Hospital Prep

Went to my doctor appointment at thirty-six weeks and five days - wow, how time has flown by. We got some unexpected news: the doctor said that I'm three centimeters dilated and seventy percent effaced!

That means Dexter could arrive at any time!
I'm so excited! I am so not ready yet! I was thinking I had a few weeks left but it sounds like Dexter is going to meet us earlier than the due date! Oh my goodness, what a kick in the butt to get things ready!

I guess first thing is to put together a hospital bag. I need to wash some baby clothes so they smell more like mom & dad. What to pack? I found a couple of super helpful lists online from Parents.com & a blog: Life With My Littles (along with some other helpful ideas to prep for baby!) I also got a list from my doctor. Here's my list of what I decided to bring:

Basics:

• Picture ID
• Insurance Card
• Advanced Directive
• Birth Plan
• Vitamin list (& vitamins) 
• Call list
• Chargers (phone, nook)

For baby:

• Diapers & wipes
• Car seat & blanket
• Bottomless gowns
• Burp rags
• Receiving blankets (though the hospital may have some too)
• Baby beanies
• A picture out fit
• Socks

For mom:

• Toiletries: toothbrush, hair brush, deodorant, hair ties, lip balm, emery board 
• Sweatshirt
• Slippers / socks
• Gifts / thank yous for doctors & nurses
• Entertainment devices (nook)
• Snacks & gum
• Nursing bra / shirt / tank top
• Nursing pillow
• Nursing pads?
• Pump
• Extra fabric bag for things acquired at the hospital (gifts / hand outs)
• Flip flops
• Baby's memory book
• A pillow from home
• "Baby folder" for the papers from the hospital
• A laundry bag
• Music device (with music!)

For dad:

• Toiletries: toothbrush, hair brush, deodorant 
• Snacks & gum
• A couple of changes of clothes

Oh, next I should really write out that birth plan so it can be packed and on hand! I got a birth plan check list from WIC & I found this blog, Earth Mama, that has a whole bunch of points to check and then a pdf file can be downloaded for free! Just Mommies also has a similar birth plan creator that makes it easy to simply select what you want & print it out.

Find a pediatrician.... WIC sent me a letter saying that they had picked out a doctor for us. I don't really like that. I want a say in where I take my child. My doctors gave me a list of pediatricians that work with the hospital I'm going to deliver my son at. I have to make some calls, but I hope to be switching to one of their offices.

I still need to pick up the things Dexter still needs! Oh my gosh! I still need some things: bed covers, nursing gear, a baby sling, diaper gear... I'm sure I'm forgetting other things too...

What about birth announcements? Should I pick those out now?

What the hell am I supposed to expect for the labor process? I've never done this before! This is all brand spankin new to me! I've been avoiding really looking into it because I'm scared that it's 'the most painful pain that I'll ever be in, in my whole life.' I want to see and read more birth experiences first, before I dive into it my self! Wait, Dexter, I'm not ready yet!

Calm down. Breath. Be excited! :)
We're going to get to meet little Dexter soon & everything is going to be great!

Little Boys

(Disclaimer: Many may already know my stance on this subject.  Please don't let that affect what your about to read. I put my stance in another blog post, here I've pulled together information from (as much as I could find) unbiased resources, taking months to compile these resources and write an informative article.)

Circumcision

I've found through my personal experiences that circumcision is a surgical procedure that is performed on infants in the US regularly. Personally, before my child goes with the doctor -for any reason, but especially a surgery- I want to know everything that I can know about the procedure. I want to know exactly what is going to happen and why. 

