my doctor about them on the 23rd.

Sara79- don't you received the results instantly!!! I would probably just wait for the u/s to find out the sex, since it sounds like it will only be days apart!

Ilovemygeek- hope the u/s went well!

Signing Classes- not certain if I will do a class or not, but I have purchased some of the little board books for signing.

Rancid- I love that onesie!

Lilla- I purchased that onesie too! I think I will check out the book you posted as well.

Ellidew- I love that pattern on the pack n play you are looking at. Did you decide to purchase it?

Kyrsten- Congrats on the girl! Thanks for posting the pictures too!

Nic- I have just been wearing the longer maternity t-shirts...nothing with the empire waist yet. All of my non-flats have been retired too!

We ordered our 2005 Zooper Boogie on Saturday and received it today. It is all put together, we both really like it...so we plan on keeping it.

[Calla Lilly]

Ilovemygeek- Congrats on your girl!!!! I am glad the u/s went well!

[Sare79]

Calla Lilly- With the amnio- we will know 100% the gender, although that's not our actual reason for getting it. I have two different friends who found out via ultrasound and when they gave birth it was a suprise that they were having the other.

Congrats on the girl Ilovemygeek!!!

[mimieliza]

Yay for GIRL WEEK! Congratulations, Ilovemygeek!

[Esq.]

WOOHOO! Another GIRL! Congrats ilovemygeek!

[ellidew]

Congrats on your GIRL Ilovemygeek!

I'll see what i can do about complying with Girl week tomorrow! lol. I don't make any guarantees though. ;)

[ellidew]

Thanks for the info on the pack n play acrane!

Calla lilly - I still don't know. I go back and forth every few hours ;) It would be nice for our basement and for the spring when we are outside in the back yard doing yard work and when we travel but i just can't decide. Oy!

RO's... did you have a pack n play and use it a lot? Did you think it was beneficial to have around or did it only come in handy a few times?

[nic]

Ilovemygeek, Congratulations on your girl

Sare, I'm sorry you have to wait so long for your results. That must be really frustrating

Thank you all for the bra recommendations.
I think I'll try to get measured ay lunch time because I'm really not sure what my real size is right now.

[katnbug]

Ilovemygeek- Congrats on your GIRL!!
They're making a comeback!!

Sare- Sorry your results are going to take so long. I know for you the more important information is that your baby is healthy... so the waiting must be hard. Hang in there! It will be here before you know it. :)

ellidew- We have a pack-n-play and used it a ton with DS! First, we used the changing table the most. We have a multi-level house and we kept the pnp in the basement/family room area for quick diaper changes so we didn't have to go up to DS's room. Second, we used it a ton when we had company with small children.. my sister's daughter is 2 months younger than DS and she needed to nap when she came over. Finally, we used it as a travel-crib for DS when we visited relatives out of town. Very convenient.
As you can tell, I think they're well worth registering for - or buying... if you don't want the big expense maybe e-bay has some for sale?

Off to Gymboree (the play place, not the store) to try out an art class for DS. I hope he enjoys it.. we need more things to do during the week!

[katnbug]

nic- Forgot to post this above - I also have a few bras I got at Nordstrom, but they weren't cheap. When I was at Motherhood a few weeks ago I picked up a bra they had for around $30. I don't know if all Motherhoods carry larger sizes, but mine has a "plus size" bra section (I'm currently a 40D, but they go even larger in cup sizes). It's not the best bra ever, but it's comfy and will do for now. They are also nursing bras, so you can use them post delivery if you plan to nurse.

[RubberSoul]

Ilovemygeek- Congratulations on your GIRL!

ellidew- good luck at the u/s tomorrow!

Sare- I hope the wait goes by quickly for the amnio results. Here they have a preliminary result you can get in 24 hours called FISH (I have no idea what it stands for). Do they not have that available in Canada?

kicking- I think I have been feeling some kicking, but I have a hard time distinguishing that from digestive issues. When I had the level II the Dr. told me that the placenta is on the front wall of my uterus so the baby is kicking into a pillow. So, after he told me that I am not sure if I am really feeling the baby.

