New baby moving video

**Update: discovered I had the video listed as Private only. So I've changed it for password protected and the password is: babyd

Hopefully you can all see it now!**



This little guy must have been as happy to be home as I was...he was VERY active on Friday night so I managed to capture it on video...please excuse my loud breathing throughout the video...having some "pregnancy stuffiness!" Also note the two sleepy kitties at the end of the bed...this is where they have stayed since I came home from the hospital. They'd only get up when I got up and that was to follow me to the bathroom or kitchen. They're my little caretakers! :)

http://vimeo.com/9081805

32 Weeks!

How Far Along: 32 weeks (56 more days to go!) I'm happily writing this from home, not from the hospital, where we spent about two days this week!

What "They" Say About Our Baby's Development: By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Mama: To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often. You may have lower-back pain as your pregnancy advances. If you do, let your caregiver know right away, particularly if you haven't had back pain before, since it can be a sign of preterm labor. Assuming it's not preterm labor that's ailing you, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. Hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things.

Weekly Food Comparison: A large jicama

The Good: Movement, quick jabs and turning over

The Bad: A few contractions, and deceleration of his heart rate discovered during a hospital stay!

The Weird: Contractions...we're hoping they stay as Braxton Hicks and don't move to real contractions for at least another month!

Currently Craving/Avoiding:

Avoiding: Certain foods that don't seem appealing - changes all the time.

Craving: Fruit

Doctor Updates: See my previous entry..saw a little too much of doctors this week! Next appointment on Tuesday, February 2nd.

Total weight gain/loss: 22 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes, all bottoms and dresses.

Stretch marks? 1

Sleep: Been a little messed up this week given our change in circumstances

Best moment this week: Seeing our little guy again on the ultrasound and hearing everything is on track for growth, even though his head growth is still a full week ahead!

Movement: Constantly.

Labor Signs: Had some painful Braxton Hicks contractions this week...very tiny contractions which make me glad I'm going to have an epidural!

Belly Button in or out? Still an innie but pushing the boundaries everyday!

What I miss: Being able to put my socks on myself

What I am looking forward to: Resting up and keeping this little guy in his place for another month or so!


The Weekly Belly Bump: 32 week photos! No bare belly shots this week because I forgot to take them (crazy week!) Will post with next week's 33 week shots.

Big belly

Ignore the sleeping kitty behind me on the bed!

Another thing checked off ths list...

Just didn't think we check off "tour of Labor and Delivery" this way!

I just got out of the hospital. Tito and I went in on Wednesday morning at about 2:30am. Basically, I woke up at about 1:30am to pee, and felt some chest/left arm pain and tingling in my left hand. Pretty much exactly what I've felt before with my heart history. So I tossed and turned a bit in bed, thinking maybe I'd slept wrong on my arm. It didn't help. I would fall asleep for about 3 minutes, then wake back up. I got up and took some Tylenol, but it didn't touch the pain. So I finally woke Tito up and told him what was going on and he said we needed to go to the hospital to get things checked out.

So we drove to the hospital in record time and to the ER. After getting to the there, Tito went to park the car and I went into the ER. Standing there in pain, I opened up my jacket, thinking that if they saw my belly they'd react like it was an emergency. No dice. I stood in front of two registration ladies in an empty ER room for a good minute while one looked at the paper and the other was messing with her water bottle. Finally, she looked up and asked if she could help me. I explained I needed to see a doctor and that I was having chest pains and arm pain. She then said "Are you pregnant?" and I said I was 32 weeks along. She then said she needed to call L&D. So she called out for a transport, and they came out, misunderstood (they thought she'd said i was 13 weeks pregnant) and then said they needed to get me in down in the ER first. So finally, she registered me and they got me back into a room.

Once I was back in the room, things moved pretty quickly. Apparently pregnant ladies with heart conditions aren't seen every day so they freaked out a bit and suddenly I had about 5 people in the room starting an IV, taking blood, giving me an EKG, etc. They did a bedside check of my cardiac enzymes and the first test was negative, which was good. They took me in and gave me one chest xray (they shielded me well and only took one photo to protect the baby.) Then OB came down and hooked me up to a monitor. Heard the little guys heart beat right away. After the initial OB nurse came in, three OB docs came in. Asked me about my pain which I was still having. I told them I didn't feel comfy getting narcotics for the pain since it was bearable. Plus they wanted to give me Morphine and I'm allergic to that and Codeine. So they got my chest xray back and said that it looked like I had pneumonia. ??? What?? I had no other symptoms, except the occasional stuffy nose which I thought was pregnancy related. So then they said that they wanted to admit me for observation on the OB floor given my history and to watch the baby so I was brought upstairs to a labor room. If anything, they are nice rooms! :) Then the OB docs came in, asked me some more questions and then cardiology came in and said that they wanted to observe me as well but the only place they could put the fetal monitor and heart monitor on was in the ICU. So they shipped me down there. At this point, my pain was about a 1 on a pain scale (came down from a 5.) Cardiology came in and said that they didn't think I had pneumonia, that I just had some excess fluid and mucus in my lungs and that we couldn't trust the xray since it was only one. They also said they'd done the second draw of my cardiac enzymes and that they were negative as well.

