Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[charbie]

Ill never be able to catch all the way up, but welcome to all the new pregnant ladies! Glad to have you,ake the jump!

First, im so jealous of all you getting NT scans and getting to spend time seeing the bubs. We opted for blood testing at 18 weeks, but didn't get a scan-it wasn't even mentioned! I did see the baby at 6 and 11 weeks during ultrasounds, and of course the 20 week u/s, but its been over 4 months since I've seen the little one. She makes her presence known constantly, tho.

Oh and a cleaning lady would be divine right about now. Id say go for it to whomever can swing it. DH actually looked into one a few weeks ago, but for now im holding down the fort. Id rather have a cook and human dishwasher (to do pots and pans...we have a dishwasher.) Our new house is huge, but its new so everything is clean and we only use a few of the rooms, so I have closed off the few which aren't in use. Plus I think when things are still so brand new, you have an incentive to really want to keep things sparkling

Bella band and clothing: I personally hated bella bands. They constantly rolled, didn't actually smooth out my undone pant buckle, and everytime I sat they would expose my backside bc my pants would still slide down. Other clothing: I am shocked at what I still can wear. A good maternity tank top (read LONG) goes a long way under cardigans or other tops. I liked the secret fit belly pants from Motherhood. Granted, this has been a summer pregnancy, so cheap non maternity tank tops are great for after work. I recommend a good pair (or 2) of maternity yoga pants...I've loved mine and wear them all the time after work.

Heartburn: don't shy away from the zantac! It is my bff!

Afm: 36 weeks...aka 9 months preggo! And while I know you all are getting excited and anxious about feeling those first flutters...after. 4 months of getting the crap beat out of my insides, im about to scream. Yes, its cute, but I can't wait to feel her move on the outside thankyouverymuch. Im sore. At times, im helpless. I roll out of bed, quite literally. I was lucky and carrie very high, but now she has dropped a bit and I pee 3-4 times per night. The other night she didn't stop moving and keeping me up for 3 hrs straight, I finally just gave up and began to cry. I know ill have sleepless night once she arrives, but at least then I can hand her off for a min.
dr. Did an internal today, no changes. Said he will see me next week. After no periods/spotting for the past 9 months, the minor spotting I have had after the internals at least gives me hope that I wont be pregnant forever and I will not have to share this body with my daughter much longer

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Charbie, I'm so sorry that you can't get a full-night's rest now--that must be frustrating knowing that you're going to get NO sleep when she's born, so I'm sure you're wanting to take what you can get now! It's comforting knowing that you had a tough time with the Bella Bands as well. Mine might work better when I'm bigger, but for now they aren't really a good option. I may just go from the elastic around the button trick to maternity jeans. We'll see!

We have a section of our house closed off as well (three beds and a bath--basically the future kids' part of the house), so I feel like the cleaning is manageable now, but I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to clean the entire house every week. That may be when I actually break down and hire a cleaner, haha. At least yours is brand new and still feels fresh and clean!

PT, funny that you mention that your first purchase will be a new car. I wish my DH were on board with getting a new car. I love our car, but it's also 12 years old and while it's in great shape, it makes me nervous. We do have a newer SUV (Jeep Liberty), which was our first purchase when we got our second newfoundland, haha. I love our Jeep because I'm a Jeep kind of girl, but it's a bumpy ride. I worry about that with a newborn. My friend just got a Honda Pilot and loves it--it's really spacious, I love it, too.

Janine, woohoo for moving your DD into her big girl bed!! I laughed about your pink sheets comment. Hey, if the girl loves pink, you have to go with what she loves. I may need to learn this lesson for myself So sorry that work has been so busy, I always hope the summers will be slow, but then they never are. Hopefully it slows down a little for you in these last couple of months!

Brown_eyes, I just asked my sister last night when she could feel her DD moving--she said around 16 weeks she started feeling little "tickles". 14 weeks seems really early to me, too, but what do I know? I'm eager to start feeling ours move, but like Charbie mentioned, I have a feeling by the time you're 30+ weeks, you're ready for it to stop.

AFM, had the NT scan this morning and it went really well!! It took a long time to get the measurements because our baby kept standing on its head (apparently my uterus is very vertical), but the nurse finallly got them and they were good. I begged for any indication of sex, but baby wasn't cooperating at all. It's no big deal, it's not like I would have started buying anything, anyway, until we got definitive results.

In order for me to put together a birth plan I need to go back to my ortho surgeon and then meet the team of anesthesiologists to see what my options are. They want to closely monitor the baby's growth, so I'll be doing ALL of my ultrasounds at the hospital and not at my ob's office. The good news is that they do the anatomy scan slightly earlier (18 weeks), so that will happen at the end of September. Then I'll do an u/s each month until 32 weeks, then I'll get them every 2 weeks.

I'm going to tell my boss and HR about the pregnancy today. So excited! 12 weeks today!

 

[janinegirly]

Charbie: yay for 36 weeks, not much longer at all! But enjoy it....sounds like your little girl is kicking up a storm. Mine moves a fair bit too, but gives me some breaks, lol. Keep checking in so we know how you're doing!!

NEL: Yay for the NT scan! Did you do the bloodwork? I did mine a few days before so it was great in that the scan came with the results, so I was done after that. I asked them to guess the sex and they couldn't. I think 14wks is a better shot - maybe arrange for an u/s? Although my little girl was kneeling at 14 wks so no money shot! We did get it at 16wks..so you will know soon! I secretly want you to have a girl since you are anti-pink but I actually think you will have a boy - so putting in my bet now, lol! How exciting that you're telling work!

 

[modernsparkler]

Congrats DCG She is beautiful!

 

[lliang_chi]

Hey everyone!

Janine, Wow, I wish I knew to do the bloodwork earlier than the 12 wk US. It would've been so great to have the results right at that appt vs waiting and waiting. I didn't get a very chatty/helpful US tech so I didn't get any opportunity to ask if it was a boy or girl. Shucks. For some reason I'm also betting that NEL is having a girl. Not sure why. But I know NEL and NE-Fella/Husband/Guy really want a boy for their first so I hope they have a boy.
Fantastic on getting DD into her Big Girl Bed! I totally laughed at the pink sheets comment.

