Nursery Furniture!

We bought furniture!  I'm over the moon excited!  I was starting to panic that I didn't have much done-- lots of ideas but nothing actually done.  I had originally had my heart set on Pott.ery B.arn K.ids but once I saw it in person, I realized it was kinda on the small size (perfect for a toddler - elem. age but kinda small for adults).

So, in comes the suggestions from friends on where to go.  We had a great shopping experience and love what we picked out.  For now we just got the crib and dresser.  (we also went ahead and got the toddler guard and the rails to do the full size bed conversion later).

I know in a past post I had mentioned we were thinking of going with a modern/contemporary look, but I changed my mind and went back to my old favorite (and it flows better with the rest of our house).  We love the mahogany color and the simple, kinda craftsman look about it.  Our house was built in 1924 so you can imagine what the room looks like (hardwood floors, 12 ft ceilings, big moulding, heavy paneled doors, and even a fireplace!)  I'll post some more on the nursery tomorrow (I've got an idea board going full of images of what I'm thinking about!).  But for now, YAY!  One big purchase DOWN!  And it'll be delivered before Christmas!!!  WOOHOO!  Now I just need to pick a paint color so the room can be painted before it arrives! :)

Registry Fun & Registry Advice needed

Um, so yeah, BRU was SO MUCH BETTER with an expert to help me navigate the store!!!  I am so thankful my friend Nikki could help me last night.  What a relief she was.  We still spent 2 hrs there b/c I'm the most indecisive pregnant woman in.the.world. but I got a lot done and felt much better when I walked out with my little baby registry bag of goodies!  

Originally she was gonna help me with the 'stuff I didn't even know I needed' and help me narrow down the rows upon rows of bottles, for example, but by the end I went for it and registered for the big stuff too.  The car seat was an easy one.  The stroller shopping took a bit more time but I'm super happy with what we ended up with.  I played with each of them and learned how to break them down and pop them back up and all that stuff.  For some reason, strollers seemed to be the hardest thing for me!  I couldn't decide between one expensive one that does it all from newborn up or a travel system, or a snap-n-go and then a good stroller.  So somehow I ended up with 3.  HAHA! A snap-n-go, lightweight regular to keep in the car, and a lightweight jogging stroller for our daily neighborhood walks (yes, I know I've been slacking since pregnant, but I will return to them!) and also for festivals and that sort of thing.  :)  So excited to get to use them soon-ish!  

Here's my 'needing advice' part.  

Um, I had heard 'boy stuff' was hard to come by and they weren't lyin'. There is a fine line between gender neutral and boy.  I had a hard time picking a pack-n-play and I couldn't choose a swing or bouncer at all.  And the swings seems to take up A LOT of room!

So, question #1: what kind of swing and/or bouncer did you get?  

Next, while looking online at Tar.get last night I noticed that the pack-n-play I wanted at BRU (that is available for shipping only for $179) is available in store at Tar.get and on sale for $121!!!  

So, question #2: do you register at more than one store?  If so, do you put the same (or some of the same) stuff on it or no?  

Finally, kinda random, but I hear people buy diapers for you like crazy and you will probably want to try out a few brands to see what works best for your LO

So, question #3: did you register for diapers?

Overall registering was fun and a big relief to have behind me!  The only 'big' things left to decide on are the swing and/or bouncer and a monitor thingy.  I'm putting Z in charge of the baby monitor.  He likes tech stuff- and consumer reports- so tag- he's it!  

Favorite Baby Gear?

So my good friend Nikki is helping us start a registry Tuesday night.  I am SO thankful for her help!  I have some ideas and know the basic stuff we have to have, but I know there is a lot that a mom (of a boy especially!) can help me with!!!

So...my question for you soon-to-be-mommys or mommys already, what would be, or is, on your 'must have' list???

21 Weeks

 weight: +9 total.  I thought I was doing ok but then yesterday a teacher told me she didn't think I'd make it to March and today a parent asked if it was just one!  She said he must be a big baby!  WHAT!?!?  I knew to expect this kind of talk - but man it hurts.  I realize I've gotten bigger but it's all belly!  Should I worry?

sleep: better!  I think rotating the mattress helped.  I have a cold so that is yucky, but overall- much better

exercise: I walked Sadie one day.  I know- pitiful.

cravings: chips and my morning drink - OJ & Sprite (yum)

maternity clothes: yeah!  They're great!  I'm mostly wearing maternity pants and in the pics I'm wearing one of my new Mother.hood Mat.ernity dresses.  :)  I had to get a new pair of jeans this week.  I originally bought a size too big and was wearing them anyway.  But I finally gave in and got a new pair in my size and I'll put the others away for a month or so till I need them!

mood: pretty cheery.  I'm learning to let the small stuff go.  As my mom always says "put it in a bubble and blow it away!!!"

gender: BOY!  I still can't believe it!  I walk around all day thinking to myself 'I'm having a boy.  A boy.  Whoa!'

baby: the length of a carrot and his eyebrows and eyelids are present now!

movement: FINALLY!  Woohoo!  I was so excited to feel him move and loved that Z could feel it too.  Can't wait for more!

nursery:  Well I must say, as I knew, knowing the gender makes a WORLD of difference!  I had been looking around for inspiration before but couldn't decide on a specific design.  Now that I know boy, we are pretty sure we're going to go kinda modern/contemporary!  Z wants a 'cool' nursery!  I'll see what I can do!  I hear it all starts with the bedding, so we'll see!  I'll post more over the weekend maybe of our ideas so far!

other:  We visited our nephew the other night.  It is going to be so fun for our little guy to have a cousin only 6 months older!  They are going to get into lots of trouble together!  haha!  Anyway, the baby was really fussy and Z quieted him down!  It was amazing to watch.  He is going to make an amazing daddy.  He had him  up on his chest/shoulder bouncing, spinning in a bouncy circle, and talking to him.  He was like the baby whisperer!  haha!

Also, Z's mom's friends want to throw us a baby shower in January!  Yay!  I know I'll have one at school/work around then, too.  So excited!  We had one at school yesterday for a girl who is due in December with her little boy.  I paid LOTS of attn to all the boy stuff she got!  I know NOTHING about boys!  :)

My friend, Nikki, is going to help us register (or at least start a registry) Tuesday night!  SO EXCITED!  I walked in BRU the other weekend and had to leave.  Can you say overwhelming!?!?  

Ok, off to relax in front of the TV!  Happy Friday Eve!

It's A....

Our baby BOY is looking good and healthy!  Today was the anatomy scan and we saw the 4 chambers of his heart, his brain, spinal cord, rib cage, 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 feet and 2 hands.  They measured some of the bones and weighed him.  His heartbeat was 143 and he weighs just around one pound.  He is measuring to the day (20 weeks 5 days).  We are so excited to meet our little boy!  We are already talking about what fun things we will do with him and how he is going to enrich our little family.  :)  We are thinking about doing a 3D ultrasound in December (in about 6-7 weeks) to get some clearer pictures.  
I can't believe how much more 'real' this feels!  Our baby is not just our baby-- now it's our baby boy!  Our son!  How crazy!  Let the planning begin!

Houston- We have MOVEMENT!!!

Oh my gosh.  I have waited and waited and worried and prayed and prayed for this day.

Around 7:00 I laid down in the bed in our room to check out the DVR to see if it was full (random, I know), and then I felt it.  Little flutter-like kicks on my lower left side.  At first I didn't believe it.  Could it be?  I called for Z and he came running.  I pulled up my shirt for the closest contact we could get and put his hand on the spot.  He looked at me then up at the ceiling like he was thinking/feeling for it.  Then, his face broke out into a smile and I lost it!  DO YOU FEEL IT!?!?  I asked.  Yeah, he said!  It's light, but I definitely feel it.

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!  What an amazing night!  This little baby is getting his/her kicks ready for his/her debut tomorrow!

Stroller Searching

So I've been researching strollers for 2 weeks now and still can't decide what to do!  I have decided on a Chi.cco Key Fit infant seat.  But I'm stumped on the stroller!  Here are my 'options'. Let me know what you think please!

1.  Chi.cco Travel System
Seems good in that for one price I get an infant carrier and matching stroller.  Stroller can be used long after the baby is out of the carrier.  But I hear that these are very heavy and bulky.

2.  Chi.cco infant seat with snap-n-go base thingy

This seems good b/c the frame is definitely lightweight and once the baby is out of that infant seat we can invest in a good lightweight stroller to last the rest of the 'stroller days'

3.  Bumble.ride stroller
I heart this stroller.  But I do not heart the price tag.  I love that this stroller has that reversible/flip handle so the baby can face me or fact out.  I also love the big canopy and the fact that the seat fully reclines should I want to put a sleeping infant in there with one of those snuggle things to help the small size of the baby fit better.  It also has a bar for attaching an infant seat.

So, please tell.  What criteria helped you make a stroller decision?