I stayed in ICU for another 5 hours, unable to sleep, and just watching tv with Tito and finally was able to eat at about 11:30am (after being up for 9 hours.) Cardiology came back in with my OB and they discussed that they didn't think it was heart related which was good to hear. They said that they were going to test my cardiac enzymes one more time and then if they were negative that I'd go back up to OB for observation. In the meantime, my OB reassured me that I had done the right thing by coming in with the chest pain which made me feel better. The OB nurses had been coming in and out all morning and observing the baby on the monitor upstairs. At one point, I felt a really bad pain in both my back and abdomen area at the same time. I moved around and thought it was from the uncomfortable bed. Tito rubbed my back and it went away, then a few minutes later it came back and lasted about a minute. Then it didn't come back. About 10 minutes later, the OB nurse came down and asked if I'd just felt that contraction? So yeah, not fun. They weren't too worried about it but said they wanted to watch me. A little before I was transferred up to the OB floor, the nurse came back in and told me that the baby had had some heart decels for more than 2 minutes. So they brought me back upstairs, and hooked me up to the monitor and positioned me so I was only laying on my left side thinking that would make it better for the baby. Docs came in and did an internal exam and said that my cervix was closed, nice and high and the baby was head down. Enzyme tests came back negative, like they'd thought, and the pain was gone. Tito and I discussed that maybe that was my body's way of letting me know something was up with the baby.

They originally thought I'd be ok to go home that afternoon after some time on the monitor. But then the baby had more decels and they said I had to stay overnight. They did an ultrasound and while it was comforting for me to get to see our little guy again, and see how much he'd grown (and that he's 4 lbs now!) it was scary that I had to be there. When I had a moment, I had a little breakdown with Tito and just kept crying, saying that it was too soon and that I was scared. Tito calmed me down and helped me get to sleep.

Throughout the night, I was woken up quite a few times by the nurses bringing in meds, readjusting the fetal monitor, and telling me the baby had decels or I had a contraction. So this morning, at about 6am, I was up for good. The doctor came in and said that while the baby had decels and I had contractions, that they didn't think overall it was bad. They said that they think that babies normally have decels throughout pregnancies, just that women aren't constantly hooked up to the monitors to know. I originally had an appointment for this Friday, and they rescheduled me to go in on Tuesday instead and get an NST. Essentially, they are starting my NST's early and will decide where to go from there.

They recommended that I work from home this afternoon and tomorrow and that I can go back into work on Monday and Tuesday, but since I have three flights of stairs up to my office (and no elevator) that I take them very, very slowly. After Tuesday's appointment, he will decide if he wants to put me on bedrest, have me work from home for the rest of the pregnancy, or what.

At this point, I'm happy just to be home (and my kitties are happy we're here too!) Tito stayed the whole time with me in the hospital, sleeping there last night as well. He's exhausted but I think he was glad to stay and monitor me and the baby. He's sleeping right now because the poor guy was so tired. He's basically told me not to do anything and he'd take care of the cleaning, cats, laundry, etc until I'm cleared by the doc. If I'm not, and placed on bedrest, he said he'd take care of things until the baby comes and after until I'm ready to get back to things.

So we had a bit of a scare there for a bit, but we're hoping it was nothing, and that this little guy listens to us and stays put for at least another 5 weeks and comes out healthy!

Nursery progress/weekend update

Had a great, albeit busy weekend! Saturday, we had our last childbirth class. It was very informative (we had discussion about c-sections, use of forceps, vacuums, epidurals, etc. as well as breast feeding) and we both learned a lot.

We went home, got some food, and then I headed out to get some "baby items". I stopped by Target and as I was going through the baby section, found a crib skirt on clearance that matched our colors, so I snagged that, and also saw our crib mattress (that I was going to get via Walmart.com, but the mattress was cheaper at Target, so I snagged it (I'm sure it must have been a funny sight to see a 7.5 month pregnant lady dragging a mattress into a cart and then pushing it around the store!) I got home just in time before Tito headed out to a get together with his soccer team, so he could help me bring everything into the house and down the hall to the nursery.

For some reason, instead of relaxing and watching tv that night while Tito was out, I became ambitious and decided to put together the dresser we'd bought last weekend at Ikea. Tito was going to do it on Sunday but for some reason, I couldn't wait. My organizational bug was hitting me I guess, so I spent about 2 hours with the Ikea directions (which were somewhat annoying because there were 5 pieces that all looked the same except the color (three were stained and two weren't) and it didn't indicate which one went where, so I had to guess, and thankfully guessed right!) :) Put the dresser together, got it into the right position on the wall, and took the clothes from the closet and filled it up, organized it with some bins and put the mattress in the crib (after discovering that sheets are a pain in the butt to change on a crib because I literally had to lift the mattress out of the crib to put the fitted sheet on because of where the sides of the crib hit me...I need a stool for that room for this purpose alone!) and also discovering that the mattress pad I'd bought awhile ago didn't fit the mattress (it's made for a much shallower mattress, so we'll use it in the PNP when he's a bit bigger but the way I would have had to have put it on the mattress the sides wouldn't have covered all the way down to the bottom of the mattress, and the material bunched which wasn't safe) and then put the changing pad cover on the changing pad, and put the pad on the dresser. I was very proud of myself but exhausted, so I went to bed after that.

Woke up on Sunday morning and went to breakfast with Tito at IHOP, went to Target to look at seat protectors for when we install the carseat in his car, and then came home and watched Monsters Vs. Aliens (cute), then went to church, then came home and while I made dinner, Tito put up shelves in our bedroom and the baby's room, and hung some art.

