I know it’s been over a month since I’ve posted a blog – but I swear I’m not ignoring it!  Our beautiful daughter was born March 16th, and has taken up quite a bit of our time lately.  :)  Also, I’ve just been informed that I have Mono.  Again.  So when I’m not feeding the baby or changing diapers or doing laundry or running errands, I’m trying to sleep – or I’m sitting on the couch half-comatose.

Anyway, I’ve got plenty of blog material – just no time to type it up.  I’ll catch up soon, since our daughter is now five weeks old and starting to sleep for slightly longer periods, but between being sick and recovering from labor, the internet is just not my highest priority right now.  I’m behind on a lot of things, but enjoying the whole motherhood thing, so – for probably the first time ever – I barely even notice that days at a time go by during which I don’t check my emails or even touch my computer.  Which is, strangely, kind of nice.

Well, she’s not late yet. I don’t know why, but I don’t think I ever assumed she’d be late, so with my due date fast approaching, it suddenly occurs to me that it’s still considered normal for her to arrive two weeks after that date.

And I have to keep reminding myself that my due date is a whole five days away. The 15th seems much closer than that. The main reason, though, that I keep expecting to suddenly go into labor is that my body has changed in the last week. I’ve now been having false labor, or Braxton Hicks contractions, for a week now, on and off, though mostly in the evenings. She suddenly feels much heavier, although she doesn’t appear to have dropped any more, I’ve been having cramps, which my doctor says is a sign the cervix is opening, and I lost the mucus plug. I kinda thought labor would be imminent after that last factor, but, obviously, it is not.

A week ago I was a centimeter dilated, which isn’t much the way I hear it. But tomorrow is another doctor’s appointment (I feel like I’m always at the doctor’s now – what with the pregnancy and sinus infection) so we’ll see what she says.

Now that I’m no longer sick, I’ve been trying to move around more. I have absolutely no desire to exercise, especially since my last clumsy attempt at Yoga, so even the Pilates I used to enjoy so much has no appeal right now. Exercise comes in the form of walking around the block after dinner, or going to Publix with my husband to grab a few things. But these things are about as much as I want to do because then she feels very heavy and my feet start to feel more swollen and I find I’d like to sit down again.

It’s nice to get some fresh air, though, but as I wait for the baby I feel a little edgier every day. I think it may be that I’m bored – and I already know what all the veteran moms out there are going to say, because it’s been said to me over and over – enjoy the peace and quiet while you can. I get that. But I’ve been so excited about this baby for so long now, that I just can’t wait to meet her, and I can’t seem to focus on anything at all because my mind’s always on her.

The last few days have been a little rough – the tissue supply around here has certainly been hit hard. Just as I’m starting to recover from a nagging sinus infection, and just as all that nasty sinus pressure starts to fade and the headaches lessen, that’s when I suddenly realize that I now have a cold as well.

I think the sinus infection is completely gone, as far as I can tell, but now my head is just full of snot that’s in a constant state of drainage. Not cool. Of all the things that had crossed my mind about how labor might progress, I have to admit that it never, ever occurred to me that I might be sick when delivering the baby and, consequently, when bringing home and caring for our newborn.

It makes me a little nervous because I don’t want to give her my cold, but it also makes me a little frustrated because I’d like to enjoy these last few days of pregnancy and I instead find myself curled up in bed or zoned out on the couch, unable to concentrate on anything and completely out of energy.

But I suppose these days wouldn’t be exactly “blissful” anyway, what with the swollen extremities and the back pain which contributes to me never being comfortable anymore. Plus, she’s feeling so tight and heavy now that every one of her twists and turns feels sharp and overly strong, which has become another unexpected discomfort, as I usually enjoy feeling her move. I actually suspect that the cold may be the only reason I’ve been sleeping at all the last few days.

I’ve had a few short bursts of energy here and there (nesting instinct?) but mostly I feel like I’m going through life in a daze right now and I just hope it clears up soon, because I know that now matter how I feel, she gonna come when she’s ready!

I had always planned on getting a bassinet to make it easier for the baby to sleep in our room for the first few months, but now that we know we’ll still be living with relatives when she’s born (and, thus, there’s no nursery yet) the bassinet just made sense.

We registered for The First Years Carry-Me-Near 5-in-1 Bassinet (pictured at left). I chose it not only because it’s beautiful in a soothing and elegant way, but also for the functionality. The top basket is removable and can be carried around anywhere, or the handle and canopy can be lowered when sleeping. Under the basket there’s a changing table, though I don’t foresee us using that much. A detachable contraption is supposed to secure the bassinet to the side of the bed, which I haven’t tried yet. There’s a basket underneath that I’ve already filled with toys and blankets and my Boppy pillow, and there’s foldaway wheels that allow you to either roll the bassinet from room to room or rock it in place.

On the handle there’s a light, five different sounds from white noise to music, and vibration controls. I like the audio selections, which seem to be at a good volume. There are three cute toys hanging from the canopy. The photo online shows some color in the toys but the ones I got are monotone – though I like that. She’ll have plenty of other colorful toys to stimulate her anyway.

My husband put the bassinet together, and the finished product is really nice. However, after opening the box and pouring out a million pieces onto the ground, he cursed his way through the construction, labeling the instructions “evil” at one point. And the one thing that really bothered me was that the handles of the basket come with large stickers on each side of the handle. Why do I need stickers on the product advertising the product? I already know what I bought.

These stickers were, well, a bit disagreeable. It took a couple broken nails (as I was afraid tools would scratch the plastic), a lot of Goo Gone, an insane amount of patience, and over half and hour to remove one sticker. I was livid – which forced me to put off removing the other sticker for a few days. I just couldn’t see any reason to cement giant stickers on the bassinet, but once they were off, I was really satisfied with how it looked.

Even with the negative review of the instructions and stickers, I still would recommend this product to others. It’s gorgeous and functions just the way I need (as far as I can tell thus far). I’m really excited about using it, and I hope the baby loves it, too!

It seems I’ve completely lost track of time!  I’ve been writing, but I’ve just noticed that I haven’t updated my blog much at all this month.  I guess my mind’s been busy with baby stuff!  :)

My doctor visits have all been normal and the baby still has a strong heartbeat and I’m gaining the right amount of weight – although every person who finds out how far along I am still feels the need to tell me how “tiny” I look.  It’s getting a little tiring feeling like I have to apologize for appearing small when both the baby and I are actually right on track.  I’m at 36 and a half weeks, but when most people find out my due date they give me a look like they don’t believe me.  It’s exhausting and my forced smile is wearing a little thin; I shouldn’t have to defend myself for being healthy.

Anyway, our (okay, mostly “my”) days have been filled with nesting, which is the main reason I’ve spent less time on the computer lately.  I’ve rearranged closets and dressers to make room for baby in our temporary abode (as it is now quite certain that we won’t get into our own home until after her birth) and we’ve been putting together furniture and I’ve done countless loads of laundry to wash 0-3 month clothes, receiving blankets, burp cloths, towels, washcloths and blankets.  There’s a changing table and bassinet along one wall of the bedroom now, which is, honestly, a little strange to see.  The stroller/travel system has been put together, the car seat base strapped in, and the bouncer assembled just this afternoon.

There’s not much left to do except pack the hospital bag.  Of course, just today the doctor told me I haven’t begun to dilate, so really, I’m not in a huge hurry, but I’ll probably do it soon just so it’s done.  And I have to catch up on my blog – so you should see a few reviews of some of those assembled baby contraptions, among other things.

I recently joined the Publix Baby Club.  This isn’t something everyone can do since, unfortunately, Publix Supermarkets are only located in a few southeastern states.  But if you live in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama or Tennessee, then you have the opportunity to get involved in this free club.

So, just after moving down from Maryland, I went to the Publix website and gave them my name and address to sign up for the Baby Club.  This is offered to parents who are expecting and with children up to two years old.  But after that, there’s also a Preschool Pals club for older children and even a Family Style magazine that you can sign up for, and it’s all free.

Within days of signing up, I received a package from Publix in the mail.  Inside was a complimentary copy of The American Academy of Pediatrics book, The Complete and Authoritative Guide:  Caring For Your Baby and Young Child, which covers from birth until age five.  A free, 752-page book with useful information from a respected organization – how cool is that?

There was also the first issue of their free newsletter and a whole bunch of coupons.  And even though I signed up for the club back in November, almost all of the coupons are good until May 15 – two months after my due date.  This is great for me because the coupons are for a whole range of products for both mom and baby, ranging from free hand sanitizer and cocoa butter to buy one get one free NUK pacifiers to a dollar off Playtex drop-in bottles or liners, plus deals on diapers and wipes and formula.

I’ve always liked Publix and this is a great benefit that they offer, so I wanted to share it.  If no one had mentioned it to me, I may not have ever realized this club existed and then I’d be missing out on all the great deals.  So if you live in the southeast, I think it’s worth checking out.

When I was making breakfast this morning and reaching in the fridge for my orange juice, I happened to notice the expiration date on the half & half:  03/15/2010.  March fifteenth?  But – that’s my due date!  Did I lose track of time?  Did I sleep away a couple dozen days?

No, nothing so drastic.  It’s just that the half & half is good for quite awhile.  Fifty-three more days to be exact (if left unopened).

But that split second was enough to scare me.  Am I ready for all this?  Is the baby really coming soon?  Why hasn’t the realtor had any new news about the house we’ve put a bid on?  Do short sales always take this long?  Will we be bringing this baby into the world while living out of one bedroom of my parent’s house?  Do I still have time to get all the stuff I really need to have for the baby – somewhere to sleep and a car seat and diapers and Lord-only-know-what-else-because-I-sure-as-hell-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing?

And this afternoon a package arrives bearing a baby gift.  It’s exciting and sweet and I’m flattered that an out-of-state friend would take the time to send something, though it somehow feels awkward to be accepting gifts for a little person who’s still mostly a mystery to me.  I’m thrilled about all the cute baby stuff, but there’s still a little voice way back in my brain asking, “Why are people giving us all these presents?”

I know the answer, of course, but that doesn’t make it any less surreal.

Everything seems to be moving so fast that I’m glad to announce that at least my weight gain has stabilized to a more traditional expectation.  Two weeks ago I had been feeling really heavy and huge and quite a few people had been commenting that I had suddenly “popped” and gotten much bigger, but I was still surprised to hear the OBGYN techs tell me that I had gained nine pounds in four weeks.  Nine pounds?  In four weeks?  No wonder I felt bloated and uncomfortable.  That’s quite a growth spurt.

But after another two weeks, the tech reported a weight-gain of only two pounds.  Two pounds I can handle – that’s a pound a week, which is what the doctors had told me to expect.  But that still leaves me with another seven weeks and potential seven more pounds to look forward to when I’m already growing out of some of my smaller maternity tops and walking into doorframes and countertops because I keep forgetting how much of me (and her) there now is.

It’s scary enough that we’re bringing a new little child into this world, but it’s even scarier that before she’s even arrived, everything else has already changed.

One of the oddest benefits of being pregnant has been that I really enjoy wearing stretchy pants.  At first I was incredibly hesitant to wear maternity pants, like there was some strange stigma attached to them that I just couldn’t get past.  Plus, (I guess since this is my first pregnancy) it took a really long time for the belly to show.  Even when I first started wearing maternity pants in public, when I was at 18 weeks, I was still amazing small compared to how I am now – at 31 weeks.  Of course, the reason I started wearing the maternity clothing was because my non-maternity pants were uncomfortably tight, so whether the belly was obvious or not, if was definitely there.

I found the rubber-band-around-the-button method of extending the wear of my regular pants to be annoying, even though it did extend the life of my regular wardrobe a little.  But since I was planning on having at least two kids, I figured investing in a few pairs of wearable pants would be a good idea.  Of course, I’m nothing if not frugal, so I did check out local thrift stores first.  That was a complete dead end.  The maternity pants I found were all very, very used.  The elastic was overstretched and twisted, the fabric panels were faded and pilling, and the styles appeared to be as old as me.  I barely wanted to touch them, let alone purchase and wear them.

In the end I wound up purchasing five pairs of maternity pants from four different stores.  First I went to a Motherhood Maternity store and bought a pair of Secret Fit Belly Boot Cut Jeans that were regularly $25 but on sale for $22.  I also got a similar pair of Crop Jeans (capris) that were, I think, the same price.  I bought a size small for the regular jeans and medium for the crops, but for some reason the latter always fit better and the former were a little loose for many weeks.  I find the adjustable belly panel to be frustrating.  When it’s pulled all the way up, I tend to get warm, or itchy, and after a few washes the fabric of my shirts was getting stuck on the full panel.  Plus it’s a dark color and visible though many shirts.  I prefer to wear the pants with the panel folded over, but I find myself often pulling up the pants every time I stand up from a sitting position and constantly adjusting the folded-over panel.  Overall, they’re both comfortable, but I don’t wear them unless my favorite jeans are dirty.  Oh, and because it’s winter, otherwise I’d wear the crop jeans more often – even with adjusting the band, they’re still comfy.

I also purchased a pair of khaki pants, probably boot cut, with an under-the-belly elastic band that are Motherhood Maternity brand retailing for $30, but I got them at Burlington Coat Factory for $12.99.  I’m short and they’re a little long, so when I started wearing them I folded up the bottom cuff, but as my belly’s grown, I can just barely get by without folding them up.  They’re comfortable, but the elastic band usually twists a little when I sit, and so I adjust them every time I stand.  It’s an easy adjustment, though, easier than the aforementioned jeans, and quick.  And they look very nice.  I’ve worn them for just about every formal occasion lately, from Christmas dinner to church services, but they’re still casual and comfortable enough for everyday use or office attire.

I bought a pair of black slacks with under-belly elastic and a matching shirt from the New Recruit brand, which is sold at the Army and Air Force Exchange.  It cost $30 for both, but I haven’t worn the shirt yet as it’s polyester and a little warm.  The pants, though, I’ve been wearing.  I haven’t been wearing them in public much, even though I bought them to have something dressy, but they’re so incredibly comfortable that I often wear them around the house.  They’re mostly polyester with just a touch of spandex and they’re loose and flowing and light and I almost never have to adjust them.  And they look much nicer than sweatpants, so I don’t feel like a bum even if I’m just hanging around the house in them.  I really like wearing them.

Surprisingly, my favorite maternity jeans are the Old Navy Low-Rise Boot-Cut Jeans that cost $36.50 but that I bought for sale on their website for $25.  Actually, I was pretty mad at Old Navy because I had to order these pants online instead of buying them in the store.  I know that Old Navy used to have maternity clothes in their stores, but once I got pregnant, I could no longer find a store that still had a maternity section.  I hate buying normal clothes online since they often don’t fit as well as I’d hoped, and so I was extra wary about ordering pregnancy pants.  I measured myself twice and checked it against the online size chart three times and read all the reviews before placing the order.  When the pants arrived I was happy with how they looked, except that they sent me the wrong size.  I ordered the size I wanted, but they sent the wrong one.  This was days before we moved and now I had to go out of my way to FedEx the pants back to them after hours of struggling with the utterly uncooperative return label I had to print off the internet, which only successfully happened after some inventive finagling – and then they shipped the new pants to the wrong address!  I was in hysterical tears twice (Thank you, pregnancy hormones) before the whole mess was worked out.

So, many weeks after ordering them, I finally had the correct pants and was able to start wearing them.  Because they’re low-rise, they have an under-belly elastic band sown into the jeans instead of a full belly panel and this had made them much more comfortable then the first pairs of jeans I had purchased.  I wear these Old Navy jeans all the time.  They’re a little tight just after they’re washed, but they’re still as comfortable at 31 weeks as they were at 25 weeks.  I do have to pull them up sometimes when I stand, but that’s about all the adjusting required.  So even though I swore up and down that I wouldn’t order clothes again from Old Navy after all the frustration they caused me, and because I’m still upset that I can’t buy maternity clothes in their stores, I know it’s not true.  I have some shirts from them, too, and their maternity line is comfortable and more than stylish enough for a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of gal like me.  I’m a casual person; their clothes are casual.  We work well together, whether I like it or not.

Incidentally, I would also like to mention that for around-the-house attire, I really, really like wearing Target pajama pants.  In a size larger than I would normally wear, there’s more than enough stretch to the elastic to fit comfortably, and they’re lighter than sweatpants, which is good for Florida weather.  I wouldn’t wear them out in public (I’m not that casual) but I love wearing them all day.

I’m not sure how I’m going to feel about going back to regular pants.  I’ve gotten incredibly accustomed to wearing sweatpants-like attire and I’m not sure I’m going to like going back to normal jeans and pants and letting go of all my stretchy, elastic bands.  I know I’ll need the maternity pants for a little while after the baby arrives (during the infamous “fourth trimester”) and I’m certainly looking forward to losing the baby weight and getting back into my old wardrobe, but – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – I think I’m going to actually miss the maternity pants.  Well, maybe that’s not true, but I’m certainly going to miss having an excuse to walk around in pajama pants all day and jeans that expand with me.

As I’ve now hit 31 weeks of pregnancy, I’ve received more and more baby gifts and the impending arrival of the baby is becoming suddenly very real, what with all the baby stuff lying around. I can’t believe we’re down to single digits when counting down the weeks! But we find ourselves still living with relatives, which means I still don’t have a nursery to decorate yet and can’t really be buying big things for baby. This means that perhaps I’ve been a little too overcome by the adorableness of onesies – something I can still buy, even if I try to limit most of that shopping to window shopping! I do have to remind myself that a single baby can only wear so much clothing and I’m bound to receive quite a few more outfits as gifts – which I think is great … I just have to limit my own purchases right now. Not an easy task.

But at least I can still look! And I’ve been browsing the stores online, too, which is where I found these totally adorable and sweet – pun intended – onesies by the Baby Bunch (pictured at left). They’re packaged to mimic cupcakes and they look completely delicious! My eye is drawn to the pink and white ones, since we’re having a girl, but they also come in blue or yellow colors, which makes them a fabulous gift for any expecting mom. Maybe the overload of hormones increases the cuteness of these, but either way, they are far too cute not to post!

There’s been a barrage of emails in my inbox talking about pregnancy nutrition and eating healthy. Even considering my intense cravings for cookies and baked goods, I’m probably the healthiest I’ve ever been, but there are still things I’ve had trouble incorporating into my diet. For example, I’m not a big fish eater – in fact fish often makes me sick, with a few small exceptions.

But there’s this huge push to consume omega 3s. Sure, I use Smart Balance Omega, but consuming large portions of a butter substitute just to obtain omegas is probably not all that smart. Plus, I mostly only eat fish when there’s the same amount of mayonnaise as tuna fish in my sandwich – again, not the healthiest option.

Fish oils and omega 3s, all the studies (or at least the journalists) proclaim, are super important for pregnant women to get so that the babies will have big, healthy brains. The studies seem genuine, and, at the very least, I’ve heard nothing negative about them.

So I’ve started taking a fish oil supplement. I have pills, but they’re so huge, and I have so much trouble taking normal sized pills already, that I just choke on them and can’t manage to get them down at all. I hate pills. Pills hate me.

So I headed over to the Vitamin Shoppe and browsed the shelves, reviewing the variety of fish oil, omega 3, 6, and/or 9, salmon oil and cod liver oil. I just couldn’t tell how big the pills were in any of the jars, though, so I started looking at alternative options. There was an omega gummy, but they provided only a fraction of the supplement that came in pill form, and they were kind of pricey for the amount of omegas they contained.

Finally, I settled on something called Coromega Omega 3 Squeeze. It’s a box full of little packets of smooth, thick liquid that’s about the consistency of cupcake icing. I bought the orange flavor and I find it to taste just like a hard candy that’s flavored like an orange creamsicle.

I already know, from the years that my parents owned a GNC and I worked with them, that liquids are a better way to absorb your vitamins than pills. According to the Coromega website, this product that was developed in Norway years ago has been clinically proven to have a 300% better absorption of the supplement than softgel pills. Either way, it’s easy to take, it tastes pretty decent, and I’m finally getting more of those omegas that my husband insists I absolutely, without question, need for the health of the baby.

The Omega 3 Squeeze is made with real fish oil, in fact it’s the main ingredient, but I have to say that it doesn’t have a funny taste that reminds me of fish in any way. Which is good, because I just don’t like fish. At all. And whatever I eat has a good chance of repeating on me (just another fun side effect of pregnancy), but I find I don’t mind so much with this supplement because it tastes like candy. Although, when I chase it with one of those little shots of DanActive yogurts, which I often do so that I remember to get in that extra calcium, then there’s definitely no problem of the oil repeating.

Luckily I can manage to swallow those horse pills the doctors call prenatals, so I’m already healthier than my normal self, but I figure those extra boosts of omega supplements and then the yogurt and a daily glass of calcium-fortified orange juice go a long ways toward improving mine and the baby’s health. I’m by no means a nutrition nut, but at least I try to incorporate all the food groups and various nutrients now. At least being pregnant keeps it forefront in my mind. And, at least there are healthy options out there that don’t have to be taken in pill form.