38 weeks today!

And, just to get things moving, I am making eggplant parmesan tonight! I know, I know, I am not going to get all worked up and impatient about the baby coming already and start doing and eating weird things. I know it could be weeks still, but I have to say, I am pretty freaking uncomfortable so any time is really OK with me. Except that the crib has been moved to try to install the canopy, which we don't have the right screws for.. And the bookshelf/cabinet isn't here yet... and we have no rocker or glider. Maybe next weekend would actually be better. OK, little one?

Things to do this week:

Prenatal Massage (my back is finally killing me)
OB appointment (please let there be progress)
Get bookshelf delivered and put everything away in it that is still sitting around in bags.
Get canopy installed (that one is up to DH)
Get a new mani/pedi
Clear some things up at the bank
Wrap more things up with work

I was having horrible contraction/cramps/whatever all night last night so I hope to get more rest tonight... Off to make dinner!

A few more things...

I may have gone on a little bit of an internet shopping spree last week, but I kept finding these great deals!

First, nursing pajamas from Japanese Weekend on sale at Nordstrom's. I didn't have any yet, so not really a splurge. They are soft and cute and will be nice for lounging around the first week (and beyond).



We know how I feel about the DWELL Charlotte collection, so when I saw the diaper tote on sale I couldn't resist! I know I said I was going to share the boring grey Skip Hop Diaper Bag with DH, but I changed my mind! I am probably going to be on my own with the baby more than I would like to believe, and I want a cute bag.



OK, this is a diaper caddie full of BabyLegs. I have heard great things about them and looked into getting some, then I saw this package on sale on the BabyLegs website, 10 pairs of Baby Legs for $80! They are usually $12 each so that's a great deal. Plus the basket diaper thingie is a bonus. I am sure I can use that somewhere.

Birth Announcements - SO cute!

Tiny Prints has added even MORE adorable birth announcements, now they have some designed by Dwell Studio! How precious is the little Cowboy print? I was seriously tempted by that bedding set, but decided to go with something gender neutral so we could use it again.. Not so with the baby announcement. :) Maybe this is my chance to get something totally masculine since everything else I have bought has been green... I am torn between birds, elephants, monograms, and cowboy boots!

Big Shopping Trip & Ultrasound

SO Monday we had an OB appointment and the final U/S to check things out. Mason is totally head down and ready to go! I actually couldn't see anything at the u/s because the screen was pointed away from me, and he is so big now and smushed in there that there isn't as much to see as the 20 week. DH did see him and his cute face. His hand is up by his face and he was doing his practice sucking, how sweet. The tech asked where he got his big pouty lips! Certainly not from me! Now I REALLY can't wait to see what he looks like! She printed us a photo of his face, but it really just looks like a blob to me so I won't bother scanning. She estimated that he is about 6 1/2 pounds right now and will probably be 7 1/2 - 8 1/2 pounds at birth. Sounds perfect to me, although I know these estimates can be way off the mark sometimes.

After the doctor we went to Buy Buy Baby to do our registry completion - so fun! Luckily, we didn't need any big ticket things but it still added up! We got 2 packs of Aden + Anais swaddling blankets, cloth diapers for burp cloths, a Dwell stroller blanket, window shades and mirror for the car, cup holder for the stroller, diapers, wipes, plain white onesies, little socks, two more hooded towels and washcloths, two miracle blankets... and the Twilight turtle! I couldn't resist! (Oh, and an impulse buy- a CD of Metallica nursery lullabye covers which is actually very CREEPY. I will not be listening to that at home alone, it sounds like a horror movie soundtrack).

When we got home there were some packages waiting - the Boppy with organic cover from one of my girlfriends, and some adorable Roobeez shoes from one of my clients!

I also found the PERFECT shabby chic bookcase on EBay and bought it last night. Now I just have to find delivery to get it here from PA, or we could drive out and pick it up this weekend. Is 2 1/2 hours too far to drive at 38 weeks? Hmm.. Also stalking Craig's List for a glider or rocker, no luck yet.