We're still in search of a side table for next to his dresser to hold a lamp and extra supplies, but then we're done with the furniture for his room. Also waiting on two pieces of art (one from each of my brothers) which will hang in there, and we'll get some more accessories and supplies over time. It's nice that this is close to being "done"! :) I also started working on the mobile last night and have about three pieces done, as well as the dowels which it will all hang on painted. Will work on it throughout the week and take some photos to post later this week/weekend hopefully!

Here are some photos of the room so far:


As you enter the room - obviously his stroller and car seat are there temporarily. Will be hanging the mobile above his bed, the name banner above it on the wall, and to the right of the bed, over the shelves we'll put the piece of art my older brother is painting.


As you enter the room and turn to the right. Glider/rocker, and changing area. We'll be hanging the art my younger brother is painting (airplanes) over his dresser so he can look at it when we change him.


Close up of the "art" I made (Days of the week in English) and one of the shelves, which currently has one of my first baby toys (the wooden mouse thing) and an airplane stuffed toy I bought for Tito back when we were dating.


The other piece of "art" I made hanging on the other wall - days of the week in Spanish


Close up of the other shelf currently - an aviator bear that Tito's younger brother gave to me one Christmas when we lived in FL, and a name placard my parents gave to us this year for Christmas (says his name, Santiago, and that it means "Handsome and Cheerful")



Dresser (that I proudly assembled alone!) and changing area


Top drawer of dresser...currently has some diapers. Will house any more "supplies" and has empty organizing boxes in there right now for that!


2nd drawer...lots of pants and onesies organized by size that I've picked up, or that were gifts from family


Third drawer, filled with bins full of baby socks and shoes, hats, sweaters and more!

31 Weeks!

How Far Along: 31 weeks (63 more days to go!)

What "They" Say About Our Baby's Development: This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Mama: Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they're irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless. Frequent contractions, on the other hand — even those that don't hurt — may be a sign of preterm labor. Call your practitioner immediately if you have more than four contractions in an hour or any other signs of preterm labor.

Weekly Food Comparison: 4 Naval Oranges

The Good: Lots of flips, twirls and motion from this little guy this week.

The Bad: Heartburn! From anything and everything. They say to avoid spicy foods but it's the weird things that give me heartburn - sugar, fruit, etc.

The Weird: Nothing too odd this week.

Currently Craving/Avoiding:

Avoiding: Certain foods that don't seem appealing - changes all the time.

Craving: This week it was Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies - I had to settle for Keebler's Grasshoppers!

Doctor Updates: Next appointment on Friday, January 29th.

Total weight gain/loss: 21 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes, all bottoms and dresses. Am still hanging in there wearing some of my looser non-maternity tops, and one of Tito's t-shirts at night as all of mine allow my belly to hang out and I get cold! :)

Stretch marks? 1 - teeny tiny, not a line, just literally a red mark on my belly. Thought it was an ingrown hair. It hurts! I've been slathering my belly with a combination of three different creams and belly balm to help with the lack of moisture on my belly.

Sleep: It's ok. Although he must be going through a growth spurt as my weird dreams are back - and they're all scary dreams or dreams of my inadequacy as a mother-to-be. Last night I dreamed about big spiders that Tito couldn't kill because they kept morphing into cats and he couldn't kill them because they were "too cute"...the other night I dreamt I lost my cat in our house, then found her in the baby's crib all dressed in his clothes and barely breathing and when I picked her up she changed into the baby...and the night before that I dreamt that the baby was here, sleeping in the pack and play next to the bed, and he kept crying because he was too cold, so I swaddled him, and then he was too hot, and I couldn't find a happy medium and couldn't make him comfortable.

Best moment this week: Feeling the baby's "dance moves" as he swishes around in my belly.

Movement: Constantly. I have a feeling this little guy is going to be "go, go, go" like his mom when he arrives!

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out? Officially still an innie, but the outside ring is popping out a bit.

What I miss: Not having to have Tito help me get up from lying down on the couch. And being able to put my socks on alone (or without some serious contortionist moves!)

What I am looking forward to: Last childbirth class tomorrow, and marking more of my "to-do's" off of my list on the nursery door!


The Weekly Belly Bump: 31 week photos!

30 Weeks!

How Far Along: 30 weeks (70 more days to go!)

What "They" Say About Our Baby's Development: Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Mama: You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size. Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife.

Weekly Food Comparison: A head of cabbage

The Good: My active baby

The Bad: Heartburn

The Weird: Random coughing fits - I read it was due to my lungs being compressed by the baby.

Currently Craving/Avoiding:

Avoiding: Nothing other than what I have been avoiding

Craving: More "cravings of the moment"

Doctor Updates: Had an appointment on the 12th. Everything looked and sounded good! Next appointment is Tuesday, January 29th.

Total weight gain/loss: 21 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes, still mostly bottoms.

Stretch marks? 0

Sleep: Getting harder and harder to fall asleep. And I wake up on average 3 times a night.

Best moment this week: Having Tito feel him move and squirm really strongly! Also having three people tell me I looked really small for 7 months along! Apparently they are used to seeing giants only, because I have a big belly! :)

Movement: Seems like lately when I wake up at 3am to go to the bathroom this is his most active time of the day. When I come back to bed, I'll fall back asleep with my hand on my stomach and will feel him moving and squirming around in there!

