Great expectations
Monday, March 29, 2010
30 weeks, 1 day pregnant
You might remember that last week, just before my shower, that I was worried about how Darling Husband and I were going to buy the “big items” we need for the baby.
Well, we figured out long ago that there were five big-ticket items we needed:
- Crib
- Dresser
- Playard with bassinet
- Travel system (stroller with snap-in infant carseat)
- Glider and ottoman
While we got tons — and I mean, really, tons — of amazing stuff at the baby shower, we were still lacking all of the big items (except the crib).
Crib (gift from my mom)- Dresser
- Playard with bassinet
- Travel system (stroller with snap-in infant carseat)
- Glider and ottoman
My worrying was reaching an all-time high.
The dresser we wanted was $399.
The Playard we wanted was $220.
The travel system we wanted was $299.
And the glider/ottoman we wanted was $269.
That’s $1,187 before tax. And we now had to buy all of it — plus all the other stuff we didn’t get at the shower? PANIC MODE!
It’s been a busy week, but here is how it all worked out …
Dresser
Mom actually bought the changing table for us, because she happened to see it on clearance in another department store. We’re so glad she did, because once we added some dark wicker baskets to the shelves, it became a great place to store Baby Boy’s clothes and changing supplies.
Travel System
We originally registered for the Graco Mosaic travel system, and we were OK with buying it ourselves. But when a friend told Darling Husband about a huge baby sale at another store, we checked it out. They had this First Years Magna Light travel system on for $140, but it was normally $299 (the same price as our original pick), and we couldn’t pass up such a great deal.
Glider
Yup, we got the glider we originally wanted — just at a much lower price! I happened to check the department store’s website and see that the glider was marked down $70 until April 2 (taking it to $199), and then when we went in to order it, we got another $20 taken off (random coupon from the clerk) plus 10% off for buying something off our own registry. It’s all ordered, and will be a gift from Darling Husband’s parents. Yay!
Playard
We haven’t bought this yet, but we already figured out how to pay for it. We cashed in our AirMiles and some department store points to buy a few giftcards, and that will be enough to cover a Playard and the other few things we still need to buy (changing pad cover, ear thermometer, etc.). Can’t wait for the giftcards to arrive in the mail!
Showered with love (and STUFF!)
Sunday, March 28, 2010
30 weeks pregnant
You know what? Baby showers are pretty awesome.
- You get to see people whom you haven’t seen in ages
- Everyone tells you that you look fantastic
- They bring you lovely and useful presents that you need for the baby
And if I’m being totally honest? The downside of your own baby shower?
- You have to open those lovely, useful presents in front of EVERYONE! While they WATCH YOU! And you read cards aloud and exclaim over the gifts and feel that you sound fake, even though you genuinely like everything you’re opening!
Yes, it’s true. I love presents, but I hate the dirty work of opening them in front of a roomful of people.
Other than the actual opening of the gifts, it really was a great time. Best Friend and Mom did such a great job pulling the whole thing together, and everyone had a lot of fun.
Oh, what’s that? You want a rundown on the prezzies? Sure! I just wrote my thank-you cards yesterday, so everything is fresh in my mind:
- Approximately 10,000,000 onesies
- Approximately 10,000,000 sleepers
- About 10 adorable stretchy hats
- A cute pair of brown leather Robeez
- Soft baby-blue shoe/booties
- A couple of pairs of stretchy baby pants
- One blue BumGenius diaper (from two of my lovely young friends — apparently no one else believes in cloth-diapering, so big thanks to H and K)
- A few pairs of no-scratch mitts
- Changing pad
- Crib mattress (the box was enormous!)
- Waterproof mattress cover
- Five fitted sheets for the crib (three pale blue, two yellow)
- A set of fleece crib sheets for the winter
- Three swaddling blankets (two of which were homemade!)
- Receiving blankets (five, I think)
- A couple of fluffy blankets (including a gorgeous white Tommy Hilfiger one that I want to steal for myself!)
- Baby monitors
- Jolly Jumper
- Jolly Jumper musical mat
- Adorable stuffed rabbit and stuffed billygoat
- Various teethers and soothers
- Medical kit
- Baby manicure kit
- Diaper pail
- Bibs
- Cute baby spoons
- A couple of huge baskets of drugstore essentials, like diapers (yes, we are using disposables in the very beginning), wipes, creams, washes, etc.
- A nursing cover (handmade, which gives me a good template to make more!)
- Nursings pads
- Hooded bath towels
- Washcloths
- A couple of baby toys — all bright-coloured and rattly/squeaky
- A few gift cards to the department store where we registered
Quite a list, huh? Darling Husband couldn’t believe it when I spread everything on the living room floor and showed it all to him. Washing and putting everything away was so much fun — almost as much as getting to go through my “Things to buy for baby” spreadsheet and cross so many items off!
Welcome to Week 31
Sunday, March 28, 2010
30 weeks pregnant — now in Week 31!
I can’t think of Week 31 without thinking of 40! It’s getting so close — I can’t believe it. Home stretch doesn’t even begin to describe it. It has all seemed so real in the past few weeks.
We’ve got another OBGYN appointment on Tuesday. I don’t think it will be any different from all of the other appointments — pee, weight, blood pressure, heartbeat, good-bye — but I know eventually the appointments will include less-pleasant things, like “Let’s-stick-a-hand-way-up-you-and-feel-around.” Will that start this week? Ow.
I’ll be seeing a new doctor, since Dr. L is going to be on vacation this week, but I don’t mind. There are a couple of OBGYNs who work together — since I go to my appointments right in the actual hospital — and any one of them might end up delivering Baby Boy, so I don’t want to feel completely tied to only one.
Since I didn’t get much information out of Dr. L last week about circumcision, here are my questions for the new doctor:
- Who exactly is this “one doctor” in town who performs them? (So I can Google him obsessively)
- How much does it cost?
Other than that, I don’t think I have any other questions for him/her. I will probably have to get bloodwork again, to see if my new iron regime is working.
So! Here’s what happening with Baby Boy this week:
Baby’s size: He weighs about 3.5 pounds and measures about 17 inches long! From now on, he’ll gain about 0.5 pounds every single week.
Development: He can turn his head from side to side.
Appearance: His skin is getting smoother, as he packs on more weight.
Weekly re-cap
(March 21 to March 27)
Symptoms: Swollen ankles, trouble getting up/rolling over
Body changes: Same old, same old … just getting bigger!
Belly button: It is so small and wrinkled (and shallow!) that I commented to Darling Husband that it looks like an old man giving you the stink eye. He agreed.
Baby movement: I felt my first definite “roll” this week — it was a huge lurch that felt like my stomach was turning over, and I went, “Ughhh, now I see how people can tell kicks from rolls!” He also “startled” when I was at the movie theatre with Darling Husband and the previews came on with a super-loud bang — I felt bad for the little guy!
What’s new? My skin has been a bit wonky this week. It gets really itchy sometime along my chin/jawline, and when I look in the mirror, sometimes it’s red and bumpy. Preggo-related? No idea. But please, God, don’t make me a pizza-face!
Energy level: Moderate. The nice weather was replaced by late-March snow (Oh, Canada!), so being bundled up again has made it harder to move around outside. Also, I’m not used to “slowing down” and taking breaks when I’m in the middle of something (like chores), because I’ve always been wired to buckle down, get it done, and then relax afterward. So I overdid it yesterday, during chores, and felt completely miserable/out of breath afterwards. Must remember to take it easier!
Baby preparations: Nursery is totally done (yes, DONE) except for one poster/photo thing that I need to get framed. Thanks to my shower, it’s also filled with all kinds of wonderful essentials (longer post about that coming today!), and we also have the travel system and ordered the glider. Whew!
Cravings: Darling Husband bought a poundcake. Mmmmm. And yup, I could have eaten it in under a minute (but didn’t … promise).
High point: My baby shower! Best Friend did a fantastic job pulling the whole thing off, and I got so many amazing things for Baby Boy. I feel really, really ready now for him, which is a great feeling.
Low point: Work was really busy and stressful this week (hence the lack of bloggy-blogging), and just getting through each day was hard (mentally, physically, etc.). On the bright side, they have posted the ad for my maternity leave replacement, so the end is near!
My Husband Rocks
Dear Darling Husband,
Thank you for painting my toenails bright pink, on that dark, dark day when I realized I was too pregnant to comfortably reach them.
What colour are we doing this weekend? I’m thinking turquoise.
Love, your wife
xoxo
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