New Mom Help Post #1

As a first-time mom-to-be, Babies R Us is quite overwhelming! I received some good advice from a mom of 3: while waiting to find out the baby's sex, you can still register for all the other practical non-gender specific items, and it's much less overwhelming if you just tackle one section/category at a time, rather than trying to do it all in a day.

So, I'm going to try that approach while I'm still in these early weeks. But I need your help! Once a week, I am going to pick a baby product category and post it here, and I'm asking all of you experienced parents to give me your input on products you loved or hated. I would really appreciate your input... so will you help me out?! :)

CATEGORY ONE: Baby Monitors

• Preferred brands?
• Helpful features?
• Things that are unnecessary?
• Video, motion sensor, or audio only?

Thanks for your help! :)

Sweet Relief?!

So it happened. I was technically 12 weeks as of New Years Eve, and while I started out the day feeling yucky as usual, that night we went to a sushi restaurant with my cousin & her husband... and I ate my whole Beef Teriyaki Bento Box (minus some wontons) and started feeling good. Yesterday, I still treaded lightly, but I never got sick... and today... I went back to Yu-Mi for some more Miso soup, ginger salad & rice. And I'm feeling almost 100% better! I'm soooo hopeful that this is that 12 week mark I keep hearing about and that the nausea & sickness are behind me!

And I guess I'm a convert. I've always snubbed Sushi restaurants for the fact that they are so trendy and in my opinion, nothing raw is near as good as cooked food... but, while I'm still sticking to the cooked stuff, I have to admit, I'm a bit hooked. Yumm-y! And of course the restaurant that got me hooked is within walking distance to my house! Uh oh. :)

Melissa is.... beginning to think that she's the only one reading her blog...and updating her blog... hint! hint!

Happy Birthday John!

Happy First Birthday John! (My cousin Amy's adorable little boy turns one tomorrow... this is a picture of him having a blast at his birthday party on Saturday!)

Christmas Festivities

We had a very busy - but fun Christmas this year. We were pretty much on the go non-stop. We started out Christmas Eve with a wonderful gift: we got to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time! Then we spent the rest of Christmas Eve with my family, Christmas morning at home then on to Mike's family for the afternoon, and then to my grandparents' house that evening. My sister was home from Denver, so we spent lots of time with her as well as with Mike's family who was in town from Michigan over the rest of the weekend. It's nice to have both of our families be local, but it did mean we were available for every single get-together. I'm not quite ready to go back to work tomorrow!

Unfortunately, this week also turned out to be my worst week to-date with pregnancy sickness. It was hard to keep much of anything down, and I was feeling pretty rough most of the time. Yesterday was my one "good day" but I ended up running myself a bit too hard and had to recover by sleeping in and missing church this morning. Anyway, we did still have lots of fun... We enjoyed a final Christmas that we got to still be "the kids" but my parents did sneak in this one baby gift! It ended up being Mike's favorite gift!

To Cradle or Not?

Have any of you used a cradle for your baby? We have a bit of a dilemma: apparently I have a cradle that was handmade by my grandfather for me as a baby, and Mike has one that was handmade by his dad for him. Of course they were both offered to us this weekend. I haven't seen Mike's, so I don't even know what it looks like. I do like mine. Even so, I don't even know if I picture myself using a cradle? I'm wondering if I should just tell both sets of grandparents to set them up in their houses and we can use them whenever we come over. How else am I supposed to pick? My parents would totally be cool with that, but I get the feeling Mike's might be a little hurt. But I also don't want a country-cradle that I might not even use... thoughts? :)

Ultrasound Picture!

Here's our baby... somewhere between the size of a large grape & a small plum. :)

An eventful day...

I had some unusual bleeding this morning, and though it wasn't a lot, I was still concerned. I called my doctor and they said I should come in. So... I did. And boy was it worth the peace of mind! Baby Wellington is doing great. I got another ultrasound which was so amazing to see little hands, feet and most importantly, that heart beating strong. The baby was rather active and moving around quite a bit, so it took the Ultrasound tech a few minutes to find a clear picture of the heartbeat. (So as I sat there, not seeing the screen and trying to read her perfectly straight poker face... I tried hard not to freak out and assume the worst). Finally, she said "Okay, here we go..." and turned the screen toward me. And there was our little one, arms & legs moving around and heart beating strong! Whew!

So it turns out that right now, the placenta is just positioned very close to my cervix and they'll just want to watch it to make sure I don't keep bleeding. I go in for a follow up on Christmas Eve, and then again for my normal 12 week on the 30th. The baby is measuring 9 weeks, 2 days... so as I thought, I'm more likely due closer to the 22nd of July (instead of the 15th).

Anyway... I've gotta run, but just thought I'd update everyone! I'll post more later... and hopefully scan in the ultrasound picture too...

:)

Things that make me go....