Food cravings: See above.

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out? One part seems to be trying to pop out.

What I miss: Wine...still. :)

What I am looking forward to: Getting the dresser this weekend! And our first lamaze class this Saturday!


The Weekly Belly Bump: 30 week photos!

That belly button is SLOWLY disappearing!!

Before heading out to work this morning

Bummed...

I get updates from Babycenter.com once a week. One week, I also got the "is it safe during pregnancy?" update and was reading through it. A lot I already knew the answers to...but I was surprised that there was a question of "Is it safe to go to a rock concert while pregnant?" Considering Tito and I have plans to go to Bon Jovi in February, this peaked my interest. On Babycenter, basically the two "experts" interviewed said that they didn't know if there would be issues but they recommended against it.

I have two very good friends who are audiologists, so I emailed them and asked if it would be safe, that the concert was probably only about 2-3 hours and it was the only thing like this that we'd be going to. Also that our seats were on the side of the stage, so not right on at the front with the speakers blaring towards us and the seats are also nosebleed-ish. I thought maybe if I put a jacket over my belly it would be fine. My concern from reading on Babycenter was that they said that with low frequency sounds (like those of a bass guitar) that the amniotic fluid actually amplifies the sound for the baby in the uterus. (High frequency sounds like singing, talking, or lead guitars are actually dampened by the amniotic fluid.)

So I got a response this morning:

Hey Kate,

I am the worse corresponder on the planet - however, I can't procrastinate on an audiology question. As for the concert...what you read is true and you only need 2 hours of exposure at 95dB to cause some damage..or I should say potential damage. Even though we know the sound levels, there are limited studies of one time noise exposure causing harm to the baby...the studies are more likely targeted for women in factory type settings. So scientifically, it is possible but, rare...but as a friend...my thoughts are that this doubt means no. If Santiago (that IS his really cool name right?) had a hearing loss you would never forgive yourself for two hours of fun. Send Tito with a friend and go get yourself a pedicure!

Oh no - I sound more like your Mom than I do an Audiologist!

Take care!
Love,
Amy

Considering that the sound equivalent of 95db is that between heavy traffic and a subway system, and knowing that a Bon Jovi concert will be MUCH louder than that, I think (and Tito agrees) that it's a chance we don't want to take.

Tito and I talked and we both feel it's similar to the argument of drinking one glass of wine every once in awhile during pregnancy...they don't actually know how much alcohol can cause damage, and maybe there is a point of which the one drink you have will be "too much." So who's to say the drinks I had when I didn't know I was pregnant were "just enough" and the one I'd have now would put me over the edge and cause him brain damage. Same with the concert...it most likely wouldn't cause any issue, but, why take that chance. I want to do everything I can to give him every advantage in the world from the get go...and I don't want to wonder if he was born with some sort of hearing loss and I had gone to the concert if it had been from that. They'd probably never be able to link the two, but I just don't want to take that chance.

Needless to say I'm bummed. Hopefully one of our friends can go with him instead though. Our plan was to do our Baby Care 101 class together that day, then check into a hotel and then go to the concert together, then get dinner and spend the night in Seattle, as a "last night away" before the baby. Sort of a mini-mini-mini-babymoon, since I'm banned from flying and we can't travel outside of this area, for fear I'd go into labor and be away from my doc (his orders!) So I think we'll still do the hotel, dinner, etc. and Tito will go to the concert, have a great time, then come back to meet me in the hotel. It just sucks since I would have enjoyed the concert too...but I'll have Tito take lots of photos for me and maybe some video so I can enjoy it...and probably will get a pedi or something while he's doing that.

Just something you'd never think would be an issue, huh? :)

The list...

I was asked by a reader (I have people who read this blog who aren't family? Yay!) :) to post my "list" of things we'd like for this baby or recommendations for baby items. Everything I put on my registry, or things we've bought has been a recommendation from friends (I have lots of friends who have had babies recently) or from the book Baby Bargains. I have not tested anything out myself, so I'm sure after my baby is here, I'll have my favorites and not-so-favorites, but here's my list for now.

I used this list to basically create my registries:

Car Seats/Strollers/Carriers/Accessories

• Infant Car Seat - We chose the Graco Snugride in the Broadstreet pattern

• Additional Car Seat Base

• Bundle Me by JJ Cole

• Mirror for your car

• Stroller - We chose the Graco Snugrider stroller base for now (we will get a different stroller when he outgrows the infant car seat that snaps into this base.)

• Baby Carrier – some have higher ratings (Ergo is a good brand, as is Baby Bjorn) but we registered for an Infantino front to back carrier (will be wearable on our fronts and backs) because that's what my husband preferred and he would most likely be "wearing" the baby most of the time.

Travel Yards/High Chairs/Exercisers/Accessories

• Gates - We live in a one story apartment, so we won't really need gates (maybe one to keep him in the living room.) For now I registered for the Superyard XT because it can be used outside, as well as it's large enough to go around our fireplace hearth.

• Pack and Play – We registered for the Graco Pack and Play in Pippin because it was simple (didn't have a separate changing attachment, etc.) but did have a bassinet feature. We need something with a small footprint since our living room isn't the largest and neither is our bedroom and we'll be using it as his bed in our room for the first month.

