Baby Furniture

Once we found out we were having a boy the first thing I wanted to do (besides buying a bunch of baby clothes) was get going on the nursery.  So since then we have purchased the baby's crib, changing table, and bedding.  We recieved the changing table and the crib last week and this past weekend Russel put it together.  The changing table was pretty easy and he did it while watching football but the crib had to be done in the baby's room since it wouldn't fit through the doorway if he had done it in the living room.  He messed up a few times on the crib but suprisingly didn't get too mad or swear too much...I was very impressed with him. :)  The style and color we chose was the Graco Lauren Collection from Target and it is Walnut.  At first I wasn't sure about walnut but it looks pretty good. 


We haven't gotten the bedding delivered yet (still waiting...) but we got the rug and decorative pillows to go with it.  Our bedding is called Arctic Babies and it was actually sold out at Target and Babies R Us but we finally found it on Amazon.com.  The pillows obviously won't go in the crib because I believe it is a hazard but we will probably be putting them on the glider/rocker.  Still left to be purchased for the baby's room is a mattress, bookcase, glider/rocker, and a different changing table pad.  The one that came with it is really thin but we found one at Target that fits the table perfectly and is more cushy.  On Wednesday we are heading to Menards to get some paint samples and hopefully buying the paint on Friday.  Russel gets a Christmas gift certificate for working there so we are going to be using that to buy the paint and primer which saves us some money.  I think the actual painting will get done the weekend of the 18-20th when Russel has off.  I won't be doing any painting since it isn't really recommended (I know with certain paints I could) but I will be there to make sure he doesn't screw up or miss a spot.  It will be nice to have it all painted and once we have everything set up I will of course put up pictures.


Ok so here are pictures of our Crib, Changing Table (front & side), then there are pictures of our bedding on a crib and a close-up (I got these off the internet), and then pictures I took of the pillows and the rug.

22 Weeks!

Well my bump has gotten significantly bigger since the last picture.  I am now 22 weeks today and I am over halfway there!  I am mostly excited but still pretty scared too.  The moments I think "why are we doing this?" the most is when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or I get up and say good-bye to Russel when he works early and I am super tired.  And all I can think when I am that tired is that when the baby comes it is going to be all day, every day, and 10 times worse.  I think I will miss sleep a lot.  Especially if you know me, I love my sleep.  Well the baby finally started kicking.  He started two weeks ago when I was 20 weeks along.  It was only two kicks that first night but I knew for sure that's what it was.  He hasn't become really active yet, and no painful kicks quite yet either, but he really likes to kick when I have a full bladder.  We still can't feel the kicks from the outside yet so Russel is a little jealous.  He thinks that the reason he can't feel them is because I don't want him to and I am hogging the baby kicks. :)  I am hoping Russel will be able to feel the kicks soon but I know when that happens that means the kicks will be harder and not quite as "cute" as they are now.  Next doctor's appointment is December 16th where they just do my normal measuring and weighing, but I believe the following appointment will be my glucose test and I will be heading into my third trimester! 

It's A.....

BOY!!!!!

We had our ultrasound today at 2:30pm and found out we were having a baby boy.  We both wanted a girl so I had some disappointment but when you are looking at your baby on a screen moving around and the heart is beating it is kind of hard to be disappointed for long.  It was a bit uncomfortable when you have a full bladder (supposedly makes it easier to see the baby) and they are pushing on your stomach but it was really fun to see.  The technician took all the measurments and pictures (we also had an intern in the room) and the baby definitely likes to move around.  They only needed two more pictures (hand and profile) but he wouldn't cooperate so they kept having me roll over to see if he would move and finally after 10 minutes they got their pictures.  The profile shot isn't exactly what they wanted because he wouldn't put his hand down but it will do.  So the doctor says he is definitely a boy (no doubt about that), he now weighs 10 ounces, and although he can't say 100% that everythings perfect (because we won't know till the birth) but we are pretty close.  Nothing was found wrong, down syndrome was negative, his measurments were good, and all his organs are there (including all 4 chambers of the heart).  Russel & I are very happy that everything turned out good and he is healthy and it feels more real to me now that I know the gender.  Now we can start picking out bedroom stuff, painting, and narrowing down the names!  I'm also just happy that for the rest of this pregnancy I can call him "him" and not "it" or just "baby".  Now all I have to wait for is for baby boy to start kicking.  He hasn't started yet (just some flutters) and it was bizarre to see him moving around inside of me but yet I couldn't feel him.  Well here are some pictures of our baby boy.  They aren't the best because we don't have a scanner so I had to take a picture of the picture.

His boy parts :)

One of his feet.

And this is his profile.  Like I said, he wouldn't move his arm so you can see his hand right by his head.