NEL, wow, you should totally get a house cleaner before you have kids. I'm definitely feeling that we'll get one once the baby's born. I honestly wouldn't mind getting one before the baby's born either... Hooray for a good long look at the baby. So funny you shamelessly begged for a hint on the sex. Ha ha! If I had a receptive tech, I totally would've done the same. I'll have my anatomy scan just week after you, first Thursday of Oct. Good luck with telling work and HR!

Parrot, funny your first purchase is going to be a car. It makes 100% sense to me though. My friends just bought a Suburu Outback and they really love it. They live in Denver, so that's snow country. Are you doing any kind of training for your boxer pre-baby? My dog is kind of a butt-head and barks at other dogs on her walks. For the past few months I've been working on her being able to walk nicely past them, no barking or leash tugging. She'll do it for treats. The other thing I want to work on is her barking at dogs in the car. That's the last thing I want, baby sleeping in the car then waking up and crying because of the dog.

Charbie, 9 months preggo! Hooray! When is your magic 1 yr anniversary at your employer? I hope you get the best service anniversary "present" ever. During the early 1st tri, I kept peeing in the middle of the night, but now I can last until almost my waking time, which makes me happy. Thanks for the yoga pants tip. I *LOVE* wearing trackies so I'll definitely stock up on a few of those. YES!

Brown, what's on your checklist? I'm wondering if I should make something like that for DH, I'm not sure how happy he will be about buying tons of stuff but it will all be stuff we need.

IHA, wow, top of the list! Cheering you on!!!

AFM, not much going on. I showed Sis the swaddle blankets I got, and she immediately thought they were PJ pants, and to be quite honest they would make some ROCKING PJ pants. IF the baby doesn't mess them up too much (yeah RIGHT!), maybe I can upcycle them into PJs.

 

[parrot tulips]

Ahhh...housekeepers. Since I'm on loose/modified bedrest right now, and I don't expect that condition to improve with a twin pregnancy, I might have to talk DH into hiring one before the babies come, rather than after. I'd like the house clean before they arrive.

Charbie - I'm sorry you've been so miserable not being able to sleep. I've had to set ground rules with my parents not to call the house before 8am on weekends (they like to call as early as 6:45 on a Saturday morning). I keep telling them I'll be sleep deprived soon enough, either from the pregnancy or the babies, so I want to get as much as possible while I still can.

NEL - Yay for the NT scan! Isn't it great when the babies actually start to look like babies, rather than just grey blobs on a screen? I was eager to learn their genders too...didn't find out until my amnio at 17 weeks.

LC - I suggested the Outback, but DH lived in Breckinridge for 7 years, and got tired of seeing so many Subarus around. We're now in the Bay Area (in the suburbs), so we're not restricted by weather or space (I'd hate having a larger car in any major city).

We haven't done much training recently to prepare our dog, other than work on the "leave it" command. She's never been allowed on the furniture, so that will be a non-issue. We can seriously mess with her (tug on ears/feet/tail, smack her in the face - obviously not hard, stick your hand in her food bowl or grab a treat from her mouth mid-chew, wrestle with her, pin her on her back, carry her like a baby), and she'll either ignore you, or respond with kisses. She's been around toddlers and pretty much ignores them. After labor/delivery, I'll be asking DH to bring home something with the babies' scent for her to get used to, and make sure she knows she can sniff, but she must otherwise leave the object alone. She's not much of a barker, unless there are raccoons in the yard, and she walks well on leash (unless another dog lunges at her growling and snapping, which will get her riled up). That said, as much as I trust her, I'd never leave the kids alone with her until they're older. At the end of the day, Izzy is still an animal.

 

[lliang_chi]

Parrot, I love that about boxers! They're super chill dogs. Quizas has been pretty good and she does listen quite well to commands. She barks at dogs from our window, but she'll stop and go to her room when I tell her to. I agree with you, in the end our pets are still animals.

NEL, your Newfies are so friendly and super chill, you must not have to worry at all about them.

Quizas gets pretty skittish, so I'll be watching her like a hawk when I bring the baby home.

So I told my whole family today. I told my mom and dad via email, the same mass email as the rest of my family. I was pretty sure I'd get some hurt feelings, but 1) I admit I have some "trust issues", but I didn't care. And 2) It's not ALL ABOUT THEM. So my brother emailed me today with the heads up that my mom was a little miffed she didn't get something more personal. My dad's in China so he's probably just checking his email now. But I'm sure he'll be pretty miffed too. Again, I don't really care and it's not about them. I was telling my DH about this and his words were so appropriate: "Aannnd, here we go....."

~LC (12W, 6D)

 

[pancake]

LC, I'm sorry that there are issews with how you told your family. But hopefully the dust will settle soon enough and people will focus on how great the news is! Personally I have found it much easier since I told my closest friends and our families, it takes a lot of pressure off. I still can't really be bothered telling everyone else - they will figure it out soon enough!! Re the timing of your blood tests, I was told to get mine done 10 days before my scan appointment. It's a shame they didn't tell you of the delay in running the tests, annoying! But pleased for you that your risk profile looks good, in the end that is the main thing.

PT, how are you finding the bedrest? Hope you are not going too stir-crazy, it must be frustrating for you! Just think of your babies somersaulting around in there though... have you got some good books and a phone by your bed? And a laptop? And a TV and DVD player? Definitely get a cleaner. It is like a safety net for us, that even if we were in some situation where we let the house get out of control, we have our fabulous cleaners who will fix it up for us!

Janine, well done on transitioning your little girl into a big girl bed! Phew! Hope it continues to go smoothly.

NEL, sounds like it is all systems go with your pregnancy and birth plan! Fantastic that it is all getting organised in such a systematic fashion early on, it will make you feel much more in control (in a situation that must feel like it is sometimes out of control - heck, I don't have other medical issues and most of the time I feel like I don't have any control!!) and hopefully allow you to focus lots of energy on feeling good and enjoying your pregnancy...once you stop puking. Which I hope is soon! So glad your NT scan was good. Wasn't it just awesome?? 12 weeks would be extremely early to be able to determine the baby's sex. They look exactly the same until about 8-9 weeks, so at 12 it is still really difficult!

Charbie - 36 weeks, omg!!! Not long now. Quite a few of my friends have said similar things to you at this stage, essentially "Get him/her/it out!"

brown_eyes, I wish I had your "nesting bug"! I groan at domestic chores still. Hoping that I will pick up some motivation at some stage... I'd like to repaint the nursery and clear out a ton of boxes full of stuff we don't need, but the idea of it just...UGH, you know?