• Pack and Play Sheet

• High Chair – We have limited space so needed something with a small footprint. We opted to register for the Fisher Price Space Saver chair since it'll strap right onto a chair we have already and won't take up too much room.

• Exersaucer - Everyone I know said to have one of these. We registered for the Baby Einstein Stationary Entertainer.

• Activity Gym

• Bumbo

• Swing - another essential - we like the Fisher Price My Little Lamb Dreamy Motions Cradle Swing and the Fisher Price Dwell for Target swing because you can change the way that the swing goes - not just front to back but also in a side to side motion.

• Bouncer

• Shopping Cart Cover

Cribs/Furniture

• Crib – We bought a convertible crib and made sure it didn't have a drop down side. It is a Stork Craft crib in an Espresso color. It converts to a toddler bed, a day bed and eventually a full sized bed (which we'll probably only use for this baby through toddler bed, then get him a twin sized "big boy" bed and we'll use the crib for baby #2.

• Dresser/Changing Table – We're getting a dresser to use as a changing table and will put a changing pad on top.

• Glider/Rocker and Ottoman – We got the Stork Craft glider and ottoman in Espresso with beige cushions. I've already spent a lot of time in it and it's very comfortable!

• Baby hangers - have picked up some, registered for some and also got some from a friend (as well as Old Navy usually gives you their hangers)

Bedding/Room Décor/Crib Accessories

• Fitted Sheets (3)

• Bumper – my mother is making this along with a quilt although we won't use the quilt until he's bigger

• Halo SleepSack

• Miracle Blanket

• Kiddopotamus Swaddle Me Infant Wrap

• Mattress – we're getting the Sealy - Naturalis Organic Cotton Crib mattress. It's supposed to not off-gas.

• Mattress Pad / Sheet Protector

• Sleep Positioner/Wedge

• Lullaby Soother

• Lamp with a dimmer - (you can purchase a lamp that comes with a dimmer or purchase a dimmer switch that the lamp plugs into. Amazon.com has these.)

Infant Toys/Care & Feeding

• Toys

• Noise machine – we have the DEX Products Sound Sleeper SS-0

• Itzbeen - have heard great things about this from people who have one. Helps you keep track of last feedings, changings, etc. when your sleep deprived in the early days!

• Nursery Monitor

• Humidifier

• Diaper Pail – we registered for the Baby Trend Diaper Champ because it takes regular kitchen trash bags and you don't have to buy a separate insert for them (saves $ in the long run!)

• Bath Tub – We have the Safety First Comfy Bath Center

• Bottles – We registered for the Avent bottle starter kit originally and then I read there were bad reviews on them leaking all the time. So I scrapped that and re-registered for three Playtex Ventaire and three Dr. Brown's. All BPA-free. I'll be breastfeeding but will go back to work after three months so he'll need bottles to get my breastmilk from. We will see which of these bottles he likes better and then probably buy a few more.

• Bottle drying rack

• Fridge to Go Bottle Pack - for when I go back to work

• Milk storage bags - I'll use to keep pumped milk in and freezeMilk bag storage tray for freezer

• Covered ice cube trays - for when you start solids, can freeze pureed food

• Bottle Brush

• Dishwasher baskets

• Splat Mat - for meals (we have carpeting in our dining area and don't want to have to constantly clean the carpet from spills/throwing so we will be getting a mat to put under his chair)

• Burp Cloths

• Nursing Pillow

• Outlet cover

• Carbon Monoxide Detector

• Furniture/corner guards

• Bottle Sterilizer

• Baby shampoo

• Grooming Kit

• Healthcare kit (we just registered for the Red Cross one at Babies R' Us)

• Breast Pump - My insurance pays for an electric pump, so I plan on getting the Medela Breast Pump

• Nursing tanks

• Lanisoh Cream

• Lanisoh Breast Pads

• Pacifiers - we registered for the Playtex Ortho-Pro Silicone Newborn Pacifier with Snap 'N Clean Sterilizing Cover, and we've also picked up some Newborn Soothies (The First Years) because these are what's given in the hospital

• Pacifier holder - good for diaper bag so you don't lose the pacifier and so it doesn't get all gunky

• Pacifier wipes - in case they fall on the ground or floors in public places

• Miscellaneous (bibs, hooded towels, washcloths, etc.)

• Bath Pal Thermometer – duck

• Bath Spout Cover

• Bath toy holder

• Gas Drops (like Mylicon drops)

• Gripe Water

Diapers/Wipes

• Diapers – You’ll want about 100 Newborn Size and 500 Size One

• Wipes

• Diaper Bag

• Diaper Duck Diaper Bag dispenser and refills

• Ziploc bags (large size) - good for holding soiled clothes or cloth diapers

• Ointments/Lotions – Diaper rash cream (I've heard Boudreaux's Butt Paste and Triple Paste are good)Purell - to have around the house and at the changing table

• Lap pads

• Pee-pee Tee pees - I know these are sort of gimmicky, but I plan on buying them. You can also use a cloth diaper thrown over the baby (boys only) to prevent sprinkles!

