Friends, Family and Showers...

We had an amazing weekend!

Mom (Nana), JA, and cousin P came down for the weekend! We had a WONDERFUL weekend being silly and having a good visit. We talked over all kinds of baby feelings, baby advice, baby movements and such silliness. I felt like I was sooooo close to joining their "Mommy Club". They were asking so much about the pregnancy that I felt included in a whole new world - a secret world reserved for "those in the know".

We all went to dinner on Friday night at a very yummy Thai place and had a wonderful time - cousin P's friend Randy came with his girlfriend Sandra. Sandra speaks almost no English, so Randy translated for us. Then Bo "tried out" his Spanish, and did very well conversing with her. She seemed to appreciate talking with him directly. Then cousin P, Randy and Sandra, and JA went out dancing at a place called Johnny's Hideaway. They seem to have had a great time dancing the night away. I was really glad to see them get out as cousin P is recently divorced and hasn't been out on the town in a REALLY long while. She looked all pink-cheeked and happy when she came home. SO great!

On Saturday, my best girlfriends Miss S, Cc, and DD held a co-ed shower for us and the baby here at our house. They made it so wonderful and beautiful, we were just bowled over! Flowers and streamers and baby-themed things were everywhere! There was so much pink and blue that it looked like a nursery exploded in our downstairs! About 16-18 of our friends joined us, and we ate and talked and laughed all afternoon. The presents were piled so high, and people were so generous! We feel so blessed to have such good friends and such an amazing support network.

The funny thing is, I am always amazed when people give me presents. I never think of myself as a person that others are terribly supportive of. I have lots of friends, several very close ones, but I never really feel like I'm part of the "in crowd". Then a party of this kind happens (our Wedding for example) and I am bowled over by how many people seem to love and care for me. Everyone is genuinely happy for us and cannot wait until our little dream is safely in our arms. It amazes me anew...I guess in a way, I've created my own "crowd to be in".

In a way it is sad that at 34 I'm still insecure and feel those high school pressures to fit in. Then again, I am quite confident and sure that I'm "good enough" and deserve the good things in life, so I guess I'm satisfied that I've grown up a bit overall. I wonder, do those childhood insecurities ever really go away? I'm beginning to think they lessen, but never really go away...

I sacred Bo earlier this week, I told him I was going to get him during the shower, because he was going to have to announce what each present and its use. He is constantly befuddled by what all these "baby thingys" are. I ALMOST forgot about my promise, so mid-opening I asked Dad what one of the more unusual presents was. He looked at it for a moment, read the package, and said, "It's a Boppy!", which he thought would get him off the hook. Nah! "What do you use it for?" He beamed and said, "You bop the baby with it!", which drew loads of laughs from the guests. We really had a great time opening all the cute and cuddly and very practical things. It was such fun!

Later that night we made homemade pizza and just relaxed after a long day of baby showering. :) We sat around listening to music and swapping stories about babies with Miss S, her hubby R, their daughter Miss Em, and our visiting crew. We had a great time talking it up and watching Miss Em (who is 4 going on 16) do her "dance routine". She was so terribly cute, but some of the moves left her Dad ready to lock her up until she's 30. I think his discomfort was the funniest part of the evening! Bo was laughing at R until he was reminded that he MIGHT have a little girl of his own on the way. LOL - Priceless! It was a very nice time, indeed.

Well, turn out the lights before you leave... I'm going to bed... I seem to have developed a nasty cold. I'm coughing and hoarse and it's harder than ever to breathe - should be this way for at least a few days. Blech.

Don't forget to vote on the sidebar for the sex of the baby and when you think it'll be here!!!

DO NOT USE Target's Baby Registry!!!!!!!!!

I just returned from Target, and BOY AM I MAD!!! Target will not process ANY returns on any item over $20.00 without a receipt/gift receipt or the original purchasers' credit card - EVEN IF the item is on a Baby Registry!!!!!! Even if it is Broken!!!!