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So let's start with the basics: Male ANATOMY

(Web MD) Shown with foreskin

The male penis reaches full size at puberty. It is the male sex organ and a conduit to release urine from his body. The urethra, the inner most chamber of the penis, conducts urine out of the body. The corpus spongiosum is a column of sponge-like tissue that runs along the penis. The corpus cavernosum consists of two columns of tissue that run along the sides of the penis. The glans or head of his penis is, for circumcised men, dried skin with limited sensitivity. For uncircumcised men the glans is covered with a pink moist tissue - mucosa, and covered by the foreskin. The glan is smooth, shiny, moist, and extremely sensitive for uncircumcised males. (CIRP & Web MD)

(CIRP) Intact penis (hidden structures shown)

Males have a foreskin (if not removed) that covers the glans of the penis, folding in on itself forming a double layer making up about half of the total skin covering his penis. The outer foreskin is the outer fold of the skin, it is a continuation from the skin on the shaft of the penis. The inner foreskin is the inner fold of the foreskin, it is a unique mucocutaneous (both skin and mucous membrane) tissue that is not found anywhere else in the body. There is a ridged band that joins the inner and outer foreskin layers that narrows the foreskin opening when his penis is flaccid and creates ridges about half way down and around his penis when it is erect. (CIRP)

Similar to the flap of skin found under the tongue, the frenulum is a connecting membrane under his penis, another sensitive area. (CIRP)

The main functions of the foreskin include: keeping the mucosa over the glans, protecting the glans from waste in diapers and from friction and abrasion throughout life, also to provide sufficient skin to cover an erection, and provide stimulation during intercourse. (CIRP)

(CIRP) erect circumcised penis

An erection is the result of increased blood flow into the penis and expanding blood vessels that hardens the corpus cavernosum when a man is sexually aroused. An uncut male has enough skin to cover the erect penis and be loose enough for a little movement. A cut male may have a scar and, when erect, skin is tight around the shaft with no movement.  (CIRP & Web MD)

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WHAT are we talking about?

Circumcision: the surgical removal of tissue covering the head (or glans) of the penis, the foreskin. This exposes the end of his penis.  The foreskin becomes naturally retractable when a boy is about five years old and can be cleaned by rinsing with water. (Kids Health, Mayo Clinic & Web MD)

WHY is this surgery perfomed?

The practice of circumcision originates in religion and commonly continues today for religious reasons. Other reasons may include: family tradition, personal hygiene, and preventative measures. Some parents choose circumcision for social reasons like a desire for the male to look like other males in the family or in the culture. (Kids Health, Mayo Clinic & Web MD)

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BENEFITS of a circumcision

There are no scientifically biased benefits of removing the foreskin of a healthy male baby. Some research has found possible links with health concerns, though most of these issues are resolved with proper hygiene practices. This includes a reduced risk of urinary tract infections, though the over all risk is low and more prevalent in females. It may reduce the chance of penile cancer, though this is rare. Reduced risk of various penis inflammation problems, this is also affected by hygiene. Circumcision will reduce any risk of an inability to pull back the foreskin or recover the head of his penis once it's pulled back, this is an uncommon problem of uncut males. Good hygiene prevents most of these risks and a condom should always be used in sexual intercourse to prevent STIs and other infections. (Kids Health, Mayo Clinic & Web MD)

RISKS of a circumcision

Risks to this surgical procedure most commonly include excessive bleeding and infection where the penis is cut, sometimes leading to death. There is a possibility of life long pain from the procedure. Irritation of the glans (the head of the penis), an increased risk of inflammation at the opening of the penis (the urethra), and injury to his penis may also occur. His penis may need to be amputated due to complications. There may be foreskin problems such as being cut too short or too long, not healing properly, and what's left of the foreskin reattaching itself to the head of the penis requiring further surgery to correct. (Kids Health, Mayo Clinic & Web MD)

Most of the risks of circumcision, including the circumcision it's self, are irreversible and may cause life long damage and/or death. (Web MD)

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THE PROCEDURE: how a circumcision is performed

The procedure of circumcision removes the foreskin from the head of the penis. Fifty-five to sixty-five percent of all newborn boys in the US are circumcised. The procedure takes about ten minutes and is often done one to ten days after birth. (Kids Health, Mayo Clinic & Web MD)  

For a newborn, the procedure takes place while he is on his back with his arms and legs restrained.  His penis area is cleaned then an anesthetic is either injected into the base of his penis or applied as in a cream form. An acetaminophen (Tylenol) suppository may also be inserted into his rectum to help with discomfort. A clamp (or ring) is then attached to his penis and the foreskin is then removed with a scalpel. After, his penis is covered with an ointment and loosely wrapped. (Kids Health, Mayo Clinic & Web MD)