• Contoured Changing Pad for dresser top and cover(s)

Clothing/Layettes

• T-Shirts (6) side-snaps and over-the-head

• Sleepers (4 – 8)

• Coveralls/Rompers (2 – 4)

• Booties/socks (3 - 4)

• Sweaters (1)

• Hats (2)

• Bibs – small for drool (optional) and large for food

• Washcloths/towels (3)

• Receiving Blanket (7 – 8)

The Power of Magical Thinking - Research Shows the Importance of Imagination in Children's Cognitive Development

By SHIRLEY S. WANG

Is the Tooth Fairy real? How about the garbage man? Those questions may seem trivial, but how young children answer them is an important indicator of cognitive development.

For years, imagination was thought of as a way for children to escape from reality, and once they reached a certain age, it was believed they would push fantasy aside and deal with the real world. But, increasingly, child-development experts are recognizing the importance of imagination and the role it plays in understanding reality. Imagination is necessary for learning about people and events we don't directly experience, such as history or events on the other side of the world. For young kids, it allows them to ponder the future, such as what they want to do when they grow up.

"Whenever you think about the Civil War or the Roman Empire or possibly God, you're using your imagination," says Paul Harris, a development psychologist and professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education who studies imagination. "The imagination is absolutely vital for contemplating reality, not just those things we take to be mere fantasy."

Psychologists like Jacqueline Woolley, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, are studying the process of "magical thinking," or children's fantasy lives, and how kids learn to distinguish between what is real and what isn't.

The hope is that understanding how children's cognition typically develops will also help scientists better understand developmental delays and conditions such as autism. For instance, there is evidence that imagination and role play appears to have a key role in helping children take someone else's perspective, says Dr. Harris. Kids with autism, on the other hand, don't engage in much pretend play, leading some to suggest that the lack of such activity contributes to their social deficits, according to Dr. Harris.

Dr. Woolley's group at the Children's Research Laboratory has conducted a series of studies involving Santa, the Tooth Fairy and a newly made-up character known as the "Candy Witch" in order to examine the age at which children are able to distinguish between real and fictional entities and how they process contexts and cues when dealing with them.

In one study involving 91 children, Dr. Woolley asked young kids if a number of people and characters, including Santa and the garbage man, were real. She found that 70% of 3-year-olds reported that Santa Claus was real, while 78% believed in the garbage man. By age 5, kids' certainty about the garbage man grew, and Santa believers peaked at 83%. It wasn't until age 7 that belief in Santa declined. By 9, only a third believed in Santa while nearly all reported the garbage man was real.

So, "if kids have the basic distinction between real and not real when they're 3, why do they believe in Santa until they're 8?" says Dr. Woolley.

The researchers found that while children as young as 3 understand the concept of what is real and what isn't, until they are about 7 kids can be easily misled by adults' persuasive words or by "evidence." They hold onto their beliefs about some fantastical characters—like Santa—longer than others, such as monsters or dragons. Most of the kids in the study were Christian, and the numbers of those who believed in Santa would likely be smaller if there were children of other religious backgrounds in the sample, says Dr. Woolley.

Evidence of Santa

Logically, from what young kids observe, it makes sense to think that Santa is real, says Dr. Woolley. And Santa and the trash collector share certain characteristics. Both are people whom kids have heard about but have likely never met before. There is proof for Santa's existence—the gifts that appear on Christmas morning—as well as for the garbage man's—he makes trash disappear—even though kids don't usually see them in action. A 5-year-old has the cognitive skills to put together the pieces of evidence, but because the pieces are misleading, he or she comes to the wrong conclusion. Younger children may not have the cognitive skills to put the pieces of evidence together, so may in fact be less likely to believe in Santa's existence. The realness of some other characters, such as Sesame Street's Elmo, can perplex kids because they know Elmo is a puppet, but does that make him real or not?

Dr. Woolley has also looked to see what types of cues and contexts are most convincing to children. In another experiment involving 44 children, her research team went into preschoolers' classrooms and told them about a new character dubbed the Candy Witch, a friendly woman who arrives on Halloween and replaces the candy kids have collected with a toy. The researchers showed the kids a picture of the witch, and in some cases told the parents to provide "evidence" of the witch's existence by making the candy and toy swap at home.

Nearly two-thirds of the children were convinced that the Candy Witch was real. Those kids who were "visited" by the witch were more convinced of it. And, like with Santa Claus, older preschoolers, who were on average 5 years old, were more convinced than younger preschoolers who averaged 3.5 years old. These results were published in the journal Developmental Science in 2004.

Impossible or Improbable

Currently, she and her students are examining another concept related to reality: when an event is impossible versus improbable. Experimenters show children various pictures and give a brief description. They then ask the child whether he or she thinks the scene is real or not real by placing it on a book shelf where the "things that can actually happen" are filed or a different shelf where things that aren't real go.

One recent morning, 5-year-old Mia, wearing a flowery blue dress, arrived at the lab with her father and her small plastic purple pony. One of the scenarios was "Sarah owned a peacock as a pet." When asked whether this scene was real or not, Mia immediately answered, "not real." And why is that? "Because nobody owns a peacock," she said. Another scenario—"Julia jumped in the air and never came back down"—also wasn't real because "nobody wants to live in the clouds where they can't see the sky," said Mia.

Her responses are typical for her age, says Dr. Woolley. Early results suggest that 5-year-olds don't yet have the ability to distinguish what is impossible from what is unlikely to happen but could technically happen. In future work, Dr. Woolley and her collaborators plans to investigate whether a researcher acknowledging that the situation is strange alters kids' views of whether the scenario is real.

What Should Parents Do?