[Franni]

elliedw I only use the pack and play when we traveled. It's useful to have around for that. But DD never really slept there otherwise.

ilovemygeek Congrats on the girl.

movement I feel something, not as strong as kicks though. Occasionally I would feel flutters.

[scarlett74]

Ilovemygeek - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

[bijouparvin]

Congratulations, Krysten and ilovemygeek on your girls!

Again, I can't believe how fast things move in here! It's so hard to keep up!

So, if this is girl week, does that mean that those of us coming up next week are back to boys? I didn't have any instinct until a few days ago and I've been feeling girl. I'm so impatient!!

We painted the nursery last week and went ahead and put the crib together. It's a Bellini that we got for free from my boss, whose 4 yr. old just grew out of it. I know there's been some bumper discussion in here and I'm still on the fence about whether to leave them on but for now, here's what it looks like (DH tied the ties all messy like that and he won't let me redo them! It's killing me!!):

http://images1.snapfish.com/34735%3C28%3B%7Ffp344%3Enu%3D3244%3E393%3E462%3EWS NRCG%3D32338357%3C7%3B%3A7nu0mrj

http://images1.snapfish.com/34735%3C28%3B%7Ffp344%3Enu%3D3244%3E393%3E462%3EWS NRCG%3D32338357%3C7%3B%3A%3Bnu0mrj

DH and I have been calling the stripes "baby jail" but I think that since it's only on one wall, it's not too bad. The room was an awful yellow before, so I figure anything is an improvement.

Kicking - I started feeling what I think is the baby about a week ago. It feels bubbly, but localized in one place (lower left abdomen) and lasts longer than a normal gas bubble would if it were passing through. How long is it before DH will be able to feel movement from the outside?

ellidew - Can't wait to see what the score will be after your appointment. Good luck!

[ellidew]

Question: Pacifiers and Bottles - Okay, this is probably a stupid question this early in the game but dh and i are going to go register this weekend and i am wondering about which pacifiers and bottles actually stand up to their claims of uncrooked teeth and less gas :)

I've heard great things about Avent bottles and Dr. Browns (though i think the DB's have several pieces and i don't know if it's worth the extra work). I have also heard that some babies prefer one bottle type or pacifier over another. Is it better to buy a variety to start with and then stock up on the ones that work best? We're planning to bf but i'll have to pump at work and freeze formula so our baby will be a bottle feeder also.

Are the cheap(er) gerber (nuk) bottles with orthodontic nipples a good alternative to their more expensive counterpart?

What about latex vs. silicone nipples?

I don't want to over think this too much but i also don't want to spend more money than is necessary to get the same result. If the 'designer' bottles aren't any better than the bottles that have been around for years and years then i'd rather just save the money.

Out of curiosity, does it discuss things like this in the baby bargains book? If so, i'll just buy the book :)

[ellidew]

Holy cow bijouparvin! You're nursery looks great and i can't believe you already have it set up. You should see the list of things we have to accomplish before we even paint a wall in the babies room! lol. We've joked that the baby will have to spend the first few months in a dresser drawer! (finish, finishing the basement, replace the windows in the bedroom, new shelving in the closet, etc...) Go you!! :D Looks great! lol about baby jail... i like the stripes!

I can't WAIT to find out the gender... scarlett74 has an u/s tomorrow too and then katnbug
on Saturday to round out the week. I can't wait to see what we're all having!

[Esq.]

Wow, bijouparvin! Your nursery looks terrific!

ellidew- good luck at the u/s tomorrow! sending girl vibes your way!

