Showered with Friends!

My final shower was held exactly one month prior to the big DUE DATE. I had some of the most dear friends in my life join me for some baby celebrating and prep. This also resulted in what Mingus referred to "baby bootcamp weekend," as we had babies coming and going all weekend! The shower was actually held in the Rumpus Room that is connected to our Loft. We considered having it in town at the church, but there were complications with that. Obviously having it where I live was SUPER convenient for me (No travel and no packing gifts home!), but I am especially grateful for all of those who made the trip to attend. I know I don't exactly live close to...well, anyone or anything!

I was fortunate to have two close friends visit for the entire weekend. Valto, her husband and two little boys (4 months and 2 years) as well as my friend Kara and her 8 month old came down Friday and stayed through Sunday. Valto, the busy, busy doctor lady that she is, had been hoping to make a family trip to the Valley sometime in September and it just happened to work out that the shower weekend was the best option. Kara, who'd generously volunteered to throw me a shower in Louisville, came down to help with these shower arrangements instead. She did a fabulous job decorating with fall decor--which we all know I love!

I had friends come that spanned all corners of my life--GSP and high school, church and Bellarmine, to friends I've made in more recent years... So many of them were people I do not get to see too often but mean so very much to me. I hate that it is only on these occasions that I see some of them, but better than never. It's fun to be joining my close friends who are already on the motherhood path. Luckily for those who are and brought their young ones, my cousin Ru came down with her kiddos and played babysitter for several hours. She is so great with the little ones--seeing her occupy them and keep them happy made me realize all the more how lucky I am going to be to have her right up the road from me when the Peangling arrives!

My sister Rachel made it to the shower despite getting in SUPER late the night before from a flight traveling back from Rhode Island after being there all week. And not only was she there...but she hosted our games! Seeing how accurately someone could estimate my belly circumference was much more entertaining than I'd anticipated! KelKel had it practically dead one (with Valto maybe an INCH too long) while Rebecca's string made it around me nearly three times!

I received so much great stuff that really and truly rounded out our supply of baby "stuff" we were still in need of and I cannot get over it. In the beginning, Mingus and I browsed Walmart and Babies 'R' Us and were overwhelmed realizing the things we would need--everything from the big stuff like a car seat, down to the little things like first aid supplies and crib sheets--but we have been so blessed by family, friends and loved ones in their support and generosity so that this baby prep has been that much easier.

Thanks to all of those who attended this shower and again thank you to those who attended previous showers or who have sent their love and support in the mail or simply via text or Facebook message or a hug along the way. We feel the love and prayers more than you know.  Here are a few of my favorite non-shower shots from our weekend of fun!

The Backyard Baby-Q!

August brought for another wonderful shower with family! We traveled to Newburgh where Mingus's parents and sister did an excellent job of bringing together both sides of his family as well as family friends for a wonderful evening barbecue. 

Rather than the traditional ladies-only afternoon shower complete with pastels and games and finger foods, we had a relaxing backyard barbecue that Mingus and I could both enjoy. We don't get to town a whole lot as is and even when we do we don't usually see a lot of the family. This gave both of us the opportunity to catch up with everyone in the family--well to some degree. Obviously there is only so much catching up you can do in an evening with that many people.

The food was absolutely amazing. His parents, sister, aunt and uncle all contributed to the food. It was a beautiful day--rather warm but their wonderful neighbor Peggy lent her outdoor furniture for the backyard, which had just perfect shading to keep everyone comfortable. Purple, green and yellow decor brightened the atmosphere.

We were blessed with many warm wishes, the opportunity to meet the newest member of the Harris family: Isabelle. She was only a week old and itty, bitty! We were given so many wonderful gifts as well. We are pretty much set with bathing necessities. We got fun books and toys as well. We were really excited to get the diaper bag we registered for, which is a chocolate brown and is actually a backpack style bag. Jon is the one who found it at Babies'R'Us when we registered and was equally pumped to have gotten it. 