It is important but not necessary for parents to encourage fantasy play in their children, says Dr. Woolley. If the child already has an imaginary friend, for instance, parents should follow their children's lead and offer encouragement if they are comfortable doing so, she says. Similarly, with Santa, if a child seems excited by the idea, parents can encourage it. But if parents choose not to introduce or encourage the belief in fictitious characters, they should look for other ways to encourage their children's imaginations, such as by playing dress-up or reading fiction.

If a child asks if the Tooth Fairy or Santa is real, parents might want to assess their child's level of doubt. If the doubts appear strong then the child might be ready and it is time for the truth. Ideally, the child will find out for him or herself, like a little scientist, so parents might ask, "Is there something you saw or heard that makes you think Santa isn't real?" and "What do you think?"

"You want to find a balance to lets [children] be open to possibility but also to question," says Dr. Woolley.

Fantasy play is correlated with other positive attributes. In preschool children, for example, those who have imaginary friends are more creative, have greater social understanding and are better at taking the perspective of others, according to Marjorie Taylor, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon and author of the book "Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them."

Imaginary friends can also be used to help children cope with stress, Dr. Taylor says. "This is a strength of children, their ability to pretend," she says. "They can fix the problem with their imagination."

Write to Shirley S. Wang at shirley.wang@wsj.com

Uncomfortable

So I'm feeling truly uncomfortable today for the first time ever. As in, when I get up to walk down the hall, I waddle. My lower back hurts. My abdomen hurts and it feels like the baby is sitting on the outer edge of my uterus, making all of his weight (all 3lbs!) tip me forward even farther.

I'm hot too. I woke up at 4am and was incredibly thirsty and it felt like the heat was jacked up to 80 in the room. Sometimes Tito turns the heat on after I fall asleep because he's cold. I got up to check if it was on and it wasn't. Instead I was under flannel sheets, a down comforter, blanket and had on flannel pj pants, a tank top and a long sleeved top. I also had a cat curled up at my feet and a cat curled up on the body pillow next to me (I am nice and share this pillow with the kitties.) I was burning up, so I shed a few layers, moved both cats over to Tito's side and went back to bed.

All day today my office has been hot. I've got my sleeves rolled up and opened the window a bit so it wasn't so stifling. It's 50 degrees outside and I feel like I'm in Florida in July. Not fun.

I've been getting round ligament pain a lot more lately. When I go to get up from the car, I usually feel it in my pelvis. It's a shooting, stabbing pain that lasts for a few minutes. It's fun to pretend to be normal (and not in pain!) while walking into places.

I have a massage therapy appointment tonight for the first time in a long time - 2 months I think? I'm covered for 12 visits under my insurance a year, and it just changed years. So I plan on using my 12 appointments (or as many as I can) from now until this baby arrives in March. Hopefully this will help me sleep better as well.

Tonight we have baptism class at church. It's two hours, and I'm so tired, but we have to make it through it because the next class isn't until April, and we wanted to take it before the baby is born. The baptism will be in July. We had to schedule it so early because of my in laws who needed to purchase plane tickets to come and visit us for it. So I'm happy that this is one more thing I crossed off the list. :)

I had a list of to-do's this weekend (with some baby things on it, as well as other non-baby things like mailing some cards, mailing a present, birthday party for Tito, etc.) I managed to get through about 50% of it which I'm really happy about.

I'm in major nesting mode and proceeded to not only clean out and organize our closets (clothes and linens) but also to get rid of clothes and linens that are raggedy or won't be worn, and I went through our medicine cabinets/under sink cabinets and threw out expired meds, old lotions and creams and stuff I don't use because I don't like it, etc. Cleared a lot of space. And I reorganized our kitchen cabinets to make more space since I know baby bottles and such will be coming in sooner rather than later. I still have to get some more things to help organize the cabinets, and then I'll do a good deep cleaning before the baby gets here.

Another thing off the list

I'm a big list maker. Helps me get through my day, not forget things and prioritize. With this baby coming, this is no different. I was feeling overwhelmed by all that needed to be "done" so I sat down and made a list. Then I also sat down on Friday and made a list of more immediate, some non-baby things that needed to be done. I've slowly been working my way through that list this weekend, and also working through the baby list too.

Another thing can now be crossed off the list! We bought the car seat and stroller frame today! And I love Amazon.com by the way. We've bought the majority of the big items so far off of Amazon and we have Amazon Prime so we get free shipping (and things are always here in a day despite the promise of 2 day shipping!)

We decided on the Graco Snugride infant carseat after reading reviews. We chose something that we both think is gender neutral (blue with brown dots) so it'll work for our little boy and possibly for a little girl in the future (or another little boy if that's what we get!)




We also, after many recommendations to not get a "stroller travel system" until I knew what would work best for me (ease of folding it up, bulk, heft, etc.) purchased the Graco Snugrider stroller frame. We can use this with the infant car seat until he's around 30lbs if we want to. Both were on sale on Amazon as well, which was even better! (Cheaper than Babies R' Us or Target.) They should be here by Wednesday but I'm sure they'll be here Tuesday. Another thing off the list!

Must stop...

I must stop buying little people clothing! I blame Old Navy who sent me an email this morning that they had 75% off of clothes...so I went on just to "look"...but found some cute (and seriously cheap things!) Here are my..er...I mean my future son's spoils:



I couldn't resist the dinosaur socks! In my defense, I'm buying everything larger (6-12 months and 12-18 months) since everything we've gotten lately has been 0-3 or 3-6 month sizes. So he'll need stuff, right? :)

29 weeks!

