Stuff for Baby

Glider

Diaper Champ diaper pail

Cortina Stroller & Carseat

Fisher Price Aquarium Bath Tub

Fisher Price Power Plus Swing

Fisher Price Space Saver Highchair

Week 32 - a little late

Okay, so this post was due a week and a half ago, but oh well. Scott & I both have colds so we are a bit under the weather. Nothing too exciting occurred over the last week or two, but we did make many baby-related purchases to prepare for the little one's arrival in just about 6 weeks (give or take a week or two). I will be 34 weeks along as of Monday, but the picture below is my 32 week pic. Anyway, back to the shopping: I made some purchases during the baby sales going on at all the big box stores last week to round off our preparations including the diaper pail, bathtub, highchair, diapers, and other baby toiletries. We also finally got our stroller and carseat. Some baskets for the changing table, a quilt rack to hang the baby quilt above the crib, and a camcorder arrived by mail. I think we are broke now, if we weren't before! We haven't had time to try out the camcorder yet but hope to soon. We researched it quite a bit to find one of the best quality at the cheapest price (sounds like Scott and me, huh?) and settled on the Panasonic GS180 miniDV. It is so small!! Hope it fits our needs.

Other than shopping, we have been educating ourselves. We started childbirth classes on Wednesday, Sept. 6th and continue those every Wednesday evening for 5 weeks. We also took a breastfeeding course on Saturday (3 1/2 hours - who knew it was so complicated? It was a very informative class!). We have also decided we would like to have a doula for our birth since we are both novices at this and I want to try for the natural childbirth thing. The doula is basically a birthing support person. I have no problem learning from someone with experience! The doula will help me with my relaxation techniques and by acting as my advocate by helping me and my health care providers follow my birth plan. So, we have interviewed one doula and still have 2 interviews to go. Also, we finally found a pediatrician. Her name is Dr. Mary Jo Flint, and get this - she is a North Dakota native from Grand Forks and she is a fellow UND alumnus!! Go Sioux.

Stay tuned later this week for our 3rd set of sonogram pics. We are doing another follow up ultrasound on Friday to recheck my placenta, but I am really looking forward to the pictures of baby! I will also post another picture of "the belly."

Baby Update: Week 30

Hi everyone! Well, I just finished my 30th week of pregnancy and all continues to go well. Enjoy belly shots below. Yes, I am that big!! Baby is sitting low and all up front so my belly projects quite a bit. Check out the front view picture for what I believe to be the actual outline of my uterus popping through. As many people have previously commented, it looks like an egg. I am happy that Baby H. is putting on weight, and my midwife says my weight gain thus far is very good and completely normal, so I am trying to not worry or feel like a fat cow! Actually, I don't feel that big yet, but am slightly worried about just how big I will get in the next 10 weeks. I just read on one of my baby calendar websites that mother's weight gain actually starts to slow down in the last weeks even though baby continues to put on weight. That made me feel better.

I also got the results of my 3 hour blood glucose test at my doctor's appointment, and all is well on that front, too. No gestational diabetes for me. To explain further on the "old placenta" thing I mentioned after our last ultrasound, it means that the ultrasound showed the possible beginning of issues with blood flow in a portion of my placenta. This is not definitive, however, and I will have another sonogram in about 4 weeks just to check and make sure the placenta is properly nourishing the baby. I am really not worried about it as I have had absolutely no complications thus far. And if future problems are found, I will likely just be induced a bit early.

Scott and I have been busily preparing for the babe. Up next: painting the nursery. There is a paint sale this weekend so we will start then. Check out my next post for more details on nursery prep. We also went on 2 tours of area hospitals recently and decided on Overland Park Regional Medical Center. The deciding factor was their jacuzzi tubs - they don't do actual water births, but I hope to labor in the water to help with pain control. Next up, finding a pediatrician.

My baby's face

Scott & I had the coolest experience today. We had our second sonogram, and because our baby is 29 weeks along, the tech was able to use the 4D technology. For those of you who don't know already, it's called 4D because its a 3D image in real time so time counts as the 4th dimension. It's like watching a movie of your baby moving around in your belly. Super cool. Check out the pics below. Baby Huizenga is growing well and still on par for an end of October delievery. My placenta moved up so that's all good, but now a portion of my placenta is looking "old," whatever that means. So, I might get another sonogram later on. The baby's gender is still as identified in the first ultrasound. Baby was sleeping during the scan and had its hands up by its head, which was cute but did block our view of its profile at times. We tried to wake it up with a jingle bell, but it just moved its hands to shield its ears. (Excuse my use of the "it" but I am still trying to shield the gender from those who don't want to know:)

Any opinions on who the baby looks like? Please post a comment if you do! I think it has Scott's nose. And Scott thinks it has my lips. What do you think?

The Royals suck, but it's still fun to watch them live

I love baseball. I guess that's what happens when you grow up with 2 brothers and a father who all watch baseball. Luckily, I didn't fall under the influence of their Cleveland Indian fandom or the prevailing Twin(kies) mentality up in ND. Now I cheer for the Atlanta Braves because Scott's enthusiasm for them was so infectious and they are a great team (or at least they were). When I moved to KC, I started to feel attached to the Royals because they are my home team now. But man, do they suck! They are the suckiest sucks that ever did suck. The funny thing is they have been improving somewhat as of late, while my beloved winners, the Braves, have lost it. They are now in the poop tank, too. Not only will they not be winning the pennant this year for the first time in a gazillion years (they won't even make the Wild Card), but Scott told me last night that their home record is worse than the Royals! I makes me sad to see Raphael Furcal and Greg Maddox light it up with the Dodgers, although I am happy for them.

Last night we saw another former Brave, Javi Lopez, play for the Boston Red Sox. I was more excited about seeing Big Papi as he is my favorite player. I am not a Sox fan, though. I love Ortiz but can't stand Ramirez and Crisp. I mean, come on, who is named Coco Crisp and doesn't get the crap beat out of him growing up? Anyway, the Royals actually pulled out a win last night! We only used 6 pitchers to do it (this is the usual pattern for them), and Burgos didn't blow it! See, miracles are possible. Of the 4 Royals games I've seen this year, this is the first one they've won. Scott & I have been on a baseball tear lately going to games last Friday, Saturday, and now last night. It's our anniversary gift to ourselves. Today makes 4 years of wedded bliss!! We decided not to go tonight as it's supposed to be over a 100 degrees again today and yesterday was only in the 90's:) Saturday when we went my feet swelled a bit, so I know I need to be careful and not overdo it. Also, the stadium does not allow bottles into the stadium which means I can't bring my own water in and they charge $4 for 20 oz.! Don't worry, I do take care of my child and shell out the moola for 1-2 bottles a game; I just hate paying that money for it.

So the Royals beat the Red Sox, and it was refreshing! I didn't have the usual feelings of apathy or disappointment that I usually have at the end of the game. Why do I torture myself so?! Like I said, I used to have winners in the Braves to retreat to when the Royals stunk too bad, but now there is really no retreat. The good news is that there is some optimism that the Royals will improve in the next few years due to some trades they made and some warming in their hitting. The Braves seem to be going down, though. Both need to work on their pitching big time! That's my 2 cents on baseball, America's pastime and mine. Oh, and the baby will be a baseball fan, whether he/she likes it or not!