Re sex of the baby etc... I can't wait to find out because my baby is already a little "he" or a "she" and the sooner I find out, the closer I will feel to him/her, I don't know if that makes any sense. The one thing I do baulk at though is that then I worry that we will either be given ALL PINK THINGS or ALL BLUE THINGS. I know I sound "anticipatorily ungrateful" for the gifts we will receive, but I just really hate this blue/pink divide! I think we are going to paint the nursery a pale yellow. I want my baby to wear lots of bright colours, and obviously I won't be avoiding pink or blue, but I don't know, the PINKPINKPINK or BLUEBLUEBLUE has always been one of my personal bugbears.

I took my black Bella Band for a spin last night - went out to dinner with my mum, brother and sister for dumplings. It worked very well - I used it doubled over and wore it over the fly/waistband of my jeans. I actually still felt a bit restricted but it wasn't as bad as wearing the jeans zipped up. In fact my jeans still zip up comfortably but when sitting down it feels really yuck - I think it's because normally the waistband would just displace fat and guts, whereas now it cuts into a uterus that ain't moving!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Pancake, I'm a woman who loves a plan (even though I KNOW nothing ever goes as planned--that never seems to deter me), so I'm very happy that I have "next steps" in figuring out my birth plan. I've already made my ortho appt., so the ball is rolling. I'm so glad your Bella Band is working well--I agree that the folded-over technique works better for now. I ended up wearing mine today and it's fitting slightly better for me. I also hear you on wanting to find out the sex, but not wanting all things pink or blue. I want to know so that I can start planning the nursery and getting prepared, but not so much for getting everything in pink or blue

LC, I'm so sorry that you have to worry about family drama when you have exciting news to share, but you know what? GOOD FOR YOU for taking the stance that this isn't about them and that they can throw a little hissy fit if they want, but this is about you and nothing is going to take away from your excitement about this. I'm so glad that you have such a supportive sister and brother. About the dogs, yes, we are lucky in that regard. Both of our dogs go ga-ga over kids (newfies are awesome with kids) and are very, very polite and laid-back. I am a bit of a control freak, so I had both of them in training at 12 weeks and they both had their canine good citizen certifications by 6 months. They don't know anything OTHER than listening to me, which goes over well since I'm a bossy one! But seriously, I am blessed with absolutely amazing dogs. What breed is your pooch?

PT, I didn't know you had a boxer! I ADORE boxers, they are all-around great dogs. In fact, one of Bo's best friends is a fellow PSer's boxer. Our vet loves boxers as well, he says that you can push and prod them as much as you want and they never get frustrated. I think that's so important when kids are in the mix--ours dogs are the same way. I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally stepped on their paws and they never even let out a yelp or raise their heads. It makes me feel even worse! How is the modified bed rest going? When on modified bed rest is there a certain number of hours you can get up and move around?

Janine and LC, for the past few days I've been feeling like this baby might be a girl. I don't know, I think it's because every time I take the heartrate, it's in the 160s, which is high. I know it's an old wives' tale that high heart rate = girl and that scientifically that is unfounded, but maybe there's something to it after all. I'd be completely happy with a girl, I really do think that even when you have a gender preference, once you're pregnant you overwhelmingly feel like a healthy baby is all that matters. Sounds cliche, but it's so true. If we have a girl, I'm going to totally embrace it and might even paint the nursery lavender

AFM, nothing exciting! Still happy to be thisclose to the second trimester. I'm starting prenatal yoga next Wednesday and have bookmarked some other classes I'd like to take. I bought the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD and pitched my nursery ideas to D (he was on board with the girl nursery, but vetoed the boy nursery). Looks like we still have a few things to iron out!

 

[Loves Vintage]

LC - I suggested the Outback, but DH lived in Breckinridge for 7 years, and got tired of seeing so many Subarus around. We're now in the Bay Area (in the suburbs), so we're not restricted by weather or space (I'd hate having a larger car in any major city).

Hi PT - Just wanted to chime in on the car question. We recently got an outback. There are a ton of them around here (New England), too, but they are very safe cars, which is what ultimately influenced our decision. That, and the back area is perfectly sized for our dogs. We also have a Volvo XC70, which I like slightly more than the Outback. It is a heavier car, so I feel like it would do better in a collision, especially with so many huge SUVs out there these days. With that said, the Outback is fairly heavy too, and I am very comfortable in choosing it for its safety. I'd have to look up the weights again, but certainly better than a sedan. I strongly considered a CRV (they are so cute), but wasn't happy with the roll-over risk, and there was one safety test that the CRV did not score the highest in (I forget which one, atm), so we got the Outback. The dog gate in the XC70 is FAR superior because you can raise it up and down, where as the gate in Outback needs to be manually removed, which is easy enough, but time-consuming and a pain, when you're trying to get everyone, and their things packed up in the car.

 

[jcarlylew]

hello all! thank you so much for well wishes for my friend. She is doing better now that she has acknowledge the fact that something is "wrong" (although i am making sure to tell her that this is OKAY as long as she receives the help she deserves), and her first appointment is next week. I am excited for her to get the help to be able work through/address her issues at hand. Also, We are setting aside play dates for just us gals, and us and the kids (since, we both know that once my LO is born it'll be harder to do things w/o the kids). What is also awesome is that eric is being supportive 100% about this, and said that he would even babysit if it needs to be! Whatta guy!

Parrot - We plan on doing the same thing (bringing home a baby blanket from the hosp) that will be specifically for bowser. We've also been tugging on his ears and tail since he was a puppy, and putting our hands in his bowl so that he always knows who is boss. Granted, he is pretty small so we don't have a lot to wrestle with, but its always a wise thing to do regardless the size of the dog!

Charbie - 9 months! congrats! I actually know what mean of getting sick of the motions. As much as i want emily to continue baking, some days i am just like "enough already.". Mostly at 4 am when she is knocking on my bladder. But then of course there are the days where i am wondering why she is so quiet. Oh the joys of paranoia.

