Aunt Karen again

You look great, and just the way you should at this stage! Jessica was a "night owl" & if I didn't go to sleep before she got active, sometimes she would keep me awake doing what felt lilke cartwheels with boots on! So, yes, you will definitely notice more as Zach gets bigger.

I can't wait till you start having baby showers so I can hear about all your cute presents. Be sure to let us know so we can do long-distance shower stuff.

Love, Aunt Karen

A Sign Of What's To Come?

So...last night I had to go to bed earlier than usual because I had to get up this morning at 6am. So...I turn off the lights at 11pm and...Zach began his solo dance routine apparently. I believe he knows FULL well that our usual bed time isn't until midnight and he wasn't about to go to bed early! Is this a sign of things to come!?



I've noticed the movement has definitely increased, which is good and weird at the same time. Before it was like a gentle flutter whereas now it's like...ACKNOWLEDGE ME! I imagine it will get "worse" before it gets better...but it is definitely a trip. It's fun to know he's alive and well. It's weird b/c I want to know what exactly he is doing...what and why? It's also weird because...well it can feel weird sometimes...I guess if I am sitting in a weird way or something it changes things b/c it feels weird...it doesn't hurt...but it isn't a gentle flutter anymore.



Ok, I am rambling. I think that I just repeated myself thirteen times in that last paragraph.



So anyway...here is a pic of me so far...notice how the shirt is resting on the belly. Well, I've accepted it...but if my Mom tells me I look like she did when she was 8 months pregnant again...well, I can't be held liable for the consequences! (check out smokey in the background! :)

Hi Shana and Chris

New parents!! WOW, it is amazing how fast you grow up. Congrats to you both. You are a very handsome couple and seem very happy with each other. This is a blessed event and I couldnt be more happy for you both.
I will keep in touch, I think we all need to be there for you. If there is anything we can do of course you know you can count on us.
We love all 3 of you very, very much!

Hi everybody!

Take care,
David and Robert

Notes from Virginia

Sounds like your great shopping adventure didn't turn out exactly as you thought - isn't that the way with lots of things?!? But, I LOVE Patchwork Pooh, so if you got that out of the trip, it was worthwhile. Next time you go will be less stressful & more fun!

I laughed when I read about driving by your favorite bar to go to the discount bookstore. Enjoy.

Weekend update!

Well, we took the plunge this weekend...the plunge in to registering. Well...what a mess that was!
We started at Target. I want to get things for the cheapest price available! So, I had already created the registry online, I just needed to add items. When I walk in, I tell them this and they point at the machine. Ummm...okay. A while later after they finally stop being lazy we get the scanner and we are ready to go. Well...that started well...then once I finally got to look at everything I felt like there wasn't much of a selection. And they are just completely missing some things. So, I signed up for some things and then left for Babies R Us. They had a MUCH better reception there and it really helped. They also have a large selection, though they may be more pricey.

I wanted Chris to choose the nursery theme...so he went back and forth between animals, sports and Pooh several times. We eventually settled with Patchwork Pooh, not to be confused with Fuzzy Pooh or Classic Pooh. Yes...there are a lot of Poohs. Patchwork Pooh is super cute. Here's a sample of what it looks like:

Please allow me to quote my favorite show Friends: "Actually studies have shown that the movement and colours help their cerebral development... The whimsical characters are just for us. " Truth! Doesn't that picture just make you feel happy and relaxed?

Well, after that was done I went home and got online. Target showed I had registered for nothing! So I reregistered for things...changed it up a bit. (And then of course I look just now...and there is like double of everything.) I also went back and forth between the registry and the suggested lists...and tried to find a happy medium.

Then today Zachary got his very first gift other than things Mom had given me for ANY baby I might have. :) Here is a picture of him "wearing" it:





















Today I didn't feel like my normal talkative self...been a little blue. It is like clockwork for me...if the weather outside is glum...so am I. So...honestly all of those exclamation points up there are sort of fake. But, I am sure tomorrow I will feel better. I just need to look at more Pooh. And not the stuff in diapers!

ZDR .. we are so excited for a Great Nephew!!

Hello Zachary,

We are very ready to meet you.. "hands in the air" and all!!

We love all three of ya'll..

Remember to remind mommy where her bladder is.. she may not know.. =)

love,

Aunt Kelly

(ps.. if you put it on your "wish list" the wish may come true!!)

You did it!!

I finally got on this silly thing. I am so proud of both you!! You both will be great parents, I'm sure.

Anything you want to put on the wish list for the baby shower is fine! I can't wait to go shopping
for a boy!! That will be so different for me.

I love all three of you

Mom

P.S. Aunt Kelly showed me how to get on!!

Congrats from another Auntie

Congratulations!!! I add the Slater family to that since I am not sure they know how to blog! Audra had a great idea about the cotton diapers. There's a great site called cottonbabies.com that looks good but maybe Audra or your mom know better. After the initial investment, I think it would be worth it, $$ wise and environmentally, says your 'greenie' Aunt! Hope you have a baby shower soon! Since I am not working, maybe I could help you with that, invites, etc. Would you ever have believed it? Dawn Marie Rae

My, how times have changed!