Things that apparently make my tummy say "Noooooooo!!!!":
Shrimp, Chicken Noodle Soup, Applesauce, Chocolate, Chicken, Potatoes, Saltines, Apple Juice

Things that are okay (so far):
Chik-fil-A, Cheese, Apples, Orange juice, Cheerios, Salsa, Italian food

I guess I'm glad I'm not gaining too much weight yet, but I sure do miss my appetite! Although I'd rather gain weight for a healthy baby... but I guess he/she will be okay. I'm doing what I can!

Good news... and a little confusion!

Thanks for all the well-wishes and tips! :) I really think someone must have just been praying for me though, because I did nothing different, and last night I got a great night's sleep! What a difference! I think I'm finally back on the upswing!

But just for my sanity-sake, what is everyone's understanding on medicines you can/can't take during the first trimester? I'm a little frustrated because my doctor/midwife's website gives an extensive list, but it says all of those listed are safe beginning in the SECOND trimester.. and yet when I called and talked to the nurse & she confirmed with one of the doctors, they said it was fine even though I'm only 9 weeks. (Stuff like Tylenol, Robitussin, Sudafed...) I'm a little bugged that they say one thing on the phone and another on their website. I know there can be lots of different opinions... but it would be nice to hear just one from my doctor! So what have all of you mommies been told?

Fortunately I think my current cold/cough is on its way out and I never took anything, but it would be nice to know what is really okay. :) I feel like most people affirmed the thought that you shouldn't take any drugs during the first trimester.

And I thought I was tired last week?! That was nothing! For the past 5 days, my nights have consisted of dry, painful coughing attacks that last from about 10pm to 4am. I've basically gotten no sleep during those hours, because as soon as I get comfortable, I start hacking away. Somehow by about 4am, I think my body gives up and I'm able to get a little shut-eye... but I'm basically running on about 3 hours sleep every night. It'd be one thing if I could just bum around the next morning, but trying to get up and function at work is a challenge to say the least. So I've been trying to take all the tips I can... but so far, I'm not getting any better.

Solution #1: Humidifier: We got this super-cute elephant humidifier at Target this weekend... it actually had better reviews than all the non-cute ones and what the heck, it's our first baby purchase. Well... no complaints, but no improvement in my symptoms yet either.



Solution #2: Neti Pot: I had never heard of such a crazy contraption, but after several people recommended it, I figured it was worth a shot. Well... besides feeling like I was drowning, ending up with a bit of an earache, and feeling like there is still water sloshing around in my head somewhere, I didn't get much from this. I may give it one more try... maybe I just don't have the technique down yet... but so far, this did nothing for me.

Solution #3: Hot Tea: My gracious co-worker fixed me a cup of hot tea this morning, and so far, this one is the winner. Granted, my coughing attacks are mostly during the night when I'm laying down, but at least it's soothing on my throat this morning.

Solution # 4: Recliner: Apparently I need a recliner. I think if I could sleep standing straight up, I'd be great. But we have no recliner, and I don't think the latter will work... so I'm at a loss. I hate to complain, but I'm just feeling pretty terrible right now and would welcome any relief. On a good note, my nausea has taken a back seat to the cold. Still there, but not quite as intense. :)

Rough Few Days...

So somehow I caught a nasty cold/cough a few days ago and it's no fun! I left work early on Friday and have been trying to lay low all weekend. I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to take any medicine during the first trimester (I'm at about 8 weeks) so relief has been hard to come by. Anyone have any suggestions?

We did go get a humidifier yesterday and used that last night. I guess that may have helped as now I can at least feel some stuff starting to break up in my chest. But I'm even getting blood when I blow my nose. Am I okay? I got "morning sick" for the first time yesterday... but surprisingly had a big appetite right afterwards! Who eats creamy corn chowder and Taco Bell after losing their breakfast? Apparently me! Weird... Anyway, I'm not feeling much better today yet, and I'm just hoping I'll be well enough to go to work tomorrow. No one there knows I'm pregnant yet, so it's harder to explain why I need to stay home for just a cold. Pray for us! Mike's been doing a good job of taking care of me, but I'm afraid he may be catching what I've got this morning. At least we can drug him up! :)

Stuff!

This week, we've been pulling out all of our Christmas decorations and as I look around my house, I just can't figure out why we have so much STUFF! We have lots of closet space, but they are all bursting at the seams! My guest room is basically a big storage room with a bed..surrounded by boxes. My office is overflowing, and everywhere I turn there is stuff...stuff...stuff! You would think that 2 adults and a dog in a 3 bedroom home would have plenty of space... but now as we start thinking about making room for our baby... I don't know what to do with it all!

I am a bit of a pack-rat by nature... I'm sure there are some old clothes I could purge. And the closet full of Princess House products could surely be sold. But it sure is nice to be able to go up and find any platter or cookware or glasses I might need at the last minute...

