Although I’m exhausted and swollen from the organizing mayhem of this weekend, I did have a moment where I visualized myself (yes, as a bird), sitting on my newly constructed nest and letting out a big “ahhhhhh”, because I knew that my baby (bird, in this example) would have a clean, comfortable and organized space to come home to. I’ve gotta give my man Jesus a big shout out for this boost of energy and nesting instinct that hits us pregnant women during the final weeks. I mean how else would one’s oven get cleaned and closets organized? And if your answer to that question is “my husband”, I just laughed out loud.

So as I enter my final weeks of being exhausted, mean, cranky, and borderline miserable pregnant, my main goal has been to get the house and all of Dylan’s stuff uber organized, so that when we bring him home, we can 100% focus on him and all his baby goodness (I’m jaded, I know) vs. moments of “where are the diapers, soothies, bottles and bibs!” Usually, I’ll just attack an organization project head on, but for this one I really wanted to think about how to organize in a way that would really make our lives easier. So although this isn’t “baby tested, mama approved” yet, here’s how I approached it:

Nursery Closet – Originally this closet only had one rack across the top and although I think we’re cookin’ a pretty large fella, baby stuff is small, so that just wasn’t going to cut it. So we installed a pretty simple closet system that I got from Wal-Mart and added some cute bins. And since I washed everything in this closet with Dreft, I can frequently be found sitting in front of it, just a huffin’ in that sweet baby smell. Suppose there are worse things to huff than baby clothes…

Ok, ok… sure you could just peek in the bins to see what they’re packing, but to make life easier, and ensure Jer knows where everything is, I added a few labels.

Again, not yet “baby tested, mama approved”, but I think these clothing size organizers are going to be super helpful, especially since whoever determines the size of baby clothes these days is definitely huffing something a little stronger than Dreft. I’ve got a few newborn onesies that I guarantee Dylan’s head won’t fit through. And… que the “that baby is not gonna be wearing newborn clothes” comments that I keep getting. Yes, I’m huge. We know this.

Also, since I’ve become the dooms day prepper of burp clothes, I thought these guys should have their own little labeled home as well. No clue why I feel the need to hoard these, but I do.

Aside from a super organized closet, I also thought it would be helpful to have organized “stations”. For the changing area in Dylan’s room, I made the top drawer of his dresser the diaper station and used some nifty drawer organizers from Wal-Mart to sort all of his baby butt and grooming stuff.

And so we’re not constantly running up the stairs like crazy people, with poop and pee on us (although I might pay to see Jer like this once), I also decided to setup a changing station downstairs. Since we bought the one pack-n-play that doesn’t come with a built in storage system (DOH!), we got this diaper attachment from Amazon that clips right to the side.

I actually think this one might be more useful than the built-ins, because we can actually see when supplies is low and it has several compartments for his stuff that Bo can’t jump up and steal.

Finally and probably the most difficult to make room for, was a kitchen cabinet for Dylan’s bottles & bottle cleaning kit, eating utensils and eventually food. Although we’re going into this thing with our breastfeeding flag flying, we’ve been given several tins and bottles of formula, so they got their own bin too.

So I think we’re finally ready to do this. Now if I could just be as mentally prepared. I just started reading “The Happiest Baby on The Block” yesterday, so at least we’re making some progress in that department

So in all reality, I know to get Dylan from point A (my inners) to point B (the world), all I really need is my vag… but hey I’m a planner and want to make sure we have as many comforts as possible to make this birthing process a hit. And yes, to all those that wanna go to that level… I think I’m probably over preparing physically since I couldn’t be more unprepared mentally. I’ve already accepted, owned and well… just clearly stated that. We’re going into this parenting thing so very blind, but I have all the confidence in the world that Jer and I are going to be rockstar parents.