We also got an extra fun gift we weren't expecting. It's a full-size red kiddo wagon with rubber wheels and everything. Obviously it's not something the Peangling can or will use right away (although I can imagine some great photo ops!) but any baybo/kiddo in the Valley needs a red wagon for growing up and I'm SO glad we have one now!

We're so blessed to have such wonderful family and especially to have them praying for us and excited and supporting us. Thanks to them for giving us a great celebration and a wonderful time with everyone. 

Oliver with baby Isabelle

The expectant ladies!

Mingus & Grandma Lily!

Pre-Mom Reading: Breastfeeding, Products, etc.

I'm trying to use some of my extra time to do some reading about AFTER the Peangling arrives. At the beginning it's easy to get hung up on reading about the pregnancy and maternity process. It definitely is beneficial reading, but, at the same time, I began to realize that most of the "advice" and guidance I was finding was really just common sense about being healthy and safe in general. I admit that it is good, however, to know that some of the oddities with my body are normal--weird skin blemishes, leg cramping, peeing constantly, etc.

Instead I began to realize that understanding some of the "normal" things to expect once I get the baby home is a bigger deal. I do trust my natural instincts to guide me but the more I can prepare myself mentally for what is normal or okay to expect I feel will help me especially in those first weeks when I'm sure the changes will be overwhelming. Maybe it can at least help me to know when I should be concerned as opposed to having read what's normal. The other piece is even if my little brain can only retain so much now. I figure reading some and saving articles on Pinterest will maybe at least store somewhere in my mind that I did bookmark an article on a topic when I come up on a problem or question amid my new motherhood fog.

Here are a few of the articles I've read today or found useful:

Budgeting
Bringing Up Baby on A Budget: More than just tips themselves, I like this article because it includes lots of links to resources that support whatever tip she is giving.

Breastfeeding
Timeline of a Breastfed Baby: I like how this takes you through the first 2 years and starts out by only going by the day. I'm sure I'll learn a lot in the breastfeeding class, but this could be a great resource to fall back to when I'm trying to figure out what is/isn't normal.

Things I Didn't Know About Breastfeeding and Breastmilk: This hits on a lot of the same points but is a quicker read and more concise read. The end has links to a lot of other resources.

Products
Advice & Products I Wish I Knew About with my First Baby: Some of these don't apply until babes are to toddler age or so, but a good resource for me to turn to later. I know every child is different but it's helpful to hear what has worked for other parents. 
There is some crossover here, but this is by the same author: My Favorite Products for New Babies

First Weeks
Tips for Surviving the First Few Weeks of Motherhood: Some of these I've heard and read elsewhere but still good reminders and may be worth my looking at when the time comes...

It's easy to go down the rabbit hole in researching baby-anything. I've pinned these and more on a Pinterest Board: Learning to be Mom. I'm sure I'll add to it, but please share what articles you found useful or what type of research you're glad you did prior to birth (or that you wish you had done!)

Baby Gear: Shopping Fun with Mom

I had quite the day with my mom last week. We made a big trip to Lexington for a major baby consignment sale put on by one of the churches and to hit up a few of the baby/child consignment stores.

I learned about the sale, Lil' Lamb's Closet, through my aunt. Several years ago my cousin KK and I attended one in Richmond, Ky. Obviously not for me--and no not for her--but for our aunt and uncle who were adopting. I remembered how big the sale was--how much stuff they had available and all in good shape. Even better was the organization of it. The famous 127 Yardsale took place this past weekend, which has its pros and cons. If you have the time, it can be fun and beneficial to check out some of the sales--especially living so close. If you're not up for it, it's just a hassle to deal with the extra traffic of cars trying to make turn-offs at obscure locations, etc. These sales can have great deals on baby stuff, but the problem is finding the ones that have stuff you can utilize. It's hit and miss. These large consignment sales are great because everything is organized. If you're just looking for girls clothes size 2T, you get a whole rack of nothing but that and it's all in one place. Same goes for all clothes, any size, gear, furniture, toys, bedding, and on and on. 

Remembering this sale in Richmond earlier in the summer, I inquired with my aunt, if she knew if it was something they still did. As it turns out, it is still an event they put on (I think twice a year) but she discovered one in Lexington as well. Their "fall" sales happened to be taking place the same weekend and I opted for Lexington's only so I could also hit up several consignment shops also that day. 

Lil Lambs Closet

I considered going up on Thursday to volunteer with set up. Had I done this I could have shopped early on Thursday night, but since my Mom agreed to come we decided instead to just get there right at 8 a.m. when it started. It was indeed overwhelming and the traffic of people only grew while we were there. Items were moving quickly but they had a multitude of everything. 

With a couple of showers still on the agenda over the next couple of months I knew I shouldn't overdo the shopping; at the same time, I don't want to wait until the last minute to get so many of the things I need, especially because when you're scrambling you can't exactly bank on finding a good deal on things. I think I did a good job of balancing what was worth springing for and what could just wait. There are so many things that it will be good to have more than one of anyway. Mom was also able to stock up on some things she had been looking for. 

However, the big item I did want to look for and they had ZERO of was a crib! So after stocking up at the consignment sale, we stopped by a few stores to see if they happened to have any good cribs. I knew I could order one online that I liked through wayfair.com for anywhere between $140 to $180 (not including tax or shipping). So I knew getting a used one for about that price wasn't necessarily worth it. 

Lil' Lambs Closet

 We had no luck at Re-Kid, but then my sister told me about Kid 2 Kid, which had several cribs. After some contemplation and a phone call to Mingus, we opted for a great deal on a dark wood crib they were selling with the mattress and a changing table. We weren't really looking for a changing table, as there is one in the Loft where we live that we were told we could have; however, it needs some repair as it's not the most stable piece of furniture. For the price of getting all three and having a nice looking table--with drawers--we spent the $140 to get all three pieces. Mingus and I had to make a second trip to Lexington later that evening in order get it all home in the truck bed. 

While it was along day with a lot of time in the car, I was super excited by the time I was home. I've not done a lot with the room we are putting the crib, aside from moving out other furniture we no longer need, but after having had a shower and now collecting more gear at the sale, I really want to get it all organized. Mingus says the "nesting" is setting in. Maybe he's right :)

Mingus & I spent Saturday with Jo & MJ at the lake!
We had a great time just relaxing at the pool!
Bellies sure are growing - Woo, 3rd trimester!!

The Baybo-SPLOSION Shower with the Fam!

My first baby shower was last weekend and it was fabulous! I honestly think part of it's fabulous-ness had to do with the fact it wasn't just for me! I always feel slightly awkward about showers for me. It's one thing growing up as a kid opening presents in front of everyone on your birthday, but as an adult it feels a little strange. For the wedding it was extra weird to me because these were all people who were probably going to also buy me a wedding gift... and it's not like the gifts I was being "showered" with were things I needed in order to get married. At least with a baby shower I feel SO grateful that people are willing to help me out with the (what seems like) millions of essentials I'll need in order to take care of this little child growing inside of me!

But in this case, the shower was not just for me. The Dixon family hosted a shower for Michelle, Jo and myself. So not only did I feel extra grateful for the support I was getting from my family, but all of the attention was not solely on me!

On top of it being spectacular just because I got to share it with two of my closest, best friends, the fam did an excellent job with everything about the shower. It's the first baby shower the family has had in, wow... over 11 years? These babies are quite an excitement among the fam! 

