Lions, Tigers, and Baby Registries, Oh MY!

And I thought a wedding registry was time consuming....baby registries are much more difficult.  This week I think I finally have most everything on our registry for our little girl that will be coming in late August, early September....but it was a long hard process to get to that point.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed the process (at least most of it) but it was long and complicated.  When it was just us and we were getting kitchen things I didn't really care if we had the best or the safest appliance, but I would have to say that my motherly instincts have kicked in for the baby and I want everything to be safe and good quality - so I have read reviews, product descriptions, compared prices.... wow - all this from a non-shopper - now you can understand why it was a bit overwhelming.

For any of you that will be registering the near future, let me give you a couple tips that I have learned....

1.  Call up a few new moms that have infants under age one.  Ask them what they have, what they like, what they don't like, and what they can for sure do without, as well as what is a must have.  Each mom will be different but it will help you greatly.  I even went over to look at their things and try them out.

2.  Pick several places that you would like to register.  This will allow you to get the items you really want instead of settling for something different just because the one store doesn't have it.  It will also help you to pick which place has it the cheapest.  For us I picked one place that was an internet site - Amazon which offers free shipping for $25 or more orders.  We picked a store that focuses on babies - Babies R Us.  And we picked a store that was local that you can just walk into and find good prices.  It gives your friends and family some choices as well.

3.  Take your mom (if you have a cool mom like I do)!  Joel isn't real picky and I knew he would rather do other things than go shopping, so I left him at home and met my mom for the day.  Though it has been a long time since my mom had children (all five of us are in our 30s) she is an expert Grandma and she is up to speed on all the new safety things.  On top of that - it was a great day to spend bonding with my mom.  I don't know how she managed five kids, but I hope that I can manage one as well as she did her five.

Another option would be to take a friend that has had children within the last two years - they can be helpful in the registering process.

4.  Remember this is your child, you need to be comfortable with your choices, pick things that good for you and your situation.  For instance, with my MS I have trouble with my hands and decided to be very picky about the car seat that I chose.  The stroller that I chose I had to consider where I lived (in the boonies) with rough surfaces.  So instead of getting a cute travel system that matched, I picked a car seat that I could actually clip with my hands and a stroller that will actually move on our back roads.  But like I said before each person's situation is different.

5.  I have not experiences this one completely yet, but I have been told by several people.  Don't be afraid to put bigger things on your registry - people will go together to help purchase the bigger items.  Also don't by a ton of stuff before your shower - you will be amazed at what you get as a gift.  I have already gotten many great used items from others in the church that are in great condition, however - if you want new - don't be afraid to say it, it is completely understandable.

I hope this helps!  My little one is getting excited just thinking about (she is kicking away as I type, maybe she wants some music!).

Spoiler Alert

What an amazing day!!!  After a few days of feeling very anxious, we had several days of active baby moment which I saw as a direct gift from God!  Every morning and every evening our little one seems to want to dance around, but I am loving every second of it.  It gave me peace to know that things were okay.

Then today (or yesterday - depending on when you read this) we were able to get a full ultrasound and 4D picture of our little miracle.  I wasn't sure what I thought about those 4D pictures - they often seem a bit weird looking, but the first picture we saw - changed my whole opinion.  Here is a picture of that picture.  You can see the babies face with the fist next to it.  I actually cry tears of joy every time I look at it, it is amazing to see God handiwork as the child is being knit together in my womb.

So now for the big reveal - if you are not interested in knowing what were are having you may want to stop reading now.... we know some people are opposed to knowing but for us - it was still very much a surprise it was just a 5 month surprise not a nine month surprise.  We are blessed to be able to know what we are having and pray specifically for this child.

We are having a...... GIRL!!!!  and we couldn't be happier.... the ultrasound looked great and she measured perfectly for when she is due - they checked all her organs and her heart - she is perfect!!!  And I got a good report as well!  So baby and mommy are great!  I have a feeling she is going to be a Daddy's girl, but I can't think of a better guy to have my daughter spend time with.

My biggest fear as some of my friend's would say - is that she will love the color pink - because as many of you know - it is far from my favorite - but I am sure it will grow on me - but please consider all the other beautiful colors out there that a girl could just love - peach, purple, yellow, orange, red - really the sky is the limit!!!

Check out her picture - isn't she just precious already.  I can't wait to hold her in my arms in four short months!!!

We are so grateful for all the prayers and support that we have been given so far in this journey and we know the journey is just beginning.  We also know that God has a special plan for our little one and we pray that she will one day change the world!!!

Anxiously Waiting

This week seems to be taking forever!!!  Or more like this month seems to be taking forever!  As much as I appreciate feeling much better than last trimester, and I appreciated not having to drive 45 minutes to the doctor every week, these last four weeks seem to be going very slow!!!

I am excited and anxious for Friday - not just because we can find out the gender (hoping the baby will cooperate!) but mostly because I want to hear that heartbeat!!!  There is nothing as soothing as that sound.  I am at that weird stage where I feel pretty good most of the time.  I have weird pains here and there (round ligament pains they call them - seriously just call the growing pains!).  In the last two weeks I have even started to feel movement....but that I think is part of the anxious issue for me... I feel it - then nothing (or nothing that I can determine for sure is movement) for days.  Then I feel something....hmmmm - just an FYI this is killing my type A personality!  I like to know that things are okay - I like to know that there is consistency of which in this case there is none.

I am guessing that as I get farther along and the baby starts moving on a daily basis - I won't have to wonder - I will know, but until then I must practice patience (which interestingly enough I talked about this morning in a chapel talk).  Praying for the next two days to go quickly, praying for the baby to keep giving me shimmers of hope by moving around...... I am sure that in a month or so I am going to wish that the baby would move less as I am trying to sleep at night, but until then - dance, baby dance!  I want to feel you move!!!