So aside from my who-who, my loving husband (who I strangely prefer to call my babydaddy) and my amazing mother, I’m planning to bring 3 bags with me – 1 that I bring to the labor room, 1 that Jer brings after we move into our postpartum room, and 1 for baby Dyan. Here’s what I’ve packed in each:

Labor Bag:

• - Bath robe
• - Camera
• - Jolly ranchers (since eating is apparently a labor no-no)
• - Comfy slippers/socks
• - Basic toiletries: lip balm (EOS is the balm dot com!), toothbrush/paste, headbands
• - iPhone & charger
• - iPad (during any downtime, you best be prepared Draw Something friends!)

Post Labor Bag:

• - 4 nursing outfits. I’m crossing my fingers and toes for a natural delivery and short hospital stay, but I’m packing several nursing gowns just to be prepared. I’ve also packed a loose fitting outfit for the trip home and some granny panties to rock with those super sweet thunder pads. Ughhh. Someone please comment and tell me it’s not that bad!
• - Nursing sleep bras & supplies
• - Outfit for Jer
• - Toiletries (for me & Jer)
• - Snacks
• - Boppy pillow

Diaper Bag:

• - Dylan’s homecoming outfit
• - Soothies – although I hear they give these away like candy at our hospital
• - Swaddle blankets
• - Mittens: I’ve heard the nurses judge you if you forget these. I’ll be judging myself enough, so let’s cut someone else out the judgment equation.
• - Hat: Probably don’t need this for a summer bambino, but it’s cute and babies are bald, so why not.
• - Car seat

So ok all you experienced birthers out there… what am I missing? I’ll update this post after Dylan arrives and let you know what I did and didn’t use.

Kristen & Mama: Thank y’all so much for planning and organizing such a wonderful day. It was so fun celebrating Dylan’s upcoming arrival and he’s so blessed to have such an amazing aunt and grandma! I love you both so very much.

Ok, Ok… enough with the sappy stuff – on to the details. I mean I just said every detail was “pin-worthy”, so I’ve gotta show you the goods.

So as you may have seen from my Nursery post or my “Oh Baby!” pinboard, I’ve been obsessed with nautical baby stuff. I think I’ve been so drawn to it, because it’s baby-ish yet also really masculine, preppy and just plain cute. I mean come on… who doesn’t look precious in topsiders and seersucker?

Knowing all this, my super creative sister created an entire shower around the theme “Ahoy! It’s a Boy!” and incorporated a nautical flair into almost everything.

How creative is this? Kristen wrapped all of the utensils with rope and a little lifesaver! And on the right you can see the custom table runner Mama made to coordinate with the theme. I’m telling ya… these ladies are some party plannin’ fools.

And if the table runner wasn’t enough to showcase the crafty crafterson that I originated from, check out the stunning quilt that she made for Dylan. I haven’t taken a photo of the details yet, but the fabric is so freaking cute and the stitching is even done in little sailboats!

I also have to give a special shout out to all of my family and amazing girlfriends who made the haul to my house in The Bumpass to celebrate Baby Dylan. Thank you so much for showering him with such wonderful gifts and love – he and I are so very lucky to have all of you in our lives and we love you so much!

xoxo,

Jamie

So why in the world would anyone 1.stand in a swamp 2.keep your socks on in a swamp and 3. wear a freakin trash bag as a bikini in your maternity portrait? What about this says “yay… we’re excited to have a baby”? Riddle me that swamp thing…

Finally…. we now know what Snooki’s parents look like! Makes total sense now, right? Honestly though, is there ever a reason to dress like a stripper and have your baby daddy dress like a complete duchebag, besides every Halloween and on 16 and Pregnant? Apparently so…

I’m honestly amazed at how many guns I found in pregnancy portraits. What about pregnancy makes you want to hold a gun (or a watermelon?) while looking like a total creep…? Well, I’m not in my third trimester yet, but a few friends have told me the answer to this question is “everything!”

Please please please tell me this is just some creepy dude from the automotive department at Sears that just jumped into the photo on his lunch break and not this chick’s baby daddy. That’s the only way this can make sense to me…

Both of these are just a big NOOOO. If the picture looks more like the cover of some seriously seriously weird porn or like ummm… cheetahs, then that’s probably your sign it’s not appropriate for your pregnancy announcement or even your wall. Just saying…

Ok guys, see why I’m nervous about getting professional pictures of this? A lot could just go way wrong…

Although it did cross my mind a few times, I thought these were too expensive so imagine my surprise when I unwrapped this gift to find a Fetal Doppler that allows me to listen to our baby’s heartbeat anytime I want to! Something about that little “swoosh, swoosh, swoosh” just puts all my fears at ease and is so peaceful.

So of course as soon as I unwrapped it I had a ton of questions for Jer:

- Where did you get it? Jer got the Sonoline B Handheld Pocket Fetal Doppler from Clinicalguard.com

- How much did it cost? $52.95

- Did it have a good reviews? Yes! So clearly Jer rocks, but he’s now seriously competing for daddy-to-be of the year. He reads pregnancy blogs and forums, like reddit.com/babybumps and found some great reviews for this Doppler.

- What if we can’t hear it? Not hearing the heartbeat has to be every couple’s fear… but it’s important to remember the home models are not the same as your Doctors. Also, this specific Doppler says that you need to be at least 12 weeks to hear the heartbeat. Since we heard our baby’s heartbeat the second our Dr. used his device, Jer felt confident we would hear it with this device – and boy did we hear it. As soon as we lubed it up and put it on my (don’t worry folks – we’re not going there) belly, we heard that beautiful “swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.”

So since Christmas, we’ve listened to Baby D’s heartbeat every day! Here’s Baby D and the Doppler in action. You’ll notice the heartbeat number is all over the place because I was moving the device around.

xoxo,
Jamie

The Tests…

So I followed the IntelliGender test to a T, using my first morning urine and filling/mixing the test cup perfectly. This test, although a little more expensive, just felt more legit. It came with clear instructions and nice instruments for testing. With the Gendermaker test, I followed the instructions almost perfectly. It says to use your first morning urine, but being prego it’s hard to hold it in when you gotta go at 1 AM. So I used my second one when I woke up.

IntelliGender from CVS                             Gendermaker from Amazon.com

      VS    

The Results…

With the IntelliGender test, if your urine mixes with the hormones in the test and turns a greyish green it means Boy. If it turns a goldish red, it means Girl. So as you can see below, my test result indicated Boy.

With the Gendermaker test, Blue-Grey = Boy while Pink-Purple = Girl. As you can see my test result was a deep greyish purple which I think means Girl.

So all in all these were a blast to take, but I’m just as clueless as I was when I started this experiment. I have a good feeling about the success rates of our next text… a 4D ultrasound in January!

*1/25 Update: It’s a boy!!! IntelliGender was right. Also, after I got the first purple result from GenderMaker, I emailed the company and they sent me another test for free. The result? Girl again. So two Gendermaker tests were wrong. I would trust IntelliGener ladies – but just make sure you follow the instructions to a T.

On second thought, I think we have a lot more to be concerned about then that forehead. I put a picture of me and a picture of Jer into morphthing.com and this is what it said our baby would look like. OK, cute eyes and nose but what is going on with those lips and hair?  And I think they said this was the boy image. Yikes. Maybe this is like one of those don’t do drugs PSA’s… “this is your baby on crack”. Regardless, this is a good reminder to take my prenatals today!

  +     =  

As much fun as it is to speculate, no matter what the baby looks like, it’s going to be our sweet angel from the Lord and the prettiest baby in the entire world. I guarantee, I’ll be one of those annoying mom’s that’s constantly posting pictures of their kid on Facebook because I think it’s the cutest one in the world

So why am I having to relive this again and this time without a fun night of regrets, frat feet and greasy food? Oh that’s right, it’s because I’m having a “normal pregnancy”. Well let me tell you sister, there is nothing normal feeling about throwing up every morning. And to top it, when I’m not throwing up, I feel carsick all day long and every day tasks like doing dishes also make me want to hurlios. Wait… am I on the something here? I’ve already got Jer cleaning the bathrooms, because you know… I can’t be around any toxic fumes. Maybe I can make him think Dawn soap is toxic….? Nah… it has those cute little penguins on the bottle, plus he reads my blog. Hey boo!