Sare- it must be so difficult to wait so long for the results of the amnio. Hopefully it will go by quickly. Try to keep yourself busy by thinking of names and nursery themes! :)

movement- I have been feeling movement for about a month. I wish I had written down the first day that I felt it, but it took me a few times to figure out what it was. Now there is no doubt :)

[bijouparvin]

ellidew - Thanks! However, you'll notice that the pics are only that particular side of the room. The other side is crammed full of junk that has no place else to go like my neglected elliptical machine and a desk that was supposed to be for my laptop but since DH can't seem to get the wireless working in our new house, I just use his computer.

My folks are coming to visit this weekend so I'm hoping that their grandparent enthusiasm might score us a changing table/dresser and maybe a bookcase or something to round out the room. In the meantime, I just look at the one pretty wall and ignore the rest. :rolleyes:

scarlett74 and katnbug - Make sure you race back here and tell us everything. If that early guess was right, scarlett74's boy might put a wrinkle in "girl week"!

[Esq.]

Okay...I have a question. I am sitting here reading my "What to expect" (no, I have not read the whole thing yet. I am lazy) and I got to the part about vision changes, and it said that this wasn't necessarily normal.

Twice I have experienced extreme blurring in my right eye. I can't remember what I was doing the first time it happened, but the second time I had gotten up in the middle of the night to get some water, after opening the fridge, my right eye went very blurry, and it did not go away for abotu 2 minutes. After it went away, I had a senstation of heat in that eye, and it started watering.

Has anyone experienced anything like this. It freaked me out, but I reasoned it away as a strange pg symptom, and eventually went back to sleep.

[bijouparvin]

Kyrsten - Thanks for the compliments! About the blurry eye, I was actually just noticing that while I was typing a few minutes ago. I can't really attribute it to being PG because my right eye just gets blurry sometimes and has for years but I'm definitely noticing it today. I guess anything wonky that happens during these months can be attributed to being PG. I know that's not especially helpful but I wanted to let you know that our eyes are in sync right now.

[nic]

bijouparvin- the fake baby in your crib is freaking me out!

[ellidew]

bijouparvin- neglected elliptical machine I have one of these in the babies room too! lol. I hear ya on the junk... it's been our 'extra' room for 3 years now.

Kyrsten- I've had some vision changes. Especially in my left eye. My ob is actually sending me to a neurologist (sp? sorry, being lazy!) just to be on the safe side though she said it's probably nothing to worry about. I've also noticed more fliud in my eyes especially when i get up in the middle of the night and in the morning and it kind of gives me a looking through water effect from time to time that lasts a minute or two. I doubt what you have is anything to be worried about but if it happens again call your doc and see what they say.

[bijouparvin]

nic - Ha! Sorry!! "That flat baby", as Charlotte calls it on SATC, was waiting for us when we got back from our honeymoon two years ago. One of my girlfriends was catsitting and thought it would be funny to leave it for us, since you're supposed to come back PG from your honeymoon. Since then, we've had lots of fun taking pictures of it in different places in our old house. Now it's the perfect prop as we set up our nursery. Hey, it could be worse: I could have dressed it up or wrapped it in a blanket! :p

ellidew - I actually inherited the elliptical from a girlfriend who was evacuating it from her nursery when her baby was on the way last year. DH H-A-T-E-S it and has wanted me to sell it forever. While I can admit that we have no place for it, I hate the idea of selling it because I'm just sure that I'm going to use it one of these days, especially to get rid of baby weight (ten pounds and counting!). In the end, I know I'll cave since it's so much in the way and we could use the $$ anyway.

[ellidew]

lol bijouparvin - Mine was abandoned because of laziness :) I actually love it and purchased it only a month or two before our bfp. Once our basement is finished (We're getting carpet tomorrow so we are moving things down there this weekend!!) it is heading down to it's permanent home out of the nursery. I still make no guarantees that it gets used pre baby but definitely post baby! I'm not even going to venture a guess towards my pg weight gain ;)

That's funny about the flat baby. We didn't come back pg from our honeymoon but we did come back pg from our cruise! lol.

[RubberSoul]

bijouparvin- I love the stripes and the colors you used in the nursery. Funny that you mentioned SATC in reference to the cardboard baby. That episode popped in my head when I saw it in your picture.

abandoned exercise equipment- I am so happy to hear that other people have done this too. I bought a recumbent bike about a month before I got pregnant. That thing hasn't been touched in months now. I keep telling myself I am going to use it while pregnant...hasn't happened yet. It is sitting in our sunroom taking up space right now :rolleyes:.

kyrsten- the only time I have ever had a vision issue like you describe is when a migraine is getting ready to hit. Have you had headaches after your vision goes wonky?

ellidew- I can't remember if I read a section about bottles in Baby Bargains or not. I will have to look when I get home.

[Sinclair319]

Bottles--I just looked in my Baby Bargains books and they say the more important part is the nipple, not the bottle. They do say, "The low-end version can work just as well as the premium brands."

Then they review Avent and a little on Dr. Browns
Pluses of Avent--wider mouth openings which makes it easier to dumpt in formula, thicker/more sturdy plastic
Minuses about Avent--can't use disposable nipples on reusable bottle (and vice versa), if you screw the lid on too tight, it will leak

Pacifiers-(again, according to BB), try to wait to introduce the paci until lactation is firmly established otherwise there could be nipple confusion

Hope this helps--the book is a GREAT resource--I'm taking it with me garage saling tomorrow--hopefully I can find some good buys!

[brio96]

Pack n' Play One of our greatest purchases! In the beginning, we used it as a bassinet (both DD and I slept downstairs because I had a hard time getting upstairs after my c-section) for her naptime and night time sleep. Since then, we've used it as a downstairs changing table, travel bed for her and bed for other visiting babies. On occasion, I will put her in it when I need to do something but only for short periods of time. I highly recommend. Oh, and you can check it with your luggage with the airlines if you are flying somewhere and won't have a place for the baby to sleep when you get there.

Bottles/Nipples I don't know if we were just lucky or if there is really a difference, but DD was fine from day one with the Avent bottles and we never had to use any other brand. They sell different nipples to go along with the bottles that change the "flow" as the baby gets older, but that's about as complex as they get. Everyone I talked to that had the Dr. Brown's loved them but hated the extra pieces. The Avent was simple and worked really well for us-no gas or fussiness. As far as pacifiers, the best one that we ever had was the one we got from the hospital (a "Soothie"). Of all of the ones that we tried (and we didn't try many because as soon as she found her thumb, she didn't want the paci anymore) that was her favorite. I think you can get them at Walmart or something, but try to remember to take the one from the hospital if they use them/you're going to use pacifiers.

Is it better to buy a variety to start with and then stock up on the ones that work best?

IMO, it's probably best to just get a few of whatever brand you decide on after your research and hold off on getting a variety. The first brand you choose may be the one that works the best and then you'd just need to get a few more of that particular one instead of trying to figure out other brands, their nipples, coordinating accessories etc. A lot of the brands have those starter kits that come with a few bottles/nipples and those aren't too expensive.

Sadly, we (by we, I mean the mom's group I belong to here and other friends with babies) have found that there is a lot of "scare tactic" marketing in the world of baby gear and it's hard to make some decisions in the face of that. A lot of the claims that certain brands make play into our fears as new mothers that we must buy their product or our children will wind up less intellengent with crooked teeth and smell funnier than their counterparts. :D Don't get me wrong, I bought into a LOT of the "hype" the first time around and bought things that we either never used or just weren't practical for us but it's probably only in retrospect that I can look back and say that. The most important thing to remember about the gear is that it's whatever works for you...not what the companies tell you that you "need" to have, or pressure from well meaning friends/family on the essentials that worked for them. What works for one baby may very well be the exact opposite of what works for another (even within the same family) so try not to stress yourselves out on what to register for too much because BRU, Target and the other stores will all be there after the baby is born if you change your mind on something. :D

Stepping down off my soapbox now. :D

ETA: DD nursed, took a bottle(of formula in the beginning and then breastmilk) and used a pacifier from day one and never had any nipple confusion. She alternated between bottle and breast for her first year and never rejected either. I must have cross posted with Sinclair and wanted to alleviate fears that it doesn't happen for every child.