LC - sorry for the family issues. What is it about babies and weddings that bring out the worst in families? My mom hates the middle name we've picked out. BFD mom, its not humperdink, so be glad! (we picked out Autumn, so far, even though its a mouthful with our last name)

AFM - almost to 27 weeks, and then onto the 3rd trimester at 27/28 weeks! I am, of course, starting to get paranoid when Emily is not moving around, and then annoyed when she is. I think more so, i really want Eric to be able to feel her kick.
I am having the hardest time trying to stick to a healthy diet. The only thing that sounds good to me is chocolate or ice cream (again, more chocolate). And I keep on forgetting to buy veggies to bring to work to snack on. I think today I'll have to walk down to the market and buy some fruit and veggies.
Eric started his unemployement this week. While it is scary, we've worked out our savings and unemployement paychecks to be able to cover for the next 10 months, and i'll still be able to take 12 weeks off for maternity leave. I love that, that is the most important thing to him. Plus I can't complain that over the past 3 days he has cleaned (and kept up) the apartment, cleaned out the kitchen, folded and PUT AWAY all the laundy (even mine!) and is working on the baby room by clearing out more stuff and making room for everything else.
Oh, AND we're going sailing this weekend. woot!

 

[Lauren8211]

Morning ladies! Happy Friday!

Pancake - Welcome! Glad you officially made the jump! Glad your NT scan went well and you're now safely in the second trimester! Yay!! I hear you on boob growth... I was a 36B also, tried on a 36D and the band was tight. WTF? So I had to move to 38C! Its weird that your rib cage grows also! At this point, I'm feeling so chubby that I'm just showing off the new boobs, since at the moment, its my most attractive feature! Good luck with the bella bands. I was not a huge fan, but I know some people love them!

LC - Funny that a friend of yours noticed you were pregnant! Sometimes we're not as slick as we think! Congrats on telling your whole family... even if there are some hurt feelings. It is definitely about you, so try not to stress too much.

DC - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! She is so, so beautiful. So excited for you! You look fantastic! Can't wait to hear the whole story!

Katy - Yay!! You're here! Glad the Zofran is helping get you through! I hope you'll be feeling better soon!

NEL - Chiropractors scare me! I think my parents used to always tell me how dangerous they were, so now I'm so reluctant to try it. I might actually try post-pregnancy.. I'd worry less then. Glad you're feeling better slowly, and that your energy is coming back! Also, you're going to love mat jeans. Oh man. I want to wear mine forever. I love having an elastic waistband at all times! Hubby is jealous! Glad your NT scan went well.. even if LO was difficult!

Marlie - Welcome! Happy 15 years together! Thats so awesome that you got pregnant in Italy! Glad your scan looked good.

Brown_eyes - Glad your hubby is stepping up for you! Its wonderful to have such a supportive partner!

Jcar - Glad your friend is doing better, she's lucky to have someone as supportive as you. I'm same as you re: baby not moving. I freak out when he doesnt. Have fun sailing this weekend!

RMFA - Congrats on the healthy little boy!!! Welcome to Team Blue!!!!

Janine - Glad DD's move to the big girl bed went well! So cute! Good luck with the name decision! Glad you're doing well!

Charbie - 9 months! Holy crap! I know you must be dying to get that little girl out! Not too much longer!!

AFM - 25w4d today. Feeling good, but naps are steadily increasing. Nothing much to update at this point. Signed up for a prenatal yoga class to help with my back. DH and I planned a little mini babymoon to northern MI for next weekend. He's switching jobs and we took a little time off in between to get away for a bit. We're staying at a winery for a couple days (TORTURE!) but its so pretty up there, I'll have plenty of distractions. Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[charbie]

Its Friday! Yay!
LC: I wish I had some good words of advice re: the family situation, but at the very least am glad you were able to share the news. Sometimes it takes the big joyful events that happen in life to put things into perspective for all parties involved. I had a pretty terrible relationship with my dads side of the family for a few years, as did my sisters. It took my wedding nd the realization that life is too short to lay blame or expect others to change. Im happy to say that now the door at least was opened (bc I decided to finally make contact that was meaningful) and I have a much better relationship with all of them bc of it. I hope you find peace with whatever direction the relationship with your parents takes, and remember they love you just like you love your growing little one. I forget that sometimes.

Pancake: glad the bella bands worked for you. I have used more gender neutral items for my nursery "reusable" stuff (curtains, storage) but as for clothing, it is inevitable that gender free clothing just doesn't make the cut as much....little boy and girl clothing is too.cute. we. Have just embraced the pink and purple for all its worth...kid clothing is cheap anyways

Jcarly: have fun sailing! Im glad you and your dh have worked out how to best utilize your time off together. Em will get lots of love from both of you, which is awesome. Is E actively looking for a new job in the meantime?

Parrot: we are also care swapping/shopping, but it isn't too big of a deal if baby gets here before the new car. We have sufficient space in either car, but looking to utilize dh's discount since he works for a big japanese car company

IHA:hope you and liam are hanging in there!

Elle: ill admit it. I snuck a half glass of wine last week when I was so miserable and just wanted sleep. Didn't calm the baby down, but relaxed me enough to sleep. Friends told me their 'drinking rule' during pregnancy was the first sip of a cold beer went to the pregnant lady. Haven't done that, though I've been tempted. Have fun on the babymoon! I love northern mich.

Janine: yay for dd and the transition! I feel like your pregnancy is still just flying by! Crazy!

AFM: braxton hicks like whoa. Nursery almost done. Can't believe she is going to be here so soon! Trying to enjoy as much as possible the last few days/nights with just DH and me.
And a 36.5 week belly shot...ya know, since im the ONLY ONE WHO POSTS BELLY PICS!

 

[Lauren8211]

For Charbie:



Also, I may taste some wine.. but it makes hubby SO nervous. We'll see!

 

[bubbly1126]

Welcome to all the new ladies!! I wish you all the best with your pregnancies!

Charbie and Elle, you both look fabulous!!

Quick update: I am 38 weeks today. Still on bed rest and hurting more and more everyday. I literally feel like this child is going to fall out of my hoo-ha. lol... sorry, but that's the nicest I can put it. I'm feeling lots of pelvic pressure, pain and a lot of pushing on my hips. My Dr's appt for this week got pushed back til next Tuesday due to yet another death in our family. (DH's Uncle... 3 deaths in less than 6 months...) I am so ready for LIFE! Liam needs to get here ASAP! Anyway, here are some pics from 37w5d... He has definitely dropped. And don't mind me... I look disgusting but eh, I guess that's what being 2 weeks away from your due date does to you!

 

[lliang_chi]

All you PS Preggo mamas look GORGEOUS! I hope I can look as great as you do when I'm as far along...

