The Date is Set!

Well, the date for my c section is finally set! Since we are on a public forum here, I will not share the date, but we do have it. I thought having the date would somehow make me more at ease. It did quite the opposite since I now have a clear date as to when this child will be born, assuming he doesn't come early. I am a little nervous! I think the thing that makes me the most nervous is that I have to be away from Ian for so long. Our hospital has a policy in place now that says pediatric and OB patients can only have parents and grandparents of the baby as visitors. No one under the age of 18 is allowed. The policy sucks since I won't be able to see Ian, but I do understand the reason for it. Some people are a little selfish and think it is ok to go places like hospitals and work when they are sick. Never mind all the people they will make sick!

Anyway, I have been trying like crazy to get things ready for the babe. I finally have Ian's room all done as well as the babe's. He has plenty of clothes and blankets, his car seat, those sorts of things. The things we are missing are those that come along with having a second child, such as a sit-n-stand or double stroller. A breast pump, since I didn't nurse last time and will try to this time. A wrap of some sort to carry the babe in for short trips when the stroller is not needed. And the list goes on! When you start adding up the cost, it gets very high, very quick. Luckily Babies R Us has a great clause attached to their registry where if you don't get everything on it, two weeks before your due date they will send you a coupon for 10% off. Plus, you can combine that with the others that they give you when you check out. So, a few weekends ago we went and made one. I am all for getting the discount even if that means staying in the store for over an hour trying to figure out what you actually need verses what you just want. Turns out, when you go that way, there isn't much you need to put on a registry. We probably won't get everything on it, but at least we have it there to get the discount in case we do want to get it.

Anyway, I guess I should run. My dad is in town until Sunday/Monday and I am in the middle of cooking. Hope all is well.
Love ,
Kristen

Dresser Mess

With the new baby coming a lot of changes have happened in our house. For starters, we are adding a whole new person to the mix which is super exciting. The issue with adding a new person to the mix, even a newborn, is that they come with a lot of new expenses, even if you are having the same sex as the first.

So this past month I have really been "nesting", if you will, so the expenses are really starting to pile up. First, we had to get Ian a new bed. We decided to reuse the crib so of course the bed was needed. Where would Ian sleep if we didn't get him a bed? Eventually he will out grow the need for a toddler bed and for it to be pressed right up against our bed. So, we got him a bed. And now, since I have "nested" some more, he needs a dresser. The dresser that was in his room was part of the crib set and therefore has gone to New Baby. Granted, New baby isn't here yet so he doesn't need it, but I needed it to be in his room, and so it is.

So with all of that being said, the hunt was on for Ian a new dresser. His head board has a matching one at the store, but with all of the expenses we will be incurring from now until May, we really cannot afford to go and get this dresser. We have Christmas (which I want to be big), New Baby's arrival and bills from the Dr. and hospital, we have two new nieces/or nephews being born around that time, and we have my brothers wedding to attend. And this assumes that nothing in our house breaks and our cars work perfectly, and Molly doesn't need any more medical care. Since we don't live in a perfect world, we can and should assume that something else will come up.

I have been looking for a cheaper option for a while and just could not find one. Since I moved Ian's dresser to the new nursery we really needed to step up the search. It was find a dresser or dresser substitute, or get closet organizers. I really did not want to go the closet way because his room would look bare. My quest for a new dresser/dresser substitute took me to Target yesterday and what do you think I found??? The perfect dresser substitute! It is this really cool shelf that you can stand up to make tall, or lay on it's side to make short. I guess you would have to see pictures. Anyway, it was regular $200 and I got it for $50!!! How cool is that??? I got a few fabric bends that match his bedding and his room should be 90% complete by the end of this weekend. I love getting stuff done!

My New Bag

Since we are having a new baby I figured that I needed a new baby bag. So, I started the search. I loved my Vera Bradley the first time around and really wanted another one, but due to the price off base, and the fact that we don't make as much, Vera was a little out of my price range. That is, until, I did a little digging and found that the bag I wanted was on sale!!! Imagine my surprise when I called a store in town and discovered that I could buy it from them and I could get it today, and didn't have to pay shipping. I was so happy that I drove my butt in the rain to get this thing. Well, when I got there she showed me the bag I realized it was in fact the right bag, but the wrong color. I wanted the one with blue stitching and not the all black one. As I was walking around the store trying to decide what to do the clerk comes up to me and grabs the bag off my arm and says "the other lady who called about this bag is here to pick it up" and proceeds to take off with the bag. I was a little in shock because she told me that she was holding it for me.

