carrie's first pregnancy

I found this today while doing some research online, and the tips were fantastic. I wanted to share them and write them down, so I would remember them later. This is from a woman who does research and clinical work with kids with both difficulties with overweight/obesity and eating disorders. These are a few things she recommends to parents based on existing research:

1. Food shouldn't be used as a present or reward or for comfort.


2. The more control parents exert over their kids' eating, the greater their risk for problems with weight later in life.


3. Focus on building strong and healthy bodies, not about appearance.


4. There are no "good" and "bad" foods. Foods should be given in moderation. Excessive restriction and excessive permissiveness are both less optimal for kids to grow up learning to make their own healthful choices. They will be exposed to less healthful foods at some point and need to be ready.


5. Don't comment on how much or what food your child eats. Do not coax, bribe, or threaten your child to eat more.


6. Have a range of healthy options available at home and talk to kids about how to make good choices and when it's okay to splurge.


7. Juice (even 100% fruit) is mostly sugar and not good for kids - very similar in effect to soda without the caffeine. This is one to use in moderation.

She says she knows it is easier said than done, but it's something to shoot for! :)

28 weeks 4 days

Posted by carrie at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments

We finally got our crib tonight, and put it together. It's a Ragazzi crib with a dropside (that can be lowered with one hand), 3 mattress heights, and a drawer underneath. It looks great, and we got a great deal on it :) I'm so excited! Now to get the rest of the room together ;)





28 weeks 2 days

Posted by carrie at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments

Well, the crib we got on craigslist wound up not working out very well. We started to assemble it, and then Joe pointed out that to drop the side, you had to hold two levers with your hands, and lower it. Which means you can't do it one-handed, and that was a deal breaker for me. I really don't want to have to put the baby down to lower the side, so we decided to repost it on craigslist, and look for another one. So while we were really bummed out, I know it won't be hard to get rid of it. We only paid $80, so someone else I'm sure will snap it up quickly :) I posted it yesterday, and already had two inquiries... hopefully they come through! This is how far we got to assembling it:



So back to the drawing board again on a crib... I did see this one posted today, and I'm hoping we are early enough that it's still available:



It's exactly what we want, it even has a drawer underneath. She's only asking $100, but I offered $80, and I'm hoping we can pick it up tonight. Cross your fingers for us!

28 weeks 2 days

Posted by carrie at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments

28 down, 12 to go!! :) This week has been a mostly good one, and I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I'm so glad I have all day tomorrow to relax... I need a day of down time! Especially since we're gearing up for another big trip next weekend to Michigan for the big baby shower... and then we're done! And when I say big shower... I mean my mom sent out 115 invitations, and there will be 60-70 people there. Holy moly! I'm excited, but it's hard to believe I have that many people that actually want to celebrate with me. I'm so lucky to have generous parents to throw me such a nice shower :)

Here's what is going on with baby this week:



I've been doing really well on making sure I get a ton of vitamins... I take my prenatal, I take two salmon oil capsules a day (for DHA and EPA), and have yogurt, milk, and fruit multiple times. So I'm getting a lot of calcium and protein. I did decide that I was eating too much peanut butter, and have sworn off peanuts in general for the last trimester. Too many articles about how eating peanuts (or peanut butter, etc) in the 3rd trimester and while breastfeeding is linked to peanut allergies in children are enough to make me hesitant. It would be so awful to feel responsible if our kid was allergic, so just to be safe, I'm giving up my daily PBJ sandwich for just a jelly sandwich (although I may try adding cream cheese to it, for a different flavor), and I'm giving up my Cliff bars for Odwalls GoMega bars (contains no nuts). It sucks, but I feel better :)

We're also getting more and more excited for baby. I go through periods of terror where I am really not sure I'm ready to handle everything, but then the excitement takes over, and I really just can't wait to meet him, and find out what kind of person he is :) I know I'll be going through the house like crazy, trying to make sure we have everything we need... and hopefully by the time he gets here I'll feel confident enough to get through those first few tough months. Joe's been amazing, and I love that he sometimes acts more excited than I do :) It helps me feel more confident that we're in this together, and that I'll have someone to share all of my frustrations and happiness with. He's bought a bunch of books and toys (a football, of course) for baby, and keeps talking about how he can't wait to teach him all sorts of things. It's fun fantisizing about if he will be good at music, or sports, or none, or both :) We just hope we can give him all the opportunties that we both had, to play sports, or take music lessons, etc. Our parents exposed us to a lot of different things, and we hope to be able to do that with our son, too :)

So yay for 28 weeks... only 84 days left!!