When done as an adult the procedure takes about an hour. For adults and older boys the procedure is similar to a newborn circumcision with only a few additional steps. The surgery may be done under general anesthesia and stitches may be needed. (Mayo Clinic & Web MD)

HEALING from a circumcision 

The cut area of his penis heals in about a 5-10 days. After the surgery his penis will be sore and may look red, swollen, or bruised, and a yellow crust may form at the tip of his penis.  For newborns, change the bandage and diaper often, making sure the diaper is loosely fastened, and wash the area during normal bath times. When changing the diaper, a small amount of blood is normal, if there is excessive amounts a doctor should be informed. (Kids Health, Mayo Clinic & Web MD)

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Life AFTER Circumcision

Circumcision is irreversible. It is commonly thought to not affect fertility or sexual pleasure. Though men have testified that circumcision has affected the sensitivity of his glans causing less sexual pleasure. (Kids Health & Mayo Clinic)  

Resources

CIRP: www.cirp.org
Kids Health: www.kidshealth.org
Mayo Clinic: www.mayoclinic.org
Web MD: www.webmd.com

My stand on routine infant circumcision in the US as expressed in memes: Intactivist  

'Dreams'

 I've been having some pretty vivid dreams during this pregnancy. Very life like with a twist of my own 'insanity,' just to keep things interesting. Some of them have been good 'happy' dreams, but most of the ones I remember are nightmares. I think I remember them because they get so insane they wake me up, in tears most of the time too.

From what I've read, these vivid dreams are normal during pregnancy. Many women get them. The dreams are caused by the flood of hormones in our brain. Messing with our emotions. However, most women have dreams about their babies or about their partners. Not me. I have 'dreams' about past horrors, made worse by my imagination. Or a terrible scenario of how I feel certain people have treated me.

My last 'dream' really scared the shit out of me. Not only did I wake up in tears but I sat balling for a solid hour once I woke up. I became a total creeper, watching hubby sleep and occasionally just touching him to make sure he was actually there and I wasn't 'dreaming.' Glad he didn't wake up while I was all freaked out like that. I would have really scared him.

I was so upset and angered by this 'dream' that I decided to do some research into it and talk to some other moms about it. Many moms had dreams & 'dreams' when they were pregnant, though like my readings had predicted, most of their dreams were of their children or partners. One mom had dreams about other things, like me. She suggested that I analyze it, that helped her, she went the Jung route of analyzing.

(From what I remember of studying psychology: Freud did a lot of work into 'dreamland' and Jung was a colleague of Freud's. He also dove into 'dreamland' but had a different perspective on interpretations that was more widely excepted and is still used in the twenty-first century.)

So I found a couple of articles: Dreams During Pregnancy & Jungian Analysis: Dreams.

Dreams During Pregnancy
This is a fairly short article. It was very reassuring that the 'dreams' are just dreams. They are caused by emotions and hormones flooding the brain. The article also covered and explained some of the key happenings that have been reoccurring in my 'dreams,' going into a small bit of analysis.

I'm glad I found this article because it was short enough for me to read in only a few minutes - I didn't have time to let my mind wander back to the dream I had - and it had reassurance & explanation for the 'dream,' exactly what I was looking for!

Jungian Analysis: Dreams

This goes through how to analyze your dreams. It concisely walks you through important points of your dream and helps interpret what they could mean. Finding meaning in my 'dreams' really helps me to find peace with it and move on.

Cloth Diapers...

My investigation into cloth diapers (cds).... What will I find!?!?
(This is a totally informal look into cds. The things I read & videos I watched are all listed at the bottom of the page. Everything else is just my thoughts on things as I go through the info!)
(P.S. sorry if this post is a little jumbled, I'm writing this in my 3rd trimester and it has caused quite a scattered brain!)

We started looking into cds because they seem the most economical. We've heard so many parents talk about the money they save on diapers, even with the initial cost being pretty high. I've also heard some moms talk about how they start an addiction to them, getting cute prints, but it's all up to who the parents are. There are many different types or styles of cds.