So, you know those big $ items you registered for - you are going to be STUCK with them if you have any issue/need to exchange them and have no gift receipt. Sounds simple, right? This is Target, they will work with you, right?!?!? Everyone loves Target because they are great, right?

NOT!!!!!!!!!!! Target changed their return policies last year....

• Is the item broken? Sorry - no refund/exchange without a receipt!
• You got 6 of an item from your registry, and you want store credit to purchase other items off of your registry - sorry, no refund/store credit/exchange without a receipt!
• Want to do an even exchange for the SAME product in a different color/size (say you have a boy vs. a girl, or the baby is large/small) - sorry, no exchange without a receipt!
• You want to buy the next product up the line from the one you got? Sorry - no refund/exchange without a receipt!

This is a real and serious issue - do not fall victim to this like I did... If you don't believe this will happen, like I didn't, just try it for shits and giggles. Create a registry - buy one item off it for over $20.00, then try to return it without a receipt. Go ahead, I'll wait....

Here's my story....
I was given a baby monitor, and now I'd like to return it. I went to Target to get the $ back on it/exchange it/get store credit, whatever it took. I was told that I could not get a refund for an item purchased off of my registry without a gift receipt. I talked with the Customer Svc Mgr and the Store Manager. They told me there is nothing at all they can do for me. Period. End of story. No Hope.

Now, mind you, the purchaser DID have them scan the item as part of a registry purchase, so Target DOES have a record of the actual purchase. It even shows purchased on my registry when you review the list online. However, they will not honor that record of the purchase as a receipt!!!!

My cousin had warned me about this policy at Thanksgiving, after she had similar issue with returns after the recent birth of her son. However, I had already been given the monitor, I didn't imagine there would be an issue with the monitor, so I didn't give it a thought.

Well, I sure should have listened!!!! Ladies, I now have a $150 unusable gift thanks to Target!!!! My only option at this point is to call the gift giver who really, really, really hates gift giving for exactly this reason (he would much prefer to give you cash/gift card than an actual gift). I'll have to hope against hope that he has the receipt for this monitor, or I will have to SHIP IT TO HIM in Idaho, so he can return it using his credit card. I also have to get this done in the 1/2 month left before the purchase/receipt passes 90 days! Oh for FUCKS SAKE!!!!

Here's more information about the situation from others who are having the same or similar issues with Target's new return policies: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/retail/target_returns.html Specifically, read the one from "Anita of Conway AR (12/12/07)", where a group gift was given... It's enough to make you scream.

I am like most of you guys - I love target, but I cannot imagine using them for registry purchases in the future. Unless you really want to cry over the wasted nonreturnable gifts DO NOT USE Target.

I realize very well that there are things I could do to rectify the situation in some way that doesn't involve Target - garage sale, sell on ebay, contact the manufacturer. However, that isn't the point. The point is that Target is no longer upholding their end of the purchase process. Countless numbers of people are getting stuck with merchandise they cannot return/use simply because they have no receipt. Don't let it happen to you - don't use the Target registry - complain if it does - make a stink... The policy needs to change.

Work Shower, Hospital Tour, Latest US Pics - Oh My!

On Thursday 1/10/08 the ladies at the office threw us a baby shower. Both my old team and hubby's current team went together on one shower.

I'll be honest, I was so worried that my old teamates would have better things to do than come to a shower for us. I was kinda feeling like they would consider the baby and I to be "old news" since I no longer work there.

There was not only a great turnout, but also everyone was so excited to see how big I'd gotten since Thanksgiving. :) At one point people were actually forming a line to get a chance to talk to me. It felt so amazing to know that people really care about me and the baby. They really, really do. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it. Several people asked that I add them to our "call list" for the announcement email. They all want me to bring the baby to the office ASAP too. :) So sweet!

We got the most important 3 things - the car seat, a 2nd car seat base, and 2 Ultimate Crib Sheets (thanks S&S, so much!!).

If you haven't heard about that last item, listen up! The Ultimate Crib Sheet sheet snaps over top of your normal "cute" crib sheets.