[Rancid13]

Ilovemygeek~Congratulations on your GIRL !! Yay for more girls!!!

Eyes~I had heard about vision changes during pregnancy, like your prescription changing then going back to normal after delivery. I don't think I've gotten to the part in What To Expect... about the blurry vision though. I would at least mention it to the doctor if you're concerned about it. :) I wear contacts during the day, and they do tend to get stuck on occasion, causing an eye to get blurry until I close it and move my eye around to moisten & unstick it. But this happened prepregnancy as well, so it's nothing I'm the least bit concerned about.

[RubberSoul]

Question about weight gain- I never thought I would be concerned about not gaining weight, but here I am. I have not gained anything in about 8 weeks. My weight has stayed pretty much the same. I did gain about 5 or 6 pounds in the beginning. The books and websites say you should be gaining a pound a week in the 2nd Tri, but I haven't gained a thing. Should I be concerned about this? I don't have an appt. with the OB for another couple weeks and if I haven't gained anything by then will probably ask. Just curious if some RO's out there have some insight.

One thing to note - when I had my level II last week the baby weighed and measured right on target.

[Rancid13]

Question about weight gain~I honestly think it differs with everyone. I gained 1-2lbs in the first couple of months, but have recently gone back to my prepregnancy weight as of this past weekend. Keep in mind that during those first few months my appetite had all but gone away, but these last few weeks it has come back full force and I'm snacking constantly all day long. I have NO idea what to think of this, we'll see what the doctor says at my appt next week. :confused:

[mayham]

bijouparvin - your nursery looks GREAT! I love the colors and the stripes. The flat baby freaked me out too, a little bit, lol! Bellini is one of the stores we're going to check out this weekend. I'm so behind on the crib/gear research.

Ilovemygeek - Congrats on your baby GIRL!!!!! I can't believe I still have a week and a half before I find out.

abandoned exercise equipment - We've had an ellyptical for a few years which I've actually gotten good use out of... until about Feb. this year when things got so busy and I got my bfp and the first tri I was pretty much exhausted and have only hopped on it twice since. :o It has the heart monitors on it so I hope to start back on it in the near future to at least get my body moving. I'm starting to actually feel the weight I've put on, and it's weird!

cribs - we're finally going to start seriously shopping for a crib this weekend! I can't wait. We're not too sure of the styles we like yet, but we're hoping it'll be pretty obvious once we see a good selection. We're going to try and hit the Baby Furniture Warehouse and Bellini. We've already done a quick run through at BRU and Jordan's Furniture. I didn't see anything that struck me at BRU, but maybe because that was our first stop. I did find one I liked at Jordan's, but it wasn't a lifetime one, and I think we might try and get one of those. One thing I do think I really want is one with a drop side, b/c I think it might be difficult for me to get the baby in if we have a stationery side.

[scarlett74]

bijouparvin - I'll sure update all of you with baby's news... I hope it could be the boy, king between all of these girls... ;)

eyes - I've noticed that I have a worse vision... I was working school and I couldn't read well on the walls!
I think it's for PG and I know that with breast feeding will be worse.

[lilo]

Wow, this thread moves fast!

Ilovemygeek: Congrats on your GIRL!

Holy cow bijouparvin! You're nursery looks great and i can't believe you already have it set up. You should see the list of things we have to accomplish before we even paint a wall in the babies room! lol.

Ellidew: LOL! I'm glad I'm not the only one! We have a bathroom and kitchen renovation going on righ