Pocket diapers are suggested to be the best because they keep the waste off of baby pretty well.  What I don't really like about them is that you have to take them apart to wash them.

There are all-in-ones (commonly referred to as AIOs)  that are like disposable diapers in that they are just one piece. I love the idea of that, though it sounds like they are harder to clean, or rather to dry and they are more expensive for the convenience.

A Mama Shared This With Me: A Basic Run Down of Four Styles 

Pre-folds seem to be awesome in the newborn stage and can be used as liners or inserts in the pocket diapers (also as burp rags and cloth wipes.) They seem to last the longest, as in they can be used in many stages throughout baby life.

I don't like the idea of a big bulky diaper... there are different inserts that are thinner and can manage a smaller look, but in general, cds are bulky. Also, size! Making sure a newborn is in newborn size and so on and so forth will change how bulky the diaper looks and how bulky it truly is for baby.

So, I've never been in a situation where I've used cds before (with the exception of one babysitting job.) I've never had to wash cds before or fold them or (really) change a baby in a cd. Not only are there several types of diapers, but there are also different folds and cleaning practices. The best advice I'm hearing is to get or borrow (from other cd moms or there are trade groups in some areas) different types of cds and see which ones work best for you, baby, and the family lifestyle - this is not for everyone.

Some wash all their cds by hand and hang dry. Some clean their cds with a 'special' wash cycle, a 'special' detergent, and hang dry them. Some use an extra rinse cycle, use their regular detergent, and tumble dry in the dryer (no fabric softener - it causes the fabric to repel liquids, which causes leaks.) Some wash every day and some wash after about three days. It's all dependent on the cd that is being used and how lazy the user is I suppose. Personally, I would probably be one of the lazier users.

From all the articles and web sites I've read, from the youtube videos I've watched, from talking to parents who cd, and from talking to hubby, I think I've (we've) reached a conclusion for our family. I think we're going to give this whole cd-ing thing a try. We'll probably start with pre-folds while he's an infant and test out other options as Dexter gets older. I'm excited to start collecting my stash! Hubby isn't as thrilled as I am, he's not looking forward to the dirty laundry (which I don't even expect him to do or really be a part of. So I'm not sure why that's on his mind?)

We'll see how this works out!

Resources:
Fluff Love University (educational website) (-lots of information!-)
The Different types of Cloth Diapers (blog)
Cloth Diapering Girls vs. Boys UNWRAPPED (4 min youtube video)
Types of Cloth Diapers (and how to use them) (22 min youtube video)

30 Weeks!

Oh my goodness!  We're already in week 30!!  Where has the time gone!? The days are just flying by!

Dexter has gotten so big for my belly! He's been able to wake me up a few times from wiggling around. Usually when I wake up it feels like he's tap dancing on whatever side I'm laying on! I've been taking time randomly though out the day to lay back and just watch him move around.  He's gotten stronger and larger, I can see my belly move and I imagine the somersaults he must be doing in there!

Little baby Dexter is now right around three pounds and six-teen inches from head to toe! His eye sight is continuing to develop - he can respond to light and is packing on fat cells.  His brain is also continuing to develop!

I got the baby registry pretty much put together on Amazon so that I could get our online baby shower going and have some fun!

"baby registry"

The registry is not one hundred percent complete yet... we've decided to go with cloth diapers and I have no clue where to begin on those or which ones will work best for us. Our minds were swayed by a mom's group that convinced us that it will be more economical in the long run. So for now the thought is to go with disposal diapers till Dexter gets to the usual ten pound limit for the cloth diapers then transition into cloth diapers. Only using disposable when we're out and about so we don't have to carry around dirty cloth diapers in a bag.

I think I'm going to pull all of my thoughts and research together on another post. Keep it all together in one place!

Hospital Visit!!!

(Perhaps a TMI post...)

Happy new year Dexter!

This is the year that you're going to be born, we started the new year in a new trimester - the last - at twenty-eight weeks into pregnancy. Your dad and I are incredibly excited to meet you! Since you're not here yet... your dad & I wanted to bring the new year in with a bang! (Or six or seven bangs!) After all, when you get here we anticipate you taking most if not all of our time, energy, and willingness to do much of anything else but coo and awe over you while we take care of your adorable baby needs.