According to my baby-wise friends, with the Ultimate Crib Sheet you simply pick up baby, change them, snaps off the UCS... Then you snap on another UCS... Job done, put that baby back to bed. Note: some people actually put 2 UCS on the bed, but the manufacturer does not recommend this - too much padding can be a SIDS risk.

Bonus - you can't see the UCS when you look at the crib from the side - so the crib stays cute, and so does that expensive cute sheet. The baby lays on the UCS, not the cute sheet, so you don't have to wash/fade the cute one.

So, after the 1st time you are awoken at 3 AM by a baby screaming because they are wet, their clothes are wet, the crib sheet is wet, the mattress pad is wet and you are cussing how tightly the mattress fits because you just.cannot.lift.it to put the new pad and sheet on - you will remember this post and thank me/my friends for coming to your rescue. :)

Commercial over, back to our regularly scheduled program...

Later Thursday night we went on the Gigantic Hospital Tour. Everything seemed to be nice and new - huge labor/delivery rooms - and lots of basic info about where to sign in, protocols for basic needs, and lots of reassurance that the baby will be with Mom/Dad as much or as little as we want. They can take care of everything we'll be needing, it seems.

HOWEVER, and there is always a however, there are lots of "rules" and "protocols" that are just standard policy. The answer to just about every question ends up being "all the hospitals do x and so do we x" or "that is our policy/protocol". Oh boy... Not a good way to get my confidence up... I don't like it when people do things just because that is how they've always done them. This is such a HUGE place though, that I imagine they have to have policies/procedures/rules for just about everything or nothing would get done.

So, I'll plan to argue and refuse alot... I'll also expect to provide LOTS of treats for the nurses... Nurses please feel free to suggest your favorite bribes, I mean treats, to recieve from ornery patients!!!! :)

OK, I'll shut up now - I know you are really here to see the star of our show!

I gotta say, I am in love with my baby's already fat cheeks! Everytime I look at our latest US pics I get all giggly excited. It is just so surreal - this little cutie is hanging out in my tummy, just waiting to make it's big entrance!



30 Wks 3 days, weight est at 4.2 lbs - Ooooh, look at those fat cheeks!!!!!

Just A Quick Upate...

Yep, still here, still pregnant, and still reading all of your blogs!!! However, I've not felt like commenting much so I hope you all will forgive me if I seem a bit distant.

Being laid off work and unable to find new work has left me feeling a little like I'm on bed rest. Nowhere to go, nothing to do, and I can't afford to do it even if I could think of something. :(

ANYWAY! On to more interesting news...

Last Thursday we had a GREAT ultrasound at the peri's office! He said things are going great, other than the fact that baby is very large for this stage. He's hoping the GD diet will help slow the baby's growth just a tad. The GD diet isn't so great, and I fell off the wagon for a few days over the weekend, so I'm not sure how happy he'll be when we visit next.

BTW - at both Dr's offices we've moved into the "visit every 2 weeks" stage! I never thought we would get to this point. It is so sureal...

Sunday we went to our first Childbirth Prep class (1 of 4). That was very interesting - mostly because I have never been around that many pregnant people at one time. It also struck me that HEY! I'm one of the pregnant people in the room!!! OMG! So weird, huh? Interesting, and yet a "duh" kind of moment too! We didn't really cover much true content, but we got to know each other a little better, which seemed to open up communication and ease everyone's tension a bit.

I just sent a note to our doula to setup our consultation for the birth plan. I'd like to do this soon, just in case the OB is right and we are a bit early. I'm also working on what the packing list needs to contain. You ladies are the best source of "real" advice on what to bring. So many of you have made it to the other side and blogged about what worked and what didn't. I love getting real advice - you just can't beat having knowledgeable girlfriends to ask!!!!

Tomorrow we will take part in 2 big events - 1) Former workplace baby shower and 2) Hospital Tour! Hubby still works at the company I was just laid off from, and they are giving us a co-ed dual shower. It will be great fun to see everyone again. I hope to have time to do some wandering and seeing people that don't come to the shower too.