IHA you look fantastic!!! I have no idea what you're talking about with the "I look disgusting" remark. I sure hope Liam gets there soon. Sorry to hear about your DH's uncle. That's a lot happening in a short time, but you have a beautiful little boy to cheer you and DH up. BTW, I love Liam's nursery! Great job.

Elle, hope you have a fun babymoon. That'd be ABSOLUTE TORTURE for me, I don't think I could do it. My DH would FREAK OUT if I took any sips of wine too. Are you going to the UP? I hear it's supposed to be really awesome up there. I'm in the Midwest (Chicago).

Charbs, thanks for the encouragement with the family. I'm OK with it, will actually call my mom today. I guess I was still a little sore when it just happened, so I was venting. Fantastic you can have a relationship with your dad's family. Hope the BHs calm down a bit. Has it gotten a little better for you in the sleep dept?

JCarley, I'm glad your friend is doing better. You're a really good friend to be watching out for her like that. Oooh sailing sounds FANTASTIC! Are either you or your DH sailors/yachters? What's the appropriate title? We went on a sail boat earlier this summer. My neighbor has a boat and invited us out on Lake Michigan. What a DAY!! Wow, sounds like your DH has been really productive at home. How'd you get him to do that? I'm still working on my DH... (Statement made in jest.... sorta).

NEL, Quizas is a Spanish Water Dog. And she has an ear infection Took her to the vet and thankfully it's just on the outside of her ear, not in the ear canal. Wow, sounds like Beau and Byron are the model doggies! I'm the "mean" one between DH and I (he just spoils her). We stopped just short of the CGC classes/cert in her training. I kinda wish we didn't... What's your nursery ideas? I'm drawing a blank after I painted the walls. But I ordered a bunch of sample fabrics to hopefully get inspired to do curtains and a new futon cover. How was Happiest Baby DVD? The mama thread all have good things to say about it.

Pancake, I totally hear you on not wanting all blue or pink things. I am really picky on my pinks and don't really have a lot of it. It's really funny, the first time my dad came back from China, he brought back these pink traditional Chinese jackets. And I've learned to like some pinks, but the jackets that he picked out? Little girl pink. Like Princesses-ponies-and-ribbon-pink. I was like, "Wow, thanks" with a frozen smile. Well, he tried...

AFM: I'm fortunate that all my pants still fit. I think because I like "lower rise" (respectable though, not totally hoochie like some pants you see these days), so it can button under my giant bloated belly. I might bum some of my sister's work chinos that can stand the button hole hack. All my work slacks/chinos have the hook/eyelet closure that can't do the button hole hack.

Preggo-wise called my BFF and she's super happy for me. I'll probably tell my local BFFs tomorrow at a party Sis is having for her BF. Then another circle of friends next week. I'll probably do the email to my friends later this week or so.

I'm planning a babymoon too, but it might need to be cut short or edited depending on my MIL's recovery and homecoming. DH might take a week or two of medical leave, and if that's the case, he might not be able to take many days off for a baby moon... I think we might be around the end of Sept.

~LC (13W, 1D)

 

[lliang_chi]

Hey preggo mamas,

Quick question. My ragweed allergies are starting again full force. Does anyone know what kind of allergy meds we can take in pregnancy? I'm 13 wks. I used to take Allegra, Singulair, Astelin pr (nasal spray) and Flonase (steroid nasal spray as needed). Can I take any of these? I'm miserable!!!

And Charbie, I promise I'll post a belly picture. I'm just in totally bummy clothes right now, and look terrible.... (see above paragraph about allergies)

~LC

 

[Lauren8211]

IHA - OMG 38 weeks! Sorry you're still hurting, but its all going to be worth it SO SOON for you!! Sorry about your DH's uncle You most certainly do NOT look disgusting! You actually look fabulous, and I hope I look as good as you at 38 weeks!

Charbie - I know I forgot to mention it, but you also look fabulous. Pregnant ladies always look gorgeous to me, but you and IHA both look really great!

LC - We're not going all the way to the UP. We're spending 2 days on Mackinac Island, and 2 days in the Traverse City area on Old Mission Peninsula. We're staying at this winery: http://www.chateauchantal.com/ I can't freaking wait. Not sure about allergy meds, but I generally use safefetus.com to check out what drugs are OK. They'll tell you the grade as far as pregnant women go, from A to E, and explain the grade. Its pretty useful, but for some reason I'm having trouble getting the drug search to load right now! I hope you can make a babymoon happen! You need some alone time before the baby! So important!

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! Nothing for me to update, but I did break into "double digits" today. 99 days until baby is due!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Elledizzy, your babymoon sounds amazing, enjoy it!! And congrats on breaking into the double digits! You look fabulous in your pic--that dress is really cute, too! As for the chiropractor, honestly, they scare me a little, too. But a couple of years ago my hip was so out of place that I had to see one and it was like instant relief. The new guy isn't quite as good, but I see him in Fridays and always feel better walking out of his office than I did walking in. And you were so right about the maternity jeans! They feel like heaven on my waist. I didn't think I'd really need them until later on in the pregnancy, but they feel soooo comfy that I'll probably start wearing them now.

LC, I'm so sorry to hear about the allergies, that sounds miserable! And I had no idea you had a Spanish Water Dog, that's great! Bo swims every day, he would live in the water if he could (we literally just got back from a swim). I haven't gotten the Happiest Baby DVD in the mail yet, so I'll watch it when we do...then probably watch it a few more times in my third trimester. As for nursery ideas, if it's a girl, I just want to do a simple black/white toile theme. Our house is an antique and we have that wood wall, so I want vintage-looking furniture and mirrors. The boys ideas are tougher. I still wanted to do something in black/white...I was thinking something nautical (antique white oars on the wall, etc.), but D didn't think it looked "boy" enough. I saw an antique carousel horse at my favorite antique store a couple of weeks ago, so maybe we could do some sort of vintage theme park theme? I have no idea. What are you thinking?

IHA, you do not look disgusting at all, you look fantastic! You're so close to the due date, not much longer for you to go at all!