Come to find out: there is such a thing as too much banging.

We went to the hospital at midnight on the third day of the new year, after calling the doctor & asking for advice from other parents. I started bleeding. We got worried that the placenta had moved to the wrong place, that the mucous plug had started coming out, or perhaps labor was starting early! When I called the doctor the bleeding seemed to be stopping. She said to just rest and keep an eye on it, but to go to the hospital if it started up again. So midnight hospital adventure it was!

Your dad and I had been to the doctor's office a dozen times by now and the hospital shared a parking lot, but we had never gone into the hospital before now. It was so late most of the entrances were closed, we had to walk all the way around the building to find an open door. We went up to the fifth floor - the labor and delivery area. We had to fill out paperwork before we could see anyone, then the nurse brought us back to an exam room. Another nurse came in and asked all the questions that were on the paperwork and when the emergency doctor came in she went over them again! The are very through I suppose.

The nurse strapped a heart monitor to my belly to monitor your heart rate and another piece of equipment to catch any contractions I might be having. We got to listen to your heart beat away and we could hear all your wiggles and squirms while we waited for the doctor. When the doctor came in she told us she ordered an ultra sound, some blood work, and some other testing to make sure everything was okay.

A nurse came in with a wheelchair and pushed me to the ultra sound room - first time I was pushed around in a wheel chair at a hospital!  (And because it was so late or early in the morning, hardly anyone was in the hospital and half of the lights were turned off. It made me feel like your dad and I were just dropped into a zombie movie!) The ultra sound technician put warm goopie stuff all over my belly: we got to see you and how much you had grown since the last ultra sound (that we thought was going to be our last.) She took some measurements, we got to see your bones, your newly added chubbiness, and at one point your face! You were breech - your head in my ribs - when we peeked in on you. She said that everything looked okay, the placenta was in the right spot, there was a good amount of amniotic fluid, and you have plenty of time to turn around before labor.

Back up in the exam room a nurse came in to draw my blood and the doctor came in to look at my cervix - that's always uncomfortable. She came to the conclusion that everything was fine though! When she looked at my cervix she had your dad look too.  She pointed out where you would come out and what was causing the bleeding. Apparently I have a vascular cervix and we had broken a vein which caused it to look like I was starting my period. She wanted us to wait for the blood & other tests to come back just to make sure everything else was okay, which everything was, and then we were free to go!

Doctors orders: no more banging till the next doctor visit - four days away - so that my body would have time to heal.

25 Weeks

Baby and I have reached week 25!

Last night (Dec. 11th) was the first night that he's been so strong and harsh with his movements to wake me up... I thought he was going to crawl right out of me! He kept me up for about an hour in amazement of how much he was moving around.  Though I was so tiered today because of it. I took a three hour nap and I'm thinking of going to bed early too.

Not only is baby Dexter getting stronger, he is now about thirteen and a half inches long, and weights about one and a half pounds. He is also getting more baby fat and practicing breathing, swallowing, crying, out-of-the-womb activities.

One of the mom's in one of my mom's groups had an emergency c-section this week, her and baby are doing good.  It's amazing that we've made it to viability and to see what my boy looks like at this point.

I've been so wrapped up in baby and the holidays this month.  Though, thinking of the future I've tried to start putting together a baby shower. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun! I'm working on a trivia game and some other games we can play over the internet together.  I won't have a chance to really think about it or put it together completely until after the holidays.

Tomorrow there are some local festivities going on - Snow on Tarpon Ave. We're looking forward to checking it out. Though I have a feeling that it would be so much more fun with our son on the out side of me, being as most of these things are geared toward kids. Still, it will be a lot of fun being around all the holiday joy!

South Carolina

Dear Baby,

We're at week 24!!! This pregnancy with you has been going by so fast looking back and thinking I was so excited to reach the half way mark at 20 weeks. It's also been so slow at times with the anticipation of meeting you boiling up and causing butterflies in my tummy. I suppose it's like we've climbed a mountain to the half way point and now that we've reached the summit going down is going to go by so much faster!