18 Weeks

No belly picture this time because I pretty much look the same.  Actually today I am closer to 19 weeks but I figured I would write a few things. 
Last Friday I went and got the H1N1 vaccine.  I was a little nervous but it was less painful than the regular flu shot.  I am hoping that it was a good decision but I am pretty sure it was.  I really don't want to get the Swine Flu and especially while pregnant.  My parents thought I should get vaccinated and my mom actually got one as well (since she is a nurse) so I figured if she would get one, I would.

I have been feeling pretty good.  Last week I had some Round Ligament Pain which was just that...pain.  But I'm not feeling it anymore.  Russel and I have been on a baking/buying of sweets binge.  We made pumpkin bread, banana bread, a german chocolate cake, and we bought some peanut butter cookies.  The baby is eating way too much sugar but the good thing is I am also craving milk.  We have been going through gallons of milk but I know I am getting my calcium.

The biggest news is that in 6 days (November 18th) we get to have our ultrasound.  We are very excited to actually see a picture of the baby, and see it moving around.  I know most importantly we want to make sure that everything is ok and our baby is healthy but we are SUPER excited to find out the sex.  We both want a girl and so does quite a few people in our family but I know that we will be happy no matter what.  I just want to give the baby a gender and stop calling it "it".  I have been going crazy counting down the days till this appointment and I am happy that is less than a week away.  The only bad thing is that the appointment is at 2:30pm.  In order for Russel to come with and not miss a day of work we have to wait till the afternoon.  Usually my appointments are early because I can't wait but I have no choice.  I just know I am going to be impatiently waiting around all day.  We will let everyone know what it is but the final name will be kept secret.  I will probably list some names eventually to get some opinions but no one but us will know for sure what it will end up being.

Lastly, I just wanted to let everyone know (but not to force you)  that you can make comments on these blogs even if you don't have a google account.  You just click on "comments" and then type your comment in the "leave your comment" box.  Then you just need to look down furthur beneath that and click the dot next to Name/URL.  Then all you have to type is your name and then click "publish your comment".  (You don't need a URL)  I know that some people were wondering about that.

Travel System

This past Friday we purchased our Travel System which is an infant carseat and stroller.  (I also just found out today that it is now $20 off on sale!)  The carseat comes with a bottom that stays in the car and it already comes with a head support.  However, I am going to replace the head support for one made out of fleece or cloth because it is the carseat material and doesn't seem too comfy.  The carseat can also attach to the stroller.  The stroller has 3 different reclining positions, a basket on the bottom for holding things, a cupholder for the child, and two cupholders at the top.  (I'm not sure why I need two cupholders but you never know.)  I knew I really wanted one with a basket though so it could hold my purse and shopping bags!


The carseat and stroller together

Front of the stroller




















Close up of the design

The carseat

And here's Bailey sniffing the carseat out...He was very interested.

The dogs have been pretty good at all this new stuff coming in.  We have left some of it out in the living room when we have been gone and they haven't messed with it.  I got some free samples of diapers the other day and I showed them to the dogs and Bailey tried to lick it but Ally wanted to play with it.  We will have to work on that.

17 Weeks

So this is me at 17 weeks.  I really do NOT like taking these pictures.  First of all I make Russel take like a million because in one photo my arm was too fat, and then you could see a back roll, and then it wasn't center but I figured some people who I don't see that often would want to know how big I have gotten.  I really have only gained a couple of pounds because in the First Trimester I had no appetite so I lost around five pounds.  But I have gained them back plus two more.  I am so happy that I want to eat again.  However, a lot of times I really make Russel angry because I want ten different things at once.  A few weeks ago I got clam chowder from Red Lobster, croissants from the store, and an ice cream cone from McDonald's.  I try not to be that difficult every day.  Also my cravings change everyday.  It has never been one constant thing that I have wanted, but I do know that I want a lot of sweets and candy bars.  Very rarely I would eat chocolate before I was pregnant and tended to lean towards salty and fried foods.   But now I am wanting the chocolate - especially Kit Kat bars.

Baby Gear

So Russel and I (or should I say it was more my idea) jumped the gun on buying some baby stuff.  Since after hearing the heartbeat twice and heading into the Second Trimester I figured it was ok.  All the stuff we picked out so far is gender neutral and I actually had some of it picked out before I was even pregnant.  All of this stuff actually came from my favorite store, Target.

This is the Pack'n'Play or what they also call Playyards.  This one comes with a changing table that comes off, a place to hold some diapers and wipes, a mobile that plays music, a sleeping area for when they are newborns which actually can come out and then just be the regular playyard. I know alot of people don't need a Pack'n'Play but 2 months after the baby is born we have two weddings out of town and I'm sure we will be doing some other out of town visiting frequently.

                                

This is a closeup of the colors and design.  We are also getting the highchair and Travel System (stroller and infant car seat combined) in this theme which is called "Little Hoot".

                                           

This is our "Woodland Friends" bouncer.  As you probably know I like brown and I just loved the colors.

                                  

 
And lastly is the Swing.  It is the same design as the bouncer but this plays music and has three stages.  Newborn Swing, Infant Seat, and Toddler Rocker.