Charbie, you look fantastic as well! And it sounds like you settled into the new house just in time! I'm so glad that the builders stayed on schedule and that you didn't have too much stress around the house getting done in time for the baby's arrival. I remember when Meresal was building her house, there were a few moments where it sounded like it could be close. I'm sure the house will feel much more full when you get back from the hospital

JCarly, I hope you're enjoying the sailing this weekend! And I'm so glad you still get to take your 12 weeks of maternity leave. Unemployment is always scary, but it's great that you have a workable plan for the next 10 months. Hopefully Eric will have found something by then and the weight will have been lifted from his shoulders. It's tough because on one hand, it would be nice if Eric could have several weeks at home with you and the baby, but on the other hand I'm sure he wants to find something. I know it will work out no matter what!

Pancake, are you around? I'm not sure if she's already left for her European holiday...

AFM, it's been a busy weekend. D and I have been talking about a babymoon for weeks. Since Byron is still very sick and we don't want to leave him in the hospital (our only option if we travel without him), we'd decided we'd just rent a house on a lake up in Maine. That way he and Bo could swim and we could just relax. But the only month it was feasible was September. I have a huge client deliverable in mid-September and D has a huge presentation to give at the end of September, so no matter how we tried to finagle it, it just wasn't working. So believe it or not, we have to take separate babymoons! I'm going home in October for my best friend's wedding and D is going to Germany, Switzerland or Iceland next week. He still has to decide. It's nice that we'll each get a week to do what we want, but still a bummer that we can't do anything together.

 

[parrot tulips]

I love all the pregnant mama photos! With twins, I'm feeling a little big. This is me at "just" 19 weeks 1 day. I know a lot of singleton ladies who are barely showing at this stage.



We managed to do a short babymoon in Vegas this past weekend. I'm supposed to be on very loose/modified bedrest, but the doctor gave us the green light on the trip as long as I promised to take it easy. We caught a couple of the Cirque du Soleil shows and lounged by the pool - definitely a laid back vacation for such an exciting town. Luckily DH isn't a huge gambler, so he placed a few bets on baseball games and left it at that. All in all, we had a great, relaxing time, and I'm glad we got to do one last grown ups only vacation before the kids arrive.

 

[Krissie]

Hi ladies!

I think I'm finally ready to join you all!! I'm pregnant with twins and today I'm 15w4d! I'd like to say this pregnancy has gone 100% smoothly so far, but not so much - however, everything seems to be progressing as it should, so I am counting my blessings! We had a scan on Monday and Baby A is peaceful and quiet, whereas Baby B is jumping all over the place!

The most difficult aspect of the past few months is that DH got a new job that moved us from VA to CA. He moved at the end of June, and I just joined him last week. Moving is *always* hard -- but leaving my friends, job, etc. to the uncertainty of an entirely new coast -- while pregnant with twins -- has been a real challenge! I'm SO glad we've moved past this hurdle, and I'm ready to get on with my life

I see so many wonderful ladies from the Barely PG board - hi!! So glad you're all doing well!!

 

[jcarlylew]

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...0348747113109_501558108_9641668_5461362_n.jpg
not sure if this works, trying to do a fly by picture post.

ps - i burnt the crap outta my face while sailing. sail fail.

eta - i forgot how to add a picture. i hope the link works!

 

[Mrs]

Hey ladies! Just a shout out to those of you who are getting really close! Hang in there!! I'm almost 4 weeks postpartum and I have nearly forgotten all the pain and discomfort of pregnancy! I feel GREAT (despite the sleep deprivation) and I know you all will very soon too.

Congrats to all the new(ish) moms-to-be here! WIshing you all happy healthy pregnancies!

Mrs

 

[KatyWI]

Hi ladies! Long time no speak! Sorry for being so absent... and I apologize in advance because I'm positive that I'll miss someone!

LC - My doc has Zyrtec on the list of daily meds that are safe during pregnancy... my advice is to just call your doc and ask to be sure, but you can get the Zyrtec over the counter and Walgreens and Target both have pretty regular sales where you can get great deals on it. You have a spanish water dog? Awww, I have always thought they were SO CUTE. How awesome is it that you were able to share your news?! I can't wait until I can stop keeping this secret, only a few more days! I hope you still get to take a rockin' babymoon, even if it ends up being shorter or closer than you wanted. I'm not sure we'll be able to afford anything, although I am kinda hoping for a screaming deal on airfare/hotel to get away at some point. Perhaps even a local "staycation" will do the trick.

NEL - At least both you and DH get to get away, even if it's not together. Such a shame though that you can't get away for a true babymoon. Perhaps you can sneak away for a long weekend sometime after September? Even if it's to a more local cabin or something where you can still take the pups, I feel like just taking as much time as possible to just be us and the guys before we have an infant is so important! Early to mid October wouldn't be so bad.. somewhere near an orchard for apple picking maybe, with a nice fireplace? Hey, how did telling work about the pregnancy go?!?! And are you really not sharing even one teeny tiny little NT scan pic of baby NEL with us...?

Elle - Seriously, you can totally taste the wine. (At least, have one sip of each thing DH tastes.) You're far enough along that your liver will totally do the job. One of my best friends is married to a doctor, and once she got into the second or so half of her second trimester and everything important was done developing, she probably had a small glass of wine every week! Her DH read an article in a medical journal that said they ran a study in Europe (that they could clearly never do here in the US) that said that after the first trimester, women who had a glass or two of red wine a week had babies with higher intelligence and totally normal birth weights. If they abstained completely, or if they drank considerably more? Less intelligence, lower birth weights. So hey... A few sips of delicious wine will be fine! I will even admit to having had a sip of beers that DH is drinking when I haven't tried them before. I don't want to hurt my baby, but I refuse to believe that a sip or two will harm anything, when some alcoholics still manage to have healthy babies. Remember - the only reason they tell us to abstain completely is that there is no way to prove *exactly* how much is safe! Of course everyone has to go with their own mommy gut on this one. I hope you have an amazing time on the babymoon! It looks GORGEOUS there!

pancake - I feel totally the same way as you do! I am dying to know the sex of our little one, and also hoping that we get some cute clothes that aren't all pink and frilly or blue and sporty. Glad to hear the bella band is working for you! So far my pants still fit pretty well, so I'm hoping to hold out on purchasing anything until my pants don't fit. I do have a couple skirts and dresses that would get me through the day or two I'd need til I could get to the store, so I'm not too worried... though maybe I should be! haha. We plan to paint the nursery grey with yellow being our big secondary color.