The last couple of weeks have really flown by! We went to the Dr.'s for a check-up, I got to hear your heart beat loud & strong and we're both healthy, right where we should be. Then you had your first taste of Thanksgiving. Your first holidays in existence is in my womb, your dad and I are really looking forward to spending the holidays with you! You're going to bring so much more joy and excitement to events than we can experience now as 'boring' adults. We went to your grandparent's place and visited with your great grandparents too. Just a small gathering with your father's side of the family, it was fun!

Photo by Timothy Capp

The day after Thanksgiving we headed to South Carolina to document your daddy's high school friend proposing!  This has been your second road trip up the east coast in my womb, the first being a North Carolina trip for a wedding your daddy photographed.  This trip was short and only lasted a couple of days - but it was so much fun!  We got to experience new restaurants. (Cookout is an awesome inexpensive fast food place - we got two burgers, two sides and a shake for just twelve dollars & it tasted great!) We went to a restaurant we found last time we were up here & just had to get some of their signature berry biscuits (Bojangles.)

Photo by Timothy Capp

We got to the meeting place where the proposal was planed to occur a bit early so we had time to look around and play, since it was at the beach! Your dad pointed out that this was my first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean. I collected some shells of course and your dad got some fun pictures.  We were right outside the hotel that your dad's friend was staying in with his sweetheart.  It was a big beautiful beach themed hotel, there were two weddings there that day as well. The proposal was supposed to take place under the pier, but they got really nervous and he ended up proposing on the balcony. We convinced them to get some really sweet photos before we headed out though.

Photo by Timothy Capp

The day after we got back from South Carolina your dad had a meeting to sell a camera and close to where we were meeting there was a build-a-bear shop! Since we've decided on your first name, we stopped in to make you a bear and leave a message for you - it was your dad's idea.  It was so hard deciding which bear to get you... there was a cute monkey, an alligator that is special for Florida shops only, there were different colored bears, and a puppy that we liked.  We wanted to get you the perfect one that would last you a while.  After we chose the perfect one we left you a message that we put in it's paw & stuffed the bear. We put two hearts in it, one filled with love from dad and one filled with love from mom - we sealed the love in with a kiss before we placed them in your bear.

Photo by Timothy Capp

We are so excited to meet you!  I feel you move more often now. Sometimes it's just small movements and other times it's big kicks!  I think I watched you hiccup today, you were making my whole belly jump in little rhythmic jumps! I've seen you kick and push my belly skin too. I was reading that your skin is growing faster than your fat cells at this point. So you're a wrinkly skinny little one right now about the size of a standard letter, but you weigh just over one and a half pounds by now. You may also have some hair growing on your tiny little head, though it doesn't have any color yet.

You're sucking up all my energy too.  I've been so sleepy and achy.  I took a nap for the first time since your first trimester in my womb yesterday. You are growing so much that my belly is cramping and stretching to make room for your last four months in there. Four months!  I'm so excited to meet you (and yet so scared of what I will go through to do so.)

I'm happy we've decided on a name for you! Now instead of calling you baby when I talk to you at various points of the day, I can call you by your name: Dexter.  We just have to figure out your middle name now...

Mmm...

The holiday season is also baking season!  I can't wait to make some sugar cookies with my boy!  The holidays are going to get a whole lot more exciting having a kid around!!!

So far this season I've tried to make pumpkin bread (which sadly didn't turn out like I wanted.) I made cream cheese pumpkin muffins - those turned out a little gooey for me, but still so good warmed up!

Hubby's been snacking on them

Today I'm trying some sweet potato chips. These are supposedly loaded with vitamins and nutrients that pregnant women need. (Hopefully they taste good, they're in the oven right now.) Super simple to make, same way I make my favorite potato-y fries: Chop 'em up, add a little oil and spices, toss, spread out on a baking sheet, and cook!

After tossing these ones didn't fit on my baking sheet

All spread out, about to go in the oven!

Hmm... I just checked on them and some of them got burnt, and they shrunk!  (My potato-y fries don't do that so much.)

The thinner ones got singed 

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mmm
Though some of them got burnt (and I tend to like things a little under cooked) They turned out pretty good!  I feel like there should be some sort of sweet dip to go with them, but it's not needed.  Some future perfecting is needed!

I think I will try making theses again, provided I have the sweet potato for it!  Hubby doesn't like sweet potatoes so this will be my very own snack that I won't have to share (until the little one decides he wants some!)

Week - 22 - Twenty-two

Oh my gosh. I feel big. None of my regular clothes fit me any more.  I was down to one dress and my boobs out grew it. So today I dragged hubby out to get me a new wardrobe. We found a great deal at a consignment shop: all the clothes were sixty percent off and they were all marked under five dollars to start with!  I got some comfortable pants and cute tops. The store was packed with toys and baby gear, which we still don't have any of.  I wanted to get a lot of it.  Baby clothes are so cute!!! We also found a boa and sparkly hat for our photo booth. The lady took sixty percent off the whole stack! Everything rang up for about sixty dollars after the sale was applied I paid twenty-five. Oh yeah!

Then we headed over to a thrift store next door and spent just over twenty dollars there too. I found some holiday cards for this year, I got some stickers and a much needed cheese grater. I found a couple of formal dresses - the main reason for our adventure. I also got a large teddy bear for my boy ... and to use with newborn shoots. Hubby found a ten dollar super Nintendo. It came in a flavored rum box with a couple of games, the controllers, instruction books for the games and three others, a couple of "heavy duty" timers, an instruction manual for a cassette recorder, and a few other random things. He was very excited to find it. I guess he never owned the system before.

I was very pleased with our finds today!

Baby isn't growing in any interesting ways now.  Just bulking up for when the time comes to be apart of this world out side of the womb. He's getting stronger too.  I'm feeling kicks more often and stronger. According to babycenter.com his iris' have yet to develop pigment - that's interesting.  He is about eleven inches long and weighs almost a pound.  He's about the size of a spaghetti squash! (Perfect for the holidays!)

21 Weeks

My pregnancy is old enough to drink! Laugh out loud, yes, I'm just joking!

Baby is about the size of a carrot this week, about ten and a half inches from head to toe.  He can taste the amniotic fluid around him and is practicing swallowing and other out-of-the-womb necessities. The amniotic fluid is flavored by the food I'm eating (according to babycenter.com) so I should start eating things that I want him to like: carrots, salad, healthy things!

My belly feels tighter, I'm having cramp like pains in my lower abdomen and up my sides.

I'm so sleepy, I slept for almost fourteen hours last night - minus the tossing and turning and being woken up by hubby coming to bed - when I woke up it felt like I got a really crappy nap in, not a full night's rest.

At the same time, I have little bursts of energy! I can clean and play with hubby, I feel so accomplished and I get so much done. ... Until the burst is gone.

I still get dizzy from time to time.  After I've been standing for a few hours especially.  I've also noticed that my body is not circulating blood as efficiently as it's been in the past.

Also, I'm bitchy. Not even grumpy just flat out bitchy - I have a problem with everything and it's becoming harder to please me. The last wedding we were working I kept checking in with hubby to ask: "Is it okay to be mad about this, or am I over reacting?"

It's awesome being able to feel our little man moving around in there.  A sign that I'm not just getting fat, but that I actually truly do have a little someone in there.

Names are "fun" to come up with. Actually it's the middle name we're having issues with. Hubby loves a name I'm not to keen on, and I don't like a whole lot of boy's names. So we weed out the ones hubby doesn't like from the ones I'm okay with and our list is empty.

We don't have anything ready for baby when he gets here!  No car seat, no crib or bassinet, no bouncer, no diapers, no clothes, no toys, nothing! Well, we have a package of baby wipes... that's it!  I'm not even sure where we're going to put the stuff once we start collecting it!? I went though a little bit of nesting and cleaned most of our condo... but then daddy got all his toys out, and daddy hasn't learned to put things away yet.  So the place is... trashed. The mess could also be due to the fact that we've had a crazy busy week and haven't been home with the energy to do anything for a while.  Three weddings in eight days - the weather has gotten cooler and wedding season has picked up!