Twilight turtle, he is organic AND he projects constellations onto the ceiling. :)



The Dwell stroller blanket is SO soft..

So fresh and so clean, bling

These are my new OBSESSION. I was working on a photo shoot the other day and someone offered me a vanilla wafer, and said her sister had cravings for vanilla wafers when she was pregnant. Well, I certainly hadn't thought about them until she said that but then I was suddenly overcome with thoughts of vanilla wafers. When I stopped at the deli on my way home, I saw these. Um, AMAZING!! These are the most wonderful things I have ever tasted! And voila, vanilla wafer pregnancy craving is born. I am so suggestible.

Yesterday was wonderful. It was a lovely morning, DH made french toast for breakfast and our new housekeeper came over. We took the dogs and got out of her way and brought the car in to get cleaned. We ended up getting the super duper interior detail where they shampoo the all the upholstery and everything- it really looks and smells brand new again! While the car was being washed, we walked over to the park and hung out in the dog run all day, ran into some friends, had a yummy wheat germ banana smoothie.... Came home to a sparkling clean home. I HEART our new housekeeper so much, she is so sweet. Now we will have to work out how often the budget will allow her to come. How I would love every week, but it will probably have to be every other week, or once a month. We will see how much of a mess I manage to make and how little I manage to clean once the baby is here.

Today we have an OB appointment then hopefully to Buy Buy Baby to do the registry completion. I better check Baby Bargains and add a few things before we go, just in case.

FULL TERM!!

I am officially full term today! That is pretty exciting. :)

What a freak out last night, sorry about that! DH got home a little while later (much sooner than I expected actually) and was really sorry. I was so happy to see him and he was so tired, we just decided to have a nice dinner together at our favorite sushi place in the neighborhood and watch a movie. So I still got to go out and wear my new dress. I think I was having a little bit of cabin fever!

I was also having some pretty painful contractions last night. They were actually time-able for the first time, but I didn't time them because I just didn't feel like this was "it". They woke me up on and off throughout the night as well, but I just drank tons of water and stayed in bed. Seeing that this is my only experience with this, I am honestly not 100% percent sure they aren't just stomach cramps! But, I haven't been constipated, everything is good down there so I think they MUST have been contractions especially since they also ached in my lower back.

So now I feel that I must get everything together. The new housekeeper is coming today, so I think DH and I will take the dogs with us and go get some things done. We were hoping for a nice long time at the dog park, but it is raining. :( Drug store, antique store, hardware store, and baby store are all on the list as well. Actually, last night I was checking my email on my phone, and I saw an email from Buy Buy Baby with an online link to my registry completion coupon- great! Then this morning, it was gone. My phone SUCKS. Do not get a Blackberry Pearl, emails and texts disappear ALL the time. I checked my laptop, my junk, my trash, it is gone. Ugh. I will have to call and get them to email it again I guess?

Maybe we can go there tomorrow after my OB appointment... and Ultrasound! More excitement! I was supposed to have my u/s last week and I even brought my mom and sister since they were in town, but they had messed up somehow and the u/s tech wasn't there. That was super disappointing and I got very upset, but now we get to have it tomorrow and "see" Mason for the first time since 20 weeks!

Another new development.. No one was going to be here for the birth which we are TOTALLY fine with. Our parents all live 6 hour flights away and we don't want them hanging around NYC waiting for me to go into labor, or hanging around our tiny apartment. Well, now MIL conveniently has been asked to speak at a conference in NY the weekend of my due date.... AND now my Dad suddenly has a lifeguard reunion he needs to go to out on Long Island that same weekend, so he might as well just get a hotel in Brooklyn for a few days after! So funny. I knew they wouldn't be able to stay away. :)

Here are a few more pics from the shower...

Pregnancy Hormone Induced Vent

I am so disappointed. Tonight is the engagement party of a friend of mine. He was my closest male friend for a few years, but DH ended up really not liking him. Anyway, I pretty much cut him off and haven't even seen him since my wedding which I have felt really bad about. This year his mom passed away and he met a new girl he is really in love with and we got back in touch and he invited us to his engagement party. DH agreed to give him a second chance (he felt the friend was weird/jealous before) and agreed to go.
However, he had his show in DC last night, so before I RSVPd I made sure to let him know that he would have to come back from DC in enough time to get to the party. This morning when he called, he was on his way to brunch with his friends and band, and I reminded him that the party was at 6. I didn't make a big deal about it because I didn't want to pressure him, knowing he is not crazy about this friend anyway, or harass him when he is with his band.
A couple of hours later, he called and they were touring the White House. Um, OK. Just hanging out, being tourists? I didn't say anything and just asked him to call when they are close to the city. At six I hadn't heard from him so I called to see where they were, and they were at least an hour away still. He could tell by my voice that I was upset and got totally defensive.
He said he didn't know we had to be there right at 6 and I should have let him know that I wanted him back by a certain time, but I was just trying not to make a big deal out of it.
Now I am just so disappointed. I did my hair and I was really excited to wear my new dress and actually get to go somewhere, to a fun early dinner party. I am just so bored here at home. I can't go out and get drinks, I just feel so lonely and was really looking forward to this party. I also feel like a horrible person for RSVP ing and not showing up to the party, I know how that feels and it feels terrible.
I know he isn't going to back for hours with this traffic, so we are going to totally miss the party. I am dreading even talking to him about this because whenever this friend is mentioned it ends up turning into a fight. I just wish I hadn't said we could go, I knew something like this would happen. Now I think I am having contractions, ouch!
Writing it out does make me feel better, I am such a hormonal mess. :(

Coming Home Outfits, etc.

I did my first batch of Baby laundry yesterday. It was difficult, I must admit, they were just so perfect already it was hard to throw them into the wash! I bought the Method baby wash which I like pretty well, although I may switch to something totally unscented instead.

I picked out the tiniest outfit from the shower to bring to the hospital. It is a little Ralph Lauren kimono top and pants with feet. The top also has little sleeves that can cover the little hands! The legs look awfully short though, so I think I will bring a back up outfit in case he is too long!



This is another precious newborn outfit, but it is a bit bigger. The little crocheted cars are appropriate for his first little car ride, right? :)



I am almost finished with my Thank You cards. I bought a PDF design for them off of Etsy and printed them out on craft paper (left over from my wedding Save the Date and Thank You notes I made). There are NO cute stamps out right now, by the way!



I can't believe I am full term this weekend. Well, I sort of can. I am HUGE and I feel like I haven't had a cocktail in 100 years.. DH is on his way to DC for the hotly debated out of town show with his band. At my appointment Monday I had an internal and nothing was going on, so I am not worried at all. I am, however, on strict orders to lounge on the sofa and drink water constantly until he gets back tomorrow. NOT a problem.

I have a ton to do still to get ready, but no energy or motivation to do it. So far, my only nesting this week was finally calling a housekeeper to come on Sunday.

Registry Round Up!

Soo, now that the shower is over with I need to finalize a list for what we still need to get... I will be full term this weekend and seeing posts of people having their babies early is making me nervous! Still, I want to wait for my completion coupon..

Here is a basic round up:

Things we have bought:

Chicco Keyfit carseat
Breast Pump (Medela Swing)
Changing Table

Things we have received:

Stroller (Uppa Baby Vista)
Crib
Bedding
Swing (used from neighbor)
Bathtub (from neighbor)
Clothes
Bibs
2 swaddling blankets
Bouncer (Svan)
High Chair (Svan)
Stuffed animals
Bottles, thermometer, clippers
Tummy Playmat
Lilababy carrier
Maya Wrap
Bundle Me for Winter
Diaper Bag
Bath towel and scrubby mitts
Books

Things we still need:

Monitor
Boppy & Cover
More crib sheets
Socks!
More blankets (receiving & swaddling)
Drink holder for stroller!
Car mirror and sun shade
Diapers and wipes
Diaper Pail
Bath wash, diaper cream, shampoo, etc.
Book Shelf
Rocking chair or glider

How long should I wait for this coupon? It is only a measly 10% but that adds up with this much stuff... Hmmm

Stuffed Animal Round Up!:

Baby Shower :)

The shower was soo beautiful. I took this one photo at the beginning, then abandoned my camera for the rest of the party, but I am sure I will post a few more when I get them from my mom and sister.