Wow!!! Tonight was a big night when I realized how much my life has changed. It all began with a drive to our neighborhood bar...

There is a neighborhood bar about a mile away from our house that just happens to be half of the reason we moved where we did! We love going there and have had to take a cab from there more than once. Well, as I was driving up to it this evening...it hit me...life is different now! I was actually driving up to Half Price Books...not to my beloved bar...not to the place with over 100 beers on tap...no, I was in search of baby books for a bargain! Don't get me wrong...as I weerily eyed the step stool to get to the top shelf, I was as happy as I could be! :)

It's funny how these things happen. :)

Ideas from Virginia

I agree on registering for the larger items at the same time - car seat, stroller, crib, etc. You may have a generous "grand" who will help get one of the larger items, or else several others who will combine to get you something that's on your list. And I agree with doubling up on the dresser & changing table - nursery furniture now is so nice in that it converts to toddler/child furniture and you can use it for much longer.

Also, don't forget to look at diaper bags - and you may want to consider a couple, like one of the smaller ones with travel size stuff for quick trips. You'll want duplicates of all the things that go in each, rather than trying to remember to repack bags.

The swing is definitely a requirement, not a wish! You'll want a clock in the nursery - for some reason, you'll HAVE to know what time it is in the wee hours of the morning when you feel like you're the only one in the world who's up!

There's no way you'll be able to resist buying clothes, so just get a few things you love, & know you'll get more, cause everyone else loves to buy baby clothes, too! That's part of the fun when someone else is having a baby.

Enjoy your shopping.

Aunt Audra's two cents

Okay, here's *MY* two cents. Your list is good. And I'd say register for EVERYTHING you want, and here's why. I registered at Babies R' Us. I registered for things that I knew I wouldn't get, because I remembered that after my wedding, Macy's sent me a coupon good for 20% off any items left on my registry that I didn't get as a gift. Sure enough, Babies R' Us sent me a coupon, and Tony and I went down to BRU with our coupon and the half dozen gift cards we received, and were able to get alot of the stuff no one bought for us for 20% off. Here are my thoughts on your list:

Changing Pad
Changing Table - we have a dresser that matches our crib that has three little walls on the top of it and the changing pad goes on that...kills two birds with one stone and when we don't need the changing table anymore, we can remove the little walls
Baby bathtub
Stroller
Car seat -I'd suggest looking into a travel system (car seat + stroller + base) ...the car seat locks into the stroller, which you'll need when he's two small to ride in the stroller
Clothes (i.e. footies, onesies, sleep sacks, t-shirts, socks, bootees, hat, etc) - just buy some necessities and a few things you love...people WILL buy you clothes
Blankets - this was another gift that I got alot of...you also may have a grandma or other relative who will make you a quilt....I did
Toiletries
Digital Thermometer - go with anal, my dear...more accurate, and you'll get used to having to use it
Baby washing set (cloths, sponge, soft towels, etc)

Go ahead and register for the crib, mattress, etc. You may have some relatives who will go in together to buy you the bigger ticket items like a crib, travel system, etc.

Register for the traveling playpen, register for the swing. We registered for a swing but got a different one. Olivia doesn't know the difference and we've forgotten which one we had wanted...it works great and is good for 20 or 30 minutes of peace and quiet!

Register for a SECOND car seat base. It will save you having to constantly switch out the base when you want to take the second car.

I've been told by other moms to forget about wipes warmers and we did and we don't miss it.

Your mom gave us one of our favorite gifts and we're still grateful to this day....cloth diapers. Olivia has to use disposables when she goes to daycare, but when she's at home, it's cloth all the way. Soooo much more affordable, and really only one extra load of laundry a week. If you go that route, buy many diaper covers. I can guide you in that endeavor, since they can be hard to find in stores. Aside from the price and environmental impact, cloth diapered babies tend to have less diaper rash and potty train quicker. But the price is a big thing!

I can share my breastfeeding saga with you privately, just because I'm sure your other viewers don't wanna hear about it.

Other moms, what did I miss?

Gonna go shopping!!

Well this weekend Chris and I are going to head out with a label scanner in hand to register. I've waited until now for one particular reason and that is to make sure he was a he! Now there will be no way to hold me back from shopping!!! :)

Neither one of us have MUCH of a clue as to what we need but my very basic list is as follows:

Changing Pad
Changing Table (yes, I want one!)
Baby bathtub
Stroller
Car seat
Clothes (i.e. footies, onesies, sleep sacks, t-shirts, socks, bootees, hat, etc)
Blankets
Toiletries
Digital Thermometer
Baby washing set (cloths, sponge, soft towels, etc)


Now I also need things like a crib, mattress, bedding, some type of organizer for all the stuff, etc, but those aren't things you register for right?

And what about things I want but don't "need." Can you register for those things too without being rude? For instance...I want one of those travel play crib things...I was at my friends house the other day and this Mom wanted to put her baby down in my friend's very baby unfriendly house so she could crawl and play...and she did but she was worried the whole time...what a great time to have one of those cribs! And also, I want a baby swing b/c everyone tells me they are soooooo worth it. But should I just buy these things or can I register for them? So here is my "other" list that I am not sure if I should register for:

Crib
Mattress
Bedding
Shelves
Small bookcase
Travel crib
Baby swing
Floppy seat
Baby bathrobe (ok, so these ARE the cutest baby things ever!!)