Jo's sister, Belle, spearheaded most of it. We had it a little earlier than showers traditionally come, but I am more than OK with being able to already scratch things off our list. She designed super cute invites and she and her mom prepped the Rumpus Room at the family Hall for the shower. They also shopped for small gifts to give to us preggo ladies every time there was a door prize. Our cousin KK organized the games. I'm not always a fan of shower games but she did a good job picking out fun ones. Maybe, in general, I just like baby shower games better than wedding shower ones. My sister, Rachel, coordinated food. Since we had it on a Sunday morning it was brunch themed. It was complete with quiche, fruit, coffee cake, donuts and a trifle. Our cousin Jerusha decorated the Rumpus Room and she went all out with it. She and sister Als were up past midnight working on the room the night before and they really transformed the space making the event that much more special.

I loved everything I got... Even though I am going to cloth diaper, I got quite a few regular diapers which I know I'll use and be glad to have on hand. I did get a couple more cloth diapers, diaper rash cream, shampoo, wipes... I got our bath tub, a feeding pillow, an activity mat, humidifier and a wipe warmer. Jerusha and Als win the creativity award. Jerusha's gift came in a cupcake box and looked like a bunch of fluffy icing cupcakes, but they were rolled up onesies (with a sock in the middle for color). Each onesie she had a custom design on it--we each got nine and they were all different and so cute! Als made us each a mobile and I love ours! Mingus was even extra excited about it. It has little farm animals and such. So cute and so personal!

 It was a great first baby shower experience for me and the Peangling. We grateful for all those who came and everything we received, but most of all we're grateful for a family who is so supportive and we know is sending prayers our way.

All of the Cousins!

Baby Growth: Weeks 22, 23, 24 & 25

I can't decide if time is moving quickly or slowly... Here we are, halfway through summer...yet, at the same time, 18 weeks seems forever ago and I still have awhile to reach 40! Either way my tum-tum is growing, but the best news is the Peangling is very active with all sorts of movement going on in there on a daily basis. We're continuing to slowly acquire the things we need. We're grateful for a bassinet from Mingus's parents. His sister Cassie is also letting us use two of her carriers--including the large, metal framed back pack (at least until she needs them again!) 

We've also gotten some of our first cloth diapers. Thanks to Cassie's mommy experience (and cloth diapering) she and her mom introduced me to Cottonbabies.com and their random "seconds sales"--a great way to get some of the best brands at a low cost simply due to minor defects like a flawed stitch. If you're a cloth diapering parent, sign up for their email announcements to be the first to know when one of these sales takes place.

We are partway through our birthing classes offered through our hospital. I'm really enjoying it so far. There are about 10 couples in the class and the instructor is a labor hall nurse at the hospital. I learn and retain so much more this way--hearing it from someone--than if I were to read a lot of these things online or in a book. I appreciate that the hospital offers this. This week was the second of three classes and we also got to tour the women's care unit at the hospital and see the rooms we'd be in and even how the monitors work. It definitely adds a level of comfort for what's ahead.

I'm actually into week 26 but I'll post that picture with the next batch. I'm looking forward to my first shower this weekend. It will be a joint shower for myself, Michelle and Jo thrown by the family during our Hurray Day family festivities. I'm MOST excited about getting to see the both of them. I got so used to seeing Michelle EVERY week when I was traveling to Louisville for work and staying at their house, but now it's been over a month since I saw her and her growing belly! I have not gotten to see Jo since the celebration at her parent's house in early June; however, we touch base at least weekly. I'm pretty sure the three of us did a lot of registry comparison when we got those set up a few weeks back. It's nice to compare notes. Having each other has been very helpful. I'm currently registered at Babies 'R' Us, Walmart and Amazon.

My previous 4 weeks of growth: click here.

Baby Registry Basics: The Car Seat and Stroller

I hope you're not reading this post in hopes to gain knowledge on the 'basics' of putting together a baby registry. I'm sure The Bump or elsewhere could do a much better job than this first time mama.

