If You Put Your Cold Hand There... I'm Gonna....

I placed my cold hand on Ali's belly Sunday morning and I felt a kick. It was amazing! We had our 16 week appt last Friday and heard the heartbeat with a Doppler. The midwife said "he" is very active(150) and was kicking all around, obviously does not like anything cold. Our friend C gave us a medical Doppler to use and we have played with it non stop. This is really real!!!! and I have had some moments of freak out! Wheewww like just now. Ok, it's gonna be ok...right?

Baby Got Bump

We have been bad belly photographers. Ali is 16 weeks today and I think she is finally starting to show...how exciting!

To Snoogle...Or Not To Snoogle?

That's this weeks question. Ali is having trouble getting comfortable at night. I already seem to think we need to invest in a king size bed...since we have introduced more pillows. So if you have a snoogle..let us know what you think or any other comfortable device you might recommend.

Our first purchase over $10

Thank you everyone for your advice... it made me feel less 'behind'. I found the checklist online... love that... and we had actually already done everything we were 'supposed to' by now, except for three things. A friend told us about this jogger stroller she saw at a local consignment shop so we went by to check it out. It's in great shape and was only $50... so we bought it. Very exciting!!

La started on the nursery mural tonight...looking good :-)...we will post when it is finished

What to do when?

I am feeling like I have no idea what to do first and when for planning for our baby's arrival. It feels like planning a wedding but without that book that says 8 months before you do this, 6 months before you do that, 5 months before... and so forth. Is there a book like that for this? When do we sign up for birth classes? I don't even know where they are! What books must I be reading? When do we register? Which car seat do we choose? Wash the baby clothes? What all needs to be done? What am I missing? I am feeling clueless today, not knowing where to start.

Birth Place

In the comments on the last post, Mimi asked if we were going to deliver at my hospital.

I have toyed with the idea of home birth. In fact, my colleagues hear me say quite often 'you k-n-o-w the hospital is no place to have a baby'... half joking, but half not. But getting La to agree to that is a battle I am not up for and I think both people really have to be on board for a good home birth, fear is a powerful thing and the energy needs to be right. So the next best place for us is my 'work home'. And while we tend to be very possessive of each other in the sense we all want to take care of each other, we are also very respectful, so it will work out fine to have all my work peeps within walking distance. I work with some really good people. You know that expression this person 'is good people'... that is the majority of my co-workers. We say all the time... we stay here mostly because we genuinely like each other and like spending our days together.
So, my goal is to labor at home as long as possible and then go up there for the birth. Our doula is a midwife I used to work with, but retired last winter for a life with more sleep and to pursue her massage therapy career. I am so happy she agreed to help us. She has an amazing spirit and her presence will make me feel safe, encouraged and cared for.

Hatched By 2 Chicks

Ali is 14 weeks today...yipppeeee... We spent our weekend at gay pride. It was so much fun to see old friends and ones that have had a baby. Ali wore a maternity shirt...not that she's showing much, but it seems to be comfortable...and we're all about comfort. After pride we stopped by C & A's house to pick up a gift her and her mom bought for us...it is so damn cute....I took a pic to show it off and that's what our baby will wear to gay pride next year.

In baby news...We are trying to figure out if we will do the testing for Downs and spina bifida? I hear there are a lot of false positives? I guess we both feel like if it's not going to change our minds, why take the test? Ali also plans on a natural child birth...you go girl...(I am woman..hear me roar)...so that brings up our hiring a Douala. I think it is totally a great idea. I am such a fix it kinda person, so I see this as someone really helping her do this! I think I may need the epidural or some kind of meds. I am still in ahhhh...I just love this baby!

Read All About It **updated**

Ali was at work yesterday when her and her co-worker S decided to do an us scan. This is Ali's way of telling her co-workers who don't know yet. They placed our cutie patootie(one that doesn't look like a puppy dog running up the hill...refer to 1st us scan) up at work today on a sign in the most "used" bathroom for "employees only". They used one of the us pics and the sign that read "Can you guess who my mommy is?" So far no one has guessed Ali...hee hee. I would love to be a fly on the wall..... Her one co-worker V...came out of the bathroom and said; wait a minute...who the hell is this...you have to know V, she is a true redneck! I love it!

**update**

The plot thickens... what is the most natural next step for a bunch of L&D nurses to do with a guessing game? Yep, you guessed it... turn it into a gambling ring on Fac*e*book. They have about $70 in the pot so far. Ha... loving it!