The shower was held at this beautiful historic townhouse a few blocks away from me in Brooklyn that my mom rented for the week. She made patchwork cloth flags and hung them around the house and the backyard. We had big centerpieces of zinnias from the local farmers market, and It's A Boy helium balloons drifting around. We made Thyme Lemonade and had Trader Joes White wine and coolers of Brooklyn Lager summer ale.

The food was light, but delicious. My favorite was a watermelon salad with ricotta salata and fresh mint. So good! There was also a cherry tomato and goat cheese salad (yummy golden and red local tomatoes) , grilled zucchini and squash with goat cheese and basil and fresh baguettes. My mom made an amazing simple white cake and also bought a big beautiful fruit tart...

It was really fun, the guys mostly hung out outside drinking and the ladies inside.. DH and I opened the presents together and got some amazing things, we are so thankful. We got lots of great clothes, the Svan bouncer and high chair, Bebe Cook, lots of bibs (lots!), stuffed animals, a baby folk guitar (!).. really adorable things.

At the end, DHs band jammed outside for awhile as the party winded down. Everyone said it was the most shower they have even been to, but since none of our friends have kids I doubt they have been to very many! Still a wonderful thing to hear. I am so thankful to my sister and mom for all the work they did.

Shower today!!

I am so excited! I am running out to the farmers market with my sister to pick up a few last minute things. She is making the coolest menu of organic and local produce stuff, it sounds amazing. :)

I am really really exhausted though. My back and crotch area (?) are KILLING me. I guess I have been standing/walking too much? Yesterday in the car in the way home from a day of Ikea, grocery shopping, and Union Square Farmers Market I started having really really painful contractions. I think I must have been dehydrated and overdone it a little. Ugh, so boring! I want to run around and do things. Anyway, I got really scared and had horrible nightmares last night about going into labor.

I dreamed my heartbeat got too fast and I was told I had to have the baby right away. I had no idea where I was and wanted to go to my hospital with my doctor so I ran out on to the street trying to make it to my hospital, but I ended up at another hospital instead where they put me in a room with all these cots with scary women with painted faces, all in various stages of labor. I called DH and I was crying so hard, the cell phone service was so bad he couldn't hear me.. I think I woke myself up crying.

I am 36 weeks tomorrow, and I really can't imagine this pregnancy going on for another 4 weeks. I am huge and so uncomfortable and it is so difficult to move. I want to go float in a pool for the next few weeks.

OK, now I am off to enjoy my family and friends. :)

Catskills Getaway

We just got back from our little getaway to the Castkills and it was SO nice! I am really glad we were able to get away one last time before the baby comes. We rented an adorable one room cabin on 10 acres, so romantic. No internet, no cell service, no TV.. We went to the Farmers Markets and got all local produce and things and grilled and had a big bonfire and s'mores. The dogs had sooo much fun running free! We drove all through the park and went on long walks.. It really was amazing.






And now, back to reality! Mom, sister, MIL and SIL are now in town and that is already pretty stressful. Mom and MIL get along, they are pretty similar in SOME ways - liberal, intellectual, eclectic style - but their personalities are SO different. So last night was basically wall-of-sound (MIL) vs. awkward silence (MOM).. plus baby competition thrown in. Luckily, our sisters are the same age (24) and are awesome and balance everything out a little. Today, we spit up and mom and sis and I are going shopping for the shower while DH and his fam shop in the city. Exciting!

Maternity Pic preview!