PT - good luck finding a car! I think my next one might be a Subaru, although my sales guy is at the VW/Acura dealership so I really like the thought of an RDX if we can swing the cost. Great belly pic, you look fabulous! Your dog sounds like a total obedient sweetie, I'm sure you won't have any trouble. The biggest, wildest family I know had boxers forever with no issues!

Charbie - you look amazing!! Hang in there, lady, it will all be over so soon!!

IHA - you look way far from disgusting! I hope I look as good when I'm about to deliver! Sorry about the bed rest, that must be so boring! I hope Liam decides to make his appearance soon!

jcarly - what a cute belly pic! Way better than my not-really-a-belly-yet bathroom mirror attempts!

janine - Loved the story about the big girl bed!! When I was little I used to have to take a running leap to get into my bed... it's an antique, tall four-poster bed that my mom slept in when she was a little girl, and hopefully I'll have a little girl (this time or later) that will sleep in it some day too. I imagine my parents thought it was big for me, too... though at least it was only a twin!!

Krissie - Welcome back! I was wondering if you would come back to us Glad to hear you and the babies made it to CA okay! It must be nice to be back with your husband!! Have you been to the new OB yet? Do you like it there?

RMFA - Congrats on team blue!! So exciting, I can't wait to find out what we're having!

brown eyes - It is so good to hear your DH has been a total angel. Mine has been heaven sent too, I swear. Until this last weekend or two I really hadn't done anything around the house... and in the last 6 weeks I think I've only made dinner twice!! Granted my DH works as a manager in a restaurant and loves to cook so it's not a big hardship for him, but I bet he sure is tired of asking me what I'd like him to make and having me go "I don't knowwwwwwwww... nothing SOUNDS good so just whatever!" I even bribed him into making my rice krispie treats yesterday by cleaning up the kitchen and doing some laundry. What a guy! So... are you feeling better yet now that you're what, 15.5 weeks? My friend who was super sick too just had week 15 last week and she said it was the best thing that ever happened to her. LOL.


AFM... 12w2d! How does that even happen?! Thursday is the NT scan, and then I get to TELL EVERYONE!!! I feel like it will be so much less stressful when I am "out of the closet". Still not sure how/in what order I want to tell work people (management, really) but I guess I'll figure it out on the fly! Really psyched to see the baby again, though like everyone else, I have kind of a paralyzing fear that I'll get there and it won't be okay. Although, my incredibly sore boobs and upset stomach might argue otherwise, I'm holding on to that theory.

Still kinda sick and tired... getting chores done is still a major effort, and even with the Zofran I'm still dry heaving (not prolonged, like... one heave at a time, randomly throughout the day, ew) but I can eat and drink basically normally except no eggs, and god, please, NO VINEGAR.

Trying to figure out who will travel where for the holidays this year.. my parents may be coming at Xmas which would mean I wouldn't have to go there for Thanksgiving, which would be excellent. Want to save all the vacation I can at this point I can only roll over a week though... sigh. Oh, and those of you who get paid company leave are lucky dogs. I get STD at 66.6% for 6 weeks, and the rest is unpaid. We were hoping for a return to wine country next year when the babe is 5-6 months old, so I think at most I'll use 2 of the 3 weeks. So maybe I can only take 10 weeks and not 12, cause I could get paid at half time maybe for four of those weeks... it remains to be seen if I can afford to take two weeks completely unpaid. OH, and already stressing about the daycare situation. I wish DH would get a huge promotion and I could just stay home!! I don't think I can afford the fancy $300/wk place, so I'm hoping to find an in-home or smaller daycare that's closer to $150/$200/wk, but then the trust issues roll in... sigh. If only I knew other moms for recommendations!!

Still fitting into my clothes although I'm sure I look chubbier since I can't suck the belly in like I used to be able to! Definitely not shopping for anything AT ALL until my clothes don't actually fit... I am going to try not to opt in to all the crap I'm supposed to have! Some long tanks, cardigans, a few dresses, a couple pairs of pants and a few tops should do the trick.. but oy, am I going to be sick of it all by the end! The joys of pregnancy...

 

[lliang_chi]

Quick fly by to post my bloat pic for Charbie. I really hope can look as radiant as you mamas. Right now I'm just looking really chubby.

Will respond properly when I get into work...

 

[NewEnglandLady]

LC, you look mah-velous, my dear. I meant to download my 11 and 12 week photos this weekend, but didn't. I'll start posting my weekly pics starting this Friday. I honestly think I've moved beyond the bloat and have a real (but small) belly.

Katy! So glad you posted, I've been wondering how you've been. So sorry to hear that you're still sick. I'm in the same boat. I had a couple of good days last week, but have since dry heaved for the past 5 days or so. Every day I wake up and say "maybe this is the day I feel better!"--it has to be close for us, right? Ugh, so sorry to hear about the partially-paid leave, that sounds frustrating. Mine was supposed to be paid, but I just found out that we can't roll over any vacation for next year so now I may need to take a week or two unpaid, which is fine, but also annoying since I've been saving my vacation time. Anyway, I'm excited for you to have your NT scan this week!! And it is really nice to let people at work know. I told HR and my manager first...I haven't really told the rest of my team yet. I figure once I start showing, it will come up? I promise to post a pic of my NT scan!

JCarly, you look fantastic and it looks like you had a great time sailing!! Great weather, too!

Krissie, it's great to see you and I'm glad you made the move and are starting to settle in! I'm sure it's not an easy transition for you, but I'm glad it's done and it's still early in your pregnancy, which gives you time to adjust.

PT, you look great and I'm so glad you got to fit in a Vegas babymoon. It sounds so nice and relaxing, it may not be such a bad thing that your doc suggested you take it very easy, that makes for a great, low-key vacation. I'm just glad he gave you the thumbs up to go!

AFM, I'm wearing maternity cargo pants today and can I just say thank you, lordy, these feel amazing! Trust me, I'm not the new mom who couldn't wait to wear maternity clothes. I told myself I wasn't going to wear them until I really NEEDED them, but this elastic waist feels SOOOO good. Also, posting my belated NT scan photo.

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, Aw baby pic!!! Love it! Ha ha, you broke out the maternity cargos. I broke out the B band by Bella Bands. I'm not quite sure anyone will say anything even if you start showing. Right now I don't really plan on telling my team members. I probably won't tell my mgmt & HR until 15 or 16 wks. Hooray for a week long getaway! You'll definitely need it. Would you guys be able to do a weekend trip somewhere local in additional to your respective 1-wk'ers? That way you guys get some cozy time together. I second Katy's suggestion for some fall time apple picking, etc. I have no idea what I want to do for the nursery. If we have a girl maybe a glam style room with crystal light fixtures and play up the Tiffany blue wall color and go all PS bling on the place. For a boy, I'm thinking maybe airplanes. DH is a mechanical engineer with a defense contractor so I think he'd LOVE the airplane idea.