28 weeks

Posted by carrie at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments

I'm so bummed. Our childbirth class that was scheduled for Saturday at the hospital was cancelled today, since the instructor had a death in the family. I was really looking forward to getting a tour of the maternity ward, and to ask them questions about their procedures. I also tried rescheduling for a different Saturday, but the only one left is next Saturday, and we'll be in Michigan for the baby shower. Joe can't do weeknights, so it looks like I will have to schedule a maternity ward tour by myself :( I'm depressed about it, but at least one of us will know where to go when I'm in labor. Let's just hope I'm coherent enough to give good directions :)

27 weeks 4 days

Posted by carrie at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments

I had my monthly check-up today, and baby's heart is still beating strong at 134 bpm, and I'm doing fine! Today was by far the loudest and strongest I've heard baby, so that made me happy :) My weight has crept up though... I've gained another 10 lbs, so I'm up to 35 lbs gained total. With three months still to go. *sigh* So I'm going to make more of an effort to eat better... but in my defense, I did just go out of town for a wedding and stuffed my face repeatedly :) So today's weigh-in might not be as accurate as I like ;) I'm still going to start eating more veggies, and less chips and dip. At work I'm fine, but I snack like crazy when I get home, so I'm going to start substituting salads for those snacks, which is better for baby anyway :) My doctor hasn't said she is worried, but I'm worried for me, so we'll see how it goes.

I also got my instructions for my gestational diabetes test next week. Usually, they have you drink a big orange drink (I heard it tastes like flat orange soda) and then test your blood sugar an hour later. Lucky me though, my doctor found that eating one and half full size milky way bars has the same affect, so no orange drink for me!! :) So Monday morning I get to have a sugar overload, and then hopefully show that I have not developed gestational diabetes with the results. If I fail, I have to go back for a 3 hour test (where I fast, eat sugar, and then they test my blood sugar 3 hours later), and if I fail THAT, then I get put on a strict diet. But here's hoping I pass with flying colors :) I also get a shot that morning, for being RH negative. In three more weeks I will have my 30 week appointment, and after that, doctor wants to see me every two weeks! Which means it is getting closer!! :)

The wedding was fun this weekend, and everyone was really surprised at how much I was showing. But most of Joe's relatives had not seen me since they found out I was pregnant, so that would be a huge improvement :)

This weekend we have our childbirth class sponsored at the hospital. It's all day Saturday (6 hours), and we get a tour of the maternity ward, so I can see where I'll be laboring and delivering. I have heard that they are all private rooms, and that I will labor, deliver, and recover in the same room. That would be fantastic, but I'll find out for sure on Saturday. Then we have our next Bradley class on Sunday, so it's a busy weekend for us! The following weekend is our trip to Michigan for the baby shower... then no more travelling for me!

27 weeks 3 days

Posted by carrie at 1:56 PM | Permalink | Comments

Well, I'm 2/3 of the way done... I can't believe in 3 months I'm going to be a mom!! :) We're getting more and more excited each day... and things are starting to come together. I think once we get back from the baby shower in two weeks, it will feel even more real, as we start to get the house stocked up with newborn supplies. I've also considered starting to play crying noises (believe it or not, you can download these from iTunes), to get the animals used to that sound. Lily can't stand the smoke alarm that goes off when we cook, and hides under the desk. The battery was low yesterday and kept giving off a small beep... Lily woke both Joe and I up and wouldn't let us go back to sleep until we fixed it. So maybe she'll do that for baby cries, too ;)

Anyway, I'm 27 weeks today, the official start to the 3rd trimester. Here's what is going on with baby this week:



So baby can see light now! I have heard of the flashlight trick, where if you shine it at your stomach, baby will apparently move away from the bright light... might be fun to try when we're bored ;) I'm still feeling really good, my energy hasn't disappeared and my back isn't quite as bad as it was before. I think all my walking every day really helps with that, so I'm going to keep it up for as long as possible! People have started asking me "when are you due again?"... and when I say December, they always look surprised. So I think I'm nearing the point where people start to tell me I look like I could go any day... am I sure it's not twins... you know, the standard responses when you start to get so big that people can't fathom there is only one baby in there :) I can't imagine how much bigger I will be 3 whole months from now... it's crazy. My next doctor appointment is on Monday, so we'll see if they have any big news to report!

Tonight we are off to Joe's cousin's wedding in North Salem, NY (outside of NYC), and it will be my last visit with his family before baby comes. Hopefully we get some good photos... I've definitely filled out that maternity dress since the last time I wore it to a wedding 6 weeks ago! :) Only two more weeks until the baby shower!

27 weeks

Posted by carrie at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

I saw this online, on sale, and thought it was so appropriate for our baby due right before Christmas:



best. gift. ever :) I got it for his "coming home" outfit... that, and a red one that says "Special Delivery". So cute!!