How Far Along: 29 weeks (77 more days to go!) Third trimester!!

What "They" Say About Our Baby's Development: Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Mama: Your baby's very active now. Your practitioner may ask you to spend some time each day counting kicks and will give you specific instructions on how to do this. Let her know if you ever notice a decrease in activity. You may need a nonstress test or biophysical profile to check on your baby's condition. Some women get something called "supine hypotensive syndrome" during pregnancy, where laying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. You might note that you feel lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, too. To avoid "the spins" lie on your side rather than your back, and move slowly as you go from lying down to sitting and then standing.

Weekly Food Comparison: A butternut squash

The Good: More and more movement everyday

The Bad: Not being able to go to the gym - doctor officially banned me the other day. He's not taking any chances with my heart, so I've been assigned a life on the couch. I can take walks occasionally, so hopefully it's nice this weekend and I can get a good one in.

The Weird: More fatigue as well as my center of gravity has shifted and doing simple things like lifting the laundry basket hurt now.

Currently Craving/Avoiding:

Avoiding: Nothing other than what I have been avoiding

Craving: More "cravings of the moment"

Doctor Updates: Next appointment is Tuesday, January 12th.

Total weight gain/loss: 18 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes, still mostly bottoms.

Stretch marks? 0

Sleep: Ok still.

Best moment this week: Feeling him move, kick and kick back at my hand

Movement: A lot more at night. Very strong kicks at night and more rolling movement in the mornings and throughout the day.

Food cravings: See above.

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out? One part seems to be trying to pop out.

What I miss: Wine

What I am looking forward to: Getting the stroller, car seat, dresser and crib mattress soon!


The Weekly Belly Bump: 29 week photos!

Another new thing

So I've been feeling good since about 16 weeks. Energy back, appetite back, no more nausea. Second trimester was good to me. I entered the third trimester on Friday and happily thought "I'm in the home stretch!" Sure, I knew there were things ahead of me that I had only heard about but hadn't experienced yet - swelling of my hands and feet, constant back aches, more weight gain, less energy, adopting a waddling walk - but I figured I would deal with those as they came to me, if at all.

However, I was not prepared today for what happened. I woke up feeling fine. Went about my business, albeit a little tired as I'm still coming off of "vacation time" where you sleep in late (and late for me is 8:30am!) Left for work, still feeling tired, but ok. Came into work, had my second breakfast (I have a bowl of cereal at home and then always have a snack when I get to work.) At about 11:30am, I felt the sudden urge to run to the bathroom. Normally not too much of an issue but my office is all the way on the end of a long hallway and the bathroom is all the way at the other end of the same hallway. So I walked as fast as I could without looking silly (as silly as a 7 months pregnant woman in high heeled boots walk/waddling down the hall could look?) and made it to the bathroom to throw up. Thinking it was something I ate, I went back to my desk after finishing my business and cleaning up. 20 minutes later - same thing. And then once more about an hour later. It's as if I'm feeling fine and then all of a sudden need to throw up - RIGHT THEN.

So I emailed my doc, looked online to see if this was a "normal", third trimester pregnancy symptom or maybe it was something I ate. Turns out, according to the web and my doc, it's normal. Some women get this in the third trimester for whatever reason. Lucky me...

Let's hope it's just a one day occurrence rather than one that continues throughout the next 11 weeks...it's for a good reason. It's for a good reason...but maybe my baby could let me know when he's going to make me feeling yucky? How about sending up a signal? Or maybe the vomiting IS the signal?

28 Weeks and 3 Days!

How Far Along: 28 weeks and 3 days (81 more days to go!) One more week in the second trimester and then on to the home stretch!

What "They" Say About Our Baby's Development: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Mama: You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester. At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. If the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (If your baby is Rh positive, you'll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth.) Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

Weekly Food Comparison: An Chinese cabbage

The Good: Constant movement...feeling baby toes, feet, and hands dragged across one part of my stomach.

The Bad: Heartburn is back...

The Weird: Feeling more and more fatigued earlier than normal. I was exhausted after walking from one point in the mall to another part of the mall this week and needed to sit down!

Currently Craving/Avoiding:

Avoiding: Nothing other than what I have been avoiding

Craving: More "cravings of the moment"

Doctor Updates: Had ultrasound and doctor's visit on Tuesday. Showed that everything is normal, he's healthy as are his organs (saw a great spine shot too) and he weighs 2.5 lbs now!

Total weight gain/loss: 18 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes..although I can still wear non-maternity tops. Some of my t-shirts (small ones) are slowly creeping up over the belly, so soon I think I'll have to switch to Tito's t-shirts at night.

Stretch marks? 0

Sleep: Ok, although getting comfortable is hard. I also feel like I'm sleeping "harder" than normal and wake up with some shoulder and leg aches and pains.

Best moment this week: Seeing him on the ultrasound and hearing he's healthy and growing on target!

Movement: A lot more at night. Very strong kicks at night and more rolling movement in the mornings and throughout the day.

Food cravings: See above.

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out? In...but looks like part of it might be popping out

What I miss: Ceviche now...

What I am looking forward to: More nursery work


The Weekly Belly Bump: 28 week photos! Things are definitely getting bigger!