I, on the other hand, am just getting a handle on my registry. A date has been set for the first baby shower and it's sooner rather than later--which I am TOTALLY fine with; I'd rather know what I have and don't have more than a month before the baby comes. Michelle, Jo and I are having a joint shower in the family and it's going to be at the next quarterly get together. (The last one was when we announced our pregnancies.) That's less than a month away!

So I've spent the last four or five days doing a little more in depth research on the bigger items. I was grateful that Jo passed along a very nice document her sister-in-law (who just became a mother last November) made for her. It included the list of items she felt were most important during her motherhood so far and notes about the exact brand she had--some of which she recommended and others she advised against and instead recommended things she'd heard good reviews on. She also included links to many of these items. You know, it's great that you can go online and read reviews for items, but the truth is EVERYTHING has some sort of drawback or complaint. It feels much better to hear feedback from a personal connection who you can have a two-way conversation with.

The big item I'm trying to decide on now is the car seat. I know it is a more costly item, but it's one of the most important when it comes to safety. We all know I will save a penny any chance I get, but I've decided this is one item I don't want to skimp on.

My dilemma was two-fold:
(1) Understanding the seat variations! Infant....convertible.... toddler...etc! Convertible sounded ideal in the sense I can just keep on using it--more bang for you buck (penny-pincher here, remember?) However, on the flip side I still want to know what is best AND I am keeping in mind that I hope I'm blessed with more than one child and, if so, I plan to have them in somewhat close proximity... meaning I'll probably need multiple seats at some points in my early parenting career.
(2) Deciding on a the pros/cons of a travel system: a car seat that fits into the stroller unit and you buy together...another cost savings. 

The piece of the travel system I am leery of is that getting the RIGHT car seat is very important to me. The stroller is a less pressing matter simply because I don't think we will have as high of usage as some people being where we live. We are not super social and the things we do go out for would probably result in us using a carrier or just bringing in the car seat. The stroller that would probably be most useful for us would be a jogging stroller or at least one that is a three-wheeler. This could also be used on our gravel roads and easily in the grass/fields. Of course, only select travel systems come with this style of stroller--but I don't want the stroller to dictate which car seat we select.

I also went to Valerie for input on the matter. Not only is she an experienced mother but now that she has #2 and they are close in age, she can kind of be my eyes into the future. 

She and Jo's sister and law both have the Chicco Keyfit 30 infant car seat and are both very happy with it. Much to my dismay it is one of the most costly on the market....but it's one of the most highly rated. The additional selling point in my book is that Valerie's not-quite-two year old was still using this seat (weight limit 30#, height limit 30") it right up to the time the newborn came. At this point, Sam was big enough to move onto a larger toddler sized seat while new baby Max could take over and continue getting use out of the infant seat.


This seat does come in an option for a travel system--also costly--but as of now we are going to skip that. I believe Valerie did go with this, but she admitted that her jogging stroller has gotten much more use. We will probably choose a jogging stroller to add to our registry but may even end up checking baby consignment shops for one. Again, I feel our use of the stroller will be limited. 

The other piece of the Keyfit is that the extra bases are rather costly. As of now we only have one vehicle we can keep the car seat in anyway.

My second choice for a car seat would likely be a travel system. I have heard good things about the Britax B-Agile and B-Safe Travel system. The stroller is a three-wheel unit and part of it's selling point is that is is agile and gets around easily--including in packing it up.

I'm still working through the rest of the registry and have started a short registry on Amazon that is sure to grow. I also plan to register at Babys-R-Us and Walmart. I hope Mingus and I get a chance to at least do Babys-R-Us this weekend since we will be traveling and there aren't any too close to home. I only plan to register for specifics on the things highly recommended to me or are of major concern to me--which is a limited list right now. 

If anyone has feedback on car seats, strollers or the gear and supplies most important to their early months of parenting please let me know. We plan to cloth diaper and breast feed are two other pretty major choices that will affect our needs. I'm loving any advise I can get right now so bombard me with it!