The photographer who shot our photos went on vacation the day after the shoot, so I have been patiently waiting.. This morning she sent a few previews, and the disc will be here by the end of next week. I was thinking maybe it would be a nice gift for mom and MIL when they come for the shower? Maybe a cute one of my and DH in the park... one where I am not topless of course. I don't know, giving someone of a photo of myself has always seemed a little weird to me... Anyway, they look great and I cannot wait to see the rest!

Friday night we had our birth class (finally!) and it was really great. We ended up going to the one night class taught at my OB practice in Soho. The instructor was so great, she was an L&D nurse at NYU for 10 years, has 2 kids, and knows the hospital and our doctors really well which was so helpful. At the other class, I felt like every other answer was"well, you will have to check with your hospital/OB about that". The class was only 5 couples, all sitting in sofas (not 12 couples on the floor!) and yummy snacks. We went over everything medical, stages of labor, when to call, when to go, we practiced massages, labor positions, talked ALL about epidurals and pitocin and pain coping ideas. I really felt like she gave an unbiased view of everything. She also had examples of everything they will have for us in the hospital like the mesh panties, pads that hold crushed ice in them (eek!) and told us to STOCK up on everything they put out for you! She said to seriously stuff your suitcase with pads, diapers, everything! She also gave us a GREAT hospital bag list, yay! DH and I were both really happy with the class.

Yesterday I had my mommy to be meet-up and two of the girls were there with their new babies. It was really interesting to hear their birth stories, as they both planned to go natural. One had a LONG painful labor and ended up getting the epidural. She was in super painful labor for 40 hours and was dying and throwing up just getting from 2 - 4 centimeters. She eventually got the drugs and her whole body relaxed, and dilated and the baby was out before she knew it. The other girl was 6 centimeters by the time she got to the hospital! She only labored for 6 hours, and said the pushing was the worst part. Now, looking at these two girls you would never guess who had what birth. DH is worried about my low tolerance for pain, but I don't think it matters. The girl with the long painful birth has tons of tattoos and piercings, and thought she had a really high tolerance for pain. The other girl is super tiny and kind of frail and was definitely more unsure of whether she would be able to go natural. So, I am just going to leave it open. I really hope I can do it. If not, that's OK too.

Last night we had dinner with DHs cousin and his wife who are in town, and she gave me some things for the baby from the Body Shop's new line, Buriti Baby. The little organic washcloth has the cutest birds, and the products smell amazing!!

Registry Stalking... and a rant about "the man"

I really wasn't expecting much of anything to be bought off our registry, honestly. We are only having about 20 people and, I don't know... I think I am just nervous about it because my close friends can't come (live too far away) and I don't like being the center of attention at ALL. The shower is next weekend, and I just looked online and a few great things have been bought! I am so surprised! Besides what my mom bought, the Bebecook, the diaper bag, and the Svan bouncer have been purchased in the last few days! I really wanted that bouncer but I honestly don't know if we would have coughed up the $120 for it if no one had gotten it! Now I am really looking forward to the shower. :)

We had an amazing anniversary dinner on Wednesday night, the tasting menu at the Dressler was AMAZING. 5 courses, and DH and I each got something different for each course, so we both got to taste all 10 things! It was really really nice.

Last night we went to a show at the Beacon Theater, which was really fun but also a bit of a disaster. DH being a musician, he is extra sensitive and we weren't thrilled with all of the performances. I would have liked to see more of my favorite, Gillian Welch. :) But these are the kinds of things we need to do now, while we can! THEN (here comes the disaster part) on the way home, we got pulled over (in Manhattan?!) for a missing brake light! The one on the left is apparently out, leaving only the right side AND the huge brake light bar across the top of the back window. The problem is that DHs license is expired, we are working on it but the paperwork and amount of time it is going to take is CRAZY since he has to switch from an expired Texas to a NY. Anyway, we passed the officer all the paperwork, got flashlights shone in our eyes, told to stay in the car, and he went back to his car and left us sitting there for 25 minutes!! I had to pee SO badly! He finally came back and gave us FOUR SUMMONS! One for the light, one for the license, and one for an expired insurance card! I had handed him the old one by mistake, and had the new one sitting there, but he had already written it up but he wouldn't change it. He said to send it in with the summons and I can get it reversed. Can you believe it?! So I had to haul my 8 month pregnant self around and drive us home. So unbelievable. Such a messed up system. Meanwhile, how many awful dangerous drivers do I see every day on the road, out there endangering lives, and they are picking on us. The most law abiding, safe driving, tax paying, volunteer working, baby having people. It really put a damper on the night to say the least. Now we have to spend the day trying to get this light fixed, and DH can't drive until we work this out.