Katy, thanks for the Zyrtec rec. I'll give that a shot. I think I'll also try acupuncture just to minimize the drugs too. Who knows what will work, but I'm willing to give everything a shot. I lucked out with the my spring time hay fever this year, I was kinda hoping for the same luck in the fall time. Guess not. Boo! Hooray for hitting 12 wks, and for the NT scan soon! So exciting to see that the baby looks more like a baby and less like a nugget. I think we'll be doing the smaller in home daycare too. In Chicago the price break down from cheapest to most expensive went: Nanny share ($250-$285/wk), In-home day care ($275-$350/wk), Corporate daycare ($350-500/wk), full time nanny ($680+/wk). I don't know anyone we can nanny share with but I think we might try to do the in-home day care. The question for us is in the city or in the suburbs (DH works in the 'burbs). I want to do burbs, but I'm pretty sure DH will want me to handle the baby duties. We still haven't had that discussion yet...

JCarly, you look fantastic! Oh no, sorry for the sunburn!

Krissie, glad to hear you and the babies made the move with little or no worries. How was the flight? I know you said you were a little nervous about flying, but you obviously made it through just fine.

PT, you look fantastic! And hooray for your Vegas babymoon! Which Cirque shows did you catch. Your little vacay sounded like exactly what you needed. Some relaxing pool time, some fancy shows and some good eats.

Elle, Mac Island! Wow, that sounds fantastic. We still haven't ventured up there yet, but I really want to go. Everything in the winery looks so divine, you're going to have an AMAZING time for sure!!! Thanks for the rec of safefetus.com. I checked that out, everything I take is a C rating or worse. My nasal spray said caused cleft palate in animals! So I think I'll start with Zyrtec and do acupuncture until my 16 wk appt in a few weeks and ask the Nurse Midwife (NMW) I'm meeting with.

AFM, not much is new. We told all of our friends this weekend. They were all SUPER excited. I told the mamas "I'm going to borrow your baby stuff that you won't be using anymore." One of my friends C was like "Oh hell yeah, we're one and done, so you can get that crap out of my house!" So funny! My other mama friend gave me a B Band, the Target version of Bella Bands yesterday The Target variety looks just like a tube top, are Bella bands like that too? Thus far it's working out just fine, but these pants also have a belt with them so that probably helps. I also sent emails to all my friends that are not local. My old roommate is expecting too, her baby's due in Dec, 2-ish months before me, so she's really excited.

DH and I made plans to discuss travel tonight. We've got his mom's transition home coming up after Labor Day and the baby moon. He's optimistic we can do the babymoon so I'm happy.

That's it for me

~LC (13W, 4D)

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Aw NEL, so cute!!!

Liang-Good luck with the daycare question. I bet it would be a little cheaper and less intense in the burbs...that might help your decision...

I am doing total drive-by b/c I need some second-hand OB/GYN advice. Not sure if TTC or JPB or here was best place to post, but since you are all probably seeing your OBs regularly I thought I'd post here Total gross TMI alert, but I figure if you are knocked up you've got all kind of gross going on (as well as amazing and miraculous

We are in Ethiopia adopting our son and have been here since June 29. I always have regular periods and typically have 27-31 day cycles, usually around 29 days. We TTC for almost 2 years so I got pretty acquainted with my cycle. I had my regular period on July 9, everything was normal, but I haven't had a period since. I had light pink/brown CF for 1 day on August 5 but then it stopped immediately, but I had EWCF, some nausea, and mild to moderate cramping intermittently from then until yesterday when I had enough bleeding (red) to stain my pants through my underwear and one small pea-sized clump of tissue (I usually get those and larger on my period), today I've had nothing except a little brown CF but still have cramps. I've taken several pregnancy tests (purchased here in Addis) and all came back negative.

I am thinking maybe my cycle got messed up and now my body is just doing weird things trying to regulate itself, but if not, are there any symptoms I should look for for something serious (like ectopic pregnancy)? Dr. Google isn't really helping me out here unless I get severe pain in which case it says I should seek immediate medical attention...I am here at least until Friday and possibly for several more weeks. I don't know where in Addis I could get an ultrasound, but if the cramps get worse I will look into that more.

Any suggestions? If I hadn't had cramping for almost 4 weeks i wouldn't be so worried. The cramps were pretty bad yesterday (almost as severe as my periods-I get severe cramps and diarreah on my period) but today are just kind of mild but persistent as they have been for the pst few weeks.

I'm stressed now about this and about getting our sons visa, but for the past 2 months--even though it was a big change to our family--I've been really relaxed, enjoying not being at work, and sleeping a ton b/c we co-seep (8pm-7am plus a 2-3 hour nap most days).

Any suggestions? It'd be amazing if I were pregnant, but I am totally fine if not, I just don't want to have a severe medical issue here in Addis or while on a 24 hour plane ride home!)

 

[Loves Vintage]

Bella,

Even though I am not a regular here, I will try, because you know I *heart* you. Are the pregnancy tests the same brands that you'd get here in the US? The only thought I have is that maybe they don't detect the same early levels of HCG? The only other conclusion I can think of is that, even though you feel relaxed, you have just traveled a ton and have had to deal with all of the details of your son's adoption. Even though you may feel super-relaxed, I'm sure your body has been stressed even if you don't perceive it as such. I tend to think your cycle is messed up, especially since you mentioned the clump, which I don't think you'd have with implantation bleeding. But, of course, I am not a doctor!! )

 

[lliang_chi]

Bella, is your pain like dull all over period type pain? They said ectopic pregnancies are VERY SHARP pain, (like gasping for air) on one side only. You went through a lot of travel between Russia and ET, so that normally screws with your cycles too. Plus you're in a new country, so new food, water, surroundings. I think your cycle might just be wonky. Since you had red flow, I'd consider that your period and it was just a very short one. You should ask around for a hospital in Addis with an ultrasound, just in case things get worse. Looking forward to seeing you on the Adoption or Toddler thread. Lots of dust for B's paperwork!