So luckily, getting pregnant is a side effect from drinking the water where I work. Talk about pretty sweet work perks….right? And all this time I thought it just took a little bump-n-grind! So my manager, who of course is also pregnant (because she too drank the water!) gave me a little slice of pregnancy heaven…. Reed’s Ginger Candy. These all natural chewy candies are sweet & spicy and bring my hurlios to a screeching halt. They pretty much taste like a ginger snap with a little extra heat and are super chewy. Not sure I would eat these non-prego but they are a flippin’ lifesaver while knocked up.

Speaking of lifesavers, aside from the Reed’s Ginger Candies, Peppermint Lifesavers have also been well… a lifesaver. I carry these with me at all times, so if I eat one in front of you, chances are that I was about to puke on you. You’re welcome.

Ok, I’ll stop talking about puking now. I can’t imagine it’s as interesting as my DIY posts – wait, please tell me it isn’t!!! Also, let me know if you have any recommendations for showing morning sickness whose boss. Or have you had success with ginger candies or peppermint?

Jamie

So as excited as I was to have this very first picture of our baby, I just had to share it! But since we decided not to tell everyone until around 12 weeks, we took a few more traditional means of spreading the goods news.

So for starters, I framed this beautiful little picture and look at it every night.

I also made copies of the picture and sent them with a sweet little note to the grandparents. They all seemed to really LOVE this! Copies on their fridge prove it.

Then I used one of the copies to make a Christmas tree ornament. I found this cute little frame at Hobby Lobby. I mean how cool is it going to be to look back at this and say “that was your very first picture kiddo”… umm very. May have also made a few of these for Christmas presents… Michael’s has GREAT ornament frames too!

Last but not least, we used our Christmas card as our announcement and featured our latest picture.  This is by far my most favorite card we’ve ever sent. I think it’s going to surprise a lot of our friends!

What creative things have you done with your first ultrasound pic?

I had this super elaborate plan for how I was going to tell him but I figured I’d live in the moment, so I flung open the door and said “NO, it’s POSITIVE! We’re having a BABY!” Jer ripped the test out of my hand and immediately began reading the instructions and test success rates. Such a dude thing… huh? We then hugged each other, jumped up and down and took another test. Partially to double check and partially to relive such an amazing life moment. And all it took was a little pee and an EPT… ok, ok, we both know it took a little more than that to get us here but since we all know how that works, I’ll be vague.

Luckily, the next day was my annual appointment with my gynecologist so we didn’t have to wait long to triple confirm the results. Since I had already taken two tests, I felt pretty certain this was the real deal and was hoping my doc would just look up in there see a tiny little foot or something and say yep, you’re knocked up. Unfortunately, at this stage it was more like counting blood levels than toes but I was just as excited with the results…positively prego, with a due date of July 4th.

Ekkkkk… this is really happening. So what now? I have this little alien, lima bean, human growing inside me and I don’t really feel different, aside from being totally, utterly and completely exhausted. I guess I have to stop eating/drinking everything I love. Yeah, I’m being dramatic… and after my recent 8 days in Italy, this sister could use a little time out from the vino and cappuccinos. And I guess I’ll have to start getting fat… the idea of not counting calories sounds glorious, but knowing me, I’m going to be a freak about eating healthy the entire time.

So now I guess we wait for this little firecracker to grow some more. Here’s where we’re starting out:

No, that’s not a bump already. My doc nicely told me it was probably just bite size snickers bars. Thanks Captain obvious – it was like just Halloween… give a sister a break. And no clue about the other image from babycenter.com. Looks like a neon cheeseburger to me

As a disclaimer, I promise to still blog about DIY projects and not to become one of those super annoying moms. I just thought this would be an awesome opportunity to capture the next 8 months of my life, including the good, the bad with the fatty and sad. I say sad, because I already feel like an emotional roller coaster. Honestly, I recently cried at that Folgers coffee commercial I see every year… you know the one where she puts the bow on her brother and says “you’re my present this year”. Got me good…

xoxo,

Jamie