The Hospital Tour is something I'm really, really looking forward to. I've been there 2 times to visit friends who delivered there, but I visited the postpartum rooms, not the delivery rooms. I hope to be happy with the place. I understand that it is a great place to give birth - very comfortable and large rooms, which is great for having visitors.

Well, that's all the news that is news for now... I'll try to check in soon with US pics from Thursday and an update on how tomorrow went.

Thanksgiving Memories... Part 1 of 2

We had a wonderful time this Thanksgiving! Told in 2 parts...

Bo took some extra time off work (I'm laid off, remember) and we did a full circut of my family's homes for the holiday. We even managed to include some of his family on the outbound portion of our journey. It was truely wonderful to see everyone!

With my tummy popping out all over the place I found out what it is like to really be the center of attention in a LARGE family. It was sweet, scary, fun, and frustrating all at once. :) More than one time I entered a room of happily cozy people, only to have a matron of the group shuffle the troops to make a seat for me. I DIDN'T WANT TO SIT DOWN!!! How embarrassing... LOL ... and yet how sweet that they care so much for our wellbeing. Family, gotta love them! :)

We started off the jaunt at my parents' home in TN, just outside Nashville. My brother was in from Boise, ID and I was so very glad to see him. It has been way, way too long. I miss him terribly... Everyone oooh'd and aaaah'd over my belly, except for brother, because he's a Grinch, and yet I could tell he was secretly very, very proud of me. :)

On Thursday, we went to our family farm on the other side of Nashville. Our farm is still in use, for raising cattle, and my cousin is raising her family there along with chickens, dogs, cats, and sometimes bunnies. We always enjoy the ruckus the "city kids" cause by messing with the animals - what a hoot. I found out I do a mean rooster impression... Don't ask.

As usual, we ran the gauntlet of hugs and well wishes as we entered. Only this year I got "tummy rubs" too! Everyone was so terribly excited about the baby. :) When we entered the kitchen/dining area you could have bowled me over with a feather. There were baby presents stacked to the ceiling folks! Literally! They had piled them all on a sideboard, and one of them was grazing the ceiling tile! Oh My!

After an AMAZING dinner, which I must say was the best in recent memory, we all trundled off to the back porch for desserts. Oh how wonderful - party pink salad, my favorite!!!!! Oh, and home made pumpkin cheesecake!

Folks, a back porch on a farm house is NOTHING more than pure genius. This room is quite large (maybe 20x20), and serves as a catch all for the implements of keeping a farm house running. It is sort-of a glorified mudroom. However, it has one distinct advantage - it has a concrete floor and screened windows, so stays very cold. Perfect for housing desserts and hosting leftovers between the day's meals (we eat early, and then graze again at about 7 PM). Built in large-scale refrigeration... you gotta love it!

After the meal had settled, but before sleep had set in, my mother" distracted me while the "shower" was setup. We received so many nice things - a video monitor, blankets, bibs, gowns, onesies, a high chair, and the list goes on! It was so wonderful to have such an outpouring of love for our little one. It was also Bo's first baby shower ever - he seemed lost at first, but I kept handing him things to open. He really seemed to enjoy it - mostly though I think he was grateful there were no party games! LOL

On our way back from the farm we swung by Bo's brother's home, where they were hosting dinner for 11 - 8 of the guests being children. Sue's sister has 8 kids, all under 12. We didn't stay long, as our hosts were exhausted from the day's trials, and we were coming back on our way home for a night, so we made it short.

To be continued...

Sweet and Scary....

Lots of very sweet and very scary changes have happened this week in our household!

We had a GREAT Perinatologist vist on the 26th - see the photos at the end of the post - the pictures are so clear that it is amazing.... The Peri was extremely happy with how the baby looked. Once again he measured him/her at a week ahead in growth. Can you say "Excstatic Parents"? I knew you could!

The OB's office gave me the Pre-Registration package for the hospital on Friday. OMG! That is the most scary piece of paper I have ever recieved! You would think I would have come to grips with the fact that we are going to have a baby, but it shocked me that we are that close. People are wanting to start getting ready, pre-registering, oh my.