So, I walk up to the counter and see her ringing up the other lady with MY bag! The lady was going on and on about how she loved it and so would her daughter. I was a little heart broken (pregnancy hormones and all!) and was thinking about giving her a piece of my mind. As soon as the other lady left she looked at me and said "stay put". When she came out of the back she was holding the same bag, but with blue stitching! She had saved that one for the other lady and the all black one for me. Kind of crazy to think two people called about the same bag on the same day. Anyway, she told me that what she had done was see if the lady would take the all black one since I specifically said I wanted the blue stitching one. She didn't pull mine out because she didn't want the other lady to see it.

In the end I got my bag and for 40% off. This was one happy pregnant lady!

The Joys of Pregnancy!

It seems like everything on my body currently hurts. I just finished a very high impact Zumba class so that has something to do with it, but the other part, not sure. Well, I am. I'm pregnant. And even though being pregnant is wonderful and amazing and something I look forward to, some times you just hurt. Right now my hips are so sore from stretching and moving that I have a hard time sleeping. My boobs are so big that they touch my belly and I have a hard time bending over. I run out of energy walking up the stairs. None of my clothes are "normal".

All in all, I still love being pregnant. I love feeling my baby move around. I love that special bond that you have with your baby before they are born. I love knowing that little person before anyone else does. All of the pains that you feel are so worth it when you know what you get at the end of the road. A beautiful, wonderful little baby to love and take care of. A wonderful new addition to your family. When you think of all you get, how can you complain about all the pains? When you hold that baby it makes it all seem to fade away!

Time for the End of Zumba

I really wish I could keep it up longer, but it is not meant to be. This will be my last week teaching. I guess having a toddler to chase after all day and then not going to bed until late is starting to catch up with me and I am just too tired to keep doing it. I still plan on participating by doing it at home. But, doing it at home is so much easier. When I teach I have to be high the entire time. There is no rest. I remember working out my entire pregnancy with Ian, but I did it at my own pace. Anyway, I am done after Thursday and I am a little sad but relieved all at the same time!

The Flu!

Well, it looks like we have the flu going around our house. Lance had it over the weekend and now Ian has it. Well, Lance had something over the weekend that seems identical to what Ian has and Ian has the flu. My poor boys! I hate seeing them sick. On top of taking care of them I am also trying to take care of myself, which isn't too easy when you have to deal with sick people and life all at the same time. Life is still good though!

It is currently 0930 and Ian is still asleep. Mom instincts say let him sleep so that is what he is doing. I will probably have him up at 1000 though just so that I know he will sleep tonight. Last night poor guy got out of the tub and was shaking for 10 minutes. On the plus side his fever went down without medication.

This is the start of a new week:

Little guy is all better. He just has the nasty crud left over. With his nose running he is coughing a lot which made me worry. But, we took him back to the doc today and he said all is well. Nose is clear, ears are clear, chest is clear, so now we just have to watch and make sure it all stays that way. He said hopefully by next week he should feel back on top. It took Lance about that long to get over his symptoms, so I it sounds about right to me.

I guess that about does it. The boys are almost done with bath time and since Ian helped me make Rice Crispy Treats is will surely want to eat them! His appetite is starting to return so I am pretty much giving him what he wants!
Kristen

Christmas

I know this seems a bit early for a post about Christmas, but I am a little excited and sad for many reasons.

The good: My parents, brother, and soon to be sister in law will be coming. No word on Cassie yet, but maybe her too. We decided that since I will be large and in charge around that time that it would be best for us to stay put. Thankfully my family understands that and has agreed to come to us! Eric and Amberlyn have never been here before so they are pretty excited, or so they say@! Just wait until they get here and the wind chill is -2! Anyway, Eric called me last night and asked what winter activities we have available for them. They want the full experience and we will be happy to give it to them!

The sad news is that this will be Ian's last Christmas as an only child. I am so excited about our new one, but this just goes to show you how much he is growing up. Next year he will be a big brother and have to share and all of that. I know he is more then ready, but I guess as a mom it is just these little crazy things we worry about. I told Lance and he has agreed, that we need to make this one extra special since next Christmas will be extra special for other reasons.