Thinking about cribs...

I know that we will have the family bassinet right away when the baby comes home, but then we'll need a crib. WHOA! Have you seen the gazillion choices out there for cribs! They range in style, color, functions, and price. I think one might even make julian fries! Wading through the baby gear is very reminescent of finding my way through the wedding crap. What is important? What is a must-have? What is the industry telling me to waste my money on?

Thankfully, I got the book "Baby Bargains" (and highly recommend it for anyone in the pregnant state). It gives a mom-to-mom low down on all the gear and major brands. Plus it includes comments about the item's durability, other mom reviews, and the makers service. This has become my new bed-time reading!

So, back to cribs...
After talking at (not to) Brian about cribs, we (meaning I) decided that we should get a fixed rail, convertible, spring-support, sleigh-style crib. Fixed rail = the sides don't go down. No moving parts = less hassel and we are tall enough to reach into the crib fine. Convertible = the sides of the crib can be used as a daybed, and then as head/foot boards for a double bed later. Spring-support = better support for mattress than just a piece of MDF. Sleigh-style = all curvy sides, no sharp corners and looks cool. Knowing this, I thought I wanted a Jardine crib from Babies R Us, but they just had a major recall. Then I found the perfect crib at JCPenney's for around $239: made by ABC. Excellent! and in our price range! BUT they wanted another $100 for shipping! WTF! Ok...Found the same crib at Target, but listed under a different manufacturer name of Da Vinci (Baby Bargains warned me of this). Doubled checked and yep same crib. And Target has FREE SHIPPING! BUT the price for the crib is $339. Hmmm....let me check my math skills . . . the price & shipping = same for both stores. Crap. Finally, I checked out Walmart. Low and Behold, they have the same crib and again it is under a different name of Baby Mod. Walmart shipping is free if we have it sent to the store and pick it up. AND they are the cheapest price at $230. AND we can get it in the cool color of navy blue. How can this be?

Same crib = Different stores = Different prices?! oh my head!

New look for the blog

So I was tired of the dots . . . and had some free time to change up the look of the ol' blog. Everything should still be here, just in a slightly different format. Now it is nice and happy for the summertime :-)

For those of you who thought we were incubating a little boy, you were right! And now on to cute little blue and green stuff...thankfully no pink this time around.

New Fruit = Cantaloupe

I'm sure glad he doesn't look like a cantaloupe!
And our little guy is a little bit heavier at about 1 lb.

Our 20 week Ultrasound

We had our 20 week ultrasound yesterday. Yes, I have to admit I was a little bit nervous based on our previous test results, but also I was highly confident that all we be ok. Both Brian and I refused to waste time worrying about "a chance that there might be a problem." We were referred to a prenatal genetic counselor, and luckily she was in the same building as my usual OB/GYN. So, before you go in for the ultrasound, they usually recommend that the mom drinks 6-12oz of fluid so that she has a full bladder. Now I normally have a large bladder, no problem...but as soon as someone tells you that you can't use the bathroom, Of Course that's when you can't stop thinking about it! Ugh! About 10 minutes after waiting in the room, the tech comes in and tells me she doesn't think the full bladder thing helps at all and to have at it. Oh, did I ever thank her profusely!


Brian and I get in to the exam room, and I'm laying back all comfy, and the tech places the wand on my stomach. I swear she only looked at our little one 20seconds before stopping and asking us if we want to know the sex. She was fast! And she re-assured us that everything was looking good with this first glance. She then proceeded to take a much more thorough examination of all the angles and parts of the baby. I have to admit that it felt a little weird with her poking at me on all sides to get at all sides of the baby. For the most part, the little one cooperated by moving around a little bit, and not sleeping through the whole thing. I didn't think I could fall in love with just a photo but Ah....so CUTE!

We got to see so much, and so much clearer than either of us thought. (Not to many un-identifiable blobs). Our tech was great and she explained to us everything she was looking at, measuring, and why. We saw the head and all parts of the brain, down the length of the spine (looked perfect), all the bones in the arms and legs, the tiny stomach and kidneys, and the wee little heart. The heart was definitely very cool. From different angles we got to see the major artery and vein leading out of it and then we saw all four chambers beating at once. Very, Very, Awesome!


Then, of course, we got to see what sex the little one was and there was a very prominent appendage sticking out between the legs. Our baby wasn't shy at all about displaying his package. Yeah! We are having a little boy! Brian was grinning like a maniac :-)
The photo on the left is the view as if you were looking upward between his legs.

See our little dude there moving around all healthy and stuff REALLY brought home the idea that I am pregnant and we are having a baby soon. The little one really is in there growing bigger every day (around 1 lb currently). I can't wait until Brian can feel the little kicks and flutters from the outside too :-)

Slight date adjustment

Had the 20 week ultrasound and the baby is measuring a little bigger than expected. So, we are adjusting the expected Date of Birth slightly to November 21. Dad, you might be getting a grand-baby as a birthday gift!