Also, my plan is not to buy or register for a lot of clothes...b/c that is what people like to buy for babies! And I can't blame them! :)

Finally...there are the other unmentionables such as...things needed for breastfeeding. Now...my plan is to try it...and if it works...to do it as long as we both (me and Zachary!) can stand it. So, I wonder if I should wait to buy these things (no way am I registering for them, lol) to see if it all works the way it is supposed to.


***Please give me your suggestions about these items or about any that may be missing? I don't have all you knowledgable women at my doorstep, so I have to get your advice over the internet!!!

Due date

Everyone is asking me when the due date is...As of right now it is August 30th. As so many have pointed out, that is a great time of year to be 9 months pregnant...but the way I think about it is...when IS a great time of year to be 9 months pregnant? And once I think about that for a moment, I really don't care. In fact...since i am a procrastinator...I choose to think about things in the moment. Right now its nice weather...right now I feel really good and happy...right now I am not scared about giving birth...nevermind that that will likely all go downhill...who needs realistic expectations!!!!

Collect call...it's Bob Wehadababyitsaboy!

Well today was the big day...well the biggest so far! Chris and I had both felt strongly that it would be a boy for a while. We had been calling the baby him and he for a while. I even wore blue to the ultrasound!

So we get in there and she immediately starts measuring stuff. But, the biggest shock right off the bat was how big he was!! I suppose we should have guessed it, but he looked huge compared to the last time!! You could see his spine very prominently...so I guess that milk I've been drinking everyday has been working! So...I would say things like, "Geez, his head is big...that's not gonna be good." Finally she said..., "You keep saying he...does that mean you want to know?" Uh...YES!!! So, she confirmed that he was indeed a he, saving us a lot of future guilt for possible gender identity issues!!!! She pointed out his stuff and it was easy to tell it wouldn't be one of those bad calls that come out the opposite!!! :)

Then, she got a few measurements, said everything is looking normal (kidneys: check, four compartments of the heart: check, femurs: check, etc)...and it was time to measure his head. He was actually in position for birth (head downward right at the cervix)...which, is a little early. That does bode well for us however b/c both Chris and I are procrastinators. In any case, he was tucked in there and she couldn't get a good picture or measurement for the doc. Well...thirty minutes, a walk, and much belly jiggling later we got the best shot we could. He simply WOULD NOT move. I think he punched me at one point for trying. I like to think it was b/c he is so completely comfortable!

Well, she didn't give us any pictures so that sucked, but we got to see him...and believe me...he looks huge! I guess we will get some measurements at my next appointment...four weeks from now. :(

Chris tried to freak me out by deciding it was a good time to consider boy names...ummm...no! I like knowing that we, the procrastinators that we are, actually have one thing decided!!! He started saying things like Bruce....ugh! Everyone, please tell him Zachary is a beautiful name that is perfect and no more discussion! :)

FIrst Pictures

First Pictures Just so there is a record, here are the baby's first pictures. One makes him look like Mr. Peanut. The other is him sucking his thumb! How cute...if you can see it.

Learning to Blog/ L2BLOG

Well, my Aunt Audra started one of these to share her newest family edition (Olivia!) across the miles, so I thought I'd do the same. Tomorrow we find out if it is a girl or boy.

Chris wants a boy...for two reasons I think. First, he needs a place to spread all of his machismo...Second, he would be scared to death of dealing with the boys our beautiful girl would no doubt attract. I don't particularly care one way or the other. I have daydreams of giving my son a mohawk...and similar day dreams of a little girl pigtails.

When we had the first ultrasound done it was very weird because Chris and I both immediately (and completely separately) started referring to the picture as "him" and "he." Why that is could be superficial...as in there is no long hair to give it away...or something more meaningful. I also have every single dream with a son. That may or may not be because everyone tells me that's what I am having all day... My mom is the only one who refers to the baby as she and calls her by her would-be name.

If we have a boy its a pretty simple choice. Zachary David. If we have a girl...well, that's another story. I want to name her Ayla...as in my favorite heroine...the one I have read about at least a dozen times. I wonder if the world can handle Ayla though? I could soften it up with a K...making it Kayla...but then it loses a bit of its character. I don't know... As I said, tomorrow is a big day. I think the baby knows too...he or she has been kicking around like crazy the last several days!!! I know it's all in my head but I think that the baby kicks me on purpose, at certain times. For instance...every time I sneeze, I feel a kick. Is he or she saying, "Excuse me Landlord, I am trying to relax here. Loud noises coupled with sharp movement really aren't going to work for me." I also seem to notice them more when I have a full bladder...at which I think he or she is thinking "You know, I am cramped up in here as it is, do you think you could possible get rid of that bulge that's taking up my space here?"

I am going from the ultrasound to the maternity store tomorrow to buy a blue/pink shirt so that I can announce it to the world!!! I don't think they care...but I do!