The baby has started kicking me several times a day... It is so comforting to know that everything seems to be OK in its little world.

We painted the baby's room, it is gorgeous!!!!!! I love the color - even hubby is impressed with the results (he painted it). I'll try to remember to post some photos so you can see...

The crib was delivered on Thursday along with the new glider and ottomon.

I put the crib together - it looks AMAZING!!! I can't believe how sturdy it is! I would absolutely recommend this crib to anyone - http://www.bonavita-cribs.com/cri2003.html. We bought the Peyton crib.

I've been frustrated with the mattress search - who the hell knows which one is best for baby?!?! Ugh... The specialty store wanted $179 for their "highest quaility" mattress. I'm thinking NO Way am I paying $ 200 for a crib mattress. That's just silly to me. The average top-end mattress at Babies R Us and Target in Georgia is around $100.

So, I've been quizzing my friends about what they bought. Most said they are getting the Sealy Perfect Night... So, I went and bought one of these mattresses, which I brought home and put on.

Putting the mattress on let me put on the bumper pads - how totally cute!!! However, I do have to lengthen two of the ties - the crib's rails on the front are too large for the bumper to tie on properly. I'm good at sewing, so I'm comfortable that I can make them safe. If I find I can't then I won't use the pad.

My Mother's-side family decided on a date for our baby shower! Thanksgiving!!! That is just SOOOOOOOOO close!!! Two weeks!!!! OMG!!! I'll be 24 + weeks, I've received lots of emails and calls from family asking and talking about registries and how excited they are to be buying baby things. It is so sweet... I feel so terribly blessed. :)

So, lots of scary milestones and yet it is so sweet to be here after so much anguish and torment from IF. We feel truly blessed with each day that passes, with each kick, each morning that I wake up and realize we are one day closer to our lives being changed forever.

Here he/she is, in all his/her glory!!!

We're Getting Stuff (Hubby's Getting Crap)...

Well, it seems to have finally started... Hubby is getting crap from people about our "condition". :) People are starting to give assvice, make suggestions, and prod him about the "Is it a boy or a girl?" question. That last one is probably the kicker! He really doesn't want to know until B-day, but he's beginning to get real crap about his feelings from others.

I explained that it is probably because people are beginning to think of baby showers and such. People don't seem to like to have to buy unisex items. They want bright pink and bold blue - definite statements of gender.

I personally want to know too, but I feel sorry for him that he's getting pushed. It sucks when you feel like the rest of the world doesn't agree with your feelings, no matter how "right" you are.

All the same, I think it would be so nice to know...

We cleaned out the baby's future room tonight!!!!!! We are going to paint sometime between now and the end of the weekend because THE FURNITURE IS IN!!! Oh my GOSH!

Some time next week or soon thereafter, assuming all goes well *knock on wood*, I hope to be putting sheets on a crib, hangings on the wall, and all that jazz. I think I might invite some friends over to play at decorating with me. :)

I'm beginning to get nervous actually.... I am beginning to feel like this is really possibly going to work out with a baby maybe coming home to live with us. Oh boy... Am I really ready for this?!?!?

Oh, my Mom has been a fount of questions lately too. Not your everyday, run-of-the-mill questions more like the ones that make your head feel as if the inside has gone all squishy and you can't BELIEVE you hadn't considered that yet. THOSE kind of questions are coming up like machine gun fire. I can't believe I've left so much off my list of things to think about...

1. Who do you want with you A) at the hospital B) in the room with you?

2. Will you christen/baptise the baby?

3. Do you want me (Mom that is) to come stay with you around baby time, and if so for how long?

These are the ones that have me stumped at the moment. We are in a holding pattern until Bo and I can make some decisions.

Some of the past zingers were things like Circumcision, Christmas travel (I was 3 months along and was just hoping to be pregnant), what do we want them to buy us for our baby gift? The last question is still on hold, but an answer is pending. I'm thinking of asking them to get us a nice table for our 1/2 bath - one that can be used as a changing table and then a shelf/table later for nick-nacks and books. I haven't found what I want yet though.