26 weeks 6 days

Posted by carrie at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

Joe forwarded me this link today:



We are doing our nursery in a "Peter Rabbit" theme, and this is so perfect! We're not painting the walls, so I will definitely be ordering some of those wall hangings :) Maybe get the quilt and hang that too (since we are not putting any bedding in the crib itself)... fun!! :)

26 weeks 6 days

Posted by carrie at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

I had to give my friend out here a shout out, because I love her blog for her baby:

http://lovemomma.blogspot.com

We visited Ara when she was born in the hospital, and I can't believe how fast she is growing. Shaaren keeps a wonderful blog as she grows and discovers new things, and I don't know if it's the pregnancy or just that good, but I cry every single time I read it. Thanks for sharing it with us, Shaaren! It helps that your daughter is so beautiful :) It's also fun to see how she grows, since Ara and our baby will be almost exactly a year apart. So this time next year, I get to see what I can look forward to ;)

26 weeks 5 days

Posted by carrie at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments

My last week of the 2nd trimester... I can't believe it! I'm starting to realize how hard things are going to become as this stomach gets bigger. Tying my shoes has started to feel a little harder, and sitting comfortably is also getting more cumbersome. But I still feel pretty good, and my energy levels haven't died down, so I'm trying to get as much stuff done while I can! :) Here's what is going on with baby this week:



Baby has DEFINITELY been moving lately. Last night we felt some really hard kicks, and it felt like he was doing gymnastics in there :) Joe thought I was making my stomach muscles spasm, but it was all baby. Good to know he's havin fun in there ;)

I've also experienced some infamous Braxton-Hicks contractions. I get them if I'm dehydrated (which in this humidity lately has been happening a little too often, even though I drink a gallon of water a day), or if I've been doing too much activity. If I've walked too briskly or too far, my stomach gets really tight, and it feels like it hardens, until I have a chance to relax. It's my body's cue that I need to slow down and take it easy, but it doesn't hurt. Nothing crazy, but it's definitely an odd feeling!

So we're getting a lot accomplished for the baby's room. We are picking up our crib on Sunday, and I got a wicker basket with wheels to fit under the bed to store sheets, blankets, etc. since it doesn't have a built in drawer. I've moved most of the stuff that we are getting rid of out of the room, and trying to make sure we have enough storage for all the baby stuff that is coming our way :) Now we just need to (maybe) paint the walls, paint the dresser and table, put up decorations, and stock up on all the necessities! We have lots of free weekends in October once we get back from the baby shower, and it looks like we'll need them! Here's hoping we have a good yard sale tomorrow!

26 weeks

Posted by carrie at 9:43 AM | Permalink | Comments

Woohoo! I hit the 100 day mark until my due date today... after this, it's double digits! I can't believe how fast time is going. I think the travelling has helped, but seriously, 100 days left! At this point in our wedding planning, time really picked up speed. Maybe by November time will slow down again as I start to get huge and anticipate the delivery that much more... but then it's holiday season, so I'm sure I won't be just twiddling my thumbs ;)

We finally found a crib on craigslist yesterday, and we are going to look at it (and pick it up) Sunday morning. Only $80, and I'll take a photo of it once we get it. This is the one he posted on craigslist, but it's blurry, so I'm sure I'll get a better shot when it's in the baby's room:



That, and I did a total clean/reorganization of items in that room... it's getting there! We're almost ready to fill it with stuff from our shower :) I can't wait!! :) :)

25 weeks 4 days

Posted by carrie at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments

25 weeks down, 15 to go! :) Baby is doing great, I feel him move every day, but it's still not consistent. Apparently I've passed some sort of threshold for looking pregnant because this week at least two people each trip offer their seats to me on the train if I have to stand. It's so nice of people, but I usually refuse and just take an empty seat as someone gets off. I'm sure I'll want that seat when I get further along, but for now, I still feel fine to stand. Last week barely anyone offered their seat, so it seems funny to me that this week it's like "whoa, someone let that lady sit!" :) So either I look huge, or I look uncomfortable ;) Here's what is going on with baby this week:



My stomach feels more firm, even if the rest of my body is not. I look at the early photos of me at 3 and 8 weeks pregnant and I can NOT fathom how small my stomach used to be. It's so crazy how much your body changes, but it's so gradual that you don't notice it right away. I'm glad I have those photos to remind me how far I've come :) It will be good motivation for me to get back there someday.

Anyway, our trip to NY was fun, and everyone was super nice and kept telling me how great I look. Now that's what pregnant ladies like to hear! ;) We see my in-laws again for a wedding in two weeks, and then our baby shower in October is the last travel trip until baby comes. Only two more weeks until I'm in my 3rd trimester!

25 weeks

Posted by carrie at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments

Well, I finally took some photos tonight, and I really have to sit down and figure out a good way to do self portraits with this new camera. These came out so blurry... I definitely will use the tripod next time :) But anyway, here they are! I'm really showing now... and I took photos to compare my belly from 3 weeks and from two months ago at 17 weeks, where I'm wearing the same outfit. What a difference two months make! Holy cow!













So lots of growing going on... clothes are starting to feel snug again, and the tshirts I wore early in the spring no longer cover my belly all the way. Doh! I have a feeling I will be updating my wardrobe again before it's too long... but luckily all my work clothes still feel fine. I'm still keeping up with the walking and my feet no longer throb every day. I have to be careful not to sit too long at my desk though, or else they do feel tight and swollen. I make sure I prop my feet up each night, and I think that helps keep the swelling down. The back pain is subsiding for the most part, but I have a feeling it will return since I just keep growing. Heartburn is also not as bad lately... still get it about once every other day or so, and a few Tums usually takes care of it quickly. Thank goodness! :)

24 weeks 6 days

Posted by carrie at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments