The Registry

In the last couple of weeks, Todd and I have pretty much completed our baby registry. I know we won't have baby showers until September or later, but it's nice to check off a big to-do list item. While I was really looking forward to going crazy in stores with a scanner, we actually registered for most items online. It was just so much easier to read reviews, search safety features, etc. as I was registering instead of guessing at the store. I just hope my family and friends won't shy away from online shopping!

I tried to do a lot of research before selecting items. I read many baby blogs and leaned on friends to find out what worked best for them. The registry check-list was so overwhelming. The list I used had 250 items! Before I even got started, I probably crossed off over half of the items that either seemed unnecessary or were items I could get later or borrow from friends. 

We registered for all of the basics (crib, pack n play, car seat, stroller, receiving blankets, etc.) But there were a few items that had rave reviews from moms that stood out to me. A couple were items that I feel will give me some peace of mind as I enter this adventure called motherhood. 

The Miracle Blanket

I first heard of The Miracle Blanket from one of my favorite bloggers, Erica at Urban Grace Interiors. She says, "Beware of impostors... This is the one and only swaddle blanket." Since reading her blog I've read dozens of great reviews. Thanks to Amazon.com I was able to add this to my universal registry. There's even a great little youtube video here showing it in action. 

Itzbeen Baby Care Timer

I have a bit of a split personality. I am super organized at work. I pride myself on being one of the most detail-oriented in my department. But get me home and my brain shuts off. Just ask my dad. He loves teasing me for forgetting things because I do it ALL the time. That's why this Itzbeen timer will be great for me. I can never remember where I placed my keys, how will I ever remember when I last fed or changed the baby? Thanks to Itzbeen I won't have to! This great little timer lets me keep track of feedings and changings with the touch of a button. I'm not required to remember anything. This I like!

Angelcare Deluxe Movement & Sound Monitor

Before I even found out I was pregnant, I knew I would want a movement monitor. These monitors detect your baby's breathing and sound an alarm if they stop breathing for more than a few seconds. I'm not a person who can go without much sleep, but I'm also a person who worries. I know I would be that mom that stares at her baby to make sure she is breathing all night, and would then pay for it in the morning. This is a great item because it also serves as a sound monitor (which I would also need) and will give some extra peace of mind when we put the baby down for naps and bedtime. 

Those are a few of my must-haves. Any items out there that you mom's found life changing? I'm open to all ideas!

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In other news - I sort of fell in love with Jenny McCarthy this morning. I've been a little down in the dumps about my weight gain. I've gained nearly 18 pounds in 24 weeks. Thankfully I've plateaued a bit, even losing a pound, but last month I gained 7 pounds in 3 weeks! I have stayed the same weight for the past 3 weeks or so, and hoping I level out this trimester to get back on track for the third. I'm definitely seeing it in my face which was the one place I hoped I wouldn't gain. That's why Jenny made my day. She tweeted a photo of herself when she was pregnant in 2002 - and had reached 211 pounds when she delivered her son! I have no intention of gaining that kind of weight, but she did make me feel much better about myself (especially when you see how she looks today!) Thanks for the confidence boost, Jenny!

We'll hit 24 weeks this week! She'll be here before we know it!

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The Nursery (and Other Happenings)

I'm 22 weeks this week. I'm feeling the baby kick like crazy these days, which makes sense considering she's now nearly a foot long and weighs a pound. As much as I enjoy it, I'm learning she's a bit of a night owl. If I switch positions in the middle of the night, I can almost guarantee it will take about 10 minutes for her to calm back down. I find myself whispering, "you're okay, go back to sleep." Oh how different it will be when she's really here and I'm desperate for sleep. I'll take the kicking!

As for other recent changes, I have officially hopped on a severe emotional roller coaster. My poor husband doesn't know what to think about me. I can go from hard belly laughing to sobbing, back to laughing in a matter of seconds. Crazy.

This week I have been in full nursery planning mode. I think I've finally settled on a color scheme. For any of you girls who love to decorate, you're going to hate me when I tell you about this amazing site I found. If you visit, be prepared to lose a few hours of your day! I stumbled on Olioboard this week and created a mood board for my nursery. The site is very user friendly and allows you to use your own photos/findings to create your look. Below is my mood board for baby girl's room.

The furniture isn't the exact furniture I'm looking at (although I may splurge on the chair because it can be converted from a glider to a normal chair and is a piece that could easily move into our master bedroom when we transition it out of the nursery). I found the fabric at Tonic Living, a great fabric site. The accessories are mainly from Etsy. I'm going to try to decorate the room exclusively in Etsy and my own handmade items as much as I can. The paint color shows up a little lighter than I had hoped in the photo. It looks a bit beige, but it is actually light gray. We may end up going a shade or two darker.

I didn't want to clutter the photo too much, but I do plan on adding lots of accessories to the room to bring in more color (like the changing pad cover, painted drawer knobs, artwork, etc.) I'm excited to get started on the room.

Other than nursery planning and my temporary moments of insanity, I'm feeling good. I'm trying to soak in these next few weeks and really enjoy this "comfortable" time by spending lots of quality time with friends and some of the ladies from work, as well as my incredible husband. We're trying to figure out how to sneak in one more babymoon before the baby comes. Fingers crossed it works out!

Twenty two weeks. The time is really flying by!

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21 Weeks

I am officially past the halfway mark and to be honest, the fear is starting to set in. Friends and family are using the phrase, "It won't be long!" when what I would rather hear most days is, "You've got lots of time!"

I know all new mothers have their fears and worries, but I feel so unprepared. I've never been a baby person. I know nothing about babies. Yes, I worked in a daycare for two years in high school and college and worked in childcare at our church back home, but I was always with the two and three year olds. There's not a toddler I can't handle. But a newborn? I don't have a clue. It's not helping that I beat myself up over this. When I hold a baby and he/she cries, I immediately give myself the third degree. "What were you thinking? You don't know what you're doing! You're going to be horrible at this." I'm my own worst enemy. Am I crazy for wishing that this little girl inside of me would decide to stay in until she's about 14 months old?

I'm known to watch shows like Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant (trashy TV I know), but sometimes it can be so therapeutic. If these teenage girls can figure out what to do with an infant, surely I can, right? I'm nearly twice their age with a supportive husband and an amazing community. I have no reason to fear. But still, I'm nervous. Hoping my motherly instincts will kick in very soon.

To my mom friends - is it normal to feel this way? Will it come to me naturally when my little one arrives? Or should I be taking every childcare course I can fit in between now and November 16th?

Thankfully I have lots of wonderful distractions to keep my mind occupied in the mean time. I love feeling my little peanut kick. Her kicks and punches often make me laugh out loud. Calling her by name is wonderful. Thinking about her nursery takes up hours of my time searching for fabrics, furniture and paint colors. Debating what she might look like with Todd is entertaining. I think she'll be my little brown haired, brown eyed beauty. He's certain she'll be blonde like he was when he was little.

We're past the halfway mark. Nineteen weeks to go until our lives completely change forever. I'm so thankful we're not in this alone. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I'm already a firm believer. I just feel so unbelievably blessed that our village has stepped up and is excitedly awaiting our little girl's arrival.

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