As I think about it, I am getting motivated to just go crazy and organize it all... but by the time I get off work, I'm sure the only thing I'm going to want to do is take a nap! :)

Thanksgiving Fun

Well, this was definitely an eventful Thanksgiving! Besides Mike being super excited about frying a turkey, (In honor of his Uncle Moe, he had a Coors Light while he monitored the frying bird!)
we got to spill the beans that we're having a baby!!! I'm 7 weeks along, my official due date is July 15th, but I think the 19th or 20th is more accurate. It's been hard to keep a secret for the last 3 weeks, but it was worth it. Our families are super-excited and we got to see our little one's heart beating strong on the ultrasound last week! For now, the most noticable change has been my complete lack of energy. I've also been trying to keep the nausea away by giving in to my unusual cravings... healthy food! I guess my body knows what this baby needs because I haven't been interested in anything chocolate or sweet! Just lots of fruit, salad, meat and water! I guess that's a good thing! :) I'll keep it up as long as it lasts!

Flip Flop!

So if there's anyone who actually reads my blog somewhat regularly, you've been exposed to my indecisiveness in the last week. I was toying around with different new blog designs and trying to find the perfect fit. I guess I'm back to my first choice now. It's a little cutesy, but it works.

I'm Famous... Almost

So besides all of your great blogs, there really are only a couple others that I check out daily, including my favorite semi-famous one: "This Young House."

Well, take a look at the posts for today and see if you notice anything familiar... Yep! That's my kitchen on the before-after shot! It was featured today and there may be another before-after from my house in the coming weeks! How fun is that?! This blog has been featured on HGTV and some design magazines... so it's kinda fun to have some of my amateur design alongside of theirs!

A Visit to Raleigh

Well, I took some pictures this weekend... but they were with Suzanne's camera, so I don't have any! You'll just have to check out her blog to see a few of Mike with Lily and more cute Lily moments. We really enjoyed spending an extended weekend with the Hortons and hope they got at least a little more sleep this weekend than usual. Lily is a little cuddle-bug and we really enjoyed being with her! Mike even got to babysit early on in the weekend - poor guy, we kinda sprung it on him quick and assured him Lily would sleep the whole time we were gone... instead she woke up hungry and her oxygen monitor alarm went a bit nuts. He did great though... after he got the alarm off and her out of the crib, he managed to get her settled and happy until we could make it back so she could eat. :) He was rewarded though with getting to go to an NC State football game with Aaron on Saturday... that couldn't have worked out better ~ college football always makes him happy!

Our birthday memories are bittersweet this year. We celebrated last Saturday at Northwest River Park. It was an amazingly beautiful day and we had so much fun with family, friends and furry ones. The next day, Uncle Moe passed away unexpectedly. He had spent the day with us at the park and we are all so thankful we had that day together. Life changes so quickly. I am reminded of how brief our time here on earth really is. And how often we spend so much time worrying about the things that don't really matter... we must be ready! God has us here for a purpose - to bring glory to His name and we do that by loving Him and loving others. I know that for me, it's so easy to spend time loving myself... looking after my own desires and needs... but I am grateful that God has made this life so much richer than that and that He allows me to look into the mirror and see things as they really are... and then He enables me to change. He is so good. Here are some pictures from our day at the park.

Barack Obama :)

No camping...but it was a great weekend! We were going to go camping with some friends from church, but the weather just didn't hold out... so instead, we drove up to Northern Virginia to visit Marie, John & Anna Friday night and Saturday, and then Brad & Rebekah Saturday night and Sunday! I think this was a much better plan!

We had lots of fun with the Childress family. We got to walk around Old Town Alexandria, eat lunch at a yummy spot in D.C. and Mike even got to watch some college football once the rain drove us back home. Marie tried to fatten us up with some yummy breakfast and she even got us a cheesecake birthday cake! Anna was lots of fun to read to and dress up and cuddle with. We got some good laughs when Mike asked Anna who she was going to vote for and she quickly answered "Barack Obama!" John, what a terrible thing to teach your innocent 2 year old! Haha! We had a great time and only wish we got to see them more often!

Then we headed over to Annandale to visit our friends Brad & Rebekah Rollins. This was the first couple we met at CCC (our church) and we really formed a quick friendship. They moved up to Northern VA in August so Brad could attend Marymount University, and we've definitely missed having them as part of our Care Group. Two other couples from our group (Nick & Debbie and Steve & Stephanie) met us up at the Rollins' new house and we had a great time making smores, playing Apples to Apples, Password & Cranium.

The drive home was BEAUTIFUL as all the leaves seemed to be at peak color. We of course stopped at Ikea (but I was good - I didn't buy anything!) and then at Famous Dave's BBQ in Richmond. Yumm! I love Fall weekends!

All Mine!

As of today, my car is PAID OFF! What a great feeling. And the even more amazing news... it's worth exactly as much today as what I paid for it 3 years ago!!! Not that I'll be selling it anytime soon... this has been the best car I've ever purchased. It's a 2005 Mazda 3 Special Edition and after 3 years, I still love to drive it! I searched high and low for this exact car, and ended up driving out to Roanoke to get this one because I found exactly what I wanted, with 8,000 miles and about $8000 less than a new one on the lot! Zoom-Zoom :)