2 year anniversary!

Yesterday was our two year wedding anniversary, but we are celebrating it pretty much for the next week. Last night DH had a big show with his band, so we decided to postpone the soppy celebration to tonight. Tonight we are going out to dinner at The Dressler, our favorite local fancy place where we always go for special occasions. DH loves getting all romantic and soppy and we always end up crying, ever since our 1 year of dating anniversary. It is so sweet.

I think I might find our wedding video to watch tonight, I don't think we have even actually even watched it! I really didn't want a videographer at the wedding because it just bothers me aesthetically to have them in the way with the big camera and lights, tacky IMO. So instead we just left our Handycam out and different people filmed different parts, who knows what is even on there. After we got home, we were so sick of talking about the wedding we just never even ended up really watching it! I would actually love to hear the service again, it was so beautiful but I was so nervous I barely remember what was said.

I loved our wedding, and I must say that people definitely still talk about it as one of the best parties EVER. It got really wild. I will just sum it up with this photo of my Dad flying into the pool.. :) And yes, I am in the pool in my designer gown.

Headache and Exhaustion...

Oh no... I am feeling like 1st tri all over again (minus the throwing up every 10 minutes, so I I guess I shouldn't complain). I am SO. TIRED.

Yesterday I could barely get off the sofa, then it started pouring and storming so we postponed the photo session to this morning. However, the only time that would work was 9:30 AM so DH was miserable for a little while, he is NOT a morning person. When I first woke him up he said he wouldn't do it, it was stupid, he didn't know what the point was or why it was important to me (He has been coming off like a big jerk lately, right? He really isn't). My hormones and I did everything we could not to cry or get our feelings hurt, and after some diet coke he was back to his normal, wonderful self. The photos were fun and hopefully we will get something cute. I took some alone, on the bed, with DH and his guitar, with the dogs. :)

Speaking of hormones, I have been a mess lately! I am so accident prone now, and every time I hurt myself I burst into uncontrollable tears. The worst is when I burn myself, which I manage to do every time I cook. Last night I spilled my bowl of soup on my hand and onto our handmade tapestry we got in Guatemala and I totally lost it. Really crazy. DH has banned me from doing anything remotely dangerous in the kitchen, but who knew carrying soup was dangerous? Ugh.

Tomorrow is our anniversary and this week is SO busy. Now the migraine from hell has returned on top of the extreme exhaustion!

34 weeks!

I am so excited, I am getting maternity pics done today! The photographer is coming over at 4 and we will shoot some singles, then when DH comes home from band practice we will do some together. I went with the least expensive option. The photos don't have to be frame worthy masterpieces, I just want some decent pics to have for the baby book. :)

I was SO exhausted yesterday and I slept until 10AM today! Very strange, I am always up by 7. DH and I did get into an argument last night, that probably put me into a deep sleep. He has a show in DC in a few weeks, when I will 38 weeks. We already decided he should go, but I am nervous about it. He says I already made the decision, and bringing it up makes him feel bad about going which is unfair. I really just wanted some support and encouragement, but maybe I am being passive aggressive and don't really want him to go. I love his music and I do believe in it so much, but maybe my motherly instinct is kicking in ("get a real job") haha. I am going to stop. I don't want to be that person.

I read that the baby can now differentiate between songs he hears, and will recognize songs when he comes out. That is so amazing!

Now I have to go do some